The Michael Jackson Memorial thread-

[bewitched]

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

This time, for the MJ Hoopla, estimated by the article to cost far more, the very same AEG has pledged to contribute zero ... while 3622 more teachers lose their jobs as a result.


I'm being facetious about the teachers. It's the City of L.A. that pays for both the Lakers and MJ debacles. The city is facing a shortfall of over half a billion dollars. Thousands of city workers are being laid off. It just doesn't sound as heart-rending as teachers. Although I suppose I could have blamed the Staples Center for taking life-saving medicine from AIDS victims.

The cost of providing police for the Jackson funeral/memorial comes out of $90 million already budgeted (well prior to Jackson's death) for police over-time for the fiscal year. While these 2 things may be the biggest, they are a small part of the over-time budget(s). Further, you can hardly blame the Lakers for city workers being laid off and lack of AIDS drugs; all of the Lakers money came out of last year's $80.7 million budget as the new fiscal year began July 1. (The rise to $90 million was largely due to COL increases in over-time pay.)

I hardly think it fair to charge the Jacksons for the same services (albeit mucho more manpower) provided for free to thousands of other Los Angelens (?) every year.

Does any of this mean that I don't think it would be lovely if AEG and the Jacksons offered to pay for part of it? No. I think it would be a nice gesture. On the other hand, if they choose not to, I don't think the impact on the budget is worth everyone getting in a tizzy.