Push for in-house DWP watchdog gains momentum

The push to create an in-house ratepayer advocate at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power gained new momentum today, with a majority of the Los Angeles City Council saying that the proposal’s time has come.

Although the DWP and representatives of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa have resisted the idea for months, a succession of rate hikes and an $82,000 consulting contract with departing DWP General Manager H. David Nahai may have turned the tide, council members said.

Council President Eric Garcetti, known for smoothing over disputes between council members and the mayor, submitted a proposal today calling for a ratepayer advocate. His request comes two days after Councilman Greig Smith called for an inspector general — someone with “unfettered access to all records, personnel meetings, key documents and contracts” — to probe the utility’s financial doings.

“The ratepayers don’t trust the DWP,” said Councilman Richard Alarcon. “I believe a ratepayer advocate or inspector general could help build better trust.”

The DWP Board of Commissioners, a panel chosen by the mayor, rejected plans for a ratepayer advocate last year. That decision infuriated then-commission President Nick Patsaouras, who quit the panel soon after.

Since then, Patsaouras has called for a ballot measure that would create an inspector general position to investigate fraud and wrongdoing within the utility. Meanwhile, Villaraigosa has downplayed the need for such a post, saying that ratepayer advocates are his volunteer DWP commissioners, the DWP’s top executive and the city’s elected officials.

Although the proposal is more than a year old, it gained new life earlier this month after the utility signed a three-month contract with Nahai just days after he resigned. Council members also criticized a secret attempt last year to give a $152,000 boost to the pension of Raman Raj, the utility’s No. 2 executive.

Still, Councilmen Tom LaBonge and Dennis Zine said the DWP commission should already seek to protect ratepayers. Zine said he would oppose a new advocate position unless it is a volunteer post.

“We’re putting one more layer of bureaucracy that’s going to cost the ratepayers more money,” he said.

—David Zahniser at L.A. City Hall

Comments

[Julian B Duron]

IBEW Local 18 donates heavily the Mayor's Political machine. Ballot measures, candidates and his own war chest.
In coming months lets see what influence has been bought and paid for.
At last total By CityWatch $1.5 million has been contributed to this Mayoral Political machine.
Media: Get City Council members one at a time on the record in an interview: for or against an " inspector general" then follow the campaign contributions individually for each of them including the Mayor. It is all public record.

[laura]

The DWP's monopoly should be illegal. Los Angeles residents have no choice of who they get water, sewage, electric or waste management services from. We have no choice but to pay the inflated rates, especially the waste management fees which are approx $75.00 for two months service regardless if you are a house of one or ten people.

Something needs to be done about this.

[save the deserts!]

First question: Where are our AB 811 loans so that WE can install solar panels and efficiency upgrades with no up-front costs? This city is DYING for clean energy, improved property values and skilled construction jobs, but DWP/Villaraigosa have completely failed to do the two things - which are FREE to residents and the city - that will get us there, because they are so busy trying to monopolize our power!

First, get us at least $200 million in AB 811 loans to jump-start the green power economy. No risk to the city, or to the homeowner because the costs are amortized over 20 years, are more than offset by savings, and stick with the property, upon which lender takes first lien. Simple. Clean. Affordable. Democratic.

Secondly PAY us fairly for feeding excess power into the grid from our roofs! This is a no-brainer, extremely successful all over the world, and is basically free to ratepayers - absolutely cheaper than installing an equivalent amount of remote, wilderness-killing infrastructure would be (like the cynically-named Green Path giant powerline).

AB 811 and generous feed in tariffs - there is NO EXCUSE for why we haven't had these for at least a year. Stop grandstanding, Mayor Villaraigosa, and start doing something useful!

[Jack Morris]

Los Angeles Residents call the LAPD the biggest gang? Geez...look at the DWP. Everyone has to reduce spending, take pay cuts, furloughs..etc. But not the DWP...they still get increase in pay etc...what a joke!

[Josh Ooi]

Why need an inspector general? Just get an independent accounting firm to audit the whole department for waste and streamlining of operation. In fact, we should spend some money auditing the whole city, department by department and I can guarantee that we would save billions. There is so much duplications of work and dead woods in the whole city government.