Mailbag

Smart grid not a smart buy for city

When I read in the Glendale News-Press that Glendale Water & Power got the approval by the City Council to spend $28.5 million for a new utility delivery system (“Smart grid gets council approval,” July 22), my jaw hit the ground.

This new system is going to have the latest in technology. I could go “online” at home and see how much water and power I am using in real time. And hopefully, I will feel more compelled to become a conservationist in my use of water and power — wow! I am reminded of the young man who drives a beat-up car and can barely make his car payments and comes home driving a brand-new BMW. Look, Mom, look at my new car that I bought this morning on Brand Boulevard of Cars. Isn’t it neat? It gets great gas mileage, smooth drive, new CD technology, radial tires, better rear wheel suspensions, sun roof and a whole bunch of other technology. Isn’t this terrific, Mom? Tell Dad, too, of my great purchase!

Mom asked her son, “If you can barely make payments on your ‘old beat-up car,’ why did you go out and buy an expensive new car?”

The son replies, “Because I just wanted it, and if I run out of money I know you and Dad will be there to bail me out!”

The city of Glendale this past year has cut out thousands of dollars of city expenses. If the money for this upgrade can be taken from the Glendale Water & Power account, then why not just transfer that money to the general fund with a restriction that the money could not go for increases in payroll?

So, I beg the question, why did the City Council approve this $28.5-million expense? More money will probably be needed as more tech-savvy personnel will need continuing new training. If the system has too much demand, the computer system will also just shut down, creating new problems for the residents.

Maybe this new technology stuff really will be cost-saving. But we are in a major recession and unemployment in the county is about 11% and still growing. Now is the time to make do with what we already have and not go out and buy new toys. What is so nice about government is that if the bureaucrats run out of money they can just go back to the taxpayers and raise our utility rates or pass another water bond. Nobody gets fired for mistakes; they just get moved around to a different position or retire with a fat pension.

MIKE MOHILL

Glendale

Cell-phone use is too risky to ignore