Author: Roger Bloom

Dozens of Irvine residents attended an information session organized by the office of Vice Mayor Larry Agran regarding a proposed change in how electricity is billed. The change would upend California’s decades-old commitment to encouraging clean energy and energy efficiency.

“A utility tax of $30 will increase bills for anyone who lives in an apartment, condo or small home, which is a problem,” said Cailey Underhill of the Solar Rights Alliance. Underhill pointed out that the new utility tax is not capped and could be raised at any time. Utility companies originally submitted a plan for a tax of up to $70 — about seven times the national average for a utility tax — and that $70 per month remains a target figure.

Last month, Councilmember Tammy Kim directed $5,000 of City funds to the Korean American Chamber of Commerce of Orange County (KACCOC) and sought another $50,000 in City funds for the organization, all after she received a maximum campaign donation from the Chamber’s president, who also hosted a fundraiser for Kim’s mayoral campaign.

The second item Kim proposed was for the City to give $50,000 from federal COVID relief funds to the Chamber for a sponsorship at the World Korean Business Convention to be held in Anaheim and co-sponsored by the Chamber.

While questions continue to be raised regarding whether the Orange County Power Authority (OCPA) is actually moving Irvine towards its goal of becoming carbon-neutral by 2030, residents are beginning to take matters into their own hands.

To help, the City has been encouraging homeowners to transition to solar with its Solarize Irvine program, which in the past 18 months has ramped-up and facilitated 170 solar installations throughout Irvine. The program, a joint venture with OC Goes Solar, uses a citizen panel to vet solar installers to recommend, who then charge a discounted rate to homeowners.

With the state primary election coming up on March 5th, proponents of district elections for the Irvine City Council are wasting no time in taking their case to the voters.

If passed by a majority of Irvine voters in the March 5th election, Measure D will amend the City Charter to have Councilmembers elected from districts instead of citywide, which is the current system. Measure D would also expand the Council from the current five members to seven — six Councilmembers elected from districts (each with about 50,000 residents) plus the Mayor, who will continue to be elected citywide.

And then there were two. At the January 9th Irvine City Council meeting, many dozens of residents turned out to air their anguish over the Israel-Hamas war and the mounting mass casualties. Many spoke of relatives or friends either dead, injured or endangered.

However, Mayor Farrah Khan and Vice Mayor Larry Agran volunteered to stay and hear out the remaining speakers. In the end, everyone got their say and the meeting concluded without incident about 45 minutes later.