Union Pickets Eric Garcetti’s ‘State of the City’ Speech over ‘Green New Deal’ Policies

LOS ANGELES, California — Union members picketed Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s “State of the City” speech on Wednesday in protest against his “Green New Deal” policies, which they worry will cost jobs and raise electricity rates.

Garcetti has embraced the “Green New Deal” of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), canceling plans earlier this year to rebuild three natural gas power plants — even though city officials worry they will struggle to keep the lights on.

In his speech, Garcetti unveiled ambitious environmental goals aimed at fighting climate change — including moving the city to 100% renewable energy sources by 2045 — though scientifically, there is little the city can do by itself in terms of affecting global average surface temperature.

LAist.com noted that some union members are worried that Garcetti’s war on fossil fuels and enthusiasm for the “Green New Deal” could mean job cuts and higher electricity rates:

Not everybody is in favor of the Green New Deal at City Hall. Garcetti’s speech was picketed by members of IBEW Local 18, which represents Department of Water and Power workers. The union says it supports moving away from fossil fuels, but not if it costs thousands of middle-class jobs held by IBEW members or raises utility bills for DWP customers.

At Mayor Garcetti’s State of the City speech, IBEW Local 18 is protesting outside, chanting that the Green New Deal is a “raw deal.” pic.twitter.com/yOiCWKk2xH

— Emily Alpert Reyes (@AlpertReyes) April 17, 2019

The mayor also pledged to end street homelessness in Los Angeles by the time the city hosts the Olympics in 2028 — though he has repeatedly fallen short of past promises on that issue.

Garcetti also paid tribute to students who protested inequality in 1968 under the slogan “Viva La Raza.” Though used in a broadly political sense, the phrase “la Raza” literally means “the race.”

At Mayor Garcetti’s State of the City speech, IBEW Local 18 is protesting outside, chanting that the Green New Deal is a “raw deal.” pic.twitter.com/yOiCWKk2xH

— Emily Alpert Reyes (@AlpertReyes) April 17, 2019

Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. He is also the co-author of How Trump Won: The Inside Story of a Revolution, which is available from Regnery. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.