CITY TALKS TAX FOR DISABLED IMPROVEMENTS.Byline: Patrick McGreevy Daily News Staff Writer 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. voters could be asked to approve a $250 million tax measure to make city sidewalks and government offices accessible to the disabled. A City Council committee on Monday called for a plan to put the measure before voters in March as the city works to comply with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act Americans with Disabilities Act, U.S. civil-rights law, enacted 1990, that forbids discrimination of various sorts against persons with physical or mental handicaps. . The cost to the owner of a 1,200-square-foot home would be an additional $21 per year to finance the 10-year plan. The city won't have the money to install curb cuts curb cut n. A small ramp built into the curb of a sidewalk to ease passage to the street, especially for bicyclists, pedestrians with baby carriages, and physically disabled people. , build ramps for city buildings and other measures to comply with the federal law without a new tax, chief administrative analyst Dee Carey told the council's Arts, Health and Humanities Committee. She said the bulk of the work required by the federal government involves the installation of 100,000 curb cuts throughout the city, which will cost $180 million. The city was supposed to complete the sidewalk curb cuts by January 1995 under the federal guidelines and only completed a work plan after being sued by the disabled community, said Kenneth Lesser, president of the Association of City Employees with Disabilities. ``The plan definitely is behind schedule,'' Lesser told the council panel, warning the city could face the loss of federal funds Federal Funds Funds deposited to regional Federal Reserve Banks by commercial banks, including funds in excess of reserve requirements. Notes: These non-interest bearing deposits are lent out at the Fed funds rate to other banks unable to meet overnight reserve if it continues to delay complying with the law. City officials said that if voters turn down the special tax, the city could ask the federal government for more time to do the work based on concern that it would otherwise be a financial hardship. A similar tax was defeated last year in Long Beach, officials said. ``I'm just concerned about anything with the word tax on it on the ballot,'' said committee chairwoman Rita Walters Rita Walters (1930-) is currently the commissioner of the Los Angeles Public Library. Prior to this position, she served on the Los Angeles City Council representing the 9th district. During that time, she chaired the Arts, Health & Humanities Committee. . However, 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 asked city analysts to begin looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. money to make the plan work in 10 years. ``All the plans in the world aren't going to mean anything if they sit on the shelf,'' Wachs said. |
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