VAN NUYS : Mayor Is Warned Against Tax Hike to Pay for Police
Mayor Richard Riordan and his police plan drew fresh praise from San Fernando Valley business leaders Wednesday, but amid the kudos were warnings that any bid to raise new taxes to pay for the plan will be a hard sell.
Until Riordan can make a case that the city is being run efficiently on existing revenues, the Valley will continue to reject any bid to raise taxes--even to pay for more police, said Ben Reznik, the current chairman of the Valley Industry and Commerce Assn.
The cautionary comment came after Riordan and Police Chief Willie L. Williams pitched the police buildup plan Wednesday morning as the antidote to a host of city ills in remarks at a breakfast meeting in Van Nuys.
Neither Riordan nor Williams offered new clues about financing for their plan to hire an additional 2,885 officers by 1998, which has been estimated to cost $300 million a year when fully implemented.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
