The Facts on Street Vending: Reality not Racism

GUEST COMMENTARY-When civil conversation ends up with "you are racist", there must be something deep down that someone is afraid of. 

The debate about legalizing street vending continues to miss the point. The City is attempting to abrogate its authority to control street vending. 

Let's discuss food vendors:  To state that giving them a city permit makes them legal is a lie, period. 

The majority of the carts are misplaced Smart and Final carts, loaded with charcoal, topped with a five dollar sheet pan, selling bacon wrapped hot dogs -- completely illegal under County Health Permit requirements. So, even if the City issues permits to these vendors, they still will not be complying with County health requirements. That will put all the weight of enforcement on the County, which is already extremely under-staffed and unable to meet even its current inspection obligations to existing brick and mortar locations. 

In addition, the county-approved carts cost thousands of dollars, and must be stored in a county- approved "Barn,” costing vendors more money each month that they will not be able to afford.

And how about liability insurance? Workers comp? Sales tax? City business fees? 

Now, what about locations? Who gets to go where? Who will enforce it? Ever call LAPD for a non-emergency response? You have a better chance of getting a yellow cab before a police response. And now you want them to enforce a hot dog vendor? 

In the past, the Office of Finance could not even collect Parking Lot Fees. How will the City keep track of street vendors? 

LAPD is one of two city enforcement agencies that can write Administrative Citations (ACE). Why are they not writing them now? Is this what we are to expect in the future? 

And what about all of those current street vendors who cannot afford the proper equipment? They will not get a permit. And they will continue to violate the current and future laws due to the economic impact on them. 

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So, how about the gangs that purchase carts and "rent" them to the vendors, taking large amounts of money from them in return? Have we ceded the streets to the gangs? 

It’s the Elephant in the Council Chambers: gangs that control many of the street vendors will only become more powerful and more dangerous. 

If your ear is to the rails in LA, you hear more and more people complain that we have become a Third World city. Not really fair to the Third World cities around the world. 

It’s time for the City Council to stop giving up city authority, to stop attempting to be a social service agency to everyone in town, to begin a policy of only passing legislation that can and will be enforced. 

They need to focus on our local problems -- gangs, graffiti, homeless, jobs, etc. -- instead of spending so much time passing non-binding resolutions that concern policy in other states and countries. 

It’s time for the City Council to stop running for office (theirs or the next one) and start running our City.

 

 (Jay Handal is chair of the West Los Angeles Neighborhood Council and Co-Chairs the Neighborhood Council Budget Advocates Committee.)

 

-cw

 

 

CityWatch

Vol 13 Issue 69

Pub:  Aug 25, 2015