From: http://www.dailynewslosangeles.com Daily News (Los Angeles) Saturday, June 24, 2000 Council votes 8-5 to give Democrats $4 million By Rick Orlov, Staff Writer Faced with arguments they might embarrass the city otherwise, the Los Angeles City Council voted Friday to give $4 million to help cover a shortfall facing organizers of the Democratic National Convention in August. In its 8-5 vote, with Valley Council members Hal Bernson and Alex Padilla helping provide the bare majority needed, the council also decided to make Mayor Richard Riordan and developer Ed Roski Jr. pay as well by requiring the Democratic National Convention Committee to use all the $1 million letters of credit each man had committed for the event. Riordan and Roski were briefed by convention officials and agreed to the terms, even though the letters of credit originally were designed to cover any cash shortage the organizers faced. "It seems to me, if this city is being asked to come up with some money, we ought to make sure they use up all they have," said Councilwoman Jackie Goldberg, who made the proposal along with several other conditions before she agreed to vote for the spending. "My initial inclination when I heard about this was to vote against it. All my staff and all my political advisers wanted me to vote against it. I was asked what I wanted to vote for it, and these are my conditions." The two other major conditions she demanded were to make Pershing Square, across from the Regal Biltmore Hotel, the official protest site for the convention and also to create a special ad hoc committee to review police security plans. Deputy Chief Maurice Moore said the Los Angeles Police Department opposed both proposals, but the council approved them to win Goldberg's support. The issue is expected to be raised again next Wednesday when Police Chief Bernard C. Parks briefs the council on security planning. The vote represented a major victory for convention planners, who are headin g into the final six weeks leading up to the event, to be held Aug. 14-17 at Staples Center. "We are pleased to have an expanded partnership with the city and are glad we will be able to go ahead with all our work," said Noelia Rodriguez, chief executive of the Host 2000 Committee. The money is needed by July 1, she said, and will go primarily for work at Staples Center, where the convention will be held. Voting against the spending were council members Laura Chick, Mike Feuer, Cindy Miscikowski, Joel Wachs and Rudy Svorinich. Those voting in favor were Bernson, Padilla, Goldberg, Ruth Galanter, Mike Hernandez, Nate Holden, Nick Pacheco and Mark Ridley-Thomas. John Ferraro and Rita Walters were absent. Wachs, a candidate for mayor next year, has led the opposition to the $4 million payment, saying it's an example of why the public has such distrust of government and secession movements are thriving. "People are looking to us to spend their money wisely, on services they need and not to bail out some politically powerful people," Wachs said. "People are looking at what we are doing and will remember." The other four opponents on the council argued that convention officials should be required to live up to the original deal: that it would completely finance the campaign through private funds, aside from $7 million in in-kind services the city is providing for security and traffic control. "This is almost like a bait-and-switch," Chick said. Feuer said it will set a precedent regarding the city's credibility if it is willing to agree to changing the terms of an agreement. Holden, leading the effort to allocate the funds, blasted opponents. "You all are a bunch of turkeys," Holden shouted. "This is such hypocrisy. We give thousands of dollars every year to the Academy Awards and other events. This is an important event for the city and we should do all we can to make it work." Hernandez also defended the spending as an investment that will see a $135 million return due to the influx of some 35,000 visitors including delegates, media representatives and others. The action prompted some mixed emotions among downtown business people. While supporting the spending, they opposed the designation of Pershing Square as the official protest site. Carol Schatz of the Central City Association said the park, located on a square block in the heart of the Central Business District, is directly across from where delegates and national officials will be staying and will present other security problems since the jewelry district is just to the east of it. Several others from the Central Business District also raised concerns about traffic problems that would be created both on the street level and with the Metro Rail system. In addition, they argued that the site that had been designated is on a large parking lot adjacent to Staples Center, where stage, microphone and bathroom facilities will be provided. ================================================================= Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh, YHVH, TZEVAOT FROM THE DESK OF: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> *Mike Spitzer* <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> ~~~~~~~~ <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> The Best Way To Destroy Enemies Is To Change Them To Friends Shalom, A Salaam Aleikum, and to all, A Good Day. ================================================================= <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance�not soap-boxing�please! 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