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Deja Moo—I’ve Heard this Bull Before |
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Voices
By Michael Cohen
DWP General Manager Nahai buys, with ultimately your money, better pension benefits for a staffer claiming that they “…want to attract the very best from the private sector.” (Story here )
This is the same guy that held up a piece of cable on TV after a fireman was killed in a DWP vault fire, claiming that decayed insulation from years of infrastructure neglect caused the fire. In reality, as widely reported, leaking natural methane gas was the cause and likely sparks, tragically, from the fireman’s own saw started the blaze.
Investors on Wall Street expect utilities to hire competent managers and supervisors. Utilities are not known as hothouses of innovation and creative freedom.
The compensation at the DWP has been turned upside d own. In the past, public employees received job security in exchange for more modest salaries than the private sector. Now overly competitive salaries with virtually guaranteed employment, lifetime benefits, pensions and health insurance are the rule far outpacing the average compensation for the private sector.
The modest rate increases that Nahai cajoled the city into approving are coming home to roost in your utility bill. Check your unit cost for water and power against last year. Double digit increases.
For Nahai to straight-faced justify spending your money on never ending perks is just deja moo--we have heard this bull before. (Michael Cohen is a long-time neighborhood council and community activist. Cohen participated in the development of the NC/DWP Memorandum of Understanding. He is currently participating in the development of Ron Kaye’s Save LA Project.)
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Here are the latest developments on this story.
Portions of DWP GM David Nahai statement issued on August 7: “After further discussions with Mr. Raj about the concerns expressed regarding the appropriateness of the Department purchasing retirement service credits for which he is eligible, Mr. Raj has asked that the request be withdrawn. Questions have arisen regarding the advisability of this matter and how it may be perceived. We wish to be sensitive to these concerns and responsive to them and have therefore decided to withdraw this request for retirement benefits all together.
Portions of City Controller Laura Chick statement responding to Nahai’s change of heart: Expending public monies must be done in a responsible and transparent way. When taxpayer dollars are allocated behind closed doors there is a reason, and usually it’s not a good one.
This deal needed to have a full public airing to determine if it made sense. I am pleased that the DWP has rescinded this payment. I hope that in the future they remember that their transactions need to hold up under the light of day.◘
CityWatch
Vol 6 Issue 64
Pub: Aug 8, 2008
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