The Los Angeles DWP wants to increase rates on water and electricity 10%! This after already receiving huge rate increases last year. Citizens should be apoplectic and turn out in force to defeat this.
DWP has quadrupled "sanitation" charges (i.e., trash collection), and mine, for instance, are now 4 times higher than they were. Althought I put out a very small size paper recycling container, and put maybe two grocery bags full of waste in my normal-size black container, my trash pickup costs more than twice my electricity and water combined. And there is no opting out.
Now DWP wants to raise electricity and water as well. There is just no end to this.
Our Mayor, Anthony Villaraigosa, got the prior rate increases passed. He instructed the Board of Supervisors how to vote. Every single member voted the higher rates through.
The Mayor has his pet projects and he wants them well-funded, regardless of the fact they do not reflect the actual rates of anything, and many citizens do not favor them. Now, with the water and gas increase, he wants more money for his purposes. He does not have the guts to call this what it is: a HUGE tax increase, which would of course REQUIRE a vote of the people.
This is total non-transparency, backroom politics, and making ordinary citizens pay for projects they do not want and have no say in.
Ten percent MORE to DWP? Give me a break.
I totally object to this manipulation of citizens because DWP and the Mayor want to play politics with your money. In fact, they just want to take your money. Is there any better example of why people trust the government less and less?
This also damages Los Angeles as people have just had enough of these political shenanigans, and would rather life in Santa Monica, Culver City, Glendale, Burbank, etc. And many are simply leaving the area entirely.
Do not let the overpaid and bloated LA DWP get away with this. Do not let the Mayor get away with this.
Say no to these political shenanigans and huge tax increases.
Please contact your city councilperson, saying you oppose this increase. Councilwoman Jan Perry, chairwoman of the City Council's Environment and Energy Committee, seems open-minded on the issue. Do contact her.
This increase will hurt both individual taxpayers and the schools, which use much water and power.
It is time to put a stop to taxation without representation in Los Angeles.
