Brad Johnson for M.I.D. 2026 , Someone we know and trust.
Voters pick Brad Johnson for M.I.D.
Hi, I’m Brad Johnson! I work a regular job here in Modesto and have skills in electronics. I’ve prepared for this office by taking water leadership classes and bring both my abilities and a proven record of service.
For 25 years, I’ve been showing up for my community. I’m the senior member of the Salida Municipal Advisory Council and currently serving my second term on the Salida Sanitary District Board.
I have solid community leadership experience with no land or business interests that could create conflicts.
Board members should never have business deals involving district water resources. It was scandalous to see board members conflicted and refusing to vote for an investigation into possible water theft involving MID board members and their partners. MID board members must never put personal profit over protecting district resources.
I’ll listen when you talk about a $300 home electric bill. Growing up here, I have deep respect for how we grow our food. We must protect and ensure clean drinking water from our treatment plant, provide a fair supply for locally owned family farms and garden customers, and maintain sustainable service to agriculture and industry.
I’m ready to serve, with a 25-year track record of commitment to my community. Give me the chance to serve and put the PUBLIC back into this utility district.
If your from Salida you already probably
know Brad Johnson from a Town meeting or event
or perhaps from the many other
volunteer activities in Local Broadcast, Public, and Salida Government media.
Just some of the projects for the community I am proud to help with.
One late breaking item is a privately owned emergency power plant
to be installed in only a year here in a North Modesto/Riverbank neighbood.
Has anyone talked with you about building a New Power plant? Lets take a look...
Can we really trust the current MID board to protect Modesto from a A.I. Data center when they let this power plant get built Near the Riverbank Cost-Co completly bypassing the local permitting process and unfairly poluting the air next door to a senior trailer park ?
To the current MID board we are all just 'rate payers'
Say NO this November !
we are loyal customers who should not be used to keep the irrgation water rates the lowest in the land.
Going forward many homes will add solar and baterys, they will be energy partners that help MID with peak loads, but only if MID policy change from the TOP!
This November vote for change, Vote for Brad Johnson.
Have you previously run for office? If so what and when? (500 words or less) * I have run for this office twice before. I think the 100,000 electric customers deserve a voice at MID, Not just the 3000 water customers, Its time for new leadership at MID.
Who are your top 3 campaign contributors? * I will not be accepting money from corporations, Factory farms, or any other special interests and therefore will NOT have any of the conflicts as we have seen with MID board members.
What is the primary reason you are running for Modesto Irrgation District number four? *
* Utility Rate Reform
Lowering residential bills: Reducing the high cost of household electricity so residents can run air conditioning without facing exorbitant monthly expenses.
Reducing service fees: Slashing the $32 monthly service charge down to a $5 to $10 range to match other regions and improve transparency on the actual per-kilowatt-hour price.
Ending corporate rate disparities: Adjusting the rate structure so large industrial customers do not pay lower electricity rates than standard households.
* Expanding Renewable Energy
Lifting solar caps: Increasing the home solar net-metering market cap from 5% up to 10%.
Avoiding fossil fuel costs: Using expanded residential solar to prevent the district from overspending funds on building new fossil-fueled power plants.
* Fair Water Access
Equitable distribution: Shifting the district's operational focus so that water is accessible for family homes and small farms, rather than disproportionately favoring large landowners.
What will be your most important priority if elected? * Let's start by looking at this $32 monthly electric service charge and excessive late fee charges for the home electric customers. The groundwater sustainability plan needs to be completed and approved, The current board has been kicking the can down the road for 2 election cycles now! There is also the matter of water theft involving board members and business partners.
1. Relief for Electric Customers
Our first order of business is putting money back into the pockets of everyday residents by dismantling unfair billing practices.
Abolish the Fixed Fee Trap: I will lead the charge to drastically reduce the $32 monthly service charge down to a fair, regional standard of $5 to $10. This flat fee disproportionately hurts low-income households and was intentionally designed to kill the financial incentive for home solar projects.
End Predatory Late Fees: We will eliminate excessive penalties on families struggling to keep the lights on, ensuring that MID acts as a supportive public utility rather than a corporate collector.
2. Immediate Approval of the Groundwater Sustainability Plan
Water is our valley’s lifeblood, yet the current board has spent two full election cycles dodging accountability on long-term resource management.
Stop the Delays: I will fast-track the completion and final approval of a comprehensive, scientifically sound Groundwater Sustainability Plan.
Protect the Future: We cannot afford to put our underground aquifers at risk. By establishing clear, sustainable management boundaries now, we ensure that family homes and local independent farms have guaranteed water security for generations to come, rather than leaving our supply vulnerable to over-pumping.
3. Rooting Out Corruption and Water Theft
Public office is a public trust, not a business opportunity for the well-connected.
Zero-Tolerance Policy: I would vote for a independent, rigorous investigation into persistent allegations of water theft involving board members and their private business partners.
Enforce Strict Accountability: If any official or large-scale operator is found to be illegally diverting or misappropriating our shared water resources, they will face full legal consequences, regardless of their status or political connections.
By restructuring our utility rates, securing our groundwater, and eliminating backroom favoritism, we will turn MID back into a public utility that serves everyone—not just a privileged few.
Modesto BEE Q&A for Modesto Irrigation District #4 Back in November 2022 Election
Modesto BEE Questions
Brad Johnson / Answers
1. What is your occupation?
I work in electronics, with a background in computers,
broadcasting, and radio engineering.
3:How can the district prepare for a possible fourth straight dry year in 2023
Great question John,
I think the priority now is to complete the Groundwater Sustainability Plan.
We are running late on this for the Modesto/Turlock area
and it should have been acted on sooner.
( and in 2026 this is still work not completd, MID test score D- )
4:How can MID plan for increased demand as electric cars grow in number
Again Thank you for your question about the electricity side of things,
often overlooked by the board.
In the coming years here in California
EV cars will become the main factor
in energy use AND storage of power,
This is a utility company opportunity as well.
Modern planning envisions a two-way connection here with the EV cars connected to the smart homes system, the cars will get charged late at night when the grid is underused.
More importantly, the utility operator can reverse the process by asking the smart home charger to pull power out of the EV car battery bank during peak times and put some power back into the grid.
MID needs to wise up and embrace this idea rather than fight EV and solar with public statements and policies preventing wider use of smart technologies, Solar power, and smart home two-way connections.
5:How can MID plan for state mandates to shift to renewable power sources
We are lucky to live in sunny California!
Solar panels are cheap and very reliable
The district put the breaks on any new home solar trying to cap it
at only 5% of the homes.
A few years back 'smart meters' and net metering 2.0
was hatched as a way to prevent solar for most of us.
this policy must be changed, AND QUICKLY!
I heard this policy change was coming and rather than buying a newer car I put the money into a 7kw solar system for my home,
This is working well and has cut my bill by about 70%.
Home solar systems are more like an energy partner
and should never be treated as the enemy. Sadly some of the past board members have lied about home Solar
at the Salida town meetings.
In my own experiences talking with MID public relation department employees
at public events, MID office workers and even some of the line crews have revealed the anti-solar talking points problem is widespread within the current MID employee base.
( this seems kinda odd since many of them are parking under solar-covered car ports at the MID office at our expense ! )
Also, I have concerns about MID's ability to understand and
maintain grid integrity with home inverters.
No tests are done to monitor the quality of the power coming from the grid
or solar system or to prevent Electromagnetic interference ( EMI ).
Folks dont like hearing radio static from power lines or poorly made power inverters.
A few policy changes are needed and we can move forward and
closer to 20% Solar homes in the district.
A new grid focus on the time of day is needed
( not the same as time of use billing, no one wants that! ) ,
these solar homes naturally put enough extra power back into
the grid at midday, enough to power 2 or 3 other homes.
In the late afternoon before sundown
the solar homes will need the power to start flowing back from the grid, MID needs to respond to the back and forth of this new energy model,
Securing solar energy contracts with operators
farther to the West can help us stay green later into the evening,
for example, its daylight in parts of Washington, hours longer than in Modesto,
nd Solar from States to the east could power us before sunup in Modesto, This is how we move forward, not with multi-million dollar contracts to build long lines
to buy from Coal or fossil-fueled powered plants.
We should not be spending millions on long lines
when the assets could be on top of all our homes.
