Councilmember Felipe Fuentes’ motion to change the governance structure of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power considers many issues that we have long recognized as obstacles to better serve the residents and businesses of Los Angeles. The proposal is consistent with a number of improvements that the Board and management have already identified, particularly the limitations of a civil service system an inefficient procurement process, and decentralized decision-making authority.
The motion is a positive step toward furthering many of the reforms we have already begun to initiate at LADWP under the leadership of Mayor Garcetti. As we have this important conversation about changing our governance structure, it is vital that the Department’s rate increase proposal that invests in replacing rapidly aging infrastructure, expands local water supply and keeps us on track to meet regulatory mandates to transition LADWP to cleaner power sources, not be delayed. The proposal was determined by the Ratepayer Advocate to be “just and reasonable” and it is critical that it move forward.
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