L.A. gets economy czar

This could be interesting. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is expected to name Austin Beutner, former partner at private-equity giant Blackstone Group and investment-banking firm Evercore Partners, as the city's first economy chief (title will be deputy mayor and chief executive for economic and business policy). As reported by the WSJ, Beutner will oversee both the Port of Los Angeles and the DWP.

In a letter Mr. Villaraigosa sent to Mr. Beutner when hiring him, the mayor said, "I recognize we need a top to bottom revitalization and refocus of our economic development team here at City Hall to make certain job creation is the overarching focus at all levels and in all offices and departments." Mr. Beutner's appointment is a part of "a greatly expanded and retooled vision of economic development in the city," said Chief Deputy Mayor Jay Carson. "We have to view every decision we make through the prism of job creation."

Beutner told the Journal: "For the first time in a long time the city is going to be forced to change the way it does things. The most fundamental thing is to change the mindset of those who work in the city [government]. We serve business. They're our customers as opposed to the other way around." Good luck with that.