GWP PANELISTS QUIT AFTER VOTE TO RAISE RATES.

Byline: ALEX DOBUZINSKIS Staff Writer

GLENDALE - Two Water and Power commissioners have resigned their posts after voting against a proposal to raise electric rates. Their exit came amid accusations the city takes too much cash from its utilities budget.

The City Council votes May 23 on the rate increases, which amount to a 7 percent to 8 percent hike for the average homeowner. Glendale Water and Power needs the money to shoulder rising costs, officials said.

On Monday, the Water and Power Commission voted 2-2 on the proposed rate increase. The commission cannot set policy and serves as an advisory group for the City Council.

Commissioners Albert Gosselin Jr. and Ruben Rubi voted against the proposal and afterward resigned from the commission.

"Our rates are higher than our neighbors, whether it's temporary or permanent is (irrelevant)," Rubi said at Monday's meeting. "So my message to City Council is we're no longer competitive."

Rubi cited scheduling conflicts as one of his reasons for resigning. But he also objected to how much the city takes from GWP to put in the general fund - about $17 million a year.

The city uses the general fund money to pay for services, including police officers and firefighters. Under the city's charter, it can transfer 25 percent of GWP revenues to the general fund, and it has only been taking about half that much.

But Rubi said GWP is bleeding money, making it hard for the utility director to budget for increased costs. < "I mean he might make a little cut here, a little cut there, but it's completely out of GWP's hands, and ours," Rubi said. "... The only people who have the ability to make a change in the way they take on funds is (the City Council), and I'd like to put it back on their table."

Mayor Dave Weaver said transferring money from GWP to the general fund is nothing new.

"I think the transfer now is around $17 million, and you want to see how many services we're going to cut if we don't get $17 million transferred," he said.

"We would be cutting a heck of a lot of services and personnel," he said.

In addition to Gosselin and Rubi, the GWP commission also has a vacancy left by the council's removal of Lenore Solis in October.

Solis angered council members by leading a community protest against the controversial proposal to close a rail crossing on the border with Atwater Village.

Solis filed a claim against the city for an unspecified amount, arguing her reputation was hurt by her removal. Meanwhile, she continues to criticize the city's taking of funds from GWP.

"Can I keep overdrawing my bank account and asking my boss to advance me more money?" Solis said.

The proposed rate increase would generate $12.5 million for GWP, which has an operating budget of $145 million, director Ignacio Troncoso said.

The rate increase would apply differently to its various electricity users, but it would apply to both businesses and residents.

Gosselin declined to comment on his resignation Wednesday.

alex.dobuzinskis(at)dailynews.com

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