The Parks Plan for the Department of Water and Power

By Bernard C. Parks

Parks Vows to Freeze DWP Rates and Make the Department Fiscally Responsible

When elected mayor, I pledge to scrutinize the activities of the Department of Water and Power ("DWP") by appointing an independent commission with commissioners who will oversee the management of the department. I will also assist that an Inspector General be appointed to oversee all the financial affairs of the DWP, including the contracting process, and instituting safeguards to protect the ratepayers' money. There have been numerous abuses occurring at the department, like:

$60 million in public benefit and Green Power funds were used to pay for scholarships, parties and giveaways to community groups, while no meaningful green power projects were implemented.

LADWP's labor costs have doubled over the last 12 years. The city's (water systems) original liability for Owen's Valley mitigation was estimated to be $120 million. Today, LADWP estimates that the number is closer to $415 million. In 2002, LADWP abandoned $16 million in water projects, such as: well fields, filter plant, small construction projects.

LADWP relocated its water lab from the City of Los Angeles to a "turnkey" facility in Pasadena for the purchase price of $4.8 million. But, after closer inspection of the building were required to add an additional $10 million in improvements in order to cause the lab to be operational. I further pledge to freeze DWP's rates for water and power during my entire term in office and protect the already over-burdened ratepayers of the City of Los Angeles.

What the public does not know is that since 2001 over $657 million has been transferred to the City's General Fund from DWP. And during the same period, the city's revenue has increased over $500 million. This $1.1 billion has mostly gone to employee pay raises and pension benefits while the City of Los Angeles has reduced its efforts to repair city streets, sidewalks and trim trees. I, alone, voted against these raises, including an $80 million pay raise to police officers which, if spent wisely, could have employed 800 officers on the city streets. What's more disturbing is that the money was used to fill the shortfall in the City's budget.

Our citizens are saying, "ask us before you tax us!" And I agree!