Country Scene Spurs Bid to Contain Festival Costs

Los Angeles City Council members, defending city-sponsored festivals, parades and other special events in their districts, balked Tuesday at requiring studies of their effect on police resources before such events are permitted.

The proposal to require “law-enforcement impact reports” for special events was made by Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky, who was angry over the cost to the Police Department of $154,000--$54,000 more than estimated--for the Country Scene music festival sponsored by the city and two radio stations. The event drew about 150,000 people April 5 and 6 to Hansen Dam Recreation Area.

“I think it’s ridiculous that two radio stations can put together such a marvelous thing and then ask us to pay for it,” Yaroslavsky said. The sponsoring radio stations, KZLA and KLAC, contributed $100,000 toward the festival.

He also complained Tuesday that the need for police protection at special events “interferes with the regular enforcement functions of the Police Department.”

Free Protection Provided

The city provides free police protection for special events such as the Academy Awards at the Music Center, sporting events at the Coliseum and parades. The money comes out of $825,000 set aside in this year’s $405-million police budget to pay for police overtime for “unusual occurrences,” including disasters and special events.

Yaroslavsky said that some sponsors of special events such as 10K runs reimburse the city for police protection. He proposed that, before the council provide free police protection for any events costing the city more than $5,000, it require a report showing the effect on the police budget and on crime-fighting efforts.

Councilman Joel Wachs, who conceived the idea of the Country Scene, defended the city’s costs for it. Pointing out that the city provides the same services at events in other parts of the city, Wachs said, “This was the first time that we got something in the Valley.”

Besides police protection, the city paid $10,000 for liability insurance and $12,000 for traffic control. The remaining costs were paid for by private corporate sponsors, booth rentals and parking fees. A police spokesman said the department’s costs were higher than expected because they deployed more personnel than they had planned.

Wachs Defends Policy

Wachs also defended the city policy of providing free police protection to the Country Scene. “I think the people of this city are entitled to some things free,” he said in an interview after Tuesday’s council debate. “It’s about time some of these people got some of their police services back. Let some of the law-abiding citizens get some for a change.”

Wachs said he had no problem with requiring an impact report for events. But when he pointed out to his colleagues that such a policy would apply to events they sponsor in their districts, other council members protested.

Strongest opposition to the proposal came from Councilman Gilbert W. Lindsay, in whose downtown Los Angeles district the Street Scene and a number of parades are held. Lindsay called the proposed impact reports a waste of money, and said it is worth spending some taxpayer money for people to have fun.

“Five thousand dollars or 5 million, let’s have some fun,” Lindsay said.

The council then voted 11 to 0 to send Yaroslavsky’s proposal back for further study to council committees for police, fire and public safety, and finance and revenue.