Ratepayer advocate nears

With the DWP pushing to raise water and electric rates beginning this fall, the Los Angeles City Council took the first steps Wednesday to appoint an advocate for ratepayers. Daily News.

The council voted 10-0 to create a five-member committee that would hire an executive director for the voter-approved Office of Public Accountability, which would act as a watchdog over the Department of Water and Power.

The hiring panel would be composed of two appointees from Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, two from Council President Eric Garcetti and one from Councilwoman Jan Perry, who chairs the council's Environment and Energy Committee.