matrixskillz Star Player
Joined: 22 Jun 2008 Posts: 7502
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Posted: Sat Jun 13, 2009 1:48 am Post subject: Will city officials rain on Lakers parade? |
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http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-spw-lakers-parade14-2009jun14,0,7322867.story
Quote: | If the Lakers win the NBA championship this coming week, it's a good bet Angelenos will want a parade.
But with cash-strapped Los Angeles looking at the possibility of laying off municipal workers or forcing them to take unpaid days off to counter a budget deficit, some at City Hall are uncomfortable with the parade's price tag, which could exceed $1 million.
"We can't afford to cover the costs," Los Angeles City Councilwoman Jan Perry, whose district includes Staples Center, said Friday afternoon. "How could we make a decision about people's jobs and then sponsor the parade?"
Shouldn't the Lakers and the NBA pay for that, she asked?
Council members have been wrestling for years with a proposal for reducing the size of subsidies the city gives for special events, such as street fairs and 10-kilometer runs. A new proposal to do that is pending and could receive a final vote next week. But it would not go into effect until after the best-of-seven series between the Lakers and the Orlando Magic.
The Lakers lead, 3 games to 1, and after Sunday's 5 p.m. PDT game in Orlando it could be all over.
Representatives of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who is in Rhode Island at a conference, did not respond to a request for comment.
Councilman Bernard C. Parks, who heads the council's powerful Budget and Finance Committee, struck a more conciliatory tone, predicting the city would ultimately absorb the cost of a parade.
"I don't think we have a choice," Parks said. "This is one of those things that happen once a decade. |
_________________ We only celebrate championships.
"I GOT WHEATIES!" |
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wthai Starting Rotation
Joined: 31 Aug 2004 Posts: 389
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Posted: Sat Jun 13, 2009 10:34 pm Post subject: |
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they have a point, the city and the state are dead broke.
maybe the can find some companies like Pepsi or Coke to sponsor the parade.
Parade would be interesting though with LA Live, which was not there during the 3-peat. |
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