TODAY'S BONUS: BEST VILLARAIGOSA VIDEO EVER
Mayor gets massively heckled during speech. (Plus, here him say, "We gotta join Mccain!")
Look how happy Nahaiarosa looks holding a check
Mayor gets massively heckled during speech. (Plus, here him say, "We gotta join Mccain!")
The DWP rate hike increase on water and power is back on the Los Angeles City Council agenda today (Wed. April 2, 2008) after being continued last Tuesday. Eleven (11) Councilmembers needed more time to consider the whole thing (Garcetti and LaBong were ready to vote last Tuesday [for, I would assume based on their comments]) -- and nine (9) amendments were added (in case things weren't confusing enough).
Look how happy Nahaiarosa looks holding a checkCLICK HERE FOR STREAMING LIVE VIDEO OF THE MEETING AFTER 10:00 AM TODAY.
For the rate hike to be approved at today's meeting it must be passed unanimously, or else it will have to come back in another week for a second vote, when it will only need a majority vote.
Also, there is still a chance the item will be continued again, for further consideration by Councilmembers.
However, the pressure will be on to vote today. Especially since DWP GM David Nahai (the mayor's cahoots drinking buddy...aka: "Nahaiarosa") will be appearing before council, once again...and if Nahai looked like Rainman with just "2 minutes to Wapner" last week...well now, the show is already in progress.
So look for Nahai to bring some back-up in the form of DWP board President Nick Patsaouras and perhaps other DWP commissioners by his side (cause it makes a nice appearance).
AND: Desperate times (for Nahai) require desperate measures, so don't be surprised if you hear him blame the recent tragic death of an L.A. fire figher on aging infrastructure -- even though the Mayor of Los Angeles already declared publicly it was a "freak accident".
If Nahai uses this tactic (which maybe now he will not be able to if he sees that I already read his speech for today) I hope he can prove that it was indeed due to the infrastructure and NOT a freak accident.
The pueblos will be watching like Santa to see who is naughty or nice. In other words, the people will be watching to see which CMs vote "Yes" (out on their ass with voters), or "No" (not on the "out on your ass with the vocal activist" list).
ZD PREDICTION: Due to the amendments which will allow Council to amend the decision based on the results of the pending (surplus rate transfer) lawsuit with DWP; and if they aren't happy with the level of transparency and accountability (fraud, waste and abuse over thing like cases of glass Windex bottles from the 70's at twice the price and contract rackets/Line Item 38 and 185) they will have the option to pull the plug on the rate increase.
So if it makes it to a vote today (which it probably will), look for enough CMs to give a round of "with a heavy heart I reluctantly vote "yes" because we have options to reverse the rate hikes based on what we see from DWP in the future. (And of course it will never be reversed, no matter what happens in the future.)
The Councilmembers may have been playing "hard to get" last week, but if they don't bow down to Antonio and give him what he wants (no, not women...MONEY)...certain CMs will find out if Antonio has any power left to make their life miserable with. (It's possible that Villaraigosa will go down as the worst big city mayor in U.S. history.)
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