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IID delegation heads to Sacramento to discuss Garcia bill; “we felt very optimistic that they saw and appreciated our perspective”

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on April 27, 2008 at 6:40 am

From the Imperial Valley Press:

The Imperial Irrigation District has taken its fight against Bonnie Garcia’s proposed bill to Sacramento and has found sympathetic ears.

On Wednesday, IID general manager Brian Brady, Board of Directors president John Pierre Menvielle, Director Stella Mendoza and spokesman Kevin Kelley met with elected officials and staff members to discuss Assembly Bill 2564. The group met with and discussed the bill with Assemblywoman Anna Caballero, D-Salinas, who chairs the Assembly Local Government Committee. The committee will hear and make a decision on the bill Wednesday.

“From my impressions, in speaking with Assemblywoman Caballero, she really listened to our arguments,” Brady said. “She didn’t come out and express a definite opinion, but I think she appreciated our side of the story. “Bottom line, we felt very optimistic that they saw and appreciated our perspective,” he said.

The bill, proposed by Assemblywoman Bonnie Garcia, R-Cathedral City, would have Coachella Valley voters decide whether they want their own utility district or continue service with the Imperial Irrigation District in the future. According to the proposed legislation, if the number of Coachella area IID energy customers reaches 75 percent, a vote would be held. There are an estimated 60 percent of IID energy users in the Coachella area.

Menvielle said while the meetings went well, there was confusion on the parts of the people the IID representatives met with. He said many questions were asked about why Garcia was pushing for the bill. He said he believed there were local Imperial Valley forces that were behind the bill and pushing Garcia.

Part of the Garcia bill could lead to the separation of the IID controlling water and power sources. Mendoza said such a split would be detrimental to all of the Imperial Valley. “That’s not going to happen on my watch,” she said. “And in speaking with Ms. Caballero, obviously I can’t speak for her, but I feel very comfortable that this bill would not go forward.”

Read the rest of this story from the Imperial Valley Press by clicking here.

April 27, 2008 · Filed Under Imperial Irrigation District & Imperial Valley