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RANTZ & RAVEZ - The 15 members of the Los Angeles City Council are currently debating what process and procedures they will use to maneuver and manipulate how to take more of our hard-earned Dollars to provide an assortment of basic and routine city services for the people of our city of the Angels.
It is no secret that Los Angeles has a bloated municipal government that spend more money than they bring in with Taxes and Loans and an expanding assortment of Fees and Fines and many other ways they have and can establish to keep the registers at Los Angeles City Hall ringing in more cash into the bottomless pit of Los Angeles Municipal Government. The continuing problem is the city is spending much more than they bring in on an annual basis. Take for example the DWP (Department of Water and Power) General Manager and Chief Engineer Janisse Quiñones. She is paid an outrageous salary of $750,000 a year for managing the DWP. As we all know, the Department of Water and Power provides water and electrical services to all portions of Los Angeles both residential and commercial. From the Pacific Ocean to the San Fernando Valley and all neighborhoods within the boundaries of Los Angeles. It is the DWP that keeps water flowing and electricity generating power to electrify our homes and commercial properties for all Los Angeles 24 hours a day 7 days a week. That is unless there is a massive fire burning where thousands of homes and commercial properties burn to the ground as we recently watch on TV where thousands of residents’ homes and commercial properties were destroyed with nothing remaining but ashes and lost treasures of precious memories from long ago.
Why were Fire Hydrants not providing water for the courageous firefighters who were risking their lives to save life and property? Why were local reservoirs left without water? Who is to blame for not doing their job? How about we start at the top and work our way down. I would start with the General Manager of the DWP and move down from there. The threats against the DWP General Manager have been so serious that she has requested the city provide $700,000 for private security to protect her. Note the $700,000 for security is on top of her outrageous $750,000 salary! How arrogant it is to be so bold when thousands of families lost everything they owned due to the fire and reported lack of working fire hydrants and water.
I recently read an article about water rates in Southern California. If you reside in the City of Los Angeles, you are at the top of the list and number 1 for the highest water rates.
When comparing Los Angeles DWP Water Bills of Multi-Family Residential in our neighboring cities of Torrance, El Segundo, Glendale, Burbank, Long Beach, Santa Monica, Pasadena, Beverly Hills, and Culver City Los Angeles has the highest rates among them all. So, if you reside in Los Angeles, you are paying much more than our neighbors around the corner in neighboring cities for the same water we use from the feeder systems in California. Our water rates are the highest, whether sourced from snowpacks or any other natural source. Just another reason why people think about moving out of Los Angeles and California in general.
While I am on the subject of why we continue to live in Los Angeles, here is another reason our state is Costly and a mess and getting worse. CalFire released its fourth and final round of color-coded Fire Hazard Maps. The maps illustrate the fire hazards in various areas. The new maps put nearly 4 million Californians in hazardous zones. The State Fire Marshall published a report on March 24, 2025, listing Fire Hazard Severity Zones in the City of Los Angeles and Los Angeles County. The areas are rated Very High, High and Moderate. I encourage you to check the map to determine if your residence is in a Fire Dangerous Area. If we combine this report along with Home Insurance Rates, you might find that your home insurance rates are going up. It is important to note that California Insurance regulators are looking at a 22% increase in homeowners insurance. The increase in part is due to the recent fires in Los Angeles City and County. I have spoken to some residents who have lived in their homes for many years and paid off the mortgage. Some are not renewing their insurance coverage due to the cost. It is a gamble if you are willing to take it.
The BILLIONS and BILLIONS and more BILLIONS of DOLLARS for Los Angeles City and County Homeless programs has resulted in a growing battle between Los Angeles City and Los Angeles County. The County wants to establish a new process and programs to address the Homeless while the Los Angeles Mayor wants to stay with the current provider. This battle has just begun and there is much more to come as we enter the next months. Stay tuned for more on this interesting situation. Can you imagine how many BILLIONS have already been spent on Homeless programs with such poor results.
(Rantz and RaveZ is written for CityWatchLA by Dennis P. Zine. Dennis is a native Angeleno, 57-year Law Enforcement Veteran and retired 12-year L.A. City Councilmember. Dennis can be heard on KABC Radio, Fox Television and Spectrum TV.)
