Honestly, I don't make this stuff up. DWP Commissioner Edith Ramirez actually said in public the other day that the people don't need a Ratepayer Advocate because her board is "vigilant in assuring the public that the rights of ratepayers are being protected."
And it's not just the commission but the whole Department of Water and Power management who loves you the ratepayer so much and care so deeply that they are hiking rates as fast as they can with another 13 percent increase in water charges coming in January and such horrendous increases in the offing that nobody even dares to talk about yet.
It's why DWP employees are getting 6 percent pay hikes and have huge pensions guaranteed by you while you are living in fear of losing your job, your house and your future as your retirement investments shrink to nothing.
It's why the mayor and City Council who have squandered your taxes are already eyeing the bottomless pit of DWP ratepayer money to cover the $110 million deficit they've created this year and the $400 million shortfall next year.
It's why Ramirez and her colleagues on the commission with the exception of Commission President Nick Patsaouras rolled over to the mayor and came out in opposition Tuesday to creating a Ratepayer Advocate. It's an act of love not contempt, take their word for it.
Who do they think they're kidding?
Don't they know the DWP has no credibility in the community, that it's seen as a thief stealing the public's money to give to contractors and public employee unions while it lets the infrastructure rot, plans to pipe recycled toilet water into homes and pays huge premiums for "green power" so the mayor can boast he's an environmental saint and get re-elected.
DWP General Manager David Nahai is so shameless he claims that the whole city government structure has no interest but the public interest on its mind and that with the board, the City Council and various committees there are "no less than 22 ombudsman ratepayer advocates."
That's not the view of Patsaouras who has been around City Hall for 30 years and made the point that " we are political appointments, let's be honest with ourselves."
OK, Nick, let's be honest with ourselves. With the exception of you, Jane Usher in Planning and a few other commissioners out of all the hundreds of them, there is no one with a record of showing independence, of serving as the public watchdog, ombudsman or advocate.
They represent a narrow class of people beholden one way or another to the politicians who appoint them. And the politicians are virtually appointed by the unions and various other special interests who put them in the jobs with campaign contributions and support.
This isn't democracy. This is a tyranny of a tiny minority controlled by narrow and selfish interests who have failed miserably in their most fundamental function of managing the city's resources to provide good police and fire services, pave the streets and sidewalks, solve basic problems like traffic congestion, plan for healthy neighborhoods and work for a business climate that generates good-paying jobs.
And so when something comes up as modest as proposing a Ratepayer Advocate to make sure the DWP spends the public's money wisely and can ask tough questions so the public knows what is going on, the mayor and the power structure go ballistic.
They are scared to death of the truth coming out about their scandalous abuses of the public trust that they are sworn to uphold.
Ramirez is right about one thing If she and the elected officials and bureaucrats fulfilled their duties they would be vigilant of the public interest. But they aren't.
They betray themselves and the people and go about their lives as if they had any honor left but there is no honor among thieves.
I don't know how they say the things they say, or do the things they do. But I do know this:
If they can't see their way to appoint a public advocate to help clean up the corrupt policies of the DWP as the LAPD and the MTA have done, they leave the public no alternative but to fight them every inch of the way in every way they can.
There is an army of thousands of community activists out there who have worked long and hard to try to partner with the city to make L.A. better. The power structure may dismiss them as amateurs, crazies, gadflies and Nimbys but they are mobilizing and breaking down the barriers that keep them apart and one of these days, the bills will come due as they always do -- or there won't be much of a city left to fight over.
.
And it's not just the commission but the whole Department of Water and Power management who loves you the ratepayer so much and care so deeply that they are hiking rates as fast as they can with another 13 percent increase in water charges coming in January and such horrendous increases in the offing that nobody even dares to talk about yet.
It's why DWP employees are getting 6 percent pay hikes and have huge pensions guaranteed by you while you are living in fear of losing your job, your house and your future as your retirement investments shrink to nothing.
It's why the mayor and City Council who have squandered your taxes are already eyeing the bottomless pit of DWP ratepayer money to cover the $110 million deficit they've created this year and the $400 million shortfall next year.
It's why Ramirez and her colleagues on the commission with the exception of Commission President Nick Patsaouras rolled over to the mayor and came out in opposition Tuesday to creating a Ratepayer Advocate. It's an act of love not contempt, take their word for it.
Who do they think they're kidding?
Don't they know the DWP has no credibility in the community, that it's seen as a thief stealing the public's money to give to contractors and public employee unions while it lets the infrastructure rot, plans to pipe recycled toilet water into homes and pays huge premiums for "green power" so the mayor can boast he's an environmental saint and get re-elected.
DWP General Manager David Nahai is so shameless he claims that the whole city government structure has no interest but the public interest on its mind and that with the board, the City Council and various committees there are "no less than 22 ombudsman ratepayer advocates."
That's not the view of Patsaouras who has been around City Hall for 30 years and made the point that " we are political appointments, let's be honest with ourselves."
OK, Nick, let's be honest with ourselves. With the exception of you, Jane Usher in Planning and a few other commissioners out of all the hundreds of them, there is no one with a record of showing independence, of serving as the public watchdog, ombudsman or advocate.
They represent a narrow class of people beholden one way or another to the politicians who appoint them. And the politicians are virtually appointed by the unions and various other special interests who put them in the jobs with campaign contributions and support.
This isn't democracy. This is a tyranny of a tiny minority controlled by narrow and selfish interests who have failed miserably in their most fundamental function of managing the city's resources to provide good police and fire services, pave the streets and sidewalks, solve basic problems like traffic congestion, plan for healthy neighborhoods and work for a business climate that generates good-paying jobs.
And so when something comes up as modest as proposing a Ratepayer Advocate to make sure the DWP spends the public's money wisely and can ask tough questions so the public knows what is going on, the mayor and the power structure go ballistic.
They are scared to death of the truth coming out about their scandalous abuses of the public trust that they are sworn to uphold.
Ramirez is right about one thing If she and the elected officials and bureaucrats fulfilled their duties they would be vigilant of the public interest. But they aren't.
They betray themselves and the people and go about their lives as if they had any honor left but there is no honor among thieves.
I don't know how they say the things they say, or do the things they do. But I do know this:
If they can't see their way to appoint a public advocate to help clean up the corrupt policies of the DWP as the LAPD and the MTA have done, they leave the public no alternative but to fight them every inch of the way in every way they can.
There is an army of thousands of community activists out there who have worked long and hard to try to partner with the city to make L.A. better. The power structure may dismiss them as amateurs, crazies, gadflies and Nimbys but they are mobilizing and breaking down the barriers that keep them apart and one of these days, the bills will come due as they always do -- or there won't be much of a city left to fight over.
.
Ron Kaye is the former editor of the Los Angeles Daily News where he spent 23 years helping to make the newspaper the voice of the San Fernando Valley and fighting for a city government that serves the people and not special interests.
Twice in recent years, Los Angeles Magazine listed Kaye among the city’s most influential people, specifically in the area of politics. Kaye has been variously described in the media as the “accidental anarchist,” “the Patrick Henry of the San Fernando Valley” and a “passionate populist.” He is now committed to
carrying on his crusade for a greater Los Angeles as an ordinary citizen. Previously, Ron worked at the Los Angeles Herald Examiner,
Associated Press, Cleveland Plain Dealer and The Australian as well as papers
in Fairbanks, Alaska and Yakima, Wash. He also wrote for Newsweek magazine, The Guardian in London and the National Enquirer.
Ramirez and her Board are appointed and serve at the discression of the Mayor -- so who exactly is she beholdin' to?! Right -- AV and cronies. If we get rid of AV as our Mayor in March '09, then we get rid of Ramirez and her ilk. Such a deal! It is unfortunate that the ratepayers need an "advocate" since I thought that was the reason for electing City Council. Why don't we just close down all of those "satellite" offices of the councilpeople -- which allows us to reduce staffing and equipment. Let the councilpeople work out of their cars that we fuel and maintain minimal staff downtown. That would put forth a good amount of "savings" from the City budget, and the robbing of the DWP dollar depository which is supposed to take care of INFRASTRUCTURE as well as provide water and power. What a concept, huh?!
Dear Anon, Right on the money!!!!
I appreciate Ron for keeping us informed as to what is going on - now the rest is up to us.
Shall we draw up a DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE?
I am all for it. TH
Where is Zorro to deal with this Alcalde when we need him?
This is exactly why we can't wait until 2013 to get rid of Villar! We must cut the head of the snake off NOW! Four years from now we won't have anything left to fight for!!!
Is it too late to stop the toilet to tap water debacle??? The thought of it is driving me crazy! We can't believe one word out of Nahai's mouth about how safe it will be...and with the total ineptness of city employees, I fear for the worst!
This commission never wanted to have ratepayer advocates. This has just been an act with the Mayor as director. New rate increases will never go to rebuilding the infrastructure of our electric and water services. They are going to take care of the inflated union salaries, backdoor contractors, and city general funds. DWP and the Mayor have to much to hide. The waste, backdoor deals and theft of ratepayers money will go on unless we the stakeholders, advocates and ratepayers declare WAR and attack.
LA Daily News
No on Measure A: City doesn't have a strong argument for gang tax, just a desire
“As it is, the public has no reason to trust that this parcel tax will do any more than give a money-hungry City Hall more money to waste. Reject Measure A.”
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