CHICK SEEKING TO KILL $13 FEE.Byline: Deborah Sullivan Daily News Staff Writer In an abrupt reversal of her previous support for a $13 brush-clearance inspection fee, Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. City Councilwoman Laura Chick plans to offer a motion today to end the assessment, arguing that the program has been beset by too many problems and mistakes. Although Chick had previously backed the fee, calling it ``a very legitimate and appropriate way to make this city safe from brush fires,'' she said on Thursday that delays and bungling bun·gle v. bun·gled, bun·gling, bun·gles v.intr. To work or act ineptly or inefficiently. v.tr. To handle badly; botch. See Synonyms at botch. n. have undermined any possibility of its success. ``This has been such a mess from the beginning that I have come to believe that we need to wipe the slate clean and start from scratch to start (again) from the very beginning; also, to start without resources. - Thackeray. See also: Scratch ,'' she said. Chick's motion at today's City Council meeting will be a call for the city to rescind To declare a contract void—of no legal force or binding effect—from its inception and thereby restore the parties to the positions they would have occupied had no contract ever been made. rescind v. the fee immediately and refund payments to property owners who have paid it. Her proposal also asks the Fire Department and the city administrative officer to report back to the council within 15 days on ways to improve management of the brush-clearance program, and whether an inspection fee is needed in the future. The fee, and a sternly worded letter sent to owners of 180,000 properties, ignited a storm of controversy in April, causing the council to temporarily suspend its enforcement. Councilman Hal Bernson Hal Bernson served as Los Angeles City Councilman for the 12th district. He was chair of the Transportation Committee. Prior to being on the City Council, he served in the Navy. Preceded by Robert M. unsuccessfully proposed eliminating the fee. The council, including Chick, voted to reinstate To restore to a condition that has terminated or been lost; to reestablish. To reinstate a case, for example, means to restore it to the same position it had before dismissal. the fee last month, ordering the Fire Department to write a new letter to property owners. But just as fire officials were preparing to release the revised letter in late May, the Mayor's Office held it up for further review. ``There's been too many goof-ups,'' Chick said. Bernson and Councilman Joel Wachs Joel Wachs served for several terms as Los Angeles City Councilman for the 2nd district. He was first elected by defeating incumbent James B. Potter. While in office, Wachs chaired the Public Works Committee and vice-chair of the Environmental Quality & Waste Management said they will support Chick's motion today. ``I think probably Laura's motion is correct,'' Bernson said. ``They screwed it up so bad in the beginning that we ought to take a whole new look.'' Wachs' chief field deputy, Arline DeSanctis, said: ``The councilman feels this was imposed prematurely before all the problems were worked out.'' |
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