City councilwoman would 'love it' if Jackson family helped pay memorial costs

Los Angeles City Councilwoman Jan Perry said she was concerned about the cost involved in Tuesday's huge Michael Jackson memorial and would "love it" if the Jackson family helped pay some of those bills.

But Perry, speaking on the CBS "Early Show," said city officials have not heard from the Jacksons. Perry, who represents the downtown area, said she did not have a cost estimate for police and other city services that will be needed Tuesday.

Perry told The Times on Saturday that the extra police deployment would be paid for from a Los Angeles Police Department fund reserved for overtime costs of special events such as "1st Amendment marches, protests and funerals and other special events large in scope and that have a potential to impact public safety."

Because the fiscal year started July 1, the fund for all police overtime -- which according to one source covers 1.6 million hours, or nearly $90 million -- is flush. But some city officials questioned the wisdom of spending possibly more than $1 million for overtime so early in the fiscal year, noting that the city could find itself cash-strapped later in the event of a fire, earthquake or other major disaster.

Each year, police officials expect a few extraordinary events. Last year saw marches for and against Proposition 8, a Metrolink crash and a few immigration protests, among other things.

--Shelby Grad

Comments

[wendy]

How about the taxpayers of Los Angeles would love it if the Jackson's would pick up the costs for their son's memorial service? This grandiosity at Staples Center was their idea. This was their doing and, yet, we are paying for it when they are an extremely wealthy family burying their private citizen. If they didn't want to pick up the tab, they should have stuck to their private memorial service.

[eric]

Looks like the anger of the general public in regards to this extreme waste is getting to her. Keep the phones calls going and maybe Jan Perry will do what is right for the CIty.

[SeanBoy]

Are you that broke Los Angeles? Might as well break out the tin cup and start begging.

[bjth]

Wasn't it just a few weeks ago we heard an outcry about the public funds that would be needed for the Lakers' parade and such? But it seems that many are silent about the Jackson family pitching in to help out. Councilman Zine makes an excellent point: why not pony up? The protection of the people who helped make them wealthy isn't worth it to them?

However, I quit believing in Santa long ago. Let's hope that the press, fans and tourists are spending sufficient money on hotels, restros, sight-seeings, souvenirs and a stiff drink or two here and there to help our local economy more than sufficiently.

[DonJMac]

Los Angeles City Councilwoman Jan Perry is a Joke, Why beg the Jackson's for money they only have about 70 billon dollars,Let the city of Los Angeles pay for it, They deserve it and Los Angeles would love to do it.

[Misha]

The family and promoters should contribute to the costs for both the funeral event (traffic control) and the event at the Staple center. LA doesn't have the extra money to be spent on such events when there are many social services being cut because of the states economic problems.

[chris johnson]

Jan Perry,

You are a complete idiot for not even knowing how much this circus will end up cost the tax payers of Los Angeles.

In a time of need why has our elected mayor not spoken out this issue?

Once again our elected officials reveal just how out of control they really are.

Chris Johnson

[maxo]

City services should be payed for with tax money even if we don't like it. That's the way the system works. Don't send me an invoice after an accident. Jan Perry should be fired and replaced.

[Captain Jack Sparrow]

Mayor Villar and the City of Los Angeles is "forcing" their employees to take work ferlough days, at a 10% pay cut, because of "budget shortfalls" and they are willing to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on Michael Jackson? Get real. This is "public taxpayers money" not the Jackson family's dough. Come on Joe Jackson, get in front of the microphones and pimp yourself for a fundraiser to pay back the City of Los Angeles. You pimped yourself to promote a new record company during your frist interview after your son's death, how about pimping for the City Employees. Comon Villar, where is your leadership on this? Oh, you are in Africa with your new toy and not working in Los Angeles. "WE CLEAN YOUR TOILETS!"

[Maggie]

And how much will the city of Los Angeles reap on the taxes from restaurants, hotels and transportation systems that accommodate the thousands that have been and will continue to be descending on the city?

[David Theiss]

I bet it will be a cold day in neverland before the family coughs up a dime to recognize MJ.

[Pablo]

City services for any PLANNED event should be paid for by the promoters of the event. In this case, especially, the promoters will likely make a fortune in record sales and future events that piggy back onto this spectacle. There is no reason these people should make money on the backs of taxpayers. It's no wonder our city is broke!

[Stephen]

Would've been nice to have ticket holders purchase them for $50/each... with the proceeds to pay for these extra expenditures. $50 x 17,000 ticket holders = $850,000... wouldn't cover all of it but at least a good chunk of the cost.

[Barb Wilson]

The councilwoman, Jan Perry, apparently does not understand that Los Angeles is and will always be the entertainment capital of the world. Thereby, the City of Los Angeles, will always be responsible for the safety and well being of all people who work, reside, and visit there. To even imply that the Jackson family should consider payment to the city is just plain disgusting. Councilwoman Perry, must have been raised by wolves.

[Dave]

She would "like it?" She should DEMAND it. This city still has a $360 million defecit and this is a private event, much like the Laker parade. Someone in the Jackson family needs to pony up the money or cancel the event. They should have it at Forest Lawn and pay for private security to control the traffic and the crowds. LAPD can generate revenue by ticketing all the gawkers that stop outsie the fence to watch.

[Tony Phan]

Sweet, more tax payer funds to support the rich and famous. I love LA. Can the city pay for my funeral as well?

[Jaera]

If the city of Los Angeles can't afford or doesn't want to pay for the memorial, they should never have put it on in the first place! Or (tickets are being scalped for thousands anyway), maybe they could have charged a huge fee for them instead of GIVING them away. (And the many people trying to make money off of a death need someone to give them a good swift kick in the pants.)

If the Jackson family asked for it, they should have been the ones responsible for organizing and funding the event.

If the city put it on in "hopes" of having the Jacksons pay the costs after the fact, the city council is clearly delusional.

[bill jenkins]

Please Councilwoman Perry can you please refund all the millions of dollars that Mr. Jackson paid in taxes for you screw head politicians to spend? Get a life thang--you are not ready for prime time, now or never. You are a despicable low life politician that will never be Mayor.

[Ro]

I was a MJ fan, but tomorrow's event should not come out of city money. If the family and promoters wanted this huge memorial event for him, that's great..but they should cough up the entire cost. It is enough that the promoters , the family have been doubling their profit since June 25th, yet neither of them have offered to pay for the entire event...in reality this is their event!!!

[carlsbad]

And I would 'love it' if I could flap my arms and fly to Hawaii for the week, but that ain't going to happen either.

[Ken P.]

The Jacksons are multi-millionaires. Pay for the funeral out of Jackson's estate. This is a big money maker for the family and obscene that they would ask the taxpayers to fund their extravaganza. Their antics have already cost the city millions. It's time for them to pay up.

[hpbromine]

Absurd! Why should the Jackson family pay anything for a memorial service that the City of Los Angeles is under no obligation whatsoever to conduct, but is conducting solely for the purpose of increasing city revenues? The Jacksons shouldn't pay the city one dime toward the cost of this event. Suggesting that they should is nothing short of delusional. If I were a city resident, I'd be more than just a little pissed that the City is squandering taxpayer money on this absolutely unnecessary event.

[LA LA Land]

Chris Johnson,

The only reason Perry has been at the forefront of this issue is NOT because she is the councilmember representing the dowtown area, it's because she's the acting mayor at the moment. Villaraigosa is on vacation in Africa and Council President Eric Garcetti is in Japan. That's why you haven't heard much from the mayor himself.

Cheers!

[Joe, California]

M.J's family is already lining up to take his monry or make money off of his name, especially his father "Joe" They are money grubbers at their best! That is the only reason anyone really wants the kids too! Shame on you money grubbing mixed up family. DISFUNCTIONAL!

[El Guapo]

Jamie Fox said recently that he was "ours." Apparently not in regard to any fiscal responsibility.