Mayoral hopeful Austin Beutner brought his affordability-focused campaign to Van Nuys on Thursday, decrying the rising cost of utility services and accusing the City Hall of quietly passing along hikes to Angelenos without proper public accountability.

Standing outside Van Nuys City Hall, Beutner said the average household now pays $1,223, more per year under Mayor Karen Bass for core city services — including electricity (+$207), water (+$509), trash collection (+$236), and sewage (+$271).

“Every time I visit the Valley, I am reminded of the same things: hardworking families,” he said. “But I’m always hearing it’s a struggle. Affordability is a struggle, and I think this City Hall is part of the problem.”

The crux of his critique centered on a little-known charge called the adjustment

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