Empowerment Zone in L.A.

“In the Zone at Last” (editorial, Feb. 1) lauded the new federal empowerment zone in Los Angeles and Mayor Richard Riordan’s move to waive taxes for new businesses and freeze them for existing businesses within the zone. It then went on to frown on my motion to set standards for businesses that will receive tax breaks.

My motion in the City Council’s Community and Economic Development Committee laid out specific conditions that a company must meet in order to receive the tax breaks. They are not prohibitively stringent. A company in the zone would receive tax breaks if it provides urgently needed goods or services, or hires 50% of its work force from the community, or pays a living wage of $7.50 an hour, or invests in its work force by providing job training or child care. The phrasing in the editorial implied that my motion demands all of the conditions be met, instead of offering choices.

I suggested that the mayor and his business team could waive conditions for companies that they determine are deserving. We reached this compromise because I trust that the business team will work with the kinds of businesses that are good corporate citizens.

Investing in the work force stabilizes the work force. That’s good for an individual company and good for the city. On this matter the mayor and I are in complete agreement. I would hope that The Times would join us in supporting tax subsidies only for good employers whose companies, large or small, improve the neighborhoods of the empowerment zone.

JACKIE GOLDBERG

13th Council District