EIDC Investigation Has Bigger Fish to Fry

“EIDC May Pay Some of Cluff’s Legal Fees” (Dec. 17) touches on the problem that community groups all over Los Angeles and L.A. County are having with commercial filming in their neighborhoods. The Times’ articles in the fall focused on the alleged fiscal indiscretions of the Entertainment Industry Development Corp. but did not fully address the issue of just how these have affected communities at the local level.

For years, community groups attempted to get the EIDC to improve consideration for citizens upon whose streets it issues permits for commercial activities. It has been impossible to get effective assistance from elected representatives at the city or county levels. Your articles now seem to demonstrate the reason for this: Most of the City Council members and county supervisors have been receiving campaign contributions from the EIDC in spite of the fact that they not only were directors of the corporation but also were responsible for giving the job to the EIDC in the first place. This conflict of interest vis-a-vis their duty to represent their constituents is the truly significant issue that you have not reported.

Larry Jacobs

Area Representative

Pacific Palisades

Community Council