Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa won his bid for re-election on Tuesday, March 3, but the fate of another voting-booth issue, LA's Measure B, is still uncertain.
As part of the city's plans to generate 10% of its electricity needs from solar energy by 2020, Measure B outlines that the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power be allowed to install up to 400 MW of solar on municipal rooftops by 2014. Some estimates have suggested that Measure B would cost Los Angeles taxpayers more than $1 billion.
On Tuesday, it initially seemed that Measure B was cruising toward victory. However, reports on Wednesday morning suggested that the measure was failing by about 1,000 votes. Today, it is still uncertain where Measure B stands, as thousands of write-in votes, vote-by-mail ballots and provisional ballots remain to be tallied.
Some sources close to the issue have said that it could be weeks before the Measure B matter is decided.
Also of important note, Villaraigosa has said that the Department of Water and Power does not need voter approval to proceed with its 400 MW program. This fact considered, its seem unclear whether Measure B will have any effect, whether it is approved by Los Angeles voters or not.
