Vote set on DWP power rate hike
Public hearing planned
A power rate increase of more than 10 percent proposed by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) is going before the full City Council for a vote.
The increase was proposed in the middle of 2011, but the Council postponed voting on it until the Ratepayer Advocate, Fredrick H. Pickel, Ph.D., could provide an independent analysis of the proposal.
Pickel agreed that the increase of 4.88 percent for 2012-13 and 6.02 percent in 2013-14 is acceptable, but indicated that the subsequent rate increase the department is asking for must be further reviewed.
All of the Council districts are holding public hearings with the Ratepayer Advocate to explain to constituents why the increase is needed and what it will be used for—to fulfill environmental mandates.
Council District 15 will hold its meeting Saturday at 2 p.m. Call Kevin Bingham at (310) 732-4515 for the exact location.
The proposal will go to the full Council on Tuesday for a first vote and back again Oct. 2 for a final vote.
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—The Los Angeles City Council will consider approving higher electricity rates today amid reports that salaries at the Department of Water and Power are significantly higher than those paid by other utilities, both public and private.
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power General Manager Ron Nichols has proposed raising power rates by 10.5 percent and water rates by 4.9 percent over two years.
The rate increases would raise the average monthly bill about $3.35 for most residential power customers and $2.53 for monthly water bills.
When L.A. voters went to the polls on March 8, they passed 10 of the 11 measures presented. Following are an explanation of the changes these measures will bring forth.
Measure G will reduce the city’s costs for the pension and retirement healthcare plans for newly hired police officers and firefighters. The ballot question does not apply to the pension plans or retirement healthcare costs of existing police officers and firefighters. Measure G rolls back benefits that were created with Los Angeles Charter Amendment A in 2001.
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—A North Hollywood High School team won the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power's regional Science Bowl and will travel to Washington, D.C., to compete in the National Science Bowl, April 28-May 2.
The school's Team A will advance to the national competition after coming out on top Saturday during the regional Science Bowl in downtown Los Angeles. North Hollywood placed third in the national competition last year.
Prior to Laura Chick taking office as Los Angeles city controller in 2001, few in the public really paid close attention to the audits that were the exclusive domain of that department.
The charter establishes the controller as an elected official and gives that individual responsibility for serving as the auditor and chief accounting officer of the city.
