How will the city of los angeles pay for the Michael Jackson memorial service?
Cash-starved Los Angeles is facing mounting costs surrounding Tuesday’s memorial service for Michael Jackson, and the city wants the entertainer’s fans to help pick up the tab in the absence of a private donor to defray the costs. The city is on the hook for $3.8 million to cover overtime pay for public-service workers and support staff for the star-studded event being held at the downtown Staples Center, according to Los Angeles Councilman Dennis Zine, who cited an estimate by the city’s chief legislative analyst’s office. The previous estimate was $2.5 million, up from the initial projection of about $1 million. A crush of thousands of fans coming to the restricted-access vicinity of the Staples Center arrives at the time when the city is facing a budget deficit of more than $500 million. Los Angeles sets aside funds each year to cover overtime costs for different departments in the event of emergencies, such as an earthquake, but the city will be “bleeding those funds” for the Jacks
