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THE BOTTOM LINE -
Los Angeles says it's leading the clean-energy transition. But will working families end up paying the price?
If you want to understand why so many families believe Los Angeles is becoming increasingly unaffordable, look no further than Tuesday's City Council meeting.
At a time when residents are struggling with soaring housing costs, rising utility bills, expensive groceries, higher insurance premiums, and the daily pressures of inflation, the Los Angeles City Council unanimously voted to prohibit new oil and gas operations within city limits and begin phasing out existing fossil fuel infrastructure over the next two decades.
Supporters hailed the vote as another milestone in the fight against climate change. Critics viewed it as another policy that could increase costs, eliminate good-paying jobs, and make California more dependent on imported energy.
Whether those concerns ultimately prove justified or not, one question should have dominated the debate:
Will this decision make life more affordable for the people who actually live here?
That question was never meaningfully answered.
This debate should never be framed as a choice between environmental stewardship and economic growth. Los Angeles can and should continue investing in renewable energy, battery storage, cleaner transportation, grid modernization, and technologies that reduce emissions. Environmental progress matters. But so do affordability, energy reliability, and economic opportunity. Successful public policy does not force those priorities into competition; it advances them together.
California's demand for energy has not disappeared. Millions of residents still drive to work, delivery companies move goods across the region, hospitals operate around the clock, manufacturers continue producing essential products, and first responders depend on reliable fuel every day. If local production declines while demand remains strong, California will continue looking elsewhere for the energy it needs. Supporters argue this is a necessary step toward a cleaner future.
Critics argue it simply shifts production to other states or countries while doing little to reduce demand. That debate deserved far more public discussion before Los Angeles committed itself to eliminating another long-standing industry.
The vote also reflects a broader pattern that should concern every Angeleno. Manufacturing has steadily declined. Film and television production continues moving to other states. Businesses increasingly choose to expand elsewhere because California has become one of the most expensive places in America to operate. Residents themselves are leaving in search of greater affordability and opportunity.
Every industry that departs takes more than payroll with it. It takes investment, tax revenue, apprenticeship opportunities, and careers that have supported middle-class families for generations. Cities rarely prosper by making it harder to create, retain, and attract private-sector jobs.
Environmental leadership and economic competitiveness should reinforce one another not compete with one another. Cities that thrive over the long-term embrace innovation while protecting affordability. They encourage cleaner technologies without unnecessarily discouraging existing industries before practical alternatives are fully capable of meeting demand. Too often, City Hall measures success by the number of regulations it adopts rather than by the real-world results those policies produce. Residents measure success differently.
Can they afford to buy a home? Can they fill their gas tank without worrying about the cost? Can they keep their business open? Can their children build a future in Los Angeles instead of moving somewhere else? Those are the questions that ultimately determine whether public policy succeeds or fails.
The transition to cleaner energy is real, and it is already underway. The question has never been whether that transition should occur. The real question is whether government will manage it in a way that protects both the environment and the economic well-being of the people it serves. The Los Angeles City Council believes it has taken an important step toward a cleaner future. Time will determine whether that judgment proves correct. Residents will not evaluate this decision based on speeches delivered inside City Hall or celebratory press releases. They will judge it every time they pay a utility bill, fill their gas tank, look for a good-paying job, or decide whether they can still afford to build a future in Los Angeles.
Leadership is not measured by intentions. It is measured by outcomes.
And ultimately, those outcomes—not unanimous votes—will determine whether this decision truly served the people of Los Angeles.
(Mihran Kalaydjian is a seasoned public affairs and government relations professional with more than twenty years of experience in legislative affairs, public policy, community relations, and strategic communications. A respected civic leader and education advocate, he has spearheaded numerous academic and community initiatives, shaping dialogue and driving reform in local and regional political forums. His career reflects a steadfast commitment to transparency, accountability, and public service across Los Angeles and beyond.)
