Even as community groups citywide organize to fight Proposition B on the March 3 ballot,Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has armed the campaign for his controversial solar energy plan with broad support from the environmental movement and access to millions of dollars from unions to fund it.
A key element of the mayor's strategy was the replacement late last week of former Department of Water and Power Board President Nick Patsaouras -- a ratepayer advocate who is challenging the City Hall political machine by running for City Controller -- with the highly-regarded Green LA Director Jonathan Parfrey.
Parfrey, 50, heads an environmental coalition housed at the Liberty Hill Foundation and is committed to the mayor's plan to have the city get 20 percent of its electricity from clean sources within two years. He has the backing of nearly all of the region's environmental group leaders.
Critics of Prop. B are not challenging the clean energy goal but do raise numerous questions about this plan from its vagueness to its high cost.
Read the rest at NBC Los Angeles
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.
The LA Times editorial hit the nail on the head..there is definitely a "scent of a swindle" with this shady deal. Actually, it's more than a "scent"...it's an ill wind blowing our way. Just the fact that there was no public debate and no due dilliegence performed by DWP - stinks to high heaven.
This Prop MUST be defeated...the technology is antiquated and horribly expensive. Once again, we are being pummelled by the unsavory tax collectors in City Council! It's an outrage!!