Councilwoman says city will pick up police costs for Michael Jackson memorial

L.A. City Councilwoman Jan Perry said this morning that the city will dip into a special fund set aside for extraordinary events to pay for the security costs associated with Michael Jackson's memorial service Tuesday at Staples Center.

She also asked for financial aid from private donors interested in "honoring" Jackson by helping to pay for non-security services such as sanitation and trash collection that will be needed for the massive event. Private donors came forward to cover the costs associated with last month's Lakers victory parade and celebration at the L.A. Coliseum.

"The city would deeply appreciate help to offset what are the ... non-police costs," she said, adding that if anyone was interested, they could e-mail her at City Hall to discuss it.

"Its not the first nor will it be the last time our police department is called upon to make and execute the necessary plans for special events of this magnitude," Perry said at the news conference.

Later, she told CNN that the Jackson family had not come forward to pay for taxpayer costs associated with the memorial.

"I am not aware of any activity from the family to do that," she said.

Perry represents the downtown area that includes Staples Center.

-- Cara Mia Di Massa

 

Comments

[Pablo]

We need your help, donors! Please donate so this memorial can happen! Michael Jackson's estate is only worth over $1 billion and the costs are just too much for them to bare. P

By the way, I'm glad everything got resolved in Iran. You never hear about it anymore so I'm guessing everything's all good, right?

[Joshua]

Let's us honor the man as the "King of Pop", "The Entertainer", "The Musician", and as "The Family Man". He will be surely missed.

Joshua

[sam]

"L.A. City Councilwoman Jan Perry said this morning that the city will dip into a special fund set aside for extraordinary events to pay for the security costs associated with Michael Jackson's memorial service Tuesday at Staples Center."

WHY should the city pay for THIS!!! Everybody was up in arms about the city paying for the Lakers Parade!

The Lakers brought jobs and money to the city. michael jackson did NOT! As a resident of the City of Los Angeles, I strongly disagree with jan perry!! Let her personally pay for IT!

I am sure the majority of residents agree with me.

[jill]

It's already cost us taxpayers a fortune to keep cops stationed at the rented Bel Air home which had to be blocked off to tourists, making visitors walk down busy Sunset Blvd and park on other private streets, all needing monitoring. Then there was the even bigger need for cops at the Encino home, and all over Hollywood Blvd. near his star. AND downtown around the Staples Center.

How much has this cost already? Most of these fans are not big consumers or staying in fancy hotels like convention guests, they may buy fast food and throw the trash in the street,, clog traffic and create need for crowd control. For the funeral itself the organizers will charger 25 bucks -- will there be a profit and if so, who's getting it?

Perry said we don't need a Lakers parade, then when private donors stepped in she was only too happy to show up and walk out on the field only to be dissed like the whole council. That wasn't just for the Mayor, it was for all of them - this city council ;has run us into a huge deficit and the funeral isn't the only police cost associated with this Jackson spectacle so tell Jan Perry to cough up the full figures it cost us so far. At least there hasn't been any violence like from the Laker "fans."

[stewart]

for s much tax revenue gvt got from MJ ? I guess it would be nice to get something back for it? Too bad he had to die first before he ever saw it huh?

[Michael Rules!!!]

Although no one is happy Michael died, he has given a gift to the city. Imagine the revenue this event and all Jackson memorial and fan related events are and will be bringing to the distraught downtown L.A. area. The police costs will be more than met by the tremendous boon of tourism dollars to all the hotels and local businesses, not to mention L.A. Live and Staples Center. Stop your moronic complaining. Let the fans morn.

[Melaine Samsoni]

Jan Perry should pay out of her own pocket.

[G-Mesa]

The city should not pay for anything michael jackson related

[rockman]

That's absolutely ridiculous. I'm glad the City of LA is so fabulously wealthy.

[R.G.]

the city of L.A is cutting jobs because there is no money but yet we as taxpayers are paying for a Michael Jackson memorial??

[Frank F]

Amen, Pablo. Both the City and the Times should be ashamed. And so should "We, the People" for letting them get away with it.

[eva]

This is completely insane. These "fans" need to have their heads checked. We simply cannot afford to pay for this ridiculousness! We didn't pay for the Lakers parade, why should we pay for this faux sentimental b.s.?

[Baffled Observer]

I think it's outrageous that the taxpayers of the city should be forced to pay for something like this. Why can't the city wake up and realize that *they don't have the money* for this sort of thing?

[Pepper]

How and WHY do we have this "special reserve" when teachers are getting fired, kids are forced to be in larger classes and the state is sending out IOU's. Sure, if the state was in better shape this would not be an issue BUT IT IS NOT!!!! the folks who want tx for the memorial SHOULD PAY FOR IT...this is an outrage and I'm ashamed to live in this city-

[James Campbell]

"the Jackson family had not come forward to pay", and is anyone surprised? They're in it for the money. But here's a thought, what about the Madonnas, Timberlakes and every other no mark pop star who couldn't wait to declare their debt to Jackson, with barely a thought for the free PR? Wouldn't this be the perfect opportunity for them to put up the cash? No, stupid, they're in it for the money, too... So let the ordinary folks pay, just like they did when they made the man obscenely rich in the first place. Same as it ever was...

[Trey]

I don't understand all this noise about the city having to foot the bill to provide public safety. Afterall isn't that already the city's job. HELLO! There are concerts and events all over town every night. There are also hordes of visitors and tourists on Hollywood Blvd. and at other tourists spots. This is LA. It draws people here for one thing or another all the time and it is part of the city's duty to provide public safety at all times. It doesn't matter that Jackson's memorial at Staples is a private event. So are Laker games, Clipper games, Kings games, and everything else held there. The point is LAPD is suppose to provide for crowd and traffic control at the city's expense as a matter of course.

[J G]

I should not, as a tax payer, pay for observations of illegal substance abuse. Why doesn't the Jackson family pay for the cost and why aren't the leaders like Villaraigosa and Perry discussing the total cost and pushing for donations as they did for the Lakers parade. They need to stay consistent in dealing with the budget. Our city's leadership has definitely lost credibility!

[Brandi Boyle]

We are stuffing kids in classrooms and cutting teachers???? but we have funds to pay for this????? The family decided to have a public memorial and they have plenty of money to pay for it. Use some of MJ's money, Jackson money, or support from some of the celebs....how about Al Sharpton??? I'm a big MJ fan, but I don't think our city has the money to pay for this....but all the MJ abusers, users, including family that didn't help him do!!!!

[eric]

this is really dumb. Our enitre City Council needs to be replaced at this point. First we are gonna waste money on the Lakers now is Michael Jackson, next we will be making Madoff's birthday a holiday here. Needless to say this makes me sick to my stomach when we have hard working men and women losing their jobs....

[eric]

@trey

Let me help you understand what all the noise is about.

We are wasting money to honor someone at a time when average people cannot pay bills.
IF MJ can be buried in a Bronze and Gold $25,000 coffin, Im sure he can pick up the tab if he wants this "honor".

The city is NOT obligated to pickup tabs for BS like this.

In fact the City of LA would have been better served if they denied the use of Staple center unless the organizers provide suffiecient security and such.

[Nelcisco]

Good point Pablo, Michael's death means more to us than the fact that our nation's unemployment rate is approaching 10% or Iran wants to wipe out Isreal which is the little Satan or U.S. which is the big Satan, North korea is launching missiles but hey....!

"The Jackson family had not come forward to pay for taxpayer cost for the memorial". Interesting... so we should, and its their funeral.

[TMM4SC]

Another example of tax payers getting shafted. The Jackson Family and AEG should foot the bill for this event, which isn't needed in the first place in my opinion. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed most of MJ's music and recognize his talents as an entertainer. But enough of the hero worship already, especially for a man who publicly stated there is nothing wrong with sleeping in bed with young boys. How can this be over looked regardless of his accomplishments?

What we should be doing is sharing all this love for our troops returning from or heading off to deployment in the middle east! In my opinion they are the true heros we should be offering thanks to and acknowledging their enormous sacrfices. Where are our priorities?

[Diane]

Note to LA City Council,

Helloo wake up and smell the coffee you seem to have "special fund" for this but not for fixing potholes and not cutting back on city services, no wonder the state, county and city are broke.

[Trey]

@Eric

Let me explain to you democracy and free market econony 101. A.) The city has no authority to tell Staples Center or its owner what events can be held at the facility anymore than the city can tell Subway what kind of sandwiches it can and cannot serve. B.) The owners of Staples Center are obligated to pay for security to protect their property and the people attending events there, but they are not obligated to direct traffic and to control crowds on public streets that do not have a ticket to attend an event at Staples. That is the responsibility of law enforcement which businesses like Staples already pay taxes to support.

[Exit]

I predict that the DVD sales of the Michael Jackson memorial day in LA will make the Jackson family a tidy sum as well

[Joe McDonald]

Call Jan Perry's and Mayor Villaraigosa's office Monday and bombard them with calls of outrage. People struggling to get by, City Employees forgoing raises at these trying times and we get to pay for MJ's memorial. I'm an MJ fan, but this is wrong!

[Chris Eastwood]

Here we go again . . . but how come this time I don't hear the councilmembers complaining over this? And how come Councilwoman Jan Perry is not demanding from the Jackson family to pay up? Chicken? You can bet on it.

[giley1]

This is insane. I do not live in LA but if I did I would be marching to condem this highjack of tax payers money when the city as well as the state is in a budget crisis. Where are the voices of city hall? Not only will the city pay for this but since the Staples Center is near the 10 and 110 freeways, Cal Trans and the CHP will be involved in providing traffic control. While Mr. Jackson was talented, he also lived a bazar life style and had been tried and acquited for a crime against children? Does any of this stick in the minds of those who always promote safety for children first? Profits from this event, and I am sure there will be millions, should re-imburse the city and state for their respective cost.

[Tony]

Trey, let me now explain something to you. I recently worked in a city that has a small arena that often schedules concerts. The local law enforcement agency DOES NOT provide any traffic control without compensation. The owner of the arena pays for the additional personnel to assist in traffic, crowd control and overall security of the outside of the venue. I will state it again, there should not be any tax payer money used for this event. If the City of Los Angeles was broke for the Lakers parade, they should still be broke!

[Lenny]

Have the other City Council members or the Mayor spoken out against this? If not, then it must be okay to squander city funds on this "memorial". Jan Perry is just another politician who caters to the rich and famous at the expense of those in need of basic city services.

[Deborah]

Tell the people where to send the money--launch a serious campaign. Ask and it shall be given, knock and the doors shall be open!!!

[noway]

No way should the city pay a dime for any of this circus!! People are losing their jobs and homes, yet the city can find the money for this. Insane!!

[Beagle]

Maybe the Jackson family can give Jan Perry an IOU

[bditman]

Pathetic. Period. City fees of all types have skyrocketed, water rates go up 42%, trash collection fees go up, we can't afford a Lakers' Parade, but a billionaire family has to have the city sport the bill for Michael?? Sick, just sick. Really sick. I loved MJ's music, but his family is rolling in cash and the city is not. With what they will make off of the rehearsal video, the albums, the tribute concert, give me a break! Our politicians are crooks for letting this happen.

[Martino]

I am so glad that this many fellow Angelinos feel the same way about this memorial service. I can't believe we are in such a horrible economic situation and would even consider spending this kind of money. I am a huge Lakers fan and completely understood why the city didn't pay for their parade. Reports are that Tuesday will cost much more and someone else (record lable, family, private donors) should pay.

[Maria]

AEG took out an insurance policy on Michael Jackson's concert tour fo r$17 million. Now what are they going to do with that money? Jan Perry is a hypocrite asking the tax payers to put out for this. She spends hundreds of thousands on her special event waivers and since this is in her district why not use her discretionary funds for it?" People are very very upset at having tax payers pay for a Private memorial service.

[Louweegie272]

Another outrage in a never ending chain of them. AEG should pay for outside security because they are giving away 17,500 tickets to the public, God knows they will make money off of a tribute album as well. I would ask what the newly inaugurated
Mayor had to say but he is, of course, on vacation! I bet you dollars to doughnuts he is back in time for the photo ops at the funeral. The City has a 12% unemployment rate and another 20% under employment rate, meaning 30% of the population doesn't have enough work, yet we still throw away money on this type of nonsense.

[bc]

The city of LA should not spend a penny on this memorial. This is a private event that should be privately funded. This is an egregious waste of taxpayer money and proves once again that elected city officials are out of touch and simply waste taxpayer money.

[steve rodriguez]

Hey Pablo, who was Michael Jackson?
You wrote: Michael's death means more to us than the fact that our nation's unemployment rate is approaching 10% or Iran wants to wipe out Isreal which is the little Satan or U.S. which is the big Satan, North korea is launching missiles but hey....!

Michaels death means very little if anything, on the broad spectrum of things. Get a life Pablo!

[Mongo]

PLEASE
E-MAIL COUNCILWOMAN JAN PERRY AT

Jan.Perry@lacity.org

AND LET HER NOW HOW RIDICULOUS THIS IS ! ! !

HER OFFICE PHONE NUMBER IS (213) 473-7009 or (323) 846-2651

ENOUGH OF THESE POLITICIANS USING OUR MONEY FOR THEIR PERSONAL RIDICULOUS AGENDAS, INSTEAD OF PAYING OUR TEACHERS, FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND HEALTH WORKERS ! ! ! ! ! ! !

[Electra Garrigo]

Thousands of L.A. residents, and people the world over, want this memorial to happen. The city has to help, and I agree with James Campbell's comment. The artists that are getting free PR by saying they admire MJ should donate money.

[Gayle]

While I feel for Jackson's family and yes, Michael was a great musician and was a great entertainter--there is no doubt about that. And I do care about the family. However ,
Jackson's fans should understand that we are in crisis mode right now and Los Angeles and other cities do not have revenue, there is a budget crisis, teachers are being laid off in LASUD and people are losing jobs left and right in the city.

With that said, the city, AEG and the Jackson family should share the cost as far as expenses go. I'ts not hard at all.

[Susan]

Janet is worth millions. She could write a check to cover all government expenses and all would be well. I bet this event costs the city at least 4-5 mil. Gridlock in LA...here it comes.

[susan]

Truth: The Dodgers are away next Tuesday. The stadium would have been a much more appropriate place for the MJ ceremony as it could have accommodated many more people. The current scenario in some way just puts money into the hands of the Staple center owners.

Since they are the same folks that were backing up upcoming tour, they have a vested financial interest. According to CNN they have 100 hours of HD quality videos of the tour rehearsals. I bet those DVD's will be selling for a pretty penny. Hopefully, some of that will go to the MJ estate as it rightfully should.

[David Garetto- Barnett]

Shame, Shame,Shame
This man caused this whole thing. He made lots of money and cost this state lots of money. His family should cover the cost of this. AEG Live will make a lot of money from this.
Let me remind you Jan Perry this is NOT a special event. This was clearly a poor choice. This money would be better spent
helping people with drug problems. The family is just using this to sell his image to us.

[dvmark63]

I am amazed that the city makes the Lakers pay for their parade even though they provide millions of tax revenue EVERY year but its ok to pay for MJ whom contributed what?

[m v]

special fund what?
what about the fire dep and evry thing else that goes having security , where is the mayor in africa what ?
he just got his 4 more years as a mayor and he takes off to africa so what about that inaguration in front of city hall he only lasted one day and then the mayor left to africa
we need a special fund in los angeles to begin recalling all city hall politicians
and i can bet even the unions and some special interest will give to that special fund
will call it los angeles recall special fund

[Girl_Barrie]

My father in law was murdered in cold blood by a stranger during a home invasion robbery. We had to foot the bill for his funeral.
To say that life is unfair is an understatement.

[Bill]

jan perry's hypocrisy:

"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?

[Cheyenne]

If the city did nothing, they'd be in trouble for not caring, for not providing adequate traffic/crowd control, for not facilitating this public catharsis. If the city tried to help, they would be chastized for all the things they can't do (keep teachers, fill potholes, etc. etc. etc. ad naseum). This is a classic Catch 22. I am sorry that taxpayers are so outraged, but citizens were going to be outraged either way. I believe this memorial was necessary. An icon died; people need to get over it and focus on helping their situation, not lamenting something that was completely unpredictable. Let's move onward and help try to solve the current financial problems.

[frank carter]

how about the city la police dept donating their own free time, after all they make big bucks with no lay offs, and all kind of benefits......I bet no one will quit!