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\f0\fs24 \cf0 >> THIS WEEK KPBS HOSTED THE\ \
FIRST TELEVISED DEBATE FOR THE\ \
52ND CONGRESSIONAL DEBATE.\ \
MOSTLY THE TALK WAS ABOUT\ \
HEALTHCARE, IMMIGRATION, AND GAS\ \
PRICES.\ \
WAS THERE A WINNER OR A LOSER?\ \
AND THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY WATER\ \
AUTHORITY THREW OUT WORDS LIKE\ \
"SHADOW GOVERNMENT" AND "SECRET\ \
SOCIETY".\ \
IT'S THE NEWEST ROUND IN THEIR\ \
BATTLE WITH SOUTHERN\ \
CALIFORNIA'S LARGEST WATER\ \
WHOLESALER OVER RISING WATER\ \
RATES.\ \
HERE TO TALK WITH ME IS UT\ \
REPORTER CHRISTOPHER CADELAGO\ \
AND 10NEWS MANAGING EDITOR J.W.\ \
AUGUST.\ \
\ \
\ J.W., TELL US, WHY IS THIS WATER\
\ BATTLE GOING ON?\
\ >> IT'S ABOUT MONEY, IT'S ABOUT\
\ POWER, IT'S ABOUT WATER.\
\ WATER IS OUR LIFEBLOOD, AND IT'S\
\ HISTORICALLY ALWAYS BEEN AN\
\ ISSUE HERE, AND IT'S HEATING UP.\
\ >> WHEN WE HEAR WORDS ABOUT\
\ "SHADOW GOVERNMENT," "SECRET\
\ SOCIETY", THESE ARE ACTUALLY\
\ WORDS USED IN EMAILS.\
\ >> THEY'RE SUING MWD, UP NORTH,\
\ AND THERE ARE EMAILS, ONE OF\
\ WHICH I HAVE HERE, IS THE ONE\
\ EVERYONE HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT,\
\ BECAUSE IT REFERENCES A SECRET\
\ SOCIETY MEETING, AND ALSO A\
\ CONTRACT WITH A COMPANY CALLED\
\ CORDOBA WHICH IS AN OUTSIDE\
\ ADVISER CONSULTANT THAT THE\
\ OTHER WATER DISTRICTS ARE USING\
\ AND SHUTTING US OUT OF THINGS.\
\ >> THIS IS REALLY OUR LOCAL\
\ WATER AUTHORITY SAYING TO THIS\
\ SORT OF LARGER UMBRELLA\
\ ORGANIZATION, "WAIT A MINUTE, WE\
\ \
THINK YOU'RE CHARGING US TOO\ \
MUCH, AND WE THINK YOU'RE\ \
MEETING SECRETLY ABOUT THIS."\ \
>> ABSOLUTELY.\ \
AND THERE IS PRETTY GROUP, LIKE\ \
A 9:00 A.M.
MEETING THAT\ \
EVERYONE SHOWS UP, SAN DIEGO\ \
SHOWS UP AT 8:00, THESE GUYS\ \
HAVE ALREADY DISCUSSED THINGS.\ \
THAT'S NOT RIGHT.\ \
AND THEN THEY HAVE THESE\ \
CONSULTANTS ADVISING THEM ON THE\ \
SIDE, AND WHEN SAN DIEGO ASKS\ \
QUESTIONS, THEY'RE TOLD THEY'RE\ \
STUPID, THEY SAID, "YOU GUYS\ \
WASTE OUR TIME."\ \
THERE IS A LOT OF BAD BLOOD.\ \
>> I THINK A POINT TO MAKE IS\ \
EVEN THOUGH MWD IS L.A. BASED,\ \
AND WE THINK OF L.A. AS\ \
MONOLITHIC, THERE ARE SMALLER\ \
MEMBER AGENCIES AROUND IN ALL\ \
THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA\ \
COUNTIES, AND ALSO SOME SMALLER\ \
INCORPORATED CITIES IN L.A., AND\ \
I THINK WHAT THE COUNTY WATER\ \
\ \
\ AUTHORITY IS SAYING IS ALL OF\
\ THESE ARE ACTING TO CONSPIRE\
\ AGAINST SAN DIEGO, IF NOT ALL OF\
\ THEM, A GOOD MAJORITY OF THEM,\
\ AND I THINK IT MEANS QUITE A BIT\
\ TO FOLKS HERE, BECAUSE YOU GET\
\ THAT MWD IS THE ONE THAT, IF IT\
\ RAISES ITS RATES, THOSE ARE THEN\
\ PASSED DOWN TO ALL THE SMALLER\
\ WATER DISTRICTS, AND YOU END UP\
\ PAYING MORE FOR SOMETHING THAT I\
\ GUESS IS QUESTIONABLE AT THIS\
\ POINT.\
\ >> I WANT TO TALK ABOUT\
\ INCREASED RATES.\
\ THERE IS A POINT OF LAW HERE, IN\
\ TERMS OF THE BROWN ACT, RIGHT?\
\ IN CALIFORNIA WE HAVE A LAW THAT\
\ SAYS YOU CANNOT MEET SECRETLY,\
\ THESE PUBLIC AGENCIES AREN'T\
\ SUPPOSED TO DO THAT.\
\ >> BUT IT'S NOT THE BOSSES; IT'S\
\ SOME OF THE SUBORDINATES.\
\ SO THE ARGUMENT IS, ARE THE\
\ SUBORDINATES DOING OTHER\
\ BUSINESS OR DEALING WITH THE\
\ \
BUSINESS OF THE PUBLIC?\ \
THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE SAYING UP\ \
NORTH.\ \
>> AND I THINK J.W.
IS SAYING\ \
IT'S THE LOCALLY APPOINTED\ \
OFFICIALS WHO REPRESENT EACH OF\ \
THE CITIES -- THEY WOULD\ \
DEFINITELY BE COVERED BY THIS\ \
BROWN ACT, BUT WOULD THE STAFF\ \
AND CONSULTANTS AND SOME OF\ \
THESE OTHER PAID FOLKS WHO MIGHT\ \
MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THESE\ \
APPOINTED FOLKS WHO PROBABLY\ \
AREN'T AS FAMILIAR WITH THE INs\ \
AND OUTs AND MIGHT JUST BE\ \
CARRYING THEIR WATER, NO PUN\ \
INTENDED.\ \
>> LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT\ \
WHAT IT MEANS TO THE CUSTOMER.\ \
WE'VE BEEN HEARING A LOT ABOUT\ \
INCREASING WATER RATES LATELY.\ \
DOES THIS MEAN WE ARE PAYING\ \
MORE FOR OUR WATER HERE?\ \
>> WE WILL BE, 12.5% OVER THE\ \
NEXT TWO YEARS.\ \
THAT'S WHAT THE MEETING WAS\ \
\ \
\ ABOUT WHEN ALL OF THIS CAME\
\ ABOUT, THEY WERE DISCUSSING ITS\
\ NEXT BOOST TO SAN DIEGO.\
\ THE ACTUAL LAWSUIT HAS TO DO\
\ WITH THE FACT THAT SAN DIEGO\
\ FEELS THEY'RE OVERCHARGING US\
\ AND TAKING THAT MONEY AND GIVING\
\ IT TO THE OTHER AGENCIES IN\
\ L.A., AND THAT'S HOW THEY'RE\
\ ABLE TO FORM THIS GROUP UP\
\ THERE, TO OPPOSE THE WATER\
\ DISTRICT HERE.\
\ >> THIS IS LIKELY ONLY THE\
\ BEGINNING OF THINGS.\
\ WE KNOW THERE'S A HEARING IN\
\ APRIL ABOUT WATER RATES.\
\ OUR SECOND BIG STORY THIS WEEK:\
\ ON WEDNESDAY VOTERS GOT A GOOD\
\ LOOK AT THE TOP THREE CANDIDATES\
\ VYING FOR THE 52ND DISTRICT.\
\ BRIAN BILBRAY, SCOTT PETERS, AND\
\ LORI SALDANA WERE IN A DEBATE.\
\ WAS THERE A CLEAR WINNER OR\
\ LOSER?\
\ CHRISTOPHER, YOU WERE A\
\ JOURNALIST ON THE PANEL, YOU GOT\
\ \
TO ASK QUESTIONS.\ \
WHAT WAS YOUR OVERALL\ \
IMPRESSION?\ \
>> I THOUGHT LORI SALDANA CAME\ \
OUT OF THE BOX VERY AGGRESSIVE,\ \
SHE SHOWED A COMMAND OF THE\ \
SUBJECTS THAT WE THREW OUT\ \
THERE.\ \
SCOTT PETERS OBVIOUSLY TRYING TO\ \
APPEAL MORE TO KIND OF THE\ \
MODERATE VOTER OUT THERE, SHOWED\ \
THAT HE COULD BE BOTH\ \
BUSINESS-FRIENDLY AS WELL AS\ \
ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY.\ \
AND I THINK BRIAN BILBRAY, BY\ \
STRESSING A COUPLE OF THE BILLS\ \
THAT HE HAS WORKED ON AND THE\ \
PARTNERSHIPS HE HAS HAD WITH BOB\ \
FILNER AND NANCY PELOSI, WAS\ \
ALSO TRYING TO DEMONSTRATE SOME\ \
BIPARTISANSHIP IN THIS NEW\ \
RE-DRAWN DISTRICT.\ \
WE'LL SEE HOW LONG HIS\ \
DEMOCRATIC OPPONENTS ALLOW HIM\ \
TO CONTINUE ON THAT KIND OF\ \
PLATFORM, BUT FOR NOW I THINK\ \
\ \
\ EACH OF THEM HAVE SOMETHING THEY\
\ CAN LOOK BACK ON AND BE HAPPY\
\ ABOUT, AND WE'LL SEE WHERE IT\
\ GOES FROM HERE.\
\ >> J.W., WERE THERE ANY DEFINING\
\ MOMENTS FOR YOU, THAT SAID,\
\ OKAY, THAT REALLY IS GOING TO\
\ SPEAK TO THAT CANDIDATE OR...\
\ >> I THINK THE SOCIAL ISSUES --\
\ PLANNED PARENTHOOD IS GOING TO\
\ BE A HOT-BUTTON TOPIC THROUGH\
\ THE CAMPAIGN.\
\ OF COURSE, JOBS, JOBS, JOBS, BUT\
\ STILL, I THINK THE FACT THAT\
\ BILBRAY VOTED TO FUND IT, AND\
\ THEN HE SEEMED TO CONTRADICT\
\ HIMSELF TO SAY HE DOESN'T WANT\
\ WASHINGTON TO GET INVOLVED IN\
\ HIS CHILDREN'S HEALTH ISSUES,\
\ AND I'M SURE THEY'RE GOING TO\
\ POUND HIM ON THAT.\
\ >> I THINK THOUGHT IT WAS\
\ INTERESTING TO HEAR SCOTT PETERS\
\ AND BRIAN BILBRAY NOT WANTING\
\ WASHINGTON TO GET INVOLVED, BUT\
\ THAT COULD MEAN TWO DIFFERENT\
\ \
THINGS.\ \
IT COULD MEAN BOTH THAT YOU\ \
DON'T WANT THE GOVERNMENT\ \
INVOLVED AT ALL, OR THAT YOU\ \
WANT THE GOVERNMENT TO PAY FOR\ \
SOME OF THESE THINGS AND THEN\ \
KIND OF STEP AWAY AND LET WOMEN\ \
HAVE THESE THESE HEALTHCARE\ \
ISSUES SUCH AS ABORTIONS AND\ \
CONTRACEPTION, WHICH IS REALLY\ \
WHAT THE HEART OF THE DISCUSSION\ \
WAS ABOUT.\ \
>> AND WHAT'S NEW THIS ELECTION\ \
CYCLE, TOO, WE'VE GOT TO TOP TWO\ \
PRIMARIES HAPPENING.\ \
WE SAW THE TOP TWO DEMOCRATS AND\ \
ONE REPUBLICAN IN THIS DEBATE,\ \
AND WE COULD END UP WITH\ \
DEMOCRAT VERSUS DEMOCRAT OR\ \
DEMOCRAT VERSUS REPUBLICAN.\ \
WAS IT A STRUGGLE, OR IS IT\ \
GOING TO BE, FOR THE TWO\ \
DEMOCRATS TO SET THEMSELVES\ \
APART FROM ONE ANOTHER?\ \
COULD WE SEE A HINT OF THAT IN\ \
THIS DEBATE?\ \
\ \
\ >> I THINK WE COULD.\
\ LORI SALDANA SEEMED TO BE UP TO\
\ SPEED ON A LOT OF THE ISSUES,\
\ MORE AGGRESSIVE THAN PETERS,\
\ WHETHER THAT PAYS OFF IS YET TO\
\ BE SEEN.\
\ >> SHE IS CLEARLY TARGETING\
\ ACTIVISTS AND PEOPLE KIND OF ON\
\ THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DEMOCRATIC\
\ PARTY, WHICH IS AN INTERESTING\
\ AND MAYBE A GOOD TACTIC IN THE\
\ END, BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE FOLKS\
\ THAT GET VERY EXCITED ABOUT\
\ VOTING AND PRIMARIES.\
\ SCOTT PETERS IS KIND OF PURSUING\
\ THIS GAME PLAN THAT WE THINK HE\
\ MIGHT USE IN A GENERAL ELECTION\
\ IF HE IS TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE\
\ PRIMARY, WHICH IS TO APPEAL TO\
\ REALLY A THIRD OF THAT DISTRICT,\
\ WHICH ARE FOLKS THAT DON'T\
\ IDENTIFY WITH EITHER PARTY, AND\
\ HE THINKS HE COULD PICK UP A BIG\
\ CHUNK OF THAT, AND POSSIBLY\
\ CHALLENGE BILBRAY IN THAT WAY.\
\ >> ONE OF YOUR QUESTIONS WAS\
\ \
ABOUT IRAN.\ \
WERE THERE ANY RESPONSES TO THAT\ \
OR ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT\ \
SURPRISED YOU, THAT WE LEARNED\ \
SOMETHING NEW ABOUT A POSITION?\ \
>> ON THAT ONE, I THINK -- YOU\ \
KNOW, BILBRAY IS TRYING TO GIVE\ \
A CONSISTENT ANSWER THAT HE\ \
ALLOWS THESE OTHER BRANCHES OF\ \
GOVERNMENT TO ESSENTIALLY\ \
OPERATE ON THEIR OWN WITHOUT\ \
CONGRESS INTERVENING, SO HIS\ \
ANSWER WAS HE WOULD NOT FAULT\ \
THE PRESIDENT OR GO AFTER THE\ \
PRESIDENT ON INVADING IRAN AS\ \
LONG AS THE PRESIDENT DIDN'T\ \
COMMIT GROUND TROOPS, AND I\ \
THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT THING TO\ \
LOOK AT, BECAUSE YOU HAVE A LOT\ \
OF REPUBLICANS, INCLUDING BRIAN\ \
BILBRAY ON SOMETHING LIKE THE\ \
HEALTHCARE OVERHAUL REALLY\ \
TALKING ABOUT THE PRESIDENT\ \
OVERSTEPPING, SO YOU HAVE TO\ \
KIND OF CONTRAST ONE ISSUE WITH\ \
ANOTHER AND SEE IF THESE\ \
\ \
\ CANDIDATES ARE BEING CONSISTENT.\
\ >> WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME.\
\ THERE IS A REASON KPBS LOOKED AT\
\ THIS 52ND CONGRESSIONAL SEAT.\
\ WHY IS THIS ONE TO WATCH RIGHT\
\ NOW?\
\ >> IT'S CLOSE, BECAUSE OF THE\
\ NEW DISTRICT, THE POPULATION\
\ SPLIT REPUBLICAN/DEMOCRAT IS\
\ VERY CLOSE, CLOSER THAN ANY\
\ OTHER DISTRICT IN THE COMMUNITY.\
\ IT'S GOING TO BE A HOT ONE, ALL\
\ THE WAY TO NOVEMBER.\
\ >> YOU CAN STILL SEE THIS\
\ DEBATE, KPBS.ORG.\
\ THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN, FOR BEING\
\ HERE.\
\ }