Central Los Angeles : NO MIRACLE

It turns out the “Miracle on Broadway” was a bit less than advertised.

The Los Angeles City Council voted Wednesday to loan the defunct liaison between downtown merchants and the city’s Broadway Improvement District $10,000 to close out its books.

“The merchants felt not enough was being done to clean up streets and whatnot, and too much money was going for administrative costs,” City Councilman Richard Alatorre said.

The council had little choice, he said, but to let the merchants dissolve the 8-year-old organization last headed by Estela Lopez.

In 1994, the council voted to assess merchants a fee--based on their gross incomes--for sprucing up the project area.

But, according to Mike Carey of the city clerk’s office, state law requires the organization to vote year-to-year to stay in business.

Miracle on Broadway voted last year to fold, instead of going along with the assessments. Its business offices closed in December.

Alatorre was unhappy with the decision, but the city was somewhat responsible for the organization. He urged his colleagues to agree to the loan, which they did.

The downtown improvement district was the city’s first experiment in raising redevelopment funds by assessing merchants. Councilman Mike Hernandez suggested that his colleagues write it off to experience.

“[The districts] are generating revenue and they will work in the future,” he said.

Carey said the organization has no money in its accounts, and the action will allow the organization to close out its books with up to $10,000 from a Broadway Improvement District account.