Stop the Power Grab! Protect Home Rule for GRU!
The future of Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU) is under attack by House Bill 1645 that, if passed, would seize control of Gainesville’s municipally owned utility!
With HB 1645, all of GRU’s assets would be under management by a board appointed by Governor DeSantis. Gainesville voters turned down a similar bill in 2018 by 60%. HB 1645 has ignored the will of voters and bypasses them altogether by not holding another referendum.
HB 1645 could hurt underserved communities because a portion of GRU profits goes to the City of Gainesville through the General Transfer Fund (GFT). This transfer funds many programs and services for residents and would likely be cut off entirely because with HB 1645 there is no oversight or requirement to work with the city or receive public input on decisions made by this proposed Governor-appointed board.
We have an important call to action TODAY even if you have already contacted your legislator before about HB 1645 (GRU Takeover Bill).
By 4:30 PM TODAY, Monday, the State Affairs Committee will set the agenda for the upcoming meeting on Wednesday, April 19. We want them to pull HB 1645 from the agenda. The legislators have a lot of issues to discuss, and we would like to delay the discussion of HB 1645.
PLEASE CALL AND EMAIL EACH LEGISLATOR BELOW.
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To Bcc. them all at once, copy and paste this list:
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SHORT SAMPLE EMAIL:
Subject: Stop HB 1645. GRU funds transfer reduced dramatically
Dear State Affairs Committee Members
Please oppose Local Bill HB 1645 because it is no longer justified. The stated reason for this bill was a lack of confidence that the Gainesville City Commission would effectively take actions to reduce the debt of Gainesville Regional Utilities or that GRU would reduce rates.
On April 1, GRU customers who use 1,000 Kwh of energy began seeing a $15 reduction on their bill as reported on the GRU website. And on April 13, the City Commission passed a budget that cuts the budget by $18.7 million, as reported in the Mainstreet News . Altering the governance of GRU through HB 1645 would cause financial instability and bond downgrades for GRU. I urge you to pull HB 1645.
(Your name)
LONG SAMPLE EMAIL:
Subject: Pull Local Bill HB 1645 out of State Affairs Committee agenda
Dear State Affairs Committee Members
I am requesting that you oppose Local Bill HB 1645.
The State Affairs Committee should allow the Mayor and City Commissioners of Gainesville to work with the Joint Legislative Affairs Committee (JLAC) to address the debt associated with Gainesville Regional Authority (GRU). This Local Bill does not respect the ongoing work underway to address these concerns. Recently, the City voted to reduce the debt at GRU by $315 million over the next 10 years.
It is government overreach to have the Governor appoint a board that would be responsible for a city-owned asset. Further, HB 1645 does not define a working relationship with the Gainesville Regional Utilities Authority and the city commission. This bill ignores the will of Gainesville’s citizens, who overwhelmingly voted against a similar measure in 2018.
Finally, it is false to suggest that GRU is going bankrupt. Their bond rating remains at investment grade and is higher than that of FPL and Duke. For the past three years, the city has been implementing a wise debt management and reduction strategy that satisfies the credit rating agencies and has already reduced debt by more than 12%.
I ask you to pull this bill from the agenda and let the JLAC process complete as planned.
Thank you,
(Your name)
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Public Local Meeting on the future of GRU Governance on Friday, April 21, 2023 at 6 PM
Please stay tuned for more updates and also consider attending in-person or virtually the upcoming joint public local meeting with the Gainesville City Commission, Utility Advisory Board, and Legislative Delegation discussing the future of GRU governance on Friday, April 21st at 6 PM in the Gainesville City Hall. Go to the Public Meeting Calendar for details on how to attend.
It is vital for communities to have a voice in the regulation of essential services like water, electricity, and gas. Publicly owned utilities prioritize the needs of the community over profits, and this ensures that residents have access to affordable and reliable services. By defending and supporting publicly owned utilities, we are protecting our democracy and promoting a fair and equitable society.
The Sierra Club has joined forces with many other groups such as the League of Women Voters, NAACP, Communication Workers of America, AFL-CIO, and Amalgamated Transit Union to oppose HB 1645.
For updates on this important matter, please visit our website at Suwannee St. Johns Group | Sierra Club or follow our page on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SSJSierra.
Please forward this important message to your friends and family to ensure our urgent appeal is getting heard!
Thank you for taking the time to act!
Sierra Club Suwannee-St Johns Group
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