by Gainesville Residents United Exec. Board
State Rep. Chad Johnson, successor to GRU Takeover architect Rep. Chuck Clemons, announced a GRU Takeover 2.0 bill on Jan. 7.The bill voids the Local Public Utilities referendum approved by 73 percent of City of Gainesville voters. It also extends the GRU Authority’s powers to include unilaterally amending its agreements with the City and triggers millions of dollars in budget cuts to the City by effectively eliminating the payment that GRU makes in lieu of taxes.
In a nutshell, it gives the Authority what they want in every disagreement they have with the voters and locally elected officials. Rep. Johnson planned to begin moving the bill through the legislative process at the Jan. 9 County Legislative Delegation meeting.
But thanks to the efforts of hundreds of City (and unincorporated) residents who sent emails to the delegation, made phone calls, and spread the word, he quickly changed course and tabled the legislation. This means GRU Takeover 2.0 is dead for now, thanks to procedural requirements and deadlines for introducing local bills.
It is also a testament to the power of collective action. Gainesville Residents United extends a giant thanks to the Alachua County Labor Coalition, League of Women Voters, Sierra Club, and their supporters who stepped up to defeat this assault on local democracy. Rep. Johnson deserves thanks for tabling his GRU 2.0 bill, as well as for soliciting feedback from GRU stakeholders on the future we want for the utility.
Now the fate of home rule for GRU is in the hands of Judge George Wright, who is expected to issue his ruling on the Authority’s lawsuit against the referendum in the coming months. Of note, this lawsuit against the referendum, and therefore the 73 percent of City voters and taxpayers who supported it, is being entirely financed by City taxpayers — the Authority is deducting their (undisclosed) legal fees from the utility’s payment to the city.
Using taxpayer money to fund their assault on the will of voters is just one of many unforced errors made by the Authority.
They’ve raised rates on solar customers by effectively ending net-metering. They’ve put ratepayers at risk of future massive bill hikes through the fuel adjustment charge by doubling down on using natural gas for power generation a fuel with notorious price instability. They’ve eliminated City jobs by vindictively cutting the Government Services Contribution, as well as threatened rural jobs by reducing the wood purchased from local foresters for biomass fuel.
Rep. Johnson did right by Gainesville residents by tabling his bill. Now, we ask that he and the rest of the Delegation continue to respect our community by respecting the will of its voters.
That means one of two things, depending on Judge Wright’s ruling. If His Honor rules in favor of the successful referendum, we ask the Delegation to encourage an orderly transfer of power over GRU. If the ruling goes the other way, we ask the Delegation to work with stakeholders to abolish and replace the Authority.
GRU stakeholders and ardent referendum supporters acknowledge the concerns of both sides of the GRU governance issues. Many of us want to see the Authority replaced with a Governing Board possessing checked powers to direct GRU and composed of members appointed by both the City and County Commissions. If the referendum result is upheld by Judge Wright, we will seek this from the City Commission. If it is not, we expect Rep. Johnson and the rest of the Delegation to make it a reality.