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Who’s to Blame for the Raman Raj Pension Mess? How about Everyone |
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Watchdawg
By Jack Humphreville
More than the attempt to provide a signing bonus, unprecedented in City history, more than the $152,000 bonus approved by the Commissioners of the Department of Water & Power, more than Raman Raj’s $247,000 annual compensation and an additional $116,000 in estimated fringe benefits, and even more than the apparent conflicts of interest between Raj and his private sector clients interested in tapping into the DWP mother lode, is simply the question of whether Raman Raj is qualified to be DWP’s Chief Operating Officer.
Does he have the management experience to run a $14 billion utility?
Does he have special industry expertise? Does he have an engineering
degree? Or, most importantly, would any investor owned utility hire
Raman Raj to be its Chief Operating Officer? (Click here for back story.)
So why did David Nahai appoint Ramen Raj to be the DWP’s #2 executive? Was he not aware of Raj’s prior history with the department, of his firing, and subsequent six-figure settlement on his way out the door? Where was the Board of Commissioners in this? Where was Jan Perry’s Energy & Environmental Committee? Where was the City Council? Where was the Mayor?
The appointment of Raman Raj is an insult to the Rate Payers of DWP, the citizens of Los Angeles, and most importantly, the hard working, non-politically appointed employees of the Department. (Jack Humphreville is a publisher, neighborhood council activist and a contributor to CityWatch.) ◘
CityWatch
Vol 6 Issue 65
Pub: August 12, 2008
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