jobs

California has always been a land of pioneers– and since the 1970s it has originated innovative energy and environmental policies that have served as models for the rest of the nation. Landmark pieces of legislation and investment have encouraged the creation of everything from cleaner cars to a smarter electric grid. We have spurred the growth of new industries while preserving one of the planet's most beautiful natural landscapes. Measure B is the next big step in this proud tradition and will make Los Angeles the solar capital of the United States.
What Silicon Valley was to the computer chip, Los Angeles can be to the solar panel. If voters pass Measure B, Los Angeles will become the living laboratory for President Obama's promise to create five million green jobs. Below are links that put Measure B in the context of the burgeoning national green jobs movement:

This article from this month's issue of Rolling Stone describes how:

"If the president wants an energy policy that creates jobs while protecting the environment, one state holds the answer: California."

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/25833544/look_west_obama

This advertisement, the first general election TV spot run by the Obama campaign reminds us of the new President's promise to put people back to work by transforming our energy system:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRgWpa_rnWQ

This article from Time magazine discusses the promise of green jobs to improve the lives of working Americans:

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1852183,00.html?iid=spher...

This editorial by S David Freeman- former General Manager of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power- describes how Measure B will make LA the solar hub of America:

http://www.greenenergygoodjobsla.com/news/entry/sun-can-offer-l.a.-a-wor...

On March 3rd we can not only provide green energy and good jobs for Los Angeles but lead the rest of the nation towards a clean renewable energy revolution.

There are many, many questions worth asking PA Consulting about why they are releasing a rehash of a private report compiled in a few days with what they admit was, “limited data”. This thrown-together presentation diverges strongly from the conclusions of the exhaustive independent analysis done over more then two months by Huron Consulting, which included 450 hours of interviews and 10,000 cost simulations. Huron pegged the price of implementing Measure B at around a billion dollars without tax credits and grants factored in which would make the cost significantly lower. This means that rates would increase, (if at all), a little over a dollar per month (at the very most) and that LADWP customers will continue paying the lowest rates in Southern California.

The full Huron report can be found at:
http://www.ladwpnews.com/posted/1475/Measure_B_Analysis.251664.pdf

PA Consulting has apologized to the DWP for the embarrassing and
politically-motivated leak of their hurried and incomplete slide show.
Yet opponents of Measure B continue to tout rehashed versions of it in
an effort to confuse voters as to the costs of Measure B.

Not only as advocates for green energy and good jobs but as members of
the public, we hope the press will ask PA consulting just a few vital
questions:

How many days did PA consulting have to complete the report?

How many hours of interviews did they conduct?

How many solar manufacturing plants did they visit?

How many cost simulations did they run to reach their estimates?

What is the confidence level of their figures?

Did they consult with LA-based solar manufacturing facilities, and if so, who?

Did they interview the management at any solar training facilities? If so who?

Who was the "report" intended for?

Isn't it true that it was based on, "limited and incomplete
information" and included a, "guarantee that it would never be
publicized"?

Do they regret the manner in which their incomplete work was released
to the public?

Did Andrew Rea of PA Consulting write an email apology to the DWP? Why?

Were PA Consulting's estimates ever intended to allow stakeholders to
make decisions with confidence?

Was PA Consulting's report even based on information from this year
and did it even consider the final version of Measure B?

Why did they feel it was necessary to include a long list of
disclaimers at the end of their "report"?

Do they dispute the far more comprehensive analysis of Huron consulting?

The late Senator Daniel Patrick Monihayan once said, "everyone is
entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts." An exhaustive
report released by an experienced independent firm confirms what we
have been saying all along- that Measure B will bring green energy to
LA and create thousands of good local jobs while keeping the LADWP's
rates the lowest in Southern California. So, the biggest question of
all is:

Why are the opponents of Measure B still peddling their own distorted
and discredited set of "facts"?

That is the headline in today's LAT and deservedly so. Promises were not met, thousands of people went without power and they deserve an explanation for it. The LA City Council was asking for one yesteday, in order to make sure it never happens again. The Times called them "steamed" over the situation.

Council President Eric Garcetti said he felt that the city-owned utility misled the council when, on three occasions, officials vowed that they were better prepared to handle another heat wave than the one that crippled the power grid last year.

Instead, Garcetti said he spent much of the Labor Day weekend scrambling to get answers for residents in Silver Lake and surrounding areas who lost their electricity.

"The department looked us square in the eye and said they were prepared," Garcetti said at a City Hall news conference.

The other council members at the news conference -- Wendy Greuel, Tom LaBonge and Jan Perry -- said they now would demand monthly reports from the DWP on its infrastructure. They also want to see the department beef up its staff, but none detailed how to pay for doing so.

There are hundreds of jobs open at the DWP and thousands of pieces of equipment that need to be replaced. The DWP has been slow to act and it is great to see the Council using their leverage to force them to get a move on. Oversight is a good thing.