San Bruno Officials Discuss Donations To Explosion Victims
SAN BRUNO (KCBS) - A decision on how to spend the $395,000 of donations that poured into the city after the deadly pipeline explosion and fire last September could come next Tuesday.
While some have praised the city for holding onto the cash and not spending it recklessly, there has also been growing frustration that the money is being withheld from those who need it most.
The money should have gone immediately to those directly affected by the damaged and destruction, said several during a meeting Wednesday at the San Bruno Senior Center.
KCBS' Margie Shafer Reports:
But deciding who is a victim can be a thorny question. Should landlords who rent out homes in the blast zone be compensated for the loss of the loss of rental income?
"All of these are good suggestions. They all make sense," said City Councilman Michael Salazar, thumbing through a thick stack of proposals for how to divvy up the money.
Salazar and City Councilwoman Irene O'Connell, who were appointed to the ad hoc subcommittee by Mayor Jim Ruane, will make recommendations to the City Council based on Wednesday's meeting.
The debate over what to do with the donations became particularly acute during December as the holidays loomed.
During that time seven suits were filed, accusing Pacific Gas and Electric of negligence and nuisance among other claims. The utility reiterated its commitment to customers in San Bruno.
The Judicial Council of California is considering a motion by PG&E to have all lawsuits related to the explosion heard by one judge.
Those suits and tensions over the donations come as federal regulators urge local regulatory agencies across the nation to check the records they keep on their gas and hazardous liquid lines.
PG&E did not have accurate records about the welded pipe running beneath San Bruno. Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board suspect the pipe may have burst under high pressure.
A warning from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration was issued Wednesday, two days after a similar, urgent recommendation by the NTSB.
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