The Los Angeles City Council November 7 approved on an 11-0 vote placing a solar power measure before city voters in the March 3 election as expected. If backed by voters, the measure would require the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power to install 400 MW of solar panels on rooftops by 2014. The muni would own and operate the systems on a long-term basis, though financial institutions may own them at first in order to lower their cost by taking advantage of federal tax breaks for solar power. The tax advantages are available only to private parties, not to municipal and state governments. LADWP workers would install and operate the systems. The muni estimates the panels would cost up to $1.5 billion to install, if the tax breaks are taken, and up to $3 billion without the tax incentives (Circuit, Nov. 7, 2008). Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Working Californians, which includes a union that represents many LADWP employees, back the measure.