Chief Gates Clarifies Stand on Vendors

The “Letters in View” (July 8) contained a letter from one of your readers, Mercedes Weil of Canoga Park. Ms. Weil, voicing her opposition to street vendors, stated that if “street vendors were legalized as L.A.P.D. Chief Daryl Gates longs for, we would have uncontrolled vendors all over the city . . .”

I do not know where Ms. Weil got the impression that I longed for street vendor legalization because I do not. I object to street vendors. They operate on public property; they pay no taxes or business license fees and are not subjected to health inspections and other regulations, all of which are imposed upon those who now do business in this city.

I simply suggest that, if the city is to opt for street vending, street vendors should be legally required to meet the same restrictions and responsibilities of all others who do business in this city.

I would appreciate your correcting Ms. Weil’s misimpression of my views on this subject and any other misimpressions that were garnered by those reading her letter.

DARYL F. GATES

Chief of Police

Los Angeles