Mayor, Mayor Off The Wall

"This is a world-class city, and we provide fire and police protection. Period. The idea that we would charge the family for a funeral is nonsensical,"

This is a quote from Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa in response to criticism over the City of Los Angeles footing the bill for the $1.4million in police and other services necessary to host the Michael Jackson memorial last Tuesday (7/7/09).

Noble Mayor Villaraigosa…noble indeed. Oh wait…that's not your money you're spending? It's ours? Taxpayer money?
That certainly explains your generosity.

Mr. Mayor, if it's so "nonsensical" to charge the family for a funeral, is it safe to assume that effective July 7, 2009 you have declared that funerals in the City of Los Angeles are free for everyone? You might want to let Forrest Lawn in on that plan…or are you are offering up the Staples Center as the universal funeral site for all of Los Angeles?

A nice gesture mind you, but given there are more than 4 million people living in Los Angeles you might need to let the Lakers know that they will need to defend their NBA title in another venue, because the Staples Center will be booked all year, every year, with free funerals.

Do I even need to point out that Michael Jackson paid nearly fifteen times this amount to "bury" certain other events in his past? Is it really too much to expect that his estate cover the cost of his own funeral? I mean, did somebody put a gun to someone's head to force this public spectacle? Why not a private family memorial that wouldn't have cost the City one red cent?

By the way, has it slipped your mind that the City of Los Angeles has a $530 million estimated budget shortfall? (A highly optimistic estimate given that the City is doing the estimating). That usually means dropping $1.4 million in completely wasted spending isn't a good idea. And yes, from a taxpayer perspective, Michael Jackson's memorial was a complete waste of money.

And now that we are on the topic I might also point out that most (arguably all) of the $178,789 salary paid to each of the 15 LA City Council members, is also a complete waste of spending….as is a very large chunk of your $232,426 salary.

In a city with over 10% sales tax rates, grossly overpaid City officials, a half Billion dollar budget shortfall, over 11% unemployment and one of the worst school districts in the entire Country (LAUSD)…you, ever the politician, decide that it is the taxpayer's responsibility to take this $1.4 million in the shorts.

You think it's a good idea to stick the taxpayer with this expense. I, the taxpayer, disagree. I think it a much better idea that you and the entire city council go without pay until the $1.4 million boondoggle you are so proud of has been offset via your salaries.

Alas, Mr. Mayor, I can't blame you entirely. You are after all a career politician; and as Shakespeare said: "There's small choice in rotten apples."