Timothy A Simon

Public Utilities Commissioner Timothy A. Simon solicited donations from companies he regulates to help pay for a nonprofit conference on green energy hosted last month by one of his political patrons, documents and interviews show. Two weeks after the conference, the three most generous corporate donors to the Willie L. Brown Jr.

Public Utilities Commissioner Timothy A. Simon solicited donations from companies he regulates to help pay for a nonprofit conference on green energy hosted last month by one of his political patrons, documents and interviews show. Two weeks after the conference, the three most generous corporate donors to the Willie L. Brown Jr.

The governor's latest nominee for the board that regulates the multibillion-dollar energy and telecommunications industries has been in bankruptcy for more than four years, and faces questions about his qualifications and his commitment to consumer protection. Timothy A. Simon was one of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's top-level aides, screening applicants for positions in the administration, until the governor selected him Feb. 15 for a vacant seat on the powerful Public Utilities Commission.

The governor's latest nominee for the board that regulates the multibillion-dollar energy and telecommunications industries has been in bankruptcy for more than four years, and faces questions about his qualifications and his commitment to consumer protection. Timothy A. Simon was one of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's top-level aides, screening applicants for positions in the administration, until the governor selected him Feb. 15 for a vacant seat on the powerful Public Utilities Commission.

Utilities: An article in Section A on Wednesday about fundraising efforts by Public Utilities Commissioner Timothy A. Simon stated that the commission regulates the Sacramento Municipal Utility District. The commission does not regulate municipal utilities.

Timothy A. Simon, nominated to the California Public Utilities Commission by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, was confirmed Thursday by the state Senate. Simon, 52, has been serving on a provisional basis since last February. Four of the five commissioners are Schwarzenegger appointees. The term of the one appointee who was not appointed by Schwarzenegger, Michael R. Peevey, expires at the end of this year. Thursday's vote was 32 to 1, with Sen. Tom McClintock (R-Thousand Oaks) voting no and three others abstaining.

Timothy A. Simon's confirmation to the California Public Utilities Commission won the backing of an influential state Senate panel Wednesday, virtually assuring that the full Senate will endorse him as early as next week. All five members of the bipartisan committee endorsed Simon after supporters lauded his efforts to make utility companies more responsive to low-income people and minorities. Simon, the commission's only black member, said in testimony that he has sought "a balanced approach" between the interests of utilities and consumers.

Even the most inattentive 401(k) owner surely understands today that the markets can bite you where it hurts, that promises of long-term investment gains can evaporate in the blink of a short-term crash and that the less understandable an investment scheme is, the more dangerous it is. Why, then, is California Public Utilities Commissioner Timothy A. Simon pressing so hard to subject billions of dollars of public trust fund money earmarked for...

Anyone trying to find high-ranking state officials this week might check posh overseas tourist spots -- where many are traveling for free. About 16 Schwarzenegger administration officials, regulators and state lawmakers are spending spring break on fact-finding missions and conferences in Europe and Japan. The excursions were paid for by tax-exempt groups whose donors include corporations with business before the state, according to itineraries and guest rosters compiled by trip sponsors.

A string of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's appointees to state boards are facing complaints that they are unqualified, beholden to the industries they oversee or otherwise mired in conflicts of interest. Schwarzenegger has installed longtime friends and political associates on several boards, giving rise to criticism that he is practicing cronyism while failing to adequately vet people who oversee billions of dollars' worth of economic activity and other public matters.

Hoping to tap into California's growing appetite for renewable power, Calpine Corp. today will unveil an ambitious expansion of its geothermal operations, considered one of the state's most promising clean-energy sources. The overhaul of the Geysers geothermal project, expected to cost $75 million in its first year, is evidence of the strong demand for cleaner energy in California.