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.
LADWP ratepayers who were misbilled and overcharged will have to wait until mid-2017 to get their refunds, in yet another delay.
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.
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.
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.
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).
The LA Department of Water and Power's overbilling scandals are epic. They include an elderly couple who are Soviet emigrees and lived in fear because DWP issued a $50,000 bill to them. When they complained, they were told to check for a leaky toilet.
SANTA MONICA, CA – Google Apps can be dangerous, Consumer Watchdog warned today and the public interest group said Los Angeles has been responsible for "giving the first imprint of credibility and acceptance to a program that has failed Los Angeles and other communities with frightening consequences."
