Letters to the Editor: Pricey Convention Center expansion is ‘foolish’ when L.A. is already struggling
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To the editor: The expansion of the Convention Center is one of the most financially unsound, foolish projects Mayor Karen Bass and supporting City Council members have ever voted for (“L.A. backs $2.6-billion Convention Center expansion amid major warnings about the cost,” Sept. 19). Kudos to brave Councilmembers Katy Yaroslavsky and Nithya Raman, who had the street smarts and courage to vote against it.
The city is already financially struggling: massive layoffs; an underfunded and understaffed Police Department; a Fire Department in need of more equipment; the lack of basic mental health, medical and shelter services for the homeless; and essential infrastructure falling apart. Now, the city approves a project that will cost taxpayers an average of $89 million a year for the next 30 years.
This entire fiasco is such a huge debt load that the person who runs the numbers, City Controller Kenneth Mejia, said Los Angeles can’t afford it. His office “cannot recommend going forward with the current plan at this time” and he added that it won’t break even until nearly 2060. One thing is for certain: The residents of the city will foot the bill with our high taxes.
Mark Shapiro, Los Angeles
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To the editor: Did the politicians even bother to ask major hotels for significant financial support to help pay for an expanded Convention Center? Hotels are one of the main beneficiaries of an expanded Convention Center, so should be expected to contribute to its cost in a meaningful way.
James Ziegler, San Diego
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To the editor: It’s disheartening to see our local government greenlight such a massive project despite the clear potential for significant cost overruns and a lack of accountability. These days such projects are now promoted as a jobs program, coupled with future questionable economic benefits that remain unknown.
Our city and state have a troubling history of poor fiscal management and a lack of accountability for public funds. The most glaring example is the California High-Speed Rail project. It was initially budgeted at around $33 billion but has since ballooned to more than $100 billion, with no clear end in sight. This project serves as a stark reminder of what can happen when public funds are mismanaged by local government officials.
Richard Austen, Westchester
