Department of Water and Power Advocacy Committee
Columnist for City Watch LA, a local politics website and newsletter; Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council representative to the Department of Water and Power Advocacy Committee, a watchdog group consisting of neighborhood councils and other organizations; co-owner of the Recycler classifieds; rate-payer advocate for the Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council and contributor to CityWatchLA.com, a website on City Hall
L.A. Olympic Bid The LA City Council is deciding whether Mayor Garcetti should be authorized to sign an agreement with the US Olympic Committee. In preparation for the council meeting, a 200-page “bid book” was made public. It includes budget details—the projected cost is $5.8 billion—and plans for venues and the Olympic Village. City analysts also released their own report, which raises questions about the bid.
Should LA Host the Olympics? Boston dropped its bid to host the 2024 Olympic Games yesterday after public support for the bid evaporated. Now, Los Angeles could become the designated American bidder. L.A. hosted the Summer games in 1932 and in 1984—and both times, the city made money. But not everyone is so sure that will happen again.
LA DWP Proposes Rate Hike amid Billing Issues In the next five years Los Angeles will have to start repairing its crumbling infrastructure by raising utility rates. The DWP has a history of reckless spending and customer billing scandals. Can ratepayers trust it to do the billion-dollar-plus job? How much would you pay to improve LA's aging infrastructure?
Will a Half-Penny Tax Fix LA's Budget? Los Angeles could see a half cent rise in the city's sales tax, if Proposition A is adopted on the March 5 ballot. The city is facing a budget deficit of more than $200 million, and top city officials, including Mayor Villaraigosa, want the sales tax increase to avoid cutbacks in police and other key public safety services. We hear from a reporter covering the story and from proponents and opponents of the measure.
Will LA Residents Have to Pay More for Water and Power? Tonight at the Crown Plaza Los Angeles Harbor, LA's Department of Water and Power is holding the last of a series of meetings designed to tell the rate-paying public why still more significant increases for both water and power are needed. A year ago, the Department threatened to withhold $73 million from the city's general fund if rates weren't increased as much as it wanted. It finally settled for a smaller increase, but an outraged City Council then persuaded voters to create a new Office of Public Accountability . Since then, the office has not been staffed, but the DWP has a new General Manager, Ron Nichols.
LA to Vote on Measure L: Who Hates Libraries? All Los Angeles City Libraries are now closed two days a week. It's the first time in 140 years that not even one library is open everyday. The Mayor and City Council have the authority to give them more money, but they're asking voters to do it — without raising taxes. LA Police Chief Charlie Beck supports Measure L , but the Police Protective League is opposed because it might mean less for the LAPD. Local newspapers, the League of Women Voters and the Chamber of Commerce are also opposing Measure L. But some budget hawks are all for it. We hear from both sides.
DWP Looks to Raise Rates to Pay for Green Energy Last year, Los Angeles voters turned down Measure B , Mayor Villaraigosa's plan to raise rates charged by the Department of Water and Power to create jobs and increase the use of solar energy. Today, the DWP Board took up the Mayor's latest proposal, which sounds much the same. The DWP has been taking heat because its workers are getting increases in pay while other city employees suffer pay cuts and lay-offs. It also makes so much money it contributes a surplus to the City's General Fund.
Facing Huge Shortfall, City Budget Negotiations Continue LA Mayor Villaraigosa says he'll veto an early retirement program he once supported. After two days of long, closed-door sessions with a coalition of labor unions, the City Council voted unanimously to keep the idea alive. But, with the city spending a million dollars a day more than it takes in, layoffs and furloughs are more likely than ever.
What is Trump's plan for Middle East peace? On his first foreign tour, President Trump has promised "peace" between Israel and the Palestinians. Are there any details for re-starting talks that have been stalled for the past three years?
Janesville and the American Dream Janesville, Wisconsin is the hometown of Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan. But he couldn’t prevent the closing of the General Motors factory after 100 years. On this Memorial Day rebroadcast of To the Point, we hear what’s happened to what once was a model of American middle-class unity.
Human Rights in the era of Donald Trump President Trump’s UN Ambassador, Nikki Haley, said today the US might pull out of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council. Serious violators of human rights are members of the Council itself–and a US resignation could make things worse. Later on today’s show, now that he’s into his second term, comedian turned US Senator Al Franken is telling jokes again.
Will the Senate write a healthcare bill in secret? While Democrats and Republicans argue White House relations with Russia, another question is being decided behind closed doors: who gets help buying health insurance and who doesn't? We hear how the pros and cons are being shrouded in secrecy.