About Lee

I am running for a seat on the Sacramento County Metro Fire Board Division 4 to have our voices heard.

I have been politically active since my teenage years and have always worked towards solving problems. In the 80s, I participated in the efforts to close the Rancho Seco nuclear power plant. Later, I marched with Grandmothers for Peace in protests at Aerojet and military bases in Sacramento County.

Serving Our Community

Residents Against Illegal Fireworks in Sacramento County

Residents Against Illegal Fireworks, a volunteer organization chaired by Lee Miller in Sacramento County, has collaborated closely with TNT and Revell Communications.

It is essential to recognize the significant role that organizations such as TNT Fireworks, its nonprofit retail partners, and Residents Against Illegal Fireworks (RAIF) have played in advocating for these critical enforcement measures. Long before changes were formalized in the codes, these groups consistently advocated for stronger fireworks regulations before the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors and various city councils, including those in Rancho Cordova, Citrus Heights, Roseville, Elk Grove, Woodland, and Sacramento.

Our persistent efforts helped shape key measures, such as:

• The implementation of fireworks social host and cost recovery ordinances and higher
administrative fines.
• The concept of "stacking" fines to address multiple violations more effectively.
• Advocacy for dedicated enforcement patrols in unmarked cars and collaboration between
police and fire to develop comprehensive operation plans well before July 4th.
• Ensuring that local ordinances empower police and fire personnel to issue social host citations even when illegal fireworks are being used in the adjacent right of way of the homeowner in question.
• Limiting the daily hours for the use of safe and sane fireworks to minimize community
disturbances.

View our Residents Against Illegal Fireworks newsletter to learn more about our efforts at the state and local levels.

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Metro Fire’s Missed Opportunity to Address Fireworks Safety

Sacramento Metro Fire District once led the charge against illegal fireworks, but recently, it has stepped back from this critical issue. It no longer fully supports important local and state efforts to keep our community safe.

Instead of strengthening laws by increasing fines and holding event hosts accountable, they’ve shifted focus away from issuing fines for each illegal device found. They’ve also reduced patrols and missed opportunities to use new technology like drones, apps, and cameras to detect illegal fireworks. Unfortunately, they haven’t been working closely with local anti-fireworks groups or backing statewide efforts to stop the flow of fireworks coming in from Nevada.

Worryingly, Metro Fire has turned its attention to Safe and Sane Fireworks, putting nonprofits that depend on them at risk, rather than focusing on the real problem—illegal fireworks.

It’s time for Metro Fire to get back on track and prioritize safety for all of us.

Based on Metro Fire's after-action report to the Sacramento Board of Supervisors, here are the recommendations for action that Metro Fire should implement for 2025.

Metro Fire should advocate for us on a STATE Level

On a state level, we are working with the national fireworks distributor TNT Fireworks, which has launched a campaign to curb the flow of illegal fireworks from Nevada to California via an Interstate Compact Agreement between California and Nevada .

A recent report by the 2023-2024 San Francisco City and County Grand Jury, "Uncontrolled Burn: Dimming the Spark of Illegal Fireworks in San Francisco," underscores the urgent need to address the issue of illegal fireworks.

The Grand Jury report states: "Some people wrongly assume that a big part of the problem with so many fireworks being launched into the San Francisco sky or causing the window-rattling explosions is neighboring cities such as Pacifica, permitting the sale of the California-approved 'Safe and Sane' fireworks. However, one can see from the type of fireworks allowed for sale and use in some California cities that these fireworks are not the kind that launch into the air or could make such loud explosions.

Library Service for Vineyard and Vintage Park Unincorporated County

In cooperation with Sacramento County Supervisor Patrick Kennedy’s office, we have successfully arranged for the Bookmobile to visit the Pat O’Brien Community during the summer of 2023, serving the Vineyard (District 5) and Vintage Park (District 2) areas.

Collaborating with Supervisor Kennedy to construct a library on the land the county purchased ten years ago near Bradshaw and Gerber will be time-consuming.

Though our Mello Roos tax, which amounts to $250 per new home sold, is designated for the library's construction, 18,733 and 20,733 would need to be built to initiate its construction.

The initial investment to build and stock a medium-sized library in the Vineyard area could range from $6 million to $6.5 million (a very conservative estimate). This estimate includes construction, inventory, and the first year's operating expenses. As of June 30, 2024, the Vineyard Library Development Fee is $1,316,835, which will be used for constructing the library.

THE GOOD NEWS

With the help of Supervisor Kennedy and Southgate Park and Recreation, we have secured funds to build a large Little Free Library at the Pat O'Brien Community Center. Southgate Park and Recreation are in the process of purchasing the materials, and we aim to host a ribbon-cutting event once the library is completed.

Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) Personnel Commissioner

The Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) Personnel Commission, established in December 1967, oversees the Merit System for Classified employees. The Personnel Commission oversees the Merit System for Classified employees, ensuring fair and equitable hiring and employment practices.

The Commission manages classified job descriptions and comprises three members serving staggered, three-year terms. One member is appointed by the Board of Education, another by the Classified Collective Bargaining Employee Unit, and they select a third member together.

I am the commissioner representing the classified collective bargaining employees.

The California Education Code outlines the responsibilities of Personnel Commissions across the state.

Senior Advocacy

In the spring of 2022, I contacted Southgate Parks and Recreation. I saw how many activities are scheduled for children, parents, and adults. But there were no activities for Seniors. When I asked why, the answer was that people could attend the Elk Grove Senior Center activities. I pointed out that the Elk Grove Senior was far from our community, and the Pat O'Brien Community Center is not utilized much during the day. I submitted a list of Senior activities that could be implemented at our community center.

Southgate Parks and Recreation soon after scheduled a monthly book club and Throwback Thursdays Movie Screening
The Book Club meets on the first Monday of each month from 11 am to noon.
Throwback Thursdays Movie Screening meets on the 3rd Thursday at 1 pm

You can find out more information here

I served on two Sacramento County Commissions

Vineyard Community Planning Advisory Council (CPAC) is responsible for collecting community feedback on proposed projects for our district.
Sacramento Adult and Aging Commission. The Commission reported to the County Board of Supervisors about resources and needs for older adults and people with disabilities.

State Level Advocacy

Solar Rights Alliance

As a Solar Rights Alliance board member, I believe in everyone's right to make energy from the sun without unreasonable interference by utility companies. California utility lobbyists are fighting against policies that would grow rooftop solar + batteries: net metering, increasing solar fees, virtual net metering (VNEM) for renters, schools, and small farms, and efforts to control the next generation of solar technology.

UTILITY TAX

In late May 2024, Governor Newsom and a small group of state lawmakers killed two bills (AB 1999 and SB 1326) to stop the big utility tax, also known as the fixed charge on your utility bill.

If the Legislature doesn’t wake up and course correct soon, most ratepayers will be hit with a new $24/month Utility Tax in 2026. This Utility Tax is completely uncapped, will increase without limit, and will raise utility bills for four million households.

As SMUD ratepayers, we already pay a $24 Utility Tax. Over the last several months, the board has discussed raising our fixed rate to $50/month. If the Legislature does not wake up, SMUD will raise our rates.

The general public, hundreds of nonprofit groups, and dozens of legislators fought to stop the Big Utility Tax

In response to massive public opposition to the Utility Tax, Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin introduced AB 1999, and Senator Brian Jones introduced SB 1326. Both bills would have capped the Utility Tax at the national average of $10/mo and limited any increases to inflation. Twenty-nine other legislators from both parties joined as co-authors of these bills.

What followed was an epic fight. Tens of thousands of people and more than 260 nonprofit groups worked relentlessly to get legislators to support these bills.

The utilities and their allies, backed by Gov. Newsom, pulled out all the stops to keep the Utility Tax uncapped.
In the Senate, SB 1326, which would have capped the Utility Tax to $10/mo, was swiftly killed in the Utilities & Energy Committee on April 22nd after getting only four Yes votes and fourteen abstentions.
Note: Abstaining or No Vote Recorded (NVR) allows a legislator to vote “No” without being on the record.
Over in the Assembly, Speaker Robert Rivas denied AB 1999 any hearing and shelved the bill in early May. After a torrent of public outrage, media attention, and tenacity by AB 1999 author Jacqui Irwin, the bill was revived and allowed to move through an expedited process.
Shortly after, AB 1999 cleared the Assembly Utilities & Energy Committee but was killed in the Assembly Appropriations Committee the next day.
Find out how the Utility Tax was killed here.

The bill was killed under highly unusual circumstances described in the SF Chronicle. Committee Chair Buffy Wicks paved the path for legislators to kill AB 1999 by refusing to vote for the bill, and most of the committee followed her lead. In the end, only two Assemblymembers voted yes, and thirteen abstained.

Here’s a link to the video on how Asm Wicks led the effort to kill AB 1999 by not voting

Find out more about the Utility Tax here.

MORE ATTACKS ON ROOFTOP SOLAR

CA Contractors State Licensing Board (CSLB) Lawsuit

Quick Background: The CSLB voted on April 18th, 2024, to ban licensed solar contractors from

Adding a battery to a solar system they already installed
Making repairs or modifications to an existing solar and storage system they already installed
Installing a battery larger than 80kWh

This decision will put the consumer in an impossible situation, and there is no substantial rationale for the CSLB's decision.

At the meeting, 75 people, including myself, commented publicly, asking for a no-vote. But we were outnumbered by PG&E, which bused in over 150 employees at ratepayers' expense, to also make public comments on behalf of PG&E.

I was quoted in an article by Carney Media, which you can find here

More background on this issue.

STOP UNCONTROLLED UTILITY SPENDING WITH ROOFTOP SOLAR
California's electricity costs are so high because of uncontrolled utility spending and a lack of government oversight. Utilities are blaming solar users to deflect attention away from the real problem. Rooftop solar and battery adoption must be expanded to get utility spending under control and meet the state’s climate goals. Watch this short video to learn more.

Meanwhile, there is great news in the state legislature!

The state legislature is beginning to change its tune about Rooftop Solar. Three Assembly members on the Assembly Energy and Utility committee spoke up especially strongly for rooftop solar: Laura Friedman, Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, and Pilar Schiavo. Watch the video of their remarks. Their comments on the defense of rooftop solar energy are worth watching!

Find out what Action to take and what you can do here

Do you want to learn how SMUD spends our money? Click here

I will advocate for the best interests of Sacramento County's District 5 and Metro Fire Division 4 at the local and state level.