I guess we do have toll roads in Los Angeles. This past weekend, with the mandatory entrance fee at Sunset Junction, the City has allowed the first toll road to exist. Sure, it's just for pedestrians, but it's a toll road no less.The fact that the organizers require payment doesn't bother me too much... except for a few things:
First, they received $35,000 in fee waivers from the City Council President and the City Council. So, not only did they collect $12 to $15 per person, but they also could count on about 2,916 "entrances" at the $12 price in freebies from the City. Now, sure, Giant Village charges people a boatload of money to attend their event, but they pay for all the permits and fees - no waivers.
OK, maybe I could see that $35K in fees as the City's support of a non-profit. Fine. But, then, I realize the City doesn't require any accounting or balance sheets for the event in order to waive the fees. So, they may be non-profit, but how much of the ticket fee is actually going towards the youth programming? I already get bugged by fundraisers that only pay for themselves, but when it's on a City street and you are required to pay - that bugs me.
Finally, and the main reason the mandatory fee irks me is the community. Think of that family of 4 or 5 or 6 that has this event a few blocks from home and now HAS to pay the $12 per person: $48 to $60 to $72 just to get in the gates. Then, add on ride tickets, food, etc. - look out! This really disenfranchises those the event claims it is meant to assist.
Now, I don't blame the organizers - they are doing what they have to do to put on a great event that raises funds. I think the City should really look at it's policy about waiving fees when a entrance fee is required on City streets. Let's see which Councilmember will take up the issue as a citywide issue of when do we waive fees. Or, maybe, we'll just have toll road sprouting up across the City.
Photo from brianblevins flickr page.
7 comments:
the funny thing is that the entrance fees weren't really mandatory at all, but almost no one knew about it. apparently the organizers were still recognizing the policy of not turning anyone away "due to lack of funds". plus neighborhood folks were being offered free passes as well. LAist has the scoop on that story at
http://www.laist.com/archives/2006/08/26/clip_n_save_your_free_pass_to_sunset_junction.php
i suppose because it was sort of a last minute change, it was hard to get that message out there, but it still would have been good to know. but at least the money's going towards good causes.
whoops, i guess that link is too long. here's the link in TinyUrl form:
http://tinyurl.com/ly8uf
yep, entrance fees have always been "pay what you can"...
Sure, SOME neighborhood folks were offered free passes. But most weren't. I was originally alerted by blogging.la that people living within a block of the festival would receive free passes. Since I live a block from Sunset near Silverlake Blvd, I thought I'd mosey down to the Tsunami Cafe and get a free pass. Not so fast.
The INCREDIBLY impolite person there informed me that they were only offering passes for households within one block of a street closure; 4 streets. No attention was paid to the many, many people living on nearby streets with loud noise at late hours, no parking, and a lack of access to one of the main neighborhood thoroughfares. When I asked who I could complain to, I was informed that I could complain to him, but he wouldn't do anything for me, and he wouldn't tell me anyone who could get something done.
He accused me of wanting a free pass, and just looking for a handout. I couldn't care less about attending an overcrowded festival with carney rides and bands I don't care about. More salient is the fact that my dry cleaners, my favorite breakfast places, and much of my weekend life is closed off to my access.
When they say that nobody would be turned away due to lack of funds, they didn't mean that they'd let just anyone in without paying. They meant that they had many programs and application processes for poor folks to enjoy the festival. Noble, sure, but I don't want to enjoy the festival, I want to conduct my life. The policy of previous years, that the entrance fee was suggested but not mandatory, was not in place this year.
Also, I haven't put much time towards researching it (potentially invalidating the following complaint), but I see no hard evidence of them putting the profits towards good causes. I see only an increasingly complicated and inconvenient gathering that does not reflect the diversity of the community properly and is being run to maximize profit with minimal returns.
And no, I didn't go. I spent all weekend holed up in my apartment, since I couldn't drive anywhere and return to any manageable parking, and I couldn't walk on the main drag of my own neighborhood.
I remember when this street fair was a way for neighbors to hang out and get to know each other. Now that people come from all over the city, it seems to have out weighed it's original purpose. I suppose the nieghborhood's gentrification is taking care of the poor families living there too. Hooray for the Lotus festival where you don't need suggested or manditory donations.
Thanks for your words LACityNerd. I'm still awaiting answers from the council office on an e-mail with many questions I had. Will I hear back? hrmmmmm...hehe
I'll just have to try again.
actually, the entrance fees were mandatory, for the first time. i do live on one of those streets within a block of the festival, but since my name isn't on one of the utility bills, they wouldn't let me in or give me a free pass. i didn't really care about the festival, but was hungry and just wanted to walk down the street to a neighborhood restaurant (since i couldn't drive anywhere). but i was turned away due to lack of funds.
i remember back when the festival used to be just "homos and cholos," all neighbors who had the junction as an opportunity to intermingle and the $5 suggested donation was just that, suggested. now it's just a hyped up event announced on indie 103.1, and the "fabulous" come over to our neighborhood and clog up the streets.
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