No free lunch - L.A. pays $50,000 for cop lunches

Adding to the controversy over taxpayer costs for the Michael Jackson memorial, officials disclosed Wednesday the city paid nearly $49,000 to order box lunches from an upscale market 80 miles from Los Angeles for police who worked the event.

[ROl]

WENDY ENDY WENDY where were you before bozo and company decided to spend the monies,you you politicaka??????

[redpandabear]

police got to eat this baby stuff any way luncvhes cost money it's almost eight for a big mac combo these days ...

[Sergio]

Ridiculous! Spending money like we print it. As it is, we all live in a broke a$$ state!

[Valhalla Books]

Obviously these people aren't getting it!! Government in this state and city is a disgrace!

[Debbie]

I don't care what the lunches cost but I do care if LA comes crying to the State that they are out of money. If you chose to put on the Laker parade and now the Jackson deal without having the money up front that is on YOUR/LA's dime.

[supporter]

Two sandwiches, two drinks, cookies and gum sounds very reasonable for $13.95 not to mention who else could have provided 3500 box meals on a last minute notice. The real argument should be that the operators of Staples Center should be paying for this.

[Norman Moore]

I think Wendy had better get a new calculator. I ran the numbers on mine and while the box lunches apparently cost about $14.00 each which seems a bit high, I don't believe that Subway cold have done it at the figure cited. It comes about to $5.00 a lunch which is the base price for their five dollar footlong but that doesn't include chips or drink. And to some a subway lunch is not a real meal.

Based on my own Subway experience if they had ordered from Subway it would have cost $27,895 but it would have taken a lot of Subway stores as they are not set up to handle such a volume in any one location. In my own experience at other restaurants it could have cost around 38 to 39 thousand for real gut filling meals. But there are not too many locations that could have produced so many meals on such short notice so probably they did the right thing in going to where they did. After all in some instances you have to pay for service and merchandise.

Wendy wants to get in the news straight out of the chute but she picked the wrong issue and was not on top of it to boot. Looks like she is going to be as good of a controller as she was a council member.

[mrkds]

It would appear that bratton thinks he is running this city. The mayor is on vacation, so he feels in charge. As for the lunches, they could have eaten sandwiches made in the county jail. It would have cost the city a fraction of what they paid, & the $$ would have gone to L.A county. They would have gotten the same nutritional value, & the inmates have nothing but time to prepare the meals. They do it every day!

[mig]

why am I paying for MJ's funeral?? make the "fans" that had tickets pay for it and his family. This is just wrong on so many levels.... funny hing is 4 yrs ago everyone that went to cry a farewell were ready to send up the creek for the molestions...

[Mike]

I saw one cop being interviewed on TV and said he arrrived at the Staples Center at 2 am. I'm sure the $49k was for more than just lunch. $17k for 3,500 box lunches from Subway comes out to $4.86 per box. This sounds way too cheap. Don't forget the chips and drinks.

[Meagan]

There is always a "middle ground" to settle the concerns. Los Angeles is always going to have issues like this because we are a city of many events. Planned or unplanned.
If peopleir the City have issue, then get the details worked out, in advance, of how to feed the police officers. It can't be that hard of an issue unless there are circumstances needed to meet the requirements.
However, I can't imagine that Los Angeles doesn't have a vendor to meet those requirements. Make that happen for the next event Mr. Featherstone. You are too savvy to let that happen again.

[redpandabear]

a compele shift of police for an box lunch what a deal!!!

[redpandabear]

OUR mayor afirica trip will cost more on the taxes payers..

[LACITY]

Doesn’t the conventions center across the street from staples have a food court… come guys why don’t you try thinking a little before you do something stupid or at lease try to come up with a better excuse for yourselves rather than blaming the fire department…

[TheFace]

I make no apologies, by what I am about to say, but why the heck didn't the family or AEG pick up the tab??? Why us tax payers??? Not all of us were fans of Michael Jackson, and should not have to pay a dime for this!!!

[TheFace]

Yes!! As I read all the blogs before me...where there's smoke there's fire, and this dude was under it a lot.$16 million for example paid to a child for something that DIDN'T HAPPEN??? Don't insult my intelligence, please.

[redpandabear]

TheFace wrote:

I make no apologies, by what I am about to say, but why the heck didn't the family or AEG pick up the tab??? Why us tax payers??? Not all of us were fans of Michael Jackson, and should not have to pay a dime for this!!!

that's because they are "broke"and the city has more bankruptie debt for there chapter 7 filing next year...

[XK10H]

wait til they get the bill from Crispy cream

[Angry LA Taxpayer]

redpandabear wrote:

<quoted text> that's because they are "broke"and the city has more bankruptie debt for there chapter 7 filing next year...

You're darn right - the City should send the Jackson family and AEG a bill for all the services rendered.
I had a small car accident in Benedict Canyon a few years back, and was slightly surprised when the City sent me a bill for the dented guard rail I accidentally hit. I had to pay it. No choice.
If the City can bill me for a guard rail, the Jackson family and AEG should certainly be held accountable for whatever expenses were incurred for Michael Jackson's funeral.
I don't want my tax dollars paying for this private expense. And I would like to know who approved all of it. I was shocked that they closed down entire freeways for this funeral. This was certainly not L.A.'s proudest moment. Shame on whomever was responsible for taking this on.
Bill 'em, Bratton!

[Valhalla Books]

TheFace wrote:

I make no apologies, by what I am about to say, but why the heck didn't the family or AEG pick up the tab??? Why us tax payers??? Not all of us were fans of Michael Jackson, and should not have to pay a dime for this!!!

Amen! Michael Jackson's record sales have soared. Let the the estate and the promoters pay. Between this and Lakers parade I am sick of it.