"The accounts are set up for projects such as procuring and producing electricity, as well as energy conservation and smart meters. The accounts are designed to ensure utility customers pay only the amounts required for the utility to carry out projects mandated by the PUC. The PUC accounts track revenues and expenditures, while the utilities handle the money."
"There is a possibility ratepayers were overcharged," said Tiffany Roberts, a senior fiscal and policy analyst with the Legislative Analyst's Office, which issued the recommendations as part of a wide-ranging report. "There is a possibility they were undercharged. We really don't know."
"The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office said Tuesday that Brown's budget proposal "raises serious legal concerns" in at least two instances where the governor wants to use fees to fund potentially unrelated programs. Ever since voters approved a business-backed initiative in 2010 more narrowly defining what fees can pay for - fee-based programs must directly affect the payer - state leaders have faced stricter limits in how they spend money."
"The resources and environmental protection report says the governor wants to use $649,000 in new carbon emissions fees on businesses to pay for five state employees at the Department of Housing and Community Development. Those workers would review local government housing plans."
Continuing on the money theme, the proceeds from California's cap-and-trade auctions aren't supposed to balance the state budget, the governor says.
From News10's John Myers: "Even so, Brown's January 10 budget assumes a fair amount of money from the proceeds of the first three auctions of carbon credits, money that would offset existing state expenses and thus help balance the budget."
"And the expectations only grow in the 2013-2014 budget year, with $400 million scored from the proceeds of future auctions."
"Tuesday's auction, which gave companies three hours on which to bid on credits that could be used in 2013 and 2016, was conducted in relative secrecy by the Western Climate Initiative. As was the case in November, state officials will ultimately only release general data about the pollution credits sold, the average price, and the proceeds."
And still more on money: Remember California's electricity market meltdown when the state got smacked by energy traders from across the country? It turns out a refund may be coming.
From the Bee's Dale Kasler: "More than a decade after the last rolling blackout, Californians could get $1.6 billion in electricity refunds because of market manipulation during the first few months of theenergy crisis, officials said Monday."
"A federal administrative law judge issued a preliminary decision last Friday in California's favor against several big energy wholesalers, including a U.S. government agency that sells hydropower from the Pacific Northwest and the government of British Columbia."
"If the decision is upheld by the entire Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or FERC, California ratepayers would receive $1 billion in refunds plus $600 million in interest, the state Public Utilities Commission said Monday."
And finally, still walking the money trail, the governor's budget blueprint is increasingly eaten up by salaries and health care costs.
From the LAT's Chris Megerian: "The state will still send more money to education than to public employees. But the proportion of money spent on salaries, retirement benefits and debt payments has grown since 2007, while the proportion going to government services like schools and social services has dropped, the report said."
"The biggest jump in spending was seen in healthcare programs such as MediCal, increasing from 13% to 20% of the state budget in the last six years."
“Think of the state’s proposed budget as a pie. Compared to 2007-08, the overall pie is larger, but social services, K-12, universities, courts, and other services are now smaller slices,” said a statement from Autumn Carter, the executive director of California Common Sense. “On the other hand, health care services, employee salaries, retirement benefits, and debt service are all larger slices.”
