How Los Angeles City Hall Spends Your Money

While thousands of potholes remain unfilled and many streets are so cracked and buckled as to be undrivable, city officials have decided it's a good idea to contribute a million dollars of public money to a parade honoring a for-profit company that can afford to pay up to $21 million a year to its top employees. The parade, scheduled for Wednesday, is intended to celebrate the Lakers' recent NBA championship. The million in question is about half the estimated cost of the event. The other half is to be paid for by the Lakers.

A million may not seem like much in light of the city's near-billion dollar deficit. But the city needs to follow the same advice that is handed out to individuals who find themselves deep in debt and unable to pay their bills. Stop spending money on things you don't need.

Of course, many residents are basketball fans and were pleased by the team's success. But few want to pay for a party they can't attend just to showcase millionaire athletes whose organization could -- and should -- pick up the entire check.

The nasty riot that followed Sunday's game resulted in injuries, vandalism, and looting. No matter who funds this event, is it really wise to invite yet more unruly crowds to another performance? The only positive element for Valley residents is that it will take place downtown instead of here.

Goodbye Grass?

A short article in yesterday's Los Angeles Times reported that the DWP will pay $1 per square foot to single-family residential customers who replace their green lawns with pre-approved, drought-tolerant plants. The DWP website indicates that consumers can receive rebates for installing synthetic turf or rotating sprinkler heads. Additionally, there are programs for various water-efficient or electricity-saving appliances. The details of these programs are not well explained on the website; to get information on how to participate, call the DWP at 888-376-3314.

How Dry I Am

Today marks the beginning of mandatory water usage reduction in Los Angeles. Yes, San Fernando Valley, that means you, too.

Residents are expected to reduce their water usage by 15%. You have been assigned a "Tier 1 allotment". If you can stick with that, you pay for water at the lowest current rate. If you exceed it, "Tier 2" pricing (a much higher rate) is applied. To find out more about how this affects you, visit the DWP website at at www.ladwp.com.

Here are rules to remember:

• Sprinklers are to be used only on Mondays and Thursdays. (Hand watering is still allowed on other days.)
• No more than 15 minutes per sprinkler station.
• Watering (by hand or by sprinkler) may not be done between 9am and 4pm.
• Don't water hard surfaces (sidewalks, driveways, etc.) or allow excess runoff to enter the street.
• Don't water if it's raining.
• Leaks must be fixed.
• If you wash your car, use a hose with a shutoff valve.
• Don't run a decorative fountain unless the water is being recirculated.
• Restaurants may not serve unrequested water.
  

This is not a complete list, and, of course, I don't guarantee its accuracy. For more information you can contact the DWP.

New Ways to Annoy Your Neighbors

Anyone who uses an automatic sprinkler system wants to know if a broken sprinkler head is allowing all that precious H₂O to shoot skyward. When I pass a house that has that problem, I knock on the door and let the people inside know what's happening. Usually, they are grateful for the information and eager to make repairs. My guess is that most wouldn't be as receptive to complaints about what time of day they water or how wet the sidewalk is.

So, the Department of Water and Power has issued these official-looking door tags, listing broken sprinklers and three other items that violate our new watering restrictions. They encourage us to nag our neighbors (anonymously) about sprinkling more than twice a week, and sprinkling in the middle of the day, and excess water on the pavement. The other side of the tag offers suggestions for saving water, including the use of "synthetic turf". I haven't seen that around here yet, but no doubt it is coming.

In the meantime, while Valley residents give up their lawns and replace the petunias with prickly pear, other states continue to experience heavy rains, storms and floods. How much better life would be if someone could invent a technology that would make it possible to spread the water around a little more evenly!