The mayor cancelled his scheduled news conference where he was to announce electricity rate increases, saying the proposal needed to be reviewed. He plans to try again Monday. Here’s what he might say if he wanted public support instead of the fight he faces:
Ladies and gentlemen of the press:
I had planned to meet with you on Friday to discuss my plan to raise electricity rates and how we will use your money to bring solar and wind power to our city to clean our air and bring good-paying green technology jobs to Los Angeles.
But I found out neither I nor my staff understood what we were talking about with regard to rates and that the DWP really didn’t have a detailed and comprehensive plan to deliver on our environmental commitment.
I was angry about the misinformation we were putting out, angry at others and at myself. I had a tough time sleeping Friday night and decided to shed my bodyguards Saturday morning and look at our city through fresh eyes.
As I drove through neighborhood and after neighborhood, I saw groups of three and four men standing in front of gas stations and liquor stores and hardware stores hoping for a day’s work as a laborer. I saw dozens of houses with signs saying “Foreclosure Auction” and a multitude of storefronts with “For Lease” signs.
From the Eastside to the Valley, to the Westside and South LA, the signs of hard times were visible everywhere.
I reflected on how easy it is to forget what’s going on in the city you love when you live in a mansion and are surrounded all day by people looking after you, when so many of the people you engage are rich and influential.
Scenes of encounters I had in Washington last week on my lobbying trip for money for the subway-to-the sea project flashed across my mind, conversations with Senators and House members and their staffs that had little to do with the substance of our transportation plan and a lot to do with manipulating the levers of power for advantage.
It all seemed so empty and pointless, so disconnected from the reality of the lives of the people who live and work here or are looking for work. I thought how much easier it is to spin the truth than to engage it honestly and forthrightly.
When I got home, I canceled all my activities for the weekend and sat alone in the backyard listening to the sounds of the city, enjoying the beauty of a perfect sunny Southern California afternoon.
I thought about my childhood and how I had gotten to this place as your mayor and realized that somewhere along the way, my ideals had become distorted and confused.
“Oh my God,” I thought, “it’s all come to nothing. I’ve lost my way.”
Today, I’m going to make a new beginning as your mayor. I have asked my staff to reach out to business, labor, Neighborhood Councils, environmentalists and many other sectors of our community, to people from every part of LA, to meet with me in small groups over the next two weeks to talk about how we face our problems together, how we put aside our differences, how we balance our private interests with the public interest so we can work together for the greater good of the city.
Out of these meetings, I will create a Mayoral Council of Advisers who will have full access to all the resources of City Hall and all departments. They will bring their intelligence, skill, expertise and their devotion to LA to helping create a new vision that unites us in our purpose and resolve.
Our problems are great, time is of the essence. We cannot go on as we have. We must change the way City Hall does business.
Toward that end, I signed an executive order for the City Planning Department to only approve new developments that have clear economic benefits to the city and enhance the quality of lives in our neighborhoods. This will require close coordination with the community and developers to find solutions that achieve these goals.
I also am directing the Department of Water and Power to come back within a week with a new power rate structure that will encourage conservation while we develop longer term strategies to replace fossil fuels with clean technologies that provide renewable energy. I want it be perfectly clear to everyone how these rates will work, who will pay and how much. Electricity rates need to go up sharply over time to encourage conservation, to achieve our environmental goals and to develop green jobs for the future.
The price point is critical to conservation as we have seen with our achievements at reducing our water usage and you have a right to expect value for your money and the goals are being met.
Later today, I will be meeting with the heads of all city unions to lay out the plain truth. We need them to reduce our payroll and benefits costs dramatically to preserve city services and bring our spending in line with our revenue.
To achieve this, taxpayers are going to have to meet them halfway.
We cannot mortgage our future through borrowing or simply sell our assets at a fire sale, laying off workers and cutting services that we all depend on.
A year ago, I talked about the need for shared sacrifice. Then, it was a slogan. Today, it is the operating policy of my administration. I am reducing my salary and staff by 25 percent immediately and calling on the City Council to do the same
These are only the first steps along the road to balancing the city budget, restoring confidence in our city government and making sure that the future of Los Angeles is even greater than its past.
To my fellow Angelenos, I want to say this: I am asking for a second chance from you. I need your help if we are to achieve great things for the city we love.
I’ll take you questions now, if you have any.
Ron, you live in a la-la land. Good luck!
The Mayor’s easy way out of a difficult situation is to have people do the thinking for him. Sadly, there are so many weak people in this city and kiss butts who will no doubt jump at every chance to be on that Mayor’s council of morons who have nothing better to do then think for the Mayor and give him ideas. Idiots!!!! How many NC reps actually showed up yesterday, again weak people, for the Mayor’s Budget day? He and council has disrespect, shitted on, threatened how many times to take away funding and the dumb NC’s continue to behave like lame ducks and do as they say. They need mental therapy. Emails were flying telling people to boycott. I’m going to sit back and laugh to see who gets on that Mayor Council.
“To achieve this, taxpayers are going to have to meet them halfway”. NO, NO AND HELL NO. The city is mismanaged with wasted millions. City Hall needs to set its house in order. They are drunk on taxpayers money, and you are only encouraging the blood suckers to keep drinking.
Dear Mr. Mayor: Instead of making this about you, look out for the Citizens of Los Angeles. Forget the rate increase, delay the deadline for green power, go back and get the City’s financial health in order.
DWP is not a dirty utility. It has local clean-burning natural gas power plants. Don’t make a drama out of pretending to be green and use DWP for that purpose. Run DWP like a business, control costs, get salaries in line, look out for rates of return on investment and act like a grown-up.
And finally don’t give away the hard earned assets of the City to your corporate buddies.
Yes, that is correct with your conclusion. I am going to do some research and post it here for clarity. Stay tuned and I’ll be back with the info. I made sure to bookmark the site so I’ll be able to find my way back. LOL Also, if any of you women need ab exercise for women don’t hesitate to come on over.
“After hearing and ignoring your questions, I will be leaving town for a brief fact-finding mission in Las Vegas, at a topless pool. After that, I will re-discovery my childhood at Disneyworld in Orlando, Florida. Before returning, I will attend a second exhibition of low rider cars in Mexico, paid for, like the first, with your tax dollars.”
“re-discover” not “re-discovery”
This was a sort of Twilight Zone scenario, right?
“Out of these meetings, I will create a Mayoral Council of Advisers who will have full access to all the resources of City Hall and all departments. They will bring their intelligence, skill, expertise and their devotion to LA to helping create a new vision that unites us in our purpose and resolve.
Our problems are great, time is of the essence. We cannot go on as we have. We must change the way City Hall does business.”
I don’t agree that this “council” would be made up of morons, but probably more problem solvers than what city hall provides. A reason for that is that “outsiders” to City Hall, for the most part, are not looking for or trying to keep a city-paid-for job to get in the way of making proposals.
I do not agree that a meeting like yesterday’s was one to be boycotted and that casting aspersions on those showing up produces anything of a productive nature (having been one of those attending). The process is like some sort of a political casino with rigged outcomes for participants, but there occasionally have to be some winners produced to have people keep trying.
The budget is in a pretty dismal condition but to the extent than anyone other than the politicians will be able to affect this, there may be some hope. The will of the special interests is incorporated in whatever the politcians do. It’s the outside influence that may salvage some of this disaster.
But I am pretty jaded by now with all that city council does and the “new” ideas that they come up with for trying to gouge the city residents and businesses continues to reinforce my disdain for them. Greig Smith issued his proclamation during the council meeting where the ambulance cuts due to budget reasons were discussed. He said, as close as I recall, “This is not our fault. This is not a spending problem, it’s a revenue problem,” That’s was just not even clever enough to be disingenuous. It was an outright lie, or if he’s a believer of that statement, then it’s pure stupidity.
That’s the kind of thinking that you wind up with by only following the ideas that are created by the in-house minds.
Yesterday, I heard the positons and explanations that by now are not at all new and that would not even be needed if the Council and the Mayor could have seen beyond their noses when the increasingly hot economy was headed to it’s own supernova condition.
There is a certain amount of influence that can be exerted upon the budget outcome, though probably not anything major but still resulting in an exposition of more of what’s going on with the CMs. They look like they are trying to get some distance between themselves and Mayor Tony as his his political star is weighed down with too much political and personal baggage that now simply provides more fuel to brighten his flaming descent. Only Garcetti seems to reject those signs and even appears to be doing his own version of the “emperor has no clothes” role in speaking phrases that will become the new city hall platitudes to be heaped upon us all.
We still have an election in 2011 that makes these CMs sensitive to effects the decision made now will have on their futures. NC members participating in activities like these budget meetings really have not much alternative action to impact anything at this stage. Boycotting the budget planning activities would only ensure no influence at all. In contrast, the boycotting of sorts for the survey is justified, in my view, but with an entry made to state explicitly the reasons for non-participation. Answering preformed questions really is not soliciting input but seeking ratification.
Do you remember the Mayor’s budget meeting last fall when Tony said that “You WANTED higer trash collection fees to get more police.” And then he took off on each of these replies that even hinted at more contituent financial flexibility like a rapist interpretting some flirty glance for a “Do me” message. So wrong.
The “what-if” that Ron posted would only happen if he was sure that enough votes could be churned up to revive his career. But the real Tony missed every boat that passed that could have taken him from being a full-fledged disaster to some type of re-constructionist with purposeful policies that would have assured the city of a strong financial base and an show acknowledgment of the fiduciary duty owed to consituents that most politicians see as operative only during election campaigns.
I think MORE participation by NCs and stakeholders should be the drive now to impress upon CMs and the Mayor just what their views are and you know they all know they are playing up to the t.v. cameras as that’s often commented upon by the CMs during meetings. They cannot ignore the public now as technology is the electronic “snitcher” of these times. Organizing makes a stronger impact. An organized public gets more of their attention and that’s all there to happen if people act and not boycott. I agree with participation in city process, and yet, I stil am a cynic and don’t trust these CMs to do anything other than what they are influenced to do. They have no inherent sense of action in a righteous or moral manner, or one that is strong enought to override their political ambitions.
I don’t look for the mayor to do any actions that signficantly benefit residents, and I don’t think he’s got the ability to accept any good advice- probably his Achilles Heel, but like they say, even a broken clock is right twice a day. Or, from a perspective of being an active and involved mayor that wants to participate in helping improve the city, we might now apply, “Beginner’s luck” s the hope there.
To hizzoner on taking questions, I have one question on this one point of his: “Electricity rates need to GO UP SHARPLY over time TO ENCOURAGE CONSERVATION, to achieve our environmental goals and to develop green jobs for the future.”
Are you out of your freakin’ mind!?!
Nobody in his right mind is going to buy that!
We’ve given until we’ve been bled dry. Let the City, over time, pay back all it stole from the DWP.
We resent, no LOATHE, being rewarded for using less by paying more. That is so contrary to human nature.
We need discounts. A fire sale on water and electricity. Use less, get 15% off.
That’s incentive!
As I am reading this on computer battery power and an internet connection that still works, my neighborhood just had a BROWN OUT. The power is effectively off except light bulbs are burning at extremely low wattages but large appliances are unable to function and are OFF.
Our neighborhood just had another major power outage about two month ago and it took DWP 15 hours to restore power in clear sunny dry weather.
For this I am going to pay how much more a month?
He will NOT pitch it as a massive rate increase.
Instead, he’ll claim it’s less than $3 per month, or nine cents a day or some other phony number.
The lazy media will then fail to ask him real questions, like, “What is the total additional amount ALL rate payers will have to pay each year, in MILLIONS?” Or, “Why doesn’t the DWP use some of the funds in its $4 BILLION reserve to build solar power?” Or, “Why not just give rebates to people who hire private companies to install solar power systems on their homes and other buildings?”
Walter, right on. The lazy media will have some stupid stories like “green power for less than 10 cents a day” and moronic clueless voters will eat it up. And Ron is almost as responsible for this highway robbery when last year he couldn’t connect the dots that if Villar gets re-elected, he’ll try to sneak in all these “surchargers” even w/o Prop B. It was silly to celebrate Prop B going down w/ Villar in power.
Anonymous on March 14, 2010 @ 2:15 PM wrote:
” ‘To achieve this, taxpayers are going to have to meet them halfway.’ NO, NO AND HELL NO. The city is mismanaged with wasted millions. City Hall needs to set its house in order. They are drunk on taxpayers money, and you are only encouraging the blood suckers to keep drinking.”
I completely concur with the above comment. No more taxation/veiled taxation/backdoor taxation. Enough already.
Their “revenue problem” would not exist if they properly managed their spending over the years. The moment DWP money went (illegally?) into the general fund was the moment they needed to scale back, perhaps even sooner than that. Instead, they used it as a vote buying/union endorsement/other corporate endorsement free for all, compliments of the rate and tax payers.
That said, as usual, I doubt we’ll have a say.
o hizzoner on taking questions, I have one question on this one point of his: “Electricity rates need to GO UP SHARPLY over time TO ENCOURAGE CONSERVATION, to achieve our environmental goals and to develop green jobs for the future.”
Are you out of your freakin’ mind!?!
Nobody in his right mind is going to buy that!
We’ve given until we’ve been bled dry. Let the City, over time, pay back all it stole from the DWP.
We resent, no LOATHE, being rewarded for using less by paying more. That is so contrary to human nature.
We need discounts. A fire sale on water and electricity. Use less, get 15% off.
That’s incentive!
THANK YOU FOR THE ABOVE SANDY SAND!!! We are paying more because we conserved and used less, hence DWP is not making as much with the higher rates and has to raise rates…
Our neighborhood just had another major power outage about two month ago and it took DWP 15 hours to restore power in clear sunny dry weather.
Just curious where you live? No system is immune to blackouts btw. If some idiot decides to drunk drive into a power pole, a black out is inevitable.
And I agree for the most part with Sandy Sand and Moore. Normally a carbon surcharge would be needed to green the portfolio. But when DWP revenue is being diverted to the General Fund because of fiscal irresponsibility on part of the Council, it’s dishonest to justify a rate increase by saying the money’s not there.
The Mayor has always had these “citizen councils” on other issues yet not once have I seen proof they actually give a damn of what the citizens have to say and its all about perception. Perception to PRETEND the Mayor actually cares what people think. I think its common logic to assume he doesn’t given his history of failure. THe fact the NC’s had to fight so hard for their funding is a perfect example of the disrespect and bullshit they get from politicians. To be in la la land thinking all of a sudden they will have a voice is plain ignorant. Its all for show people. Wake UP!!! I have seen this over the years with this failure of a Mayor. We have been lied to for so many years on issues like the trash fee hik, Measure R, etc. and if you still are so naive to think the Mayor or council give a damn about what WE think, then you are naive.
NO MORE {SURCHARGES} NO MORE [FEES] FOR LADWP
LOS ANGELES VOTES HAVE SAY NO TO PROPOTITION [B]
WHY IS THIS CROOK MAYOR IS TRYING TO INCRESE RATES WE HAVE TOLL HIM NO MORE
HE WHANT IT TO PAY THOSE INCRESES ON PAY FOR LADWP THAT CITY HALL HAVE OK FOR LADWP IBEW UNION
DOES ANY ONE BELIVES THIS LOW LIFE OF A MAYOR ANY MORE NO WE DONT
OR ANY ONE IN CITY HALL THEY HAVE TAKEN US THE TAXPAYERS IN THE WRONG DIRECTION
ALL THEY DO IS SERVE THEM SELFS IN THE TAXPAYES EXPENCE NO MORE
To 12:02 p.m. you probably think that if you write coherently, someone will recognize your writing. I don’t think so, meanwhile, you give everyone else a headache trying to read it.
OUCH!
That’s right 12:02. You tell them. lol Whatever you’re saying.
Obviously a city hall/mayoral staffer trying to categorize those who disagree with them. Lump them into a group of dipshits.
to 12:36pm
you must like get bend over and give the big shaft, or you belong to the low down union ibew
you can go to hell in the long runn we the TAXPAYERS AND RATE PAYERS YOU ARE GIVEN THE SAFAFT TO WILL WIN so you can make fun all you whant asshole HAVE A MARVOLES DAY
Excellent job.