More reasons why PG&E hurts the city

Pub date December 21, 2011
WriterTim Redmond
SectionPolitics Blog

I know that the folks in Santa Clara are just taking full political advantage of the Candlestick blackout, buy you have to admit: They have a persuasive case. Here’s today’s Bay Citizen:

On Tuesday, Santa Clara’s mayor said his city’s superior public infrastructure helped lure the Niners away from San Francisco.

“To say this would be unlikely here is too kind: it simply could not happen in Santa Clara,” Mayor Jamie Matthews said in a Tuesday interview.

Santa Clara’s publicly owned Silicon Valley Power agency runs its own power generation and distribution system, drawing on sources such as wind turbines on Altamont Pass.

“The reason they moved to Santa Clara is the reliability of our services,” Matthews said. “We have reliability in our electricity system that is unparalleled.”

Yep: PG&E’s aging infrastructure and its inability to keep the lights on costs San Francisco jobs. And a reliable public system like the one in Santa Clara would help attract business. Maybe even more than tax breaks.

You paying attention, Mr. Mayor?