Utility rate panel chief cites conflict, resigns
The chairman of the city's Utilities Rate Advisory Commission has resigned following the panel's recommendation that the city raise utility rates by 12 percent.
Bob Blymyer resigned effective June 1 because the commission's recommendation did not jibe with the stance of the Sacramento County Taxpayers' League. Blymyer, the league's executive director, had supported the rate increase.
Last week, the City Council approved an intent motion to raise rates by 9 percent starting in July. They are expected to finalize that vote at next week's council meeting.
Blymyer said acting as chairman for the utilities commission put him and the taxpayers' league "in an awkward position" because the 12 percent hike was higher than what the league wanted.
"The only fair thing for me to do as a representative of the league was just to resign from the commission," Blymyer said. "I couldn't speak out of two sides of my mouth."
John Puente, the commission's vice chairman and a candidate for Robbie Waters' City Council seat in District 7, also had reservations. He said the increase was too much when piled on top of Sacramento Municipal Utility District rate increases.
"This is unacceptable in the current economic climate and could be the very thing that pushes many families over the financial cliff," Puente said.
The commission will name a new chairman at its meeting in August.
Johnson open to helping fund New Year's Eve event
Mayor Kevin Johnson is open to a proposal that the city come up with $33,000 to bankroll another New Year's Eve ball drop.
Norm Alvis, president of the marketing firm Edaddywarbucks Inc. and one of the masterminds behind the event, has pledged to join the Paragary Restaurant Group to come up with $33,000 if the city and the Downtown Sacramento Partnership match.
Alvis said he wants approval from the city and downtown partnership by the end of July in order to give the parties time to plan and raise funds for the event.
Johnson said City Manager Ray Kerridge would have to come up with a plan for the cash and that the City Council and mayor would then vote on that proposal. That conversation likely won't gain traction until after the city's budget situation is resolved in the coming days.
"It's something I would advocate," the mayor said.
Last year's event drew thousands of spectators to the K Street Mall, leading to concerns from the Police Department about crowd control. The mayor said he'd like to see the event stay on K Street.
Michael Ault, executive director of the Downtown Sacramento Partnership, is out of town this week and not available to comment. The downtown partnership, however, is scheduled to meet with Paragary and the Convention & Visitors Bureau soon about the ball drop.
Mayor's outside audit plan set to return to council
One of the mayor's unfulfilled goals of his first 200 days could be realized after all.
The council is expected to vote on issuing requests for proposals to hire an outside auditing firm to take a look at city finances. Johnson had pushed the idea after being elected, and he found a firm to do the audit.
But the council rejected that plan, in part because the idea was not put out to bid.
An item could be on the agenda as early as July 14.
Call The Bee's Ryan Lillis, (916) 321-1085.
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