When asked why this charging station along Pacific Coast Highway at Zuma Beach in Malibu wasn’t operating — neighbors tell me it has never operated over the years — the City of Malibu referred me to Los Angeles County Beaches and Harbors. After multiple phone calls and emails, I still haven’t received an answer.

The County says it has a Public Information Office, but from my experience, getting information has been nearly impossible. When no one answers the phone, no one returns emails, and no one explains what’s happening, accountability disappears.

It reminds me of California’s crime reporting: if there is no one to answer the phone, or take a report, there is no crime.