DWP Rate Hilke Proposal To Got To Full City Council Agenda

To: Los Angeles Voters
Fr: DWP Neighborhood Council Oversight Committee
Re: DWP Rate Hike
Dt: 3/18/08

Dear Colleagues,

First a very special thank you to the THIRTY people who came to support, participate in the Press Conference and make presentations before the Joint Committee. But, for you there may have been another result.

However, there was ONE NC Representative who presented a YES to a rate increase. There were seven news media people who responded to the Press Release. There were two TV channels: 7 and 34, two radio and two Spanish speaking and one English newspaper. If some of you saw, heard or read the Press Conference messages, they were basic to the IEA Resolution: no rate increase until the IEA is completed and shared with Mayor, Council, Controller and OSC and public.

In addition, no multi year increases--DWP did not advise OSC or NCs that multi year meant more than a 5 year rate agreement, but included increases on a quarterly and semi annual basis. The Energy Cost Adjustments and Surcharges are not only increasing, but rate payers are being charged quarterly. If the rate increase is accepted by the Council, DWP would like to start in May 08 with an increase and another one in July 08 (double increases) and another in 09, etc. There were other issues that reinforced the principal theme. The cruel impact of so many city increases of water, power pass throughs, City utility taxes, sanitation increases, garbage collection fees, telephone taxes, food costs, and gasoline increases are causing working families to suffer.

Councilmembers have an obligation to be protective of resident rate payers. But, they have to be reminded to be their advocates. Neighborhood Councils and Stakeholders need to talk directly to the Councilmember and say NO Rate Increases WITHOUT THE IEA SURVEY.

The RESULTS OF MONDAY'S COMMITTEE HEARING ARE THE FOLLOWING:

The Energy and Environment Committee did not offer a recommendation to Council.

The Budget and Finance Committee did not offer a recommendation to Council.

The DWP RATE ACTION WILL BE ADDRESSED BY COUNCIL ON MARCH 25TH.NEW CONSIDERATIONS BY THE COUNCILMEMBERS: HAVING DWP USE THE UNUSED $33 MM LITIGATED WATER CITY TRANSFER MONEY, LOOKING AT THE POWER PERCENTAGE AMOUNT, VOICING CONCERN FOR MULTI YEAR INCREASE

WHAT NCs CAN DO TO HELP IMPLEMENT THE IEA RESOLUTION AND STOP THE RATE
INCREASES:

Go to the Councilmembers and ask for their support in implementing the IEA Five Year Survey and No Rate Increase.

HELP THE CAUSE BY COMING TO COUNCIL ON MARCH 25TH. Each Council President has three free parking decals. Bring a carful of people. Prepare a brief two or three sentence presentation.

Positive results will happen if you come.

Soledad Garcia, DWP Neighborhood Council Oversight Committee

DWP hooked the utility inefficiencies of water and power infrastructure on the need for a rate increase. Black out scare tactics was put out: unless the city ungraded, there would be electric outages. The lack of maintenance these past 12 years is not new. DWP's priority was not infrastructure. The negligence cannot be placed on this year's lack of rate increase.