Mayor Wants L.A. to Party Like It’s . . . Worth $1 Million

When Mayor Richard Riordan proposed his $2.8-billion budget, the blood pressure of some tax activists spiked.

There it was, on page 75, under the Department of Cultural Affairs: $1 million for five parties, including one in the San Fernando Valley, on Dec. 31, 1999.

“To usher in the Millennium, the Regional Arts Councils will host five regional New Year’s Eve 1999 celebrations,” according to the explanation in the budget document.

The proposal is sure to spark debate when it is taken up by the City Council.

“It would seem to me we have more important things to spend money on than on a party,” said one City Council staffer.

Kris Vosburgh, executive director of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn., was outraged.

“What are they celebrating, that they have an extra $1 million to spend on parties?” Vosburgh said.

He noted that city officials said two weeks ago that voters needed to approve a $744-million bond measure because the city lacked the money to pay for the improvements.

Skeptical voters didn’t approve Proposition 1, by the way.

“Obviously, the taxpayers are paying for this party,” Vosburgh said. “I think they would rather see the money spent on more practical things, like renovated police and fire facilities.”

Riordan hopes the celebrations will not only bring the city together, but also project a positive image of Los Angeles.

“Various groups throughout the city, from Olvera Street to South Los Angeles, will have some very special celebrations,” Riordan said earlier this week.

Because Los Angeles wants to show its stuff to the world, Riordan said the parties may run long.

“It’s complicated, because at 12 midnight, it’s 3 a.m. in New York, so who’s going to be watching our celebration?” Riordan said. “So we are trying to do it so we can start about 4 in the afternoon, so we can get some news coverage throughout the country, hour by hour.”

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PARTY HEARTY: In the Valley, the party site would probably be the Sepulveda Basin in Van Nuys.

City Cultural Affairs director Al Nodal said Wednesday the final selection is a week away, but he is 99% sure the Valley site would be either Lake Balboa Park or Woodley Avenue Park, both of which are in the Sepulveda Basin.

“I really want something centrally located in the Valley,” Nodal said. “That’s why Balboa and Woodley are such good bets.”

A third site under consideration, the Hansen Dam Park, is less attractive because it is not as centrally located, officials said.

The party, which will have multicultural performances, could attract as many as 500,000 people, city officials say.

That has some Van Nuys community leaders worried.

“In all probability it would create problems for the neighborhood,” said Prudy Schultz, a board member with the Van Nuys Homeowners Assn. “I don’t know how we can take all the traffic.”

Nodal said his office plans to work closely with neighboring residents to make sure the party is not a problem for them.

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TOO HOT TO HANDLE: The Valley Industry and Commerce Assn. will take no position on charter reform.

The association’s board of directors split, 14 to 14, on whether to take a stance on the charter reform package, which would increase the mayor’s powers, streamline city departments, and create a network of advisory neighborhood councils.

Those opposed said the association called for fundamental changes in the structure of city government, but the final draft of the charter was described as a watered-down document.

“Many of VICA’s original goals for the unified charter were clearly not achieved,” the group said in a statement.

Woodland Hills attorney Robert Scott, one of the association’s board members, said he was disappointed that the motion to oppose the charter reforms did not get a majority vote.

“From my perspective, the charter is so far from what was promised, from the promise of charter reform,” Scott said. “It was such a sellout to the City Council and the elected Charter Reform Commission.”