The heart of the Proposition B swindle is not in its solar energy proposal, which is nothing but a referendum on whether you want power from renewable and clean sources or continue to pollute the air and destroy the planet burning fossil fuels.
If City Hall had the common decency and respect for the spirit of the law as ordinary citizens do, the City Council would merely have ordered the Department of Water and Power and its union, IBEW Local 18, to stop resisting solar energy for Los Angeles.
Or they could have put the solar part of Prop. B on the ballot and asked voters what they think. The vote would be nearly as unanimous as the votes are in council on almost every issue.
The real problem with Prop. B isn't solar energy. It isn't even that it gives the DWP/IBEW a monopoly on the ownership, installation and maintenance of rooftop solar units on commercial, industrial and government buildings. That merely drives up electricity rates, slows solar development and sends most of the billions of dollars to be invested in this to China to buy the photo-voltaic cells.
No, the real problem is the City Charter Amendment that is part two of Prop. B. It is a radical change that destroys the pretense of civilian oversight by the DWP Commission and Neighborhood Councils and even allows -- for the first time in L.A history -- for the City Council to overturn a vote of the people.
Leonard Shaffer, president of the L.A. Neighborhood Council Coalition and a retired Deputy District Attorney, used his legal skills to decipher just how sinister this is despite the unintelligible language used in the council ordinance.
Yes on B campaign manager Mike Trujillo, under questioning from Shaffer, called the council's power to completely change Prop. B at any time "tweaking it." Talk about a "false and misleading" statement.
In truth, Prop. B is the complete corruption of the governmental process. It destroys the democratic process, even the fiction of democratic process we have in L.A.
A City Council that could enact this measure in just three weeks without any information, without any real debate, and do so unanimously is a city council that does not represent the people or the public interest.
It is owned by the special interests who keep them in the highest paid elected city jobs in America.
Passage of Prop. B -- which is being funded with millions of dollars in money from those same special interests -- will bring Chicago-style corruption to Los Angeles, if it isn't already here.
They have wrapped solar energy -- something we all want to see, something we would have except for the DWP/IBEW's long-standing opposition -- around a power grab that will lead inevitably to endless controversy and scandal.
This is about clean energy and clean government.
Don't take my word for it. Go back and listen to Len Shaffer question Mike Trujillo and make up your own mind.
Read the council file for yourself by clicking here solar-ord-11-18-08.pdf Here's the key paragraphs but it takes a lawyer to understand them:
(d) Notwithstanding any provision of the Charter to the contrary and as further provided by ordinance, the Program may provide for, but is not limited to, the following: the promulgation of regulations by the board to implement the Program; financing mechanisms including the issuance of revenue bonds; bid preferences pursuant to Charter Section 371; the department's ownership and operation of all department-installed solar power installations and related equipment and electrical power generated pursuant to the Program pursuant to Charter Section 672; eligibility requirements for Program participants; expansion, suspension, postponement, modification or termination of Program implementation based on specified criteria and approval by ordinance, including by supermajority vote of Council, of any such action; and Controller audits of the Program. (e) Notwithstanding Charter Section 464 or any other provision of the Charter to the contrary, the referendary ordinance establishing the Program may be amended and/or repealed only as provided in that ordinance.
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.
Ron,
It appears our friends on the "right" have the same issues with "Ballot Box Budgetting"
http://www.redcounty.com/orange-county/2008/10/ballot-box-budgeting-madness/
Well if the City Council wants and does change its mind, they will stop playing games with the people in this city and get their act together.
That goes for the DWP and that illegal union as well. Why illegal? They are working scams and
it is my understanding that that is illegal.
btw that character who refers to the "right" sure thinks he knows it all - but this problem is not political - it is unethical.
Ron and the Solar 8 - Have you talked to the numerous independent solar installation companies that exist in Southern California? It would seem that such companies might want to donate money to the political campaign to educate the voters why Prop B is simply a fraud on the public.
Additionally, the ursurpation of the DWP's independence on this issue puts the political unions in control of the DWP program. Everyone knows the union donates huge sums to Garcetti, Gruel, and the Mayor. These elected officials have become puppets of the union.
Ron,
You have done a fine job of reporting on this issue! I commend you!
Sadly, I'm sure that 90% of the citizenry has no idea how corrupt our elected officals are. I watched the video 3 times...and all I can say is that I would never even buy a used car from this "Tweaky Trujillo" character!
We can now add solar energy to the list of potential scams which heretofore included only the 'children, the elderly, the police and fire fighters'.
The question is...Who can we trust???
Answer: No one!!!
I’m still learning the process and rules and I apologize for not already knowing the answers, but I have three questions:
1) For Prop B to pass and become law does it require only a simple majority, 50% plus one or does it require a two thirds voting majority?
2) Can the Public volunteer to be vote counters and voting precinct/voting central workers, who are also members of the IBEW Union?
3) If IBEW Union workers, or closely related family members can assist in counting votes, would this be considered a possible conflict of interest?
Thank you in advance for answering these simple questions but the City Charter is involved/affected here so the basics are important.