Rain on the Parade
Wednesday, June 17, 2009 9:30
The Lakers’ victory parade is today, at a cost of $2 million. Half of that is to be covered by the Lakers organization; the other half by the city.
Although a certain hardcore Lake Show fanatics couldn’t care less from where the money came, another sizable percentage of Los Angeles residents–Lakers fans among them–were understandably upset at the initial announcement that the city would be kicking in any money. Like much of the country, Los Angeles is in a financial crisis, with many workers being laid off. How could the city justify $1 million for a parade?
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa then announced that “private donors” had been found to cover the city’s share. And the protests diminished.
But should they? That the decision to use public monies in this time of need was ever made at all is highly disturbing.
And isn’t it sad that these “private donors” consider a sports victory parade a worthy cause to which to contribute? How about giving that money to the city to save jobs?
Where are our priorities?
Yes, these people have the right to do whatever they want with their money. I don’t deny that. It’s just disappointing that they would chose to give money to this parade over saving a teacher’s livelihood. And I say that as a huge sports fan, who has attended victory parades. There is a time and place for them.
The only group I’m willing to cut a little slack here would be if the private donors turned out to be the individual Lakers themselves. If Kobe, Phil, Mitch, Derek, Lamar and the gang ponied up to give their city and their fans one last feel good moment for the season–paying for their own honoring–I’m willing to accept that as a goodwill gesture.
Of course, the city’s decision to pay half the cost in the first place may have forced these donor’s hands, and perhaps they are indirectly saving additional jobs that would have been lost because of the parade.
We’ll never know.
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