DWP Surplus Came in Handy on Jan. 17

I take exception to Harriet Bilford’s letter (Nov. 20) supporting the diversion of city Department of Water and Power funds to the police force.

Her statement that the DWP has “repeatedly gouged the residents of the San Fernando Valley,” was written by a customer who might not realize that five other charges--none related to either water or power--are collected on her DWP bills.

Four of those added charges collected at the direction of Los Angeles City Hall go directly to city coffers and are not retained in any way by the DWP. First, 10% of each electric bill is added for a city utility tax and goes into the city’s general fund. Three other charges are added to each bill for the city’s Department of Public Works--they are a $4.50 monthly sanitation charge, a 0.678% per water bill sewer service charge and a 21-cent low-income sewer service charge. A fifth charge, a .0002 cent per kilowatt-hour of each electric bill, is an energy surcharge collected for the State of California.

If Ms. Bilford lived in the Santa Clarita Valley, as I do, she would pay Southern California Edison 17% more for her electricity than she does now, living in the San Fernando Valley as a DWP customer. And living there, she also receives the best water in Southern California.

Ms. Bilford goes on to say that “DWP is one of the few agencies that even has any surplus assets!” That’s true, mainly because the DWP had been an independent agency for many, many years, free of City Hall shenanigans and responsible for its own financial stability. Why does any organization, or any family for that matter, want a surplus? Why, for use in emergencies or unexpected situations. Ms. Bilford should be thankful a DWP surplus was available on Jan. 17, 1994.

ALICE MULLER

Newhall

* At least the mayor is trying to give us back some of our hard-earned money in the form of additional police protection and benefits that we are not getting from our Water and Power bills.

JERRY DRES

Tarzana