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San Francisco County, CA | November 6, 2001 Election |
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Public power; enforcement of the Raker ActBy Steve WilliamsCandidate for City Attorney; City of San Francisco |
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"I support the creation of a municipal utility district in San Francisco. I vow to enforce the 1913 congressional Raker Act, acting under the direction of the 1940 U.S. Supreme Court decision." - Steve WilliamsI believe that San Franciscans at long last deserve an honest, open evaluation from their City Attorney as to just what the Raker Act requires. I will provide that when elected. I believe that creation of a municipal utility district to provide San Franciscans public power, in conformance with the Raker Act, deserves serious consideration. I do not believe that the present City Attorney has provided that consideration. As the San Francisco Bay Guardian has reported for almost 35 years, "the city attorney is one of only two public officials in the country (other is Secretary of Department of Interior) who has the standing to go to court to enforce the Raker Act, the federal law that requires San Francisco to operate a public power system (the other is the federal interior secretary)." I will so act immediately upon assuming office. As the City Attorney I will take the following actions:
"That the grantee [City and County of San Francisco] is prohibited from ever selling or letting to any corporation or individual, except a municipality or a municipal water district or irrigation district, the right to sell or sublet the water or the electric energy sold or given to it or him by the said grantee: Provided, That the rights hereby granted shall not be sold, assigned, or transferred to any private person, corporation, or association, and in case of any attempt to so sell, assign, transfer, or convey, this grant shall revert to the Government of the United States." - Hetch Hetchy Reservoir Site Act, commonly known as the "Raker Act" of 1913 "The City is availing itself of valuable rights and privileges granted by the Government and yet persists in violating the very conditions upon which those benefits were granted." - The Supreme Court of the United States: United States v. City and County of San Francisco (310 U.S. 16, April 22, 1940) |
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Created from information supplied by the candidate: October 12, 2001 18:39
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