A summary of selected City Hall actions...

A summary of selected City Hall actions last week that affect the Westside.

CITY COUNCIL

* PAWNSHOP HOURS--Instructed the city attorney to draft an ordinance that would limit the hours and manner of operations for pawnshops. Some pawnshops are open 24 hours, and others have drive-through service so that customers pawning items don’t even get out of their cars. Police and neighbors have complained that these types of operations may attract criminal activity and create nuisances.

HOW THEY VOTED

* NEEDLE EXCHANGE--Approved a resolution that will allow the operation of needle exchange programs in the city. The resolution, introduced by Councilwoman Jackie Goldberg, is intended to help prevent the spread of AIDS by the contaminated needles of intravenous drug users. Councilman Rudy Svorinich Jr., in voting against the resolution, said he believes this is sending a message that the city supports illegal drug behavior. Passed 10-1. Voting yes: Goldberg, John Ferraro, Marvin Braude, Nate Holden. Absent: Ruth Galanter, Mark Ridley-Thomas, Zev Yaroslavsky.

* LOADING ZONE PARKING--Authorized the Department of Transportation to implement a one-year pilot program that will offer operators of commercial vehicles the option of buying personal parking meters enabling them to extend the parking time permitted in commercial loading zones, no parking zones and time limit zones from the current 30 minutes to a maximum of four hours. The first 30 minutes will be free, as it is now. Instead of getting a ticket after 30 minutes, those with personal parking meters will be charged, via computer, $1 for an hour, $3 for two hours, $6 for three hours and $10 for four. The parking meters, sold by a private company, cost $70 and will be operated with a Smart Card Reader, which the city will sell for $4. Passed 11-1. Voting yes: Ferraro, Yaroslavsky, Holden, Goldberg. Voting no: Braude. Absent Galanter, Ridley-Thomas.