Shills for Ranchos (February 23, 2016)

The shills for Ranchos are spinning their story each and every day — Only Carlyle can operate Ranchos, no wait, Only Liberty can run Ranchos (we know that after 30 days of ownership?) The acquisition of Ranchos will cost the town between $150-$200 million dollars (Missoula was valued at $89 million), Ranchos sells good clean water at reasonable rates (Hesperia, Victorville, San Bernardino, Corona, Rancho Cucamonga, Palmdale and Palm Springs have lower rates), The Town of AV is not transparent but Liberty is (the town has to report every dime involved in the acquisition while Liberty is only responsible to its shareholders), It’ll take millions to upgrade our aging pipelines (even after Carlyle invested millions that we already paid for?), We needed to drill a will on AV Road even though their current wells aren’t malfunctioning or water tables shifting), The town will have to raise your taxes and water rates (even though Mark Puckett’s study shows otherwise), The town is going to fire all the employees (total nonsense), The town will let everything go into disrepair (more nonsense), The CPUC is oversight (the corrupt CPUC has never denied Ranchos an increase).

The four main shills for Ranchos have requested 237,000 pages of records knowing the town must comply by law and then scream about how the town is wasting tax money in the acquisition of Ranchos — these maneuvers are a basic lawyer 101 tactic. If they have the citizens of Apple Valley in mind, shouldn’t they be spending equal time dogging Liberty Utilities about their true costs? Liberty of course would tell them to go pound salt.

It sure didn’t take long for Liberty to start the oh we need more money routine, didn’t they say no increases will be required just a short time ago? Whatever happened to the infamous surcharge money inflicted on us that no one else in the High Desert faced? How can Liberty possibly extort any more money from the town citizens in the name of water? Although the Town Council is blamed for all the discord, I personally believe it’s the shills’ misinformation and scare tactics that has everyone scared to death.

Just ask yourself one question — who has the best interest of the Apple Valley citizens in mind: The Town Council or Liberty Utilities?

— David Christman Apple Valley

Source: Daily Press