Last week, California utility companies rolled out a new fixed-rate bill proposal. The basics of the proposal are the more you make, the more you pay for the flat rate. Then there will be a reduced usage charges, subsidized for all households by the flat rate.

Here's the breakdown in pricing for San Diegans.

• Household income $28,000 – $69,000 would pay $34 a month.
• Households income from $69,000 – $180,000 would pay $73 a month.
• Household income above $180,000 would pay $128 a month.

All these fees are tacked on before using a single kilowatt hour, meaning median-income San Diegans will pay $876 a year in electricity rates, regardless of whether they use any electricity. Also, you San Diegans will still get charged these monthly rates if they have residential solar.