Old tricks (March 8, 2017)
Bill McDaniel complains that Liberty Utilities can’t stick to the facts (Liberty’s tricks,
Daily Press, March 7, 2017). Those who have not been following this issue closely may not realize the McDaniel doesn’t recognize facts when he sees them.
To give a few examples, McDaniel was wrong on the drought surcharge, he is wrong on the role of the CPUC in setting our water rates, he is wrong in saying Liberty is not transparent with its finances, he was wrong to imply that Apple Valley Ranchos was for sale separately, he was wrong to imply that Carlyle forced Apple Valley ratepayers to do anything, he is wrong about Liberty’s replacement schedule for water mains, he is wrong to say water rates are higher in Apple Valley than in surrounding areas, he was wrong to say that Liberty Utilities are investment bankers, he is wrong to say Liberty is a monopoly, he is wrong to imply that Liberty stands to make excessive profits, he is wrong to say that Liberty is guaranteed a certain profit, he was wrong to imply that Liberty shouldn’t make money on the millions it is investing in our community, he was wrong to imply that all water is our
water, he is wrong to imply there have been uncontrolled water rate increases, and … oops, I’m out of space.
One of McDaniel’s most spectacular failures to recognize established facts has been his insistence on parroting Assistant Town Manager Marc Puckett’s false claims about Liberty planning to raise rates 14% annually for three years. When confronted with the actual facts of the matter, McDaniel refused to accept them. Now he’s taken to criticizing Liberty for freezing rates. You can’t make this stuff up.
The one irrefutable fact is that he should take his own advice.
— Greg Raven is Co-Chair of Apple Valley Citizens for Government Accountability, and is concerned about quality of life issues.
Published: Daily Press, March 16, 2017