CITY MOVES AHEAD ON BONDS; COUNCIL TO SEEK $272.4 MILLION FOR LIBRARIES, ZOO, SCIENCE CENTER.Byline: Patrick McGreevy Daily News Staff Writer The Los Angeles City Council  The Los Angeles City Council is the governing body of the City of Los Angeles, California, United States. agreed Tuesday to ask voters to
approve $272.4 million in bonds for new libraries, an upgrade to the
zoo, and construction of a science center and aquarium in Exposition
Park Exposition Park is the name of more than one place:
The council resolutions declare that ``the public interest and necessity demand'' the projects to happen and be funded through debt. The council's action Tuesday was the first step toward taking the measures to voters. The second step is scheduled to occur today, when council members vote to put the measures on the Nov. 3 ballot. Each requires a two-thirds majority of voters. In the face of the council action, City Controller Rick Tuttle Rick Tuttle (born 1940) was Los Angeles City Controller from 1985 to 2001. He stressed the importance of creating a strong democratic influence at UCLA, which was in his words "the best large public university in a major city. announced he would sign up to write the ballot argument against the measures, unless the council adopts a comprehensive debt policy to guide future borrowing. The council once again Tuesday delayed action Noun 1. delayed action - a mechanism that automatically delays the release of a camera shutter for a fixed period of time so that the photographer can appear in the picture on a proposed debt policy for another week. The lawmakers unanimously supported the $178.3 million measure for replacing or renovating 28 libraries - including 12 in the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. - and to build four new branches. However, the vote was 11-2 on supporting $47.6 million in zoo bonds and $46.5 million to improve Exposition Park. Council members Mike Feuer and Laura Chick said the last-minute proposals were not given enough scrutiny and planning, and therefore could not be considered among the city's top priorities. ``I cannot argue that the zoo and the Exposition Park improvements are not important facilities for our youth and families, and even important for our tourism industry,'' Chick said. Chick said that the city's top priority is public safety, and that proposals for police and fire bonds that have been delayed until at least the April 1999 ballot should go to voters first. ``I feel that in terms of priorities it is the role of the council to present these requests to the public in a prioritized fashion and that our city's very most-pressing needs (are) public-safety services,'' Chick said. ``I see that as a more pressing prioritized city need.'' Mayor Richard Riordan Richard J. Riordan (born May 1, 1930) is a Republican politician from California, U.S. who served as the California Secretary of Education from 2003–2005 and as Mayor of Los Angeles from 1993–2001. Riordan ran for Governor of California unsuccessfully in 2002. has not ruled out vetoing the measures to keep them off the ballot, although he wants to wait to see the proposals before making a final decision, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. spokeswoman Noelia Rodriguez. Councilman Mike Hernandez and others argued that voters should be allowed to decide what their own priorities are by casting ballots on the different bond measures. ``Whether we vote yes or no on these items, the reality is the voters are going to decide,'' Hernandez said. The zoo bonds would pay for new exhibits for reptiles reptiles terrestrial or aquatic vertebrates which breathe air through lungs and have a skin covering of horny scales. They are poikilothermic, oviparous or ovoviviparous, and, if they have legs they are short and constructed solely for crawling. , pachyderms and sea lions. The Exposition Park bonds would remodel re·mod·el tr.v. re·mod·eled also re·mod·elled, re·mod·el·ing also re·mod·el·ling, re·mod·els also re·mod·els To make over in structure or style; reconstruct. the swim stadium, rose garden, and expand the California Science Center The California Science Center (sometimes spelled California ScienCenter) is a state agency and museum located in Exposition Park, Los Angeles. Billed as the West Coast's largest hands-on science center, the California ScienCenter is a public-private partnership between the State to include a new Pacific Environmental Science Learning Center with an aquarium and other exhibits. Hernandez said he is confident residents will support the measures as they did two years ago in approving a parks bond. ``The people of the city felt facilities for youth were important,'' Hernandez said, noting the new bonds also will benefit young people. The three measures will add a combined $10.79 a year to the property tax bill on a $162,000 home. The City Council will also consider a proposal today to ask voters in November to approve a $740 million special tax to pay for sidewalk repairs and installing curb cuts to comply with federal disabled-access laws. Even before Tuesday's vote, opponents were beginning to line up to fight the zoo and Exposition Park plans. Joel Fox, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association helped sponsor Proposition 13, the property tax-cutting initiative in California in 1978 which slashed property taxes by fifty-seven percent and initiated a national tax revolt. It was founded by California republican Howard Jarvis. , said he has asked the mayor to veto the zoo and park measures. But if they make the ballot, the measures will likely be actively opposed by his group, Fox said. ``I think the process to rush these through will hurt their chances,'' Fox said. |
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