Why I Should Be Elected to The SMUD Board

By Ron Gravitt

I'm running for the SMUD Board because I want all of us to have adequate and affordable electrical power for the present and the future. And I want us to meet those needs without sacrificing our quality of life and the environment.

I've served as a local agency task force commander in California's drug wars. I know how to coordinate complicated operations, utilize technology and manage and supervise personnel and contracts.

In addition to my 30 years of law enforcement service to the people of California, I've served my local community for the last several years, through an appointment by the Board of Supervisors, to the Community Planning Advisory Council for southeast Sacramento County.

For the last 20 years the Sacramento Bee has reported on numerous issues of mismanagement at SMUD. It was SMUD's mismanagement that caused the voters to close Rancho Seco Power Plant. That plant generated more than 1000 megawatts of power. Since its closure, 15 years ago, SMUD has only replaced 500 megawatts of power. We went from a seller of power to a purchaser. With this situation the rates have continued to increase and the current Board plans another rate increase after the election.

SMUD is set to add another 500 megawatts sometime late next year but this is still not enough. This lack of power generation capacity led to the brownouts two years ago.

The Sacramento Bee, in spite of its news stories and editorials about mismanagement at SMUD, has failed to call for a change in the Board of Directors. I'm calling for that change.

Our families,yours and mine,depend on SMUD to keep our homes warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Having retired from the Department of Justice, I will dedicate myself fulltime for the advocacy of ratepayers. You can be assured I will be an independent voice for you, the ratepayers.

My only interest will be serving you. As your SMUD representative, I'll work to ensure that SMUD supplies power for your home and business at a reasonable cost.