A plan for boosting electric rates by 4.5% could go into effect Thursday if the Department of Water and Power board gives the go-ahead.<\/p>\n
\nThe board\u2019s 4:30 p.m. meeting Wednesday comes one day after the City Council mustered eight votes<\/a> \u2013 the\u00a0 minimum needed \u2013 to call for higher rates.<\/p>\n Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who appoints the DWP board, has been seeking four increases over the next year to help pay for new environmental initiatives and other expenses at the utility. The council reduced the size of his first proposed increase by 25%.<\/p>\n DWP Commissioner Jonathan Parfrey, who was a supporter of the mayor\u2019s plan, said he had not yet decided how he will vote.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m agnostic,\u201d Parfrey said Wednesday morning. \u201cI want to hear from the public.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n If the council\u2019s plan is approved by the board, the DWP\u2019s residential customers would see the following increases over the next three months, according to Council President Eric Garcetti\u2019s office: Tier 1 households, which make up 58% of the utility\u2019s customers, would see their monthly bills go up by a range of $1.70 to $2.40. <\/p>\n Tier 2 households, which consume more electricity and make up 36% of the utility\u2019s customers, would see their monthly bills go up by $4.48 to $5.65.<\/p>\n Tier 3 customers, who use large amounts of power and comprise just 6% of residential ratepayers, would see monthly increases of $9.88 to $13.49, depending on where they live.<\/p>\n Those figures could change as soon as July, when a plan for restructuring rates is scheduled to go into effect. The restructuring plan would decrease the size of the increase for Tier 1 and Tier 2 ratepayers but add to the cost of bills for those in Tier 3. <\/p>\n —\tDavid Zahniser at Los Angeles City Hall <\/p>\n More breaking news in L.A. Now:<\/strong><\/p>\n Swiss won’t move on Polanski extradition until Sacrilegious, vulgar graffiti spray-painted on L.A. City Councilman Paul Krekorian to launch Report: California\u2019s foreign-born population
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\n U.S. court rules<\/a><\/p>\n
\n Reseda church<\/a><\/p>\n
\niPhone app<\/a> <\/p>\n
\nhas peaked<\/a><\/p>\n