Street Vendors

* On Dec. 15 the Los Angeles City Council approved a two-year program to authorize eight special districts in the city to allow street vendors to operate legally. The vote was 10-4. I was in the minority in this important matter and I believe that my reasons are of importance and concern to city residents.

First and foremost, the Los Angeles Police Department admits it will not be able to enforce compliance. The extra needed officers will not be there to check out those who meet the legal requirements of the city and it will only cause the spread of even more illegal street vendors to exist. The police have enough problems handling violent crime. They simply cannot see that street vending is properly enforced.

In the meantime, small businesses will continue to suffer greatly with increased illegal street vending. These businesses pay taxes and are struggling as it is. Now, more portable newcomers will be entering the legitimate business areas and creating dissension and justified anger among longstanding store operators. Already, small businesses compete with the large malls. Now, after small-business owners manage to keep their doors open, pay legal fees, and fight to keep customers, a vendor can pop up near their doorway with the city’s permission. That’s wrong.

We all will soon find out that this new program will generate additional problems with a lack of enforcement at the core. We want to bring more businesses to Los Angeles, but street vending with its helter-skelter operating manner is not business as usual. We will regret this action.

For the record, City Council members Rudy Svorinich, Hal Bernson and Joel Wachs joined me in opposing this program. I believe the celebration by the majority of the council will be short-lived.

NATE HOLDEN

Councilman, 10th District