The high cost of special events

In the history of Los Angeles city bureaucracy, the special-event fee waiver might be the most talked about budget reform that has never been acted on. Kerry Cavanaugh in the Daily News.

Three times a week, the Los Angeles City Council writes off thousands of dollars worth of city employee time for working at fairs, awards shows, parades and countless other special events held by businesses and community groups.

Last year, such fee waivers cost the city some $11 million. But those write-offs are becoming a growing point of contention as Los Angeles faces a record $406 million budget deficit - and the mayor says the city can no longer afford to foot the bill.