My Turn with Lori Tibbett

     Open letter to California Public Utilities Commission

I attended a town hall meeting in Alpine, Calif. last Thursday evening to discuss the Sunrise Powerlink Transmission Project, and more specifically, the underground portion of the project being placed underneath Alpine Boulevard. Alpine Boulevard is the very heart and soul of the town of Alpine. The meeting was hosted by San Diego County Supervisor Dianne Jacob.
     The purpose of this letter is to object to the underground portion of the project being placed under Alpine Boulevard, for the following reasons.

I will be forced to shut down my business
     I am a single woman and a business owner on Alpine Boulevard. In 2003, I purchased a franchised sub sandwich shop called Submarina, California Subs. Since 2003, I have worked to make the business successful. The business is located at the very center of Alpine Boulevard at the Alpine Twin Plaza at 2710 Alpine Boulevard.
     Alpine has two exits off Interstate 8. One exit is Tavern Road at the west end of Alpine Boulevard and one exit is at Willows Road at the east end of Alpine Boulevard. Submarina is located approximately three miles from each exit.
     If SDG&E is allowed to follow through with this project, I will be forced to shut down the business. This project will cause irreparable harm to Submarina.

Sales are already low due to the recession
     The United States is two years into the worst recession it has seen in 70 years. Due to the recession, sales at my store have dropped in half. I have a business loan, which is secured by a second mortgage on my residence. Because Submarina is a franchised business, I pay the franchisor a percentage of the store's gross sales.
     I have nearly five years remaining on my Franchise Agreement my Lease Agreement. I cannot afford to have sales drop any lower than they currently are.

Lost business due to 20 minute road delays
     SDG&E stated that the road delay on Alpine Boulevard would only cause an 8-minute delay each way for anyone traveling up or down Alpine Boulevard. An 8-minute delay each way means lost income for my business.
     I believe the delay will be much greater. I believe the delay will be 20 minutes, or more. No one is going to travel Alpine Boulevard to purchase food at my store, when it would be more convenient and less time consuming to purchase food from a restaurant located off Alpine Boulevard.

SDG&E will not compensate business owners for lost revenue
     SDG&E stated that it has a claims department to assist business owners with losses.
In May 2008, SDG&E conducted a planned power outage. SDG&E stated power would only be lost for six to eight hours. Power was not restored until 9 p.m. in the evening. Many more hours than what was represented.
     Submarina not only lost in excess of $1,000 in sales that day, but over $1,000 in equipment was damaged from a power surge when power was restored. I filed a claim with the SDG&E claims department, and it was denied.
SDG&E will not compensate local business owners for lost revenue.

A devastating domino effect
     Lack of customers to the store and inability to pay operating costs will create a domino effect. I will have to layoff my employees who rely on a paycheck to put food on the table for the families and elderly parents. I will no longer be able to pay rent to my landlord, who will suffer, and I will be in default of my lease.
     I will not be able to honor my Franchise Agreement and will therefore be in default of the agreement. I will have to file bankruptcy and I will lose my home. It's that simple.

Alpine will cease to exist as a community
     I have lived in the Alpine community since 1996.
     It was conveyed at the meeting that in-ground transmission lines are known to cause cancer. SDG&E cannot be allowed to place transmission lines through the very heart of the town of Alpine.
     Alpine Boulevard houses an elementary school, a community center and several day care centers. It has bicycle right of ways. Hundreds of kids travel by bicycle every day up and down Alpine Boulevard. Alpine families attend two parades a year on Alpine Boulevard.
     Alpine is a community that non-residents visit to enjoy the open space. If SDG&E is allowed to install cancer causing transmission lines through the heart of Alpine, people will no longer move to Alpine, visitors will stop coming, and ultimately, housing prices will drop and Alpine will cease to exist as a community.

     San Diego's East County has more than enough open land to accommodate SDG&E's project. I urge you to reconsider your approval of the Sunrise Powerlink Project through the heart and soul of Alpine. This project will cause irreparable harm to Submarina, other businesses, and the community as a whole.

     Lori Tibbett is a resident of Alpine and a local businessowner.