Protesters Denounce Plan to Lay Off ABC Inspectors
San Fernando Valley-area legislators and community activists on Monday denounced Gov. Pete Wilson’s plan to lay off inspectors with the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control--claiming that the cutbacks could lead to increased crime and teen-age alcoholism.
“It’s hard to imagine what’s happened to the governor’s sense of judgement,” Los Angeles City Councilman Joel Wachs told about 50 people gathered in front of the state office building in Van Nuys. “Today, he’s effectively saying that nothing is going to happen to people who sell alcohol to minors.”
Under Wilson’s plan, nearly three-quarters of the state’s ABC investigators will be laid off, saving the state $5 million, officials said. The number of investigators in the ABC’s Van Nuys district--which covers the San Fernando, Santa Clarita and Antelope valleys--will drop from 10 to two.
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