I'll have a few words about the Daily News on City TV 35 unless I find out some good reason why they delete Zuma Dogg, but leave up others. And by the way, here was my comment: "Thank you." (Too controversial, I guess!") Meanwhile, F*CK the Daily News! Where were they the past two years?
I know where I was...at City Hall three days a week complaining about this. And let there be no mistake about it. Zuma Dogg was the first one to start talking about this at City Hall for public comment, because someone from City Hall pulled me to the side, when I first started speaking about issues other than Venice Beach. The person told me, "Hey Zuma, you're missing the real (money bamboozle) on the agenda, each day: Special Event Fee Waivers. And they emailed me the now famous Jack Weiss memo. And it seemed like something worth mentioning...and then we all found out the truth about this stuff, as people sent me MORE info about it.
Also, Matt Dowd, Miram Fogler, Sharon Brewer and Donna Pearman (and everyone else) who kept the heat on. Activism works. It ain't easy, but I think the pueblos made a difference on this one.
Early ZUMA DOGG's post about Special Event Fee Waivers
More Zuma Dogg coverage of Special Event Fee Waivers.
Fee waivers for events a costly gift
In the history of Los Angeles city bureaucracy, the special-event fee waiver might be the most talked about budget reform that has never been acted on.
Three times a week, the Los Angeles City Council writes off thousands of dollars worth of city employee time for working at fairs, awards shows, parades and countless other special events held by businesses and community groups.
Last year, such fee waivers cost the city some $11 million. But those write-offs are becoming a growing point of contention as Los Angeles faces a record $406 million budget deficit - and the mayor says the city can no longer afford to foot the bill.
"In my budget proposal, I'm saying, hold it," Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said. "In fairness, I was a council member and I know the pressure you get to do these events.
"When we're looking at a budget deficit of this magnitude and an economy that is the worst in memory, we're going to have to pare down", said public advocate of the community Zuma Dogg three times a week for the past month during the City Council meetings until Mayor Antonio Villaraiogsa finally had to say the same thing.
After years of delay, and two year's worth of public comments by Zuma Dogg, council members now agree that the system is broken: The city has no policy for deciding which groups should pay to close a street and which should reimburse the city for police or traffic officers to keep the peace and divert cars.
The Academy Awards? Free.
The Daytime Emmys? They have to pay.
USC graduation? Free.
UCLA graduation? They have to pay.
"As a Bruin, that's not fair," said UCLA alum Councilwoman Wendy Greuel. "That is just one example of how our special-event fee waiver, or lack thereof, needs to be changed.
"When we're talking about cutting services, cutting program hours in recreation and parks and libraries, we need transparency about our priorities."
Special events that get city fee waivers can range from block parties and community festivals to corporate-sponsored marathons and awards shows.
Fees typically are supposed to be charged to recoup the cost of city workers closing streets, directing traffic, providing security and cleaning up - often on overtime.
When those fees are waived, the city swallows the cost. Earlier this week, Villaraigosa said in response to a Daily News report on city workers' overtime costs that special events are part of the problem.
Last year, the city Department of Transportation spent $5.2 million sending officers to control traffic at about 1,500 special events. This year, the bill is expected to top $6.8 million.
At the same time, fewer than 5 percent of events have to reimburse the department for staff time, DOT officials said. Traffic officers earn overtime pay of roughly $35.97 an hour for staffing the events.
"When we exhaust the (salary) account, we have to find ways to make up the deficit, and that's a challenge," said Selwyn Hollins, the DOT's head of budget and administration.
The Los Angeles Police Department absorbed about $2 million in overtime last year to staff special events - less than the DOT because the LAPD is able to assign police officers to supervise events during their regular work hours.
The Fire Department spent $2.1 million in 2006-07 to supervise and ensure that fire codes were met at public gatherings that had their fees waived.
And the Bureau of Street Services absorbed $1.8 million providing barricades and cleaning up after special events for which fees were waived.
In total, the city covered $11.1 million in expenses associated with special events - enough money to hire 100 police officers.
The City Council has been considering a special-event fee-waiver policy since at least 1999, when then-Councilwoman Rita Walters complained that the city was giving away thousands and thousands of dollars.
Yet nearly a decade later, city workers are still attempting to craft a policy that passes muster with the council.
In 2003, the city administrative officer and chief legislative analyst proposed reforming the special-event fee-waiver system by charging commercial events and creating a one-stop permit shop to coordinate and bill for special-event staffing.
That proposal stalled in committee.
Late last year, CAO Karen Sisson again called for a moratorium on fee waivers. Again, the council said it would consider it.
Now, however, the council's Budget and Finance Committee has committed to enacting a policy that restricts waivers. But still there is no agreement on how to limit special-event fee waivers.
Councilman Tom LaBonge believes that the city should subsidize neighborhood events while big commercial events, such as the Oscars, should have to pay.
But council President Eric Garcetti has said the city should waive fees for major events - such as the Oscars - that earn money for the city by attracting hotel visitors and tourists, but could choose to move to other cities.
The city waived an estimated $75,000 in fees and staff time associated with the Academy Awards ceremony at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood.
And with no set policy, waivers now can seem arbitrary or suspect.
The council waived at least $7,500 in fees and staff time for traffic control for USC's graduation ceremonies. But UCLA paid $14,409 to the Department of Transportation for traffic officers during its commencement.
Several council members said that without a formal policy, they are hesitant to reject or challenge waivers requested by colleagues on behalf of for-profit groups and events.
"When you say no, there is a backlash," said Councilman Jose Huizar, who represents downtown and Northeast L.A.
He recently proposed waiving $163,000 in fees for Fiesta Broadway, a free Cinco de Mayo festival with music and booths that is organized by a for-profit company with corporate sponsorships.
Historically, the council member representing the area has agreed to waive fees, but Huizar said next year the organizer is going to have to pay a portion of the fees.
"Collectively, as a council, we have to fix this," Huizar said. "If a single council member says no, you'll become a target in your district."
Still, the council is constantly under fire from community activists and gadflies who complain at council meetings about how the city is wasting money supporting special events.
"It's embarrassing," said Councilman Greig Smith, who said he's not ready to cut event waivers altogether because there is value in supporting some organizations.
But he said he does want to cut fee waivers in half by limiting who can get them.
"We're giving away things we shouldn't," he said. "We're laying people off and then giving someone a fee waiver and they're charging admission to their event? C'mon."
BY THE NUMBERS
During the 2006-07 fiscal year, Los Angeles spent $11.1million staffing special events that did not have to pay city fees.
$5.2 million
Department of Transportation
$2.1 million
Los Angeles Fire Department
$2.0 million
Los Angeles Police Department
$1.8 million
Bureau of Street Services
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