LA Watchdog
Who is watching cash-register politics in the second largest city in America? No one, judging by the size of the city’s perpetual scandals, including massive over-billing problems and sweet heart deals at the City’s Department of Water and Power.
The indifference of public officials to Angelenos’ made us angry. That’s why we’ve created LA Watchdog: to expose, confront and change the corruption at City Hall and DWP.
What got us going was how LADWP stumbled ineptly through a massive overbilling scandal, threats to shut off the power of innocent victims, and sweetheart deals to settle the dispute. Consumer Watchdog jumped into the fray to publicize the stories of consumers harmed by the utility’s callous disregard. By exposing DWP’s outrageous conduct, Consumer Watchdog opened Angelenos eyes to a self-dealing DWP power-grab initiative on the November 2016 ballot, Measure RRR, which went down to defeat.
LA Watchdog will expose DWP outrages and other corruption in Los Angeles government and work to fix them.
Consumer Advocates And DWP Ratepayers Facing Threat Of Disconnection Over Erroneous Bills Denounce Measure RRR For Giving DWP Too Much Power To Raise Rates
Santa Monica, CA — LA Charter Measure RRR makes LADWP less accountable for its billing errors and allows for the utility to raise rates, enter into private contracts, and increase dangerous fossil fuel emissions without City Council or Mayoral oversight, Consumer Watchdog and Food & Water Watch said today.
KCBS TV-2 Los Angeles: LADWP Ratepayer Gets Incorrect $17,000 Bill
LADWP incorrectly billed a ratepayer in Northridge for $17,000 and threatened to turn off her power, and didn't do anything to correct it until KCBS contacted them.
KCBS TV-2 Los Angeles, CA: LADWP Overcharge Refunds Delayed Again
LADWP ratepayers who were misbilled and overcharged will have to wait until mid-2017 to get their refunds, in yet another delay.
Misbilled LA DWP Ratepayers Denied $44 Million In Refunds Until Mid 2017 Despite Pledge Of 2016 Payments
Santa Monica, CA — Consumer Watchdog today said that court filings by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power showing misbilled ratepayers will have to wait until mid-2017 to get $44 million in refunds are unacceptable and Mayor Garcetti should act immediately to pay ratepayers back.
Judge Rejects Preliminary Approval Of DWP Overbilling Case For Third Time: Calls For Pro-Consumer Changes, Warns Attorneys Won't Be Paid Until Ratepayers Are
Los Angeles, CA – Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Elihu Berle for the third time failed to grant preliminary approval to an overbilling settlement with DWP ratepayers, calling for more disclosure and pro-consumer changes. He said he would grant preliminary approval if those conditions are met.
Consumer Watchdog Chides LA Mayor And City Attorney For LADWP Settlement That Delays Ratepayer Refunds into 2017 And Beyond While Paying Millions To Lawyers Quickly
Santa Monica, CA — The latest proposed settlement of a $44 million LADWP overbilling scandal offers some improvements over the last two, but still unfairly disadvantages ratepayers, Consumer Watchdog said today in a letter to LA Mayor Eric Garcetti and LA City Attorney Mike Feuer.
Ratepayers and Consumer Advocates Urge LA Mayor and City Attorney To Pull Back Anti-Consumer DWP Over-Billing Settlement
Los Angeles, CA -- Consumer Watchdog and overbilled ratepayers today urged Los Angeles City leaders to immediately fix or withdraw a “breathtakingly anti-consumer settlement agreement” over tens of millions of dollars in overbilling at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP).
