March 19, 2021— Climate Action Campaign, SanDiego350 and partners sent a letter to the San Diego City Council calling for community-centered and equity-focused electric and gas Franchise Agreements.

After over a dozen community forums and public hearings, and a broad coalition of environmental, labor, and social justice organizations demanded electric and gas Franchise Agreements that the community benefits from equitable climate solutions, and that the utility is held accountable to the public in exchange for profiting off our streets.

Even after decades of SDG&E gouging San Diegans with the highest energy rates in the state, repeated attempts to pass hundreds of millions of dollars in wildfire costs onto working families, and intensive lobbying efforts to kill local climate and clean energy programs, the Mayor and Council are at risk of signing another bad deal for San Diego families and taxpayers.

“The current proposal is a bad deal that will allow SDG&E to continue to fleece San Diego families and businesses out of billions of dollars over the next 20 years with minimal oversight and community benefits, while the City receives less than 1% of the value of its prized real estate” said Matthew Vasilakis, Co-Director of Policy at Climate Action Campaign.

The letter recommends the City accept a cash-only Minimum Bid, place the bid dollars in a dedicated Climate Action Plan implementation fund tied to the City’s Climate Equity Index, and require a biennial audit with set metrics and Community Oversight Committee.

The City of San Diego’s electric and gas Franchise Agreements are a once-in-a-generation opportunity to rebalance community power against corporate influence that has exacerbated inequality and sidelined San Diego families. The full City Council must fight for San Diegans by including reasonable community and equity provisions. Anything less is a dereliction of duty of their oath of office.