Arizona official suggests cutting off power to L.A. over boycott on illegal immigration crackdown

A member of an Arizona board that oversees utilities has suggested that they cut power transfers to Los Angeles because of the city's boycott in connection with the state's anti-immigration crackdown.

Gary Pierce, a member of the Arizona Corporate Commission, sent a letter to L.A. officials Tuesday discussing the possibility that Arizona cut power to L.A. from generators in that state. It's unclear whether Pierce's suggestion has any support from other members of the commission -- or whether such a cutoff is legally allowed.

"If an economic boycott is truly what you desire, I will be happy to encourage Arizona utilities to renegotiate your power agreements so Los Angeles no longer receives any power from Arizona-based generation," he wrote in the letter. "I am confident that Arizona’s utilities would be happy to take those electrons off your hands. If, however, you find that the City Council lacks the strength of its convictions to turn off the lights in Los Angeles and boycott Arizona power, please reconsider the wisdom of attempting to harm Arizona’s economy."

Pierce's letter is the latest chatter about some sort of Arizona backlash over the L.A. City Council's boycott vote last week.

Councilman Tom LaBonge told KNBC News that he met with Department of Water and Power officials about the letter on Wednesday. "We have right of ownership of the power plants," he told the station. "We partially own them."

-- Shelby Grad

Photo: AP

Comments

[jackie]

cut it off. lets see how long la will last.

[Mike]

I used to like Janice Hahn, but now see that I was wrong. That she would spearhead this asinine boycott leads me to question her ability to make any decisions on behalf of her constituents. So sad.

[Gordito Mojito]

I can only wish the State of Colorado had the nerve to stand beside Arizona and offer LA the option of foregoing water resources too.

[exit2enter]

For the border states and states with heavy illegal immigrant populations, this Arizona law is not simply an exercise in ideology and scholarly debate, (like politicians in Washington D.C.) but has real everyday meaning and consequences (jobs, taxes, education, security, etc) I hope Arizona denies electricity to LA - boycotts can go both ways and hopefully the LA city council will think twice before they do another ill thought out "boycott" motivated by one city councilwoman's political calculus to gain the California Lt. Governor office (I'm gonna announce a 'boycott' BEFORE that SF guy does first mentality) and other city council members pandering to their perceived support base - and then spinning the boycott as an attempt at being "above the fray of the ill advised pitch fork wielding redneck hillbillies politics"...

[Carl Marks]

Its outrageous that we're receiving Arizona power. Why we're funding and promoting fascism. Let's cut it now and sweat for our socialist agenda.

[AZsupporter]

I want to move to AZ more than ever
Just pull the plug AFTER i take off from LAX to AZ

Sitting in the plane i'll think about my new AZ home or apt in a crime free atmosphere, i'll look behind at ugly and bankrupt LA with illegals looting malls in the dark...

[LA Citizen]

Misrepresented facts by AP.

The LA City council is run by children. They have run the city into the ground and seek to divert attenton of the mess they made.

The real story should be how the mayor of Los Angeles negociated a deal with the city union workers that would not allow proper moderation of workers in difficult fiscal times.

Who would think that someone could be so stupid as to put a provision to give raises to all employees if layoffs were necessary. The Mayor is a moron!

[So Cal]

Way to go Arizona!!! Keep making empty threats to go along with your xenophobic laws that will never stand!!!!

Stay classy Arizona....

[Right is Right]

I live in L.A. and I plan on moving to Arizona. The l.a. city council should wake up and grow up. They have no right dictating the wishes ofan entirely different that chooses to enforce their laws. Plaese Arizon, don't give up. Many of us stand with you....even if we must stand in the dark. GO ARIZONA !!!

[Bad LA]

Thank a lot LA City Council! California sure has a lot of stupid politicians! I planned on moving to LA, but I changed my mind. I'm thinking of leaving CA. It's not even part of the United States anymore.

[Danny Burns]

Well L.A. started the hatred by advertising a boycott for one state enforcing the law. I hope they do cut your power. You started a big boy game, now it's time to put on your big boy pants and accept the consequences.

[Douglas]

I hope Arizona follows though on the threat.The best time to do is went gets 100 degrees in July or better yet cut off from water in Colorado river.Teaches the arrogant Mayor Villaraigosa&City councilmembers who voted for boycott need to stay out of Arizona's business plus you got more important things to work on like budget

[arizonian]

remember who the city officials are that voted to cut ties to Arizona come next election payback. I was born in California so i know everyone is not behind this boycott...

[Brett]

The AZ citizens voiced their opinion on immigration. Let's respect it. CA is smoking weed and marrying the same sex. AZ did not protest us.

[shadoepark]

Our city council are a bunch of thieves along with the mayor they take home tens of millions in pay and perks!!
we should boycott our city and stop paying tickets and fees to the city of los angeles!!!
Boycott Los Angeles!!!!

[DARYL SMITH]

GOOD FOR ARIZONA. IF THEY ARE SO UPSET ABOUT ARIZONA'S NEW LAW MAYBE LA. SHOULD INVITE ALL THE ILLEGALS TO COME THERE AND LIVE IN THE DARK. WAY TO GO ARIZONA. TURN OFF THE POWER. I FOR ONE WILL SUPPORT ANY BUSINESS IN ARIZONA.

[P.A.M.]

Just tell me this, what is so terrible about showing your papers when asked to in this country.Every job I ever worked I had to show my Social Security card, and ID.And when stopped by police I had to show driving ID, so why is it so hard for them to show papers for correct entry into our country, or correct entry into anything for that matter.If being a American citizen is an honer, why is it not an honor to enter our country the way we have requested for a very long time?Ask me not what my country can do for me, but what I can do for my country.

[save the deserts]

no problem - time to get LA solar powered, anyhow, from our own rooftops. All the city needs to do is fund $250 million a year for AB811 loans (muni bonds), which are risk free to both borrower and the city, and PAY us for power we produce and don't use, and we will have 100% of our peaker power produced right from our own rooftops (which is over 50% of total power consumed), and we can use the peaker gas plants for the overnights while storage solutions come online.

We can fully power this city with CLEAN, reliable LOCAL power for FREE if we just get these loans going, net meter out all the usage, and pay for the excess high value peaker power, if any. Property values will shoot up, there will be thousands of new well-paid jobs, our air will be cleaner and we can avoid coal from Massey, Nukes for Arizona and Big Solar from the Owens Valley.

So, get moving, City Council!

[A White]

Gary Pierce shows Villaraigosa and the city council to be the idiots they are. Pierce is logical, well spoken and has a great sense of humor. Villaraigosa's dumb reply to the letter iplies that LA is coming from a higher moral authority. THe rest of the US is laughing at you Tony and your gang of homeboys.