A solar bond for Los Angeles?

Solar power has suddenly become a front-burner issue in Los Angeles, where the City Council is trying to get a union-backed measure on the ballot for the March 3 municipal election. And so far, supporters say they have the numbers to back it up on election day.

The Green Energy and Good Jobs for Los Angeles Act -- a plan for adding enough rooftop solar panels in Los Angeles to generate 400 megawatts of power by 2013 -- is sponsored by Working Californians, a labor advocacy group with strong ties to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, the union that represents roughly 8,000 DWP workers.

Working Californians has been talking up a voter opinion poll -- taken in June by the political research firm Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin & Associates –- that showed that as many as 38% of respondents would "definitely" favor a solar ballot measure, which would allow the Department of Water and Power to install and own the new rooftop panels. An additional 21% would "probably" support the measure, while 12% were leaning toward yes.

Poll results shown to Greenspace also indicated that 73% of Democrats and 62% of Republicans would favor the measure, as would 70% of homeowners. Furthermore, it would only need 50% to win approval, according to Council President Eric Garcetti.

But there’s a catch: pollsters did not broach the subject of the initiative's cost, primarily because no one at City Hall is sure of the price tag. Furthermore, the poll found that support was weakest once pollsters introduced the possibility of DWP rate hikes to pay for the solar plan.

And though it might seem odd to worry about any issue beyond the Nov. 4 presidential election, the council has just three weeks to get the solar measure on the ballot. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has fast-tracked the proposal, which dovetails nicely with next year’s municipal election.

After all, Villaraigosa is running for reelection in March, as are two of the proposal’s initial supporters – Garcetti and Councilwoman Jan Perry. Expect all three to campaign for it.

-- David Zahnhiser

Photo credit: Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Jack Humphreville]

An independent Rate Payers Advocate, as has been proposed by the Neighborhood Councils, would provide an objective and through analysis of the costs associated with this proposed multi billion dollar project and the impact on all classes of rate payers as well as DWP's finances. As it is, DWP's already ambitions debt financed capital expenditure program is projected to increase the level of debt and jeopardize its credit rating. Let us not rush to judgement before we have all the facts.

[sheila]

i would support it but only if they passed the economies of scale on to those people who wish to own their own panels and get paid for power they produce, including putting enough money into the AB 811 loan fund to allow homeowners to borrow the money for efficiency/renewable generation improvements and pay it back through the property tax system.

LADWP's obsession with owning all their power generation and transmission has completely hobbled any progress in the rapid uptake of renewable power, and has resulted in insane ideas like Green Path North that would kill of thousands of acres of gorgeous, pristine wilderness outside of LA in the name of "environmentalism." meanwhile, mile after square mile of rooftop bakes in the sun in Los Angeles. let's do the math.

get it together, nahai and villaraigosa. people are sick of your monopolistic mercenary attitudes. we want to own our own power generation and we want you to pay us for the power we feed into your system at rates similar to those paid in 40 countries already. what we don't want is a bunch more of LADWP's environmental destruction being greenwashed and a bunch of our ratepayer dollars being wasted on building YOUR infrastructure, when that money could be used to stimulate the local economy, improve property values, increase conservation and engage the community - in the form of AB 811 loans and generous feed in tariffs. it suits every city priority except that of maniacally building out LADWP monopolies, so i think LADWP is the one that needs to blink first.

greediness is unbecoming in an IOU, but it is even worse in a municipal utility. have you learned nothing from your decades of rapacious behavior resulting in the entire state hating you? time to finally catch up to the rest of the world and make ratepayer owned (oversized) generation feasible and attractive. we've waited long enough.

[Jon Bancroft]

The Solar Power International was held last week in san diego. here's a good overview of some of the excitement : http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/solar-roundup-solar-power-draws-crowds-5018.html

- John Bancroft

[Ana Gil]

I feel that this is a good idea, in the long run it will end up paying off on the environment and in savings. I heard on the news that Staples Center and Nokia Theater will have their roofs covered with solar panels, this shows that LA is becoming more environmentally conscious/ friendly. I hope this bond will become official.

[Scott Carlson]

The unions are the ones pushing for this. There is plenty of solar work already in the area. The problem is the Electrical union has poorly trained and slow workers. This is why they cannot compete in the open market place and therefore have to have bills like these to find work.