1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:02,920 Speaker 1: It is the News Blitz with Randy Wang on Talk 2 00:00:03,040 --> 00:00:07,920 Speaker 1: radio seven ninety KABC. We're here every single day from 3 00:00:07,960 --> 00:00:11,039 Speaker 1: five to six talking about the local issues that mattered 4 00:00:11,119 --> 00:00:13,800 Speaker 1: you most and taking your phone calls at eight hundred 5 00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:16,880 Speaker 1: two two two five two two two one, eight hundred 6 00:00:16,920 --> 00:00:20,040 Speaker 1: two two two five two two two, your emails at 7 00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:24,200 Speaker 1: Randy Wangradio at gmail dot com, and search for the 8 00:00:24,280 --> 00:00:30,240 Speaker 1: KABC News Blitz wherever you get your podcasts. Sometimes this 9 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:33,720 Speaker 1: five o'clock show feels like me doing a book report, 10 00:00:34,159 --> 00:00:37,239 Speaker 1: except the book report is all the stupid things I 11 00:00:37,280 --> 00:00:41,479 Speaker 1: heard today at the Lacity Council meeting, and sometimes as 12 00:00:41,479 --> 00:00:44,599 Speaker 1: stupid things from the public comment, but more often than 13 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:47,680 Speaker 1: not it's stupid things from the members of the La 14 00:00:47,760 --> 00:00:48,519 Speaker 1: City Council. 15 00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:50,960 Speaker 2: The neighborhood kids, the downass kids don't like it. 16 00:00:54,160 --> 00:00:57,400 Speaker 1: So what was the LA City Council batting around today 17 00:00:57,960 --> 00:01:00,720 Speaker 1: while all fifteen members around that horse shoe were making 18 00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:04,760 Speaker 1: two hundred and twenty thousand dollars a year own nothing, 19 00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:08,480 Speaker 1: Just a whole bunch of different proposals to be on 20 00:01:08,560 --> 00:01:15,039 Speaker 1: the June ballot to increase taxes for hotels. And that's 21 00:01:15,080 --> 00:01:17,400 Speaker 1: one thing we can get into that at some point. 22 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:21,880 Speaker 1: But the other one might be one of the dumbest 23 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:31,400 Speaker 1: things I have ever heard, so little history lesson about 24 00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:35,480 Speaker 1: what is it now? Eight years ago, the state of 25 00:01:35,520 --> 00:01:40,360 Speaker 1: California legalized marijuana, and the whole idea was if we 26 00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:44,920 Speaker 1: legalized pot for recreational use, what will happen is we 27 00:01:44,959 --> 00:01:50,360 Speaker 1: will wipe out the illegal, cartel fueled industry overnight. 28 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:52,960 Speaker 3: That did not happen. 29 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:58,560 Speaker 1: In fact, some have said that the illegal pot industry 30 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:04,160 Speaker 1: today is bigger now than it was when none of 31 00:02:04,200 --> 00:02:07,840 Speaker 1: this was illegal, when none of this was legal, when 32 00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:11,079 Speaker 1: all we had was medical marijuana. They say the illegal 33 00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:17,880 Speaker 1: pot industry is thriving in California, especially in Los Angeles. Now, 34 00:02:17,919 --> 00:02:21,560 Speaker 1: why am I bringing this up, Well, the city council 35 00:02:21,639 --> 00:02:24,800 Speaker 1: has a little bit of a quandary. They're broke and 36 00:02:24,840 --> 00:02:27,760 Speaker 1: they're looking for all kinds of different measures to bring 37 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:33,000 Speaker 1: in revenue. And the latest idea from the LA City 38 00:02:33,040 --> 00:02:39,000 Speaker 1: Council is, Hey, we have all of these illegally operating 39 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:45,880 Speaker 1: storefronts that are illegally selling marijuana and they're not paying 40 00:02:46,040 --> 00:02:50,800 Speaker 1: business taxes. What if we changed a couple of words 41 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:55,480 Speaker 1: in our ordinances so these illegal shops would have to 42 00:02:55,560 --> 00:03:01,560 Speaker 1: pay taxes? Does this make any sense yet? No, yeah, 43 00:03:01,760 --> 00:03:06,720 Speaker 1: I think you understand. Now, let's listen to this nonsense 44 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:09,560 Speaker 1: from today, and here a little bit of it gets 45 00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:12,920 Speaker 1: smacked down by Monica Rodriguez. But let's start off with 46 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:17,919 Speaker 1: the budget chair, Katie Yaroslavski, who is not Zev's daughter, 47 00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:21,600 Speaker 1: He's Zev's daughter in law. She made sure to emphasize 48 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:24,040 Speaker 1: the Yaroslavski so she could get reelected. 49 00:03:24,520 --> 00:03:28,359 Speaker 4: So there were several measures that we voted to bring 50 00:03:28,360 --> 00:03:30,679 Speaker 4: to the full body for consideration today. The one I 51 00:03:30,720 --> 00:03:34,960 Speaker 4: want to talk about first is cannabis. So right now, 52 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:38,040 Speaker 4: we have, as we all know, a proliferation across the 53 00:03:38,120 --> 00:03:42,760 Speaker 4: city of unlicensed cannabis shops, right, and was. 54 00:03:42,760 --> 00:03:45,880 Speaker 1: The guy that applotted a pot store owner. Look, part 55 00:03:45,920 --> 00:03:47,840 Speaker 1: of the problem here, and we all know this, is 56 00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:51,240 Speaker 1: that when we decided to tax and regulate pot, we 57 00:03:51,360 --> 00:03:55,440 Speaker 1: decided to overtax and ogre overregulate it. And because the 58 00:03:55,600 --> 00:03:59,360 Speaker 1: enforcement is so lax on people breaking the rules, a 59 00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:01,880 Speaker 1: lot of people just do that and guess what, the 60 00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:05,640 Speaker 1: pot's a lot cheaper because they're not paying these insane 61 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:08,040 Speaker 1: taxes that were supposed to go up even higher. 62 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:09,320 Speaker 5: Right, and. 63 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:15,240 Speaker 4: Amazingly, they are also exempt from playing business taxes, so 64 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:17,599 Speaker 4: they operate illegally. 65 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:21,520 Speaker 1: You know, if this works, maybe we should go after 66 00:04:21,560 --> 00:04:25,120 Speaker 1: all the criminal gangs and charge them business taxes as well. 67 00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:28,360 Speaker 4: We have a very slow process by which we shut 68 00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:30,880 Speaker 4: them down and then they pop up someplace else, but 69 00:04:30,920 --> 00:04:34,240 Speaker 4: in the meantime they're not paying any taxes to operate. 70 00:04:35,120 --> 00:04:38,320 Speaker 4: Compare and contrast that with every other illegal business that 71 00:04:38,400 --> 00:04:40,520 Speaker 4: operates in the city of Los Angeles, and you'll be 72 00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:42,760 Speaker 4: surprised to know that there are lots of illegal businesses 73 00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:44,640 Speaker 4: that operate in the city of Los Angeles. 74 00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:47,880 Speaker 1: You're the head of the budget on city Council. Are 75 00:04:47,920 --> 00:04:51,080 Speaker 1: you sure you want to be touting that there's tons 76 00:04:51,080 --> 00:04:54,520 Speaker 1: of illegally operating businesses in La Oh yes, I know 77 00:04:55,160 --> 00:04:57,960 Speaker 1: I mentioned this before, but I'll mention it again. I 78 00:04:58,040 --> 00:05:02,280 Speaker 1: live pretty close to a tiny little strip mall where 79 00:05:02,320 --> 00:05:06,080 Speaker 1: there is a seven eleven. There is a massage parlor. 80 00:05:06,240 --> 00:05:08,440 Speaker 1: We all know what's going on there. There is a 81 00:05:08,480 --> 00:05:10,640 Speaker 1: smoke shop, and we all know what's going on there. 82 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:13,920 Speaker 1: And that's it. Outside of the seven eleven, there are 83 00:05:13,960 --> 00:05:19,039 Speaker 1: no legitimate businesses. I might be a stereotype, but I 84 00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:22,280 Speaker 1: happen to believe that ninety nine percent of strip mall 85 00:05:22,320 --> 00:05:25,200 Speaker 1: massage parlors are for you know what. And I happen 86 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:27,559 Speaker 1: to believe that ninety nine percent of strip mall smoke 87 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:32,960 Speaker 1: shops are for selling things like probably pot, but also kratum, 88 00:05:33,080 --> 00:05:37,440 Speaker 1: which is like some weird not opiate opiate and all 89 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:41,000 Speaker 1: kinds of nonsense that's barely legal or not legal. 90 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:42,839 Speaker 4: And I'll give you one example. If you're a nail 91 00:05:42,920 --> 00:05:46,440 Speaker 4: salon and your license to practice is expired with the 92 00:05:46,480 --> 00:05:48,880 Speaker 4: state of California, you know that certificate when you walk 93 00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:52,680 Speaker 4: in is expired. You're technically not a legal business, but 94 00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:54,920 Speaker 4: you're still operating it as a business, and we still 95 00:05:54,920 --> 00:05:57,880 Speaker 4: collect taxes from you. We do this all the time, 96 00:05:57,960 --> 00:06:00,920 Speaker 4: all over the place. But for some reason, we chose 97 00:06:01,480 --> 00:06:05,080 Speaker 4: not to tax illegal unlicensed cannabis shops. 98 00:06:05,279 --> 00:06:06,680 Speaker 3: Who writes these laws? 99 00:06:07,040 --> 00:06:10,240 Speaker 4: So in the universe of unlicensed businesses, cannabis shops are 100 00:06:10,279 --> 00:06:13,240 Speaker 4: the only ones that we don't tax right now, So. 101 00:06:13,560 --> 00:06:17,240 Speaker 1: We can't tax this illegal business, and we also, for 102 00:06:17,320 --> 00:06:20,440 Speaker 1: some reason, can't shut it down, nor can we go 103 00:06:20,520 --> 00:06:23,960 Speaker 1: after the landlord that is obviously renting out the space 104 00:06:24,040 --> 00:06:25,400 Speaker 1: to the illegal business. 105 00:06:26,160 --> 00:06:28,080 Speaker 4: So the proposal is to I'm. 106 00:06:27,880 --> 00:06:31,360 Speaker 1: Telling you right now, there is some kind of racket 107 00:06:31,480 --> 00:06:36,000 Speaker 1: in Los Angeles where for some reason, the landlords of 108 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:40,560 Speaker 1: commercial real estate that are leasing to criminal enterprises seem 109 00:06:40,640 --> 00:06:45,200 Speaker 1: to be completely immune from anything. So the proposal is 110 00:06:45,320 --> 00:06:47,760 Speaker 1: because otherwise, why would they rent out to criminal or 111 00:06:47,760 --> 00:06:50,080 Speaker 1: against Why would the person who's got a strip mall 112 00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:52,760 Speaker 1: in Van Eyes be renting out the massage parlor. They 113 00:06:52,839 --> 00:06:56,160 Speaker 1: know what it's for. It's almost like the city looks 114 00:06:56,200 --> 00:06:59,120 Speaker 1: the other way because they want that business tax. So 115 00:06:59,520 --> 00:07:02,560 Speaker 1: in this with this, this is we want the business 116 00:07:02,600 --> 00:07:04,760 Speaker 1: tax so we can look the other way and all 117 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:07,359 Speaker 1: the illegal shops that are putting all the legal shops 118 00:07:07,400 --> 00:07:10,720 Speaker 1: out of business. So this, honestly all worked a hell 119 00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:13,200 Speaker 1: of a lot smoother when it was just medical marijuana 120 00:07:13,240 --> 00:07:16,440 Speaker 1: and everyone including me was lying about our glaucoma. 121 00:07:16,480 --> 00:07:19,400 Speaker 4: So the proposal is to close that loophole and start 122 00:07:19,560 --> 00:07:21,760 Speaker 4: taxing them. And I think this is beneficial for a 123 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:25,240 Speaker 4: couple of reasons. One, assuming we do collect something, which 124 00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:27,840 Speaker 4: might be hard because they're illegal and may not pay taxes, 125 00:07:28,640 --> 00:07:30,480 Speaker 4: we can use some of that money and revenue that 126 00:07:30,560 --> 00:07:31,000 Speaker 4: is generated. 127 00:07:31,080 --> 00:07:33,440 Speaker 1: Okay, first they think they're going to First they're thinking 128 00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:37,320 Speaker 1: of this as a revenue generation that somehow they're going 129 00:07:37,320 --> 00:07:40,880 Speaker 1: to track down these criminal enterprises that they can't shut down, 130 00:07:41,240 --> 00:07:43,840 Speaker 1: and they're going to send them a bill, and they 131 00:07:43,880 --> 00:07:45,960 Speaker 1: think that bill is going to get paid. 132 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:48,560 Speaker 4: We can use some of that money and revenue that 133 00:07:48,640 --> 00:07:51,760 Speaker 4: is generated to start to shut them down. So over time, 134 00:07:51,880 --> 00:07:54,120 Speaker 4: this pot of money is going to decline. If we're 135 00:07:54,120 --> 00:07:57,000 Speaker 4: doing our jobs, there will be fewer and fewer illegal 136 00:07:57,040 --> 00:07:58,920 Speaker 4: pot shops, which I think we can all agree is 137 00:07:58,920 --> 00:07:59,360 Speaker 4: a good thing. 138 00:08:01,040 --> 00:08:02,760 Speaker 1: Do you need to have an IQ test to run 139 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:07,240 Speaker 1: for office? No, we should really do something about that. 140 00:08:08,880 --> 00:08:10,640 Speaker 4: The other thing that it will do is we'll give 141 00:08:10,680 --> 00:08:13,400 Speaker 4: us an additional cause of action to go after these 142 00:08:13,440 --> 00:08:15,400 Speaker 4: illegal shops because now they're not. 143 00:08:15,400 --> 00:08:21,680 Speaker 1: We can't go after them already because they're operating illegally. Apparently, 144 00:08:21,920 --> 00:08:24,600 Speaker 1: you know, you can get in all kinds of trouble 145 00:08:24,640 --> 00:08:26,520 Speaker 1: for not having the right permit if you're trying to 146 00:08:26,560 --> 00:08:27,760 Speaker 1: do a remodel on your. 147 00:08:27,600 --> 00:08:28,800 Speaker 3: House or put in a pool. 148 00:08:28,920 --> 00:08:32,280 Speaker 1: But if you are selling a product that is only 149 00:08:32,360 --> 00:08:34,200 Speaker 1: legal to sell if you have a permit and you 150 00:08:34,240 --> 00:08:38,160 Speaker 1: don't have one, there's not much we can do. Maybe 151 00:08:38,200 --> 00:08:41,360 Speaker 1: the laws are written pretty poorly. It's almost like the 152 00:08:41,400 --> 00:08:43,720 Speaker 1: person who wrote this law was high. 153 00:08:43,400 --> 00:08:46,080 Speaker 4: Because now they're not paying their taxes, right, and so 154 00:08:46,160 --> 00:08:49,400 Speaker 4: it gives us extra leverage vs av these illegal operators. 155 00:08:49,840 --> 00:08:52,240 Speaker 4: So this seems, I don't want to see like a 156 00:08:52,280 --> 00:08:53,959 Speaker 4: no brainer, but it seemed like a thing. 157 00:08:53,880 --> 00:08:57,720 Speaker 3: That I mean, it definitely seems like a no brainer. 158 00:08:57,760 --> 00:09:00,520 Speaker 4: Had a lot of good policy outcomes for us. Understand 159 00:09:00,520 --> 00:09:03,040 Speaker 4: that there's some concern that it sends the wrong message 160 00:09:03,080 --> 00:09:06,280 Speaker 4: that perhaps we can't shut them down ourselves. 161 00:09:06,280 --> 00:09:08,360 Speaker 1: And so that's what you literally just said, is that 162 00:09:08,400 --> 00:09:13,040 Speaker 1: we can't shut them down. This is an invitation to 163 00:09:13,240 --> 00:09:16,120 Speaker 1: all the criminal organizations that want to squat in a 164 00:09:16,160 --> 00:09:20,400 Speaker 1: storefront and start selling illegal pot. Apparently there's nothing the 165 00:09:20,440 --> 00:09:25,960 Speaker 1: city can do about it. This is a complete failure. 166 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:27,560 Speaker 1: And by the way, if the failure is with the 167 00:09:27,600 --> 00:09:29,760 Speaker 1: state law, then the state needs to. 168 00:09:29,760 --> 00:09:30,520 Speaker 3: Change the law. 169 00:09:30,640 --> 00:09:33,720 Speaker 1: But I guess, because it was a voter initiative, guess 170 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:36,240 Speaker 1: what the voters have to change the law. 171 00:09:36,520 --> 00:09:38,400 Speaker 4: We can't shut them down, so let's just tax them. 172 00:09:38,440 --> 00:09:40,040 Speaker 4: But I think if we have a plan in place 173 00:09:40,600 --> 00:09:43,440 Speaker 4: where we show a commendment to actually use some of 174 00:09:43,440 --> 00:09:46,160 Speaker 4: this money that we generate to actually enforce and go 175 00:09:46,200 --> 00:09:48,360 Speaker 4: after and shut them down, I think it will be 176 00:09:48,480 --> 00:09:49,000 Speaker 4: a win. 177 00:09:48,880 --> 00:09:52,320 Speaker 1: For Okay, so let me get this straight. We can't 178 00:09:52,360 --> 00:09:55,719 Speaker 1: shut them down. But if we start taxing them and 179 00:09:55,760 --> 00:09:58,400 Speaker 1: they pay us the taxes, we can make money and 180 00:09:58,440 --> 00:10:01,120 Speaker 1: we can use that money to shut them down. But wait, 181 00:10:01,160 --> 00:10:06,040 Speaker 1: we can't shut them down. I'm so confused right now. 182 00:10:06,160 --> 00:10:08,960 Speaker 1: I think I'm high and I haven't smoked pot in 183 00:10:09,760 --> 00:10:10,920 Speaker 1: seven years. 184 00:10:11,240 --> 00:10:13,400 Speaker 4: I think it will be a win for our general fund, 185 00:10:13,440 --> 00:10:15,400 Speaker 4: and it'd also be a win for those who are 186 00:10:15,400 --> 00:10:18,960 Speaker 4: operating a good faith with permits and operating legally. 187 00:10:19,360 --> 00:10:21,240 Speaker 1: So oh see, I was so high. I didn't even 188 00:10:21,280 --> 00:10:22,640 Speaker 1: realize it's been nine years. 189 00:10:22,960 --> 00:10:26,720 Speaker 4: So that's why, colleagues, we recommend that we close this loophole, 190 00:10:27,480 --> 00:10:29,960 Speaker 4: and it requires to be put on the ballot for June. 191 00:10:30,400 --> 00:10:33,840 Speaker 4: It will generate some amount of money. Mister Zabel estimated 192 00:10:33,880 --> 00:10:34,280 Speaker 4: that it could. 193 00:10:34,360 --> 00:10:38,840 Speaker 1: Okay, she is very very very much having a hard 194 00:10:38,880 --> 00:10:42,600 Speaker 1: time explaining how this works and what this does. How 195 00:10:42,679 --> 00:10:46,080 Speaker 1: exactly are they going to put this into a paragraph, 196 00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:50,359 Speaker 1: let alone a sentence. How is anybody going to understand 197 00:10:50,720 --> 00:10:53,079 Speaker 1: when you talk about the average voter of the city 198 00:10:53,080 --> 00:10:57,400 Speaker 1: of Los Angeles, what this means and what this does. 199 00:10:58,280 --> 00:11:00,920 Speaker 4: Mister Zabel estimated that it could generate in the first 200 00:11:00,960 --> 00:11:02,920 Speaker 4: year or two up to seventy million dollars. 201 00:11:03,320 --> 00:11:03,920 Speaker 6: No, it won't. 202 00:11:04,120 --> 00:11:06,640 Speaker 4: Of course, collection will be difficult, and like I said. 203 00:11:07,480 --> 00:11:09,240 Speaker 3: It could raise seventy million dollars. 204 00:11:09,280 --> 00:11:11,560 Speaker 1: I mean, it's going to be really, really, really hard 205 00:11:11,600 --> 00:11:15,560 Speaker 1: to get that money, but it could raise seventy million dollars. 206 00:11:16,640 --> 00:11:20,920 Speaker 1: We might be governed by the stupidest people in the country, 207 00:11:21,559 --> 00:11:23,559 Speaker 1: but then again we're the ones that put them there, 208 00:11:23,640 --> 00:11:25,240 Speaker 1: so who's really the idiot. 209 00:11:25,480 --> 00:11:28,120 Speaker 4: Of course, collection will be difficult, and like I said, overtime, 210 00:11:28,120 --> 00:11:30,760 Speaker 4: that amount will decrease over time, even if we bring 211 00:11:30,800 --> 00:11:31,760 Speaker 4: in half of that or a. 212 00:11:31,760 --> 00:11:35,360 Speaker 3: Quarter of that. So already let's lower expectations. 213 00:11:35,600 --> 00:11:37,480 Speaker 4: I think the message that it sends that if you're 214 00:11:37,480 --> 00:11:39,439 Speaker 4: going to operate illegally, you don't get away with also 215 00:11:39,520 --> 00:11:41,320 Speaker 4: not paying taxes is a good one. 216 00:11:42,280 --> 00:11:43,040 Speaker 7: And so I. 217 00:11:44,920 --> 00:11:46,560 Speaker 3: Okay, I can't do anymore with her. 218 00:11:47,600 --> 00:11:50,000 Speaker 1: Let's see if we got any other brainiacs on the 219 00:11:50,040 --> 00:11:53,040 Speaker 1: council they want to opine on this. How about my 220 00:11:53,120 --> 00:11:56,000 Speaker 1: down ass girl, the queen of the broken Windy theory, 221 00:11:56,120 --> 00:11:59,600 Speaker 1: Broken Windy theory, Amelda talk some street for me. 222 00:12:00,080 --> 00:12:03,360 Speaker 2: So mind's related to cannabis, you know, given that it's 223 00:12:03,360 --> 00:12:06,720 Speaker 2: something that we see in government operations. It's important for 224 00:12:06,760 --> 00:12:10,240 Speaker 2: me to know how we support. It's always been a 225 00:12:10,240 --> 00:12:12,320 Speaker 2: priority for me to support the legal ones. 226 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:15,440 Speaker 1: By the way, just as a quick point of reference, 227 00:12:15,800 --> 00:12:18,720 Speaker 1: because I live in a Melda's district. It is so 228 00:12:18,960 --> 00:12:23,240 Speaker 1: difficult to legally operate a canna business. Let's see that 229 00:12:23,240 --> 00:12:27,080 Speaker 1: I just did that so smart. That there is a 230 00:12:27,360 --> 00:12:34,320 Speaker 1: empty storefront on Woodley and Victory, near the Orange Line, 231 00:12:34,640 --> 00:12:36,599 Speaker 1: near where the Varta used to be when it was 232 00:12:36,640 --> 00:12:39,160 Speaker 1: the bad vi Arta. Now it's further up on Woodley 233 00:12:39,160 --> 00:12:41,640 Speaker 1: and it's what we know as the good Varta. But 234 00:12:41,760 --> 00:12:44,960 Speaker 1: there is this corner it is like the nexus of 235 00:12:45,120 --> 00:12:49,280 Speaker 1: Hell where every business that opens their shuts down, which 236 00:12:49,320 --> 00:12:52,160 Speaker 1: is bizarre because it's close to a whole bunch of stuff, 237 00:12:52,160 --> 00:12:57,520 Speaker 1: it's close to transit. But the main storefront has a 238 00:12:57,600 --> 00:13:01,480 Speaker 1: sign that says this property is license to be a 239 00:13:01,559 --> 00:13:06,280 Speaker 1: cannabis store, and nobody wants in. Nobody's taking them up 240 00:13:06,280 --> 00:13:10,360 Speaker 1: on the lease. Nobody, because it's that expensive to operate 241 00:13:10,400 --> 00:13:15,199 Speaker 1: in this industry legally. So now that the whole shopping 242 00:13:15,240 --> 00:13:18,559 Speaker 1: center which is a store, which is the not occupied 243 00:13:18,600 --> 00:13:22,240 Speaker 1: cannabis store, and the not occupied restaurant that always goes 244 00:13:22,240 --> 00:13:25,319 Speaker 1: out of business is just a parking lot for a 245 00:13:25,400 --> 00:13:29,559 Speaker 1: Leo's Taco truck. But you know what Leo's is bringing 246 00:13:29,640 --> 00:13:32,479 Speaker 1: in the business people like that out by Star. 247 00:13:32,840 --> 00:13:36,040 Speaker 2: And tackle the illegal market. So I understand that it's 248 00:13:36,040 --> 00:13:38,199 Speaker 2: important for us to move forward with this policy change 249 00:13:38,200 --> 00:13:41,240 Speaker 2: so we can hold the illegal cannabis businesses liable to taxes. 250 00:13:43,760 --> 00:13:47,520 Speaker 1: They're already breaking the law, but they'll definitely pay their taxes. 251 00:13:47,800 --> 00:13:50,480 Speaker 2: However, I'm very interested in understanding more of the process 252 00:13:51,080 --> 00:13:53,320 Speaker 2: because I'm sure it's much more complicated than sending out 253 00:13:53,360 --> 00:13:57,200 Speaker 2: a letter. Also, it must be different from Finance's previous 254 00:13:57,280 --> 00:14:00,360 Speaker 2: tax discovery efforts, where they reach out to illegally breading 255 00:14:00,360 --> 00:14:03,280 Speaker 2: businesses and incentivize them to pay the taxes they owe 256 00:14:03,400 --> 00:14:06,600 Speaker 2: with the opportunity to come into compliance and continue operating legally. 257 00:14:07,679 --> 00:14:10,800 Speaker 1: The people, by the way, and you hear their plight 258 00:14:10,880 --> 00:14:13,319 Speaker 1: all the time, the people who operate legally that do 259 00:14:13,400 --> 00:14:16,239 Speaker 1: pay the taxes and the onerous fees and the licenses, 260 00:14:16,520 --> 00:14:19,840 Speaker 1: they're barely making a buck because the competition is so stiff, 261 00:14:19,920 --> 00:14:23,360 Speaker 1: because well, the people selling illegally can charge so much 262 00:14:23,480 --> 00:14:28,160 Speaker 1: less for the same product. They're the ones who are 263 00:14:28,160 --> 00:14:31,360 Speaker 1: getting constantly squeezed out. And what the answer is, Well, no, 264 00:14:31,480 --> 00:14:34,240 Speaker 1: if we tax the competition, well then they're going to 265 00:14:34,240 --> 00:14:36,160 Speaker 1: have to pass that price onto the consumer. Like what 266 00:14:36,320 --> 00:14:39,200 Speaker 1: is the end goal here? Can we just admit that 267 00:14:39,240 --> 00:14:42,880 Speaker 1: these laws that we wrote were really, really, really dumb. 268 00:14:43,240 --> 00:14:45,640 Speaker 2: The pathway for an illego cannabis business to come into 269 00:14:45,680 --> 00:14:49,760 Speaker 2: compliance with the city is much more difficulty, difficult, lengthy, 270 00:14:49,760 --> 00:14:53,240 Speaker 2: and complicated. So I'm curious, what are the incentives for 271 00:14:53,320 --> 00:14:57,880 Speaker 2: these shops to pay us if it's not necessarily attached 272 00:14:57,880 --> 00:14:59,440 Speaker 2: to a legal permit. 273 00:15:00,360 --> 00:15:03,920 Speaker 1: That's a great question, Amelda. We'll hear what ammeldis Q 274 00:15:04,120 --> 00:15:07,040 Speaker 1: and A with the finance officer who came up with 275 00:15:07,120 --> 00:15:10,880 Speaker 1: this brilliant plan. Next stick around, folks. I got a 276 00:15:10,880 --> 00:15:14,240 Speaker 1: lot of sound of your La City council. Is they 277 00:15:14,280 --> 00:15:17,800 Speaker 1: try to figure out how to tax an illegal business? 278 00:15:19,360 --> 00:15:19,840 Speaker 7: I don't know. 279 00:15:20,520 --> 00:15:21,440 Speaker 3: This is where we are. 280 00:15:22,320 --> 00:15:25,840 Speaker 1: Buckle up, kids. Eight hundred two two two five two 281 00:15:25,880 --> 00:15:29,080 Speaker 1: two two. What eight hundred two two two five two 282 00:15:29,200 --> 00:15:33,680 Speaker 1: two two. It's the News Blitz with Randy Wang on 283 00:15:33,800 --> 00:15:39,600 Speaker 1: Talk radio seven ninety KABC. It's the News Blitz with 284 00:15:39,680 --> 00:15:43,960 Speaker 1: Randy Wang on KABC. I need to present you the 285 00:15:44,080 --> 00:15:46,880 Speaker 1: nonsense that happens at La City Hall, because if you 286 00:15:46,920 --> 00:15:49,480 Speaker 1: don't hear it here, you probably won't hear it anywhere. 287 00:15:49,760 --> 00:15:52,240 Speaker 1: And you need to know what you are paying these 288 00:15:52,600 --> 00:15:55,840 Speaker 1: brilliant ad wizards two hundred and twenty thousand dollars a 289 00:15:55,960 --> 00:16:00,400 Speaker 1: year to debate. In today's topic, figuring out a way 290 00:16:00,480 --> 00:16:02,560 Speaker 1: to put a measure on the ballot that if you 291 00:16:02,640 --> 00:16:04,880 Speaker 1: vote yes, it will give the city the ability to 292 00:16:06,000 --> 00:16:10,920 Speaker 1: tax illegal pot stores. We can't shut them down, but 293 00:16:11,000 --> 00:16:14,280 Speaker 1: apparently we can tax them if you give them the power. 294 00:16:15,120 --> 00:16:17,600 Speaker 1: Eight hundred two two two five two two two is 295 00:16:17,640 --> 00:16:20,600 Speaker 1: the telephone number. We'll go back to Amelda in a minute, 296 00:16:20,640 --> 00:16:23,120 Speaker 1: but first let's go to Morris and Hollywood. Morris, Hello. 297 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:28,320 Speaker 8: Yes, we we have to start at the top. We 298 00:16:28,400 --> 00:16:31,600 Speaker 8: have to start with the Gestapo mayor cut her salary 299 00:16:31,680 --> 00:16:35,200 Speaker 8: fifty add on a payroll, payroll. 300 00:16:34,880 --> 00:16:38,360 Speaker 5: Tax, income tax, tends on the city council. Most of 301 00:16:38,360 --> 00:16:40,960 Speaker 5: them is the worth a grain of salt. The majority 302 00:16:41,160 --> 00:16:45,400 Speaker 5: cut their salary fifty percent. A start on the top 303 00:16:45,440 --> 00:16:47,680 Speaker 5: of you because they want to tax somebody else, but 304 00:16:47,800 --> 00:16:50,960 Speaker 5: they themself don't want to contribute everything. Just cut out 305 00:16:51,000 --> 00:16:54,080 Speaker 5: the government cars. They're not worth the city car, even 306 00:16:54,120 --> 00:16:55,680 Speaker 5: in the cell phone. They even need to pay for 307 00:16:55,680 --> 00:16:58,760 Speaker 5: his own brigolons on their houses need to be They 308 00:16:58,800 --> 00:17:01,680 Speaker 5: need to pay for that too, anybody else does. Why 309 00:17:01,760 --> 00:17:04,440 Speaker 5: are they king and queen of the city. Most of 310 00:17:04,480 --> 00:17:06,600 Speaker 5: them is a waste of time and not even worth 311 00:17:07,000 --> 00:17:10,800 Speaker 5: watching them on television even, you know, waste the time 312 00:17:10,840 --> 00:17:15,680 Speaker 5: for why. I don't know, And you know this will 313 00:17:15,680 --> 00:17:19,640 Speaker 5: never change. This is a socialist state here and all 314 00:17:19,680 --> 00:17:22,000 Speaker 5: we hear about socialism need to raid more and more 315 00:17:22,119 --> 00:17:25,800 Speaker 5: tax for this social purpose. That's social purpose. And when 316 00:17:25,800 --> 00:17:28,280 Speaker 5: you need personally need as systems, you can forget it 317 00:17:28,880 --> 00:17:31,440 Speaker 5: all right, and nothing is ever going to change. I 318 00:17:31,480 --> 00:17:33,000 Speaker 5: don't know, not in my lifetime. 319 00:17:33,600 --> 00:17:34,000 Speaker 8: I don't know. 320 00:17:34,040 --> 00:17:36,200 Speaker 9: It gets back to the registered voter votes. 321 00:17:36,840 --> 00:17:39,040 Speaker 8: Maybe they need to come up with the sat IQ 322 00:17:39,200 --> 00:17:41,600 Speaker 8: test for the voter take before they go in the pole. 323 00:17:42,359 --> 00:17:46,160 Speaker 1: But now that's an interesting idea. Morris, thanks so much 324 00:17:46,200 --> 00:17:49,399 Speaker 1: for the call. Appreciate it. Yes, I know we have 325 00:17:49,520 --> 00:17:52,320 Speaker 1: the inherent right to vote, but should you have at 326 00:17:52,440 --> 00:17:55,800 Speaker 1: least a minimal understanding of how the world works before 327 00:17:55,840 --> 00:17:59,640 Speaker 1: you can vote. Well, it's an interesting thought, isn't it. 328 00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:02,040 Speaker 1: Let's go to Vera in Redondo, Vera. 329 00:18:02,119 --> 00:18:04,080 Speaker 3: Hello, Hi. 330 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:08,160 Speaker 9: When I was buying CBB oil, I bought it because 331 00:18:08,440 --> 00:18:15,000 Speaker 9: of the poisons that are in The illegal stuff was cheaper, yeah, 332 00:18:15,000 --> 00:18:18,399 Speaker 9: but I didn't want to do that. And there selling 333 00:18:18,440 --> 00:18:22,000 Speaker 9: this stuff, this cheap stuff to our youth. That's who's 334 00:18:22,080 --> 00:18:25,040 Speaker 9: buying it, putting it on the on the map. The 335 00:18:25,080 --> 00:18:29,760 Speaker 9: most potent weed ever grown is in the cheap shops, 336 00:18:30,320 --> 00:18:36,040 Speaker 9: and our kids are smoking it and they're insane. But hey, 337 00:18:37,280 --> 00:18:39,960 Speaker 9: I don't use it anymore, so I really have a 338 00:18:40,920 --> 00:18:43,680 Speaker 9: dog in this fight, but I will Well. 339 00:18:43,480 --> 00:18:46,280 Speaker 1: But you're right, you know, the the probably the adults 340 00:18:46,320 --> 00:18:48,960 Speaker 1: who care about, you know, what's in their product, the 341 00:18:48,960 --> 00:18:51,919 Speaker 1: same people that buy you know, organic protein milk, are 342 00:18:51,920 --> 00:18:54,800 Speaker 1: the ones that definitely will support the legal establishment. But 343 00:18:54,840 --> 00:18:57,520 Speaker 1: it's the down ass kids that are buying the cheap 344 00:18:57,560 --> 00:19:00,359 Speaker 1: weed that laced with who knows what that is grown, 345 00:19:00,440 --> 00:19:03,879 Speaker 1: who knows how, but it doesn't matter because it's the 346 00:19:03,960 --> 00:19:07,520 Speaker 1: cheap one. But the city has a responsibility to shut 347 00:19:07,560 --> 00:19:10,440 Speaker 1: down those establishments, and apparently we have wrote our laws 348 00:19:10,440 --> 00:19:13,880 Speaker 1: in a way that that's impossible, and that is an embarrassment. 349 00:19:15,440 --> 00:19:18,720 Speaker 9: Caxlem there we go. 350 00:19:19,600 --> 00:19:20,479 Speaker 3: Thanks so much for the call. 351 00:19:20,600 --> 00:19:20,760 Speaker 10: Vera. 352 00:19:20,760 --> 00:19:23,080 Speaker 3: I appreciate it. Let's go to Dave and Santa Anna. 353 00:19:23,280 --> 00:19:27,679 Speaker 1: Dave, Hello, Hi, Randy, how are you doing great? 354 00:19:29,560 --> 00:19:29,720 Speaker 5: Hey? 355 00:19:29,760 --> 00:19:32,080 Speaker 6: I just want to I was listening to your monologue 356 00:19:32,080 --> 00:19:33,639 Speaker 6: and some of these other guys, and one thing I 357 00:19:33,680 --> 00:19:38,080 Speaker 6: want to say is when Schwarzenegger was was the governor, 358 00:19:38,480 --> 00:19:42,560 Speaker 6: he decriminalized up to announce that we that you could 359 00:19:42,560 --> 00:19:45,639 Speaker 6: have with you, and it was to take all the 360 00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:51,320 Speaker 6: the people that were on minor week so sences out 361 00:19:51,359 --> 00:19:53,560 Speaker 6: of the prison so they could lower the population of 362 00:19:53,560 --> 00:19:57,440 Speaker 6: the prisons. And now now they've got a cannabis board 363 00:19:57,480 --> 00:19:59,800 Speaker 6: that's run by a bunch of drunk guys that are 364 00:19:59,800 --> 00:20:03,480 Speaker 6: try going to dictate how people are going to buy 365 00:20:03,520 --> 00:20:05,680 Speaker 6: and sell weed in the state now that it's legal, 366 00:20:06,400 --> 00:20:10,040 Speaker 6: predicated on a on a system that worked pretty well 367 00:20:10,400 --> 00:20:13,239 Speaker 6: when it, like you said earlier, was illegal. Everybody just 368 00:20:13,720 --> 00:20:16,359 Speaker 6: you know, they knew somebody, you know, and you know, 369 00:20:16,440 --> 00:20:19,680 Speaker 6: could get weed here and there. And now the dummies 370 00:20:19,720 --> 00:20:23,639 Speaker 6: in the city council. You know, when you played that 371 00:20:23,640 --> 00:20:25,919 Speaker 6: that clip of the lady my my, you know, blood 372 00:20:25,960 --> 00:20:30,120 Speaker 6: was squirting out of my eyes. You know, I why, why, 373 00:20:30,200 --> 00:20:32,440 Speaker 6: what's with all the regulations and what do you think 374 00:20:32,440 --> 00:20:34,719 Speaker 6: you're going to make off the deal. And and if 375 00:20:34,760 --> 00:20:36,800 Speaker 6: I can't just go out and go license for you know, 376 00:20:36,800 --> 00:20:39,560 Speaker 6: one hundred bucks, two hundred bucks for a license to 377 00:20:39,800 --> 00:20:44,000 Speaker 6: legally sell weed, then then you know, the licensees are 378 00:20:44,080 --> 00:20:46,200 Speaker 6: limited to guys with you know, a ton of dough. 379 00:20:46,920 --> 00:20:49,040 Speaker 3: So the whole thing is insane. 380 00:20:49,080 --> 00:20:51,080 Speaker 1: And this is what we've done. Thanks so much for 381 00:20:51,119 --> 00:20:53,439 Speaker 1: the call, Dave, appreciate it. We're running up against a break. 382 00:20:53,680 --> 00:20:56,000 Speaker 1: Eight hundred two to two two k ABC is the 383 00:20:56,000 --> 00:20:58,679 Speaker 1: phone number stick right there. We got more city council 384 00:20:58,880 --> 00:21:02,280 Speaker 1: reefer madness right here on the News Blitz with Randy 385 00:21:02,320 --> 00:21:05,920 Speaker 1: Wang on KABC. It is the News Blitz with Randy 386 00:21:05,960 --> 00:21:10,080 Speaker 1: Wang on talk radio seven ninety KABC. We're here every 387 00:21:10,160 --> 00:21:12,600 Speaker 1: single day from five to six talking about the local 388 00:21:12,640 --> 00:21:14,760 Speaker 1: issues that matter to you most and taking your phone 389 00:21:14,800 --> 00:21:17,040 Speaker 1: calls at eight hundred two two two five two two 390 00:21:17,080 --> 00:21:19,399 Speaker 1: two one, eight hundred two to two two five two 391 00:21:19,480 --> 00:21:22,440 Speaker 1: two two, your emails at Randy Wang Radio at gmail 392 00:21:22,480 --> 00:21:25,760 Speaker 1: dot com and search for the KABC News Blitz wherever 393 00:21:25,800 --> 00:21:28,119 Speaker 1: you get your podcasts. It's take one more call and 394 00:21:28,119 --> 00:21:31,240 Speaker 1: then get back to the city council as they debate 395 00:21:31,320 --> 00:21:35,000 Speaker 1: trying to figure out how they can tax illegally operating 396 00:21:35,080 --> 00:21:39,840 Speaker 1: pot businesses. Yep, it's that dumb Let's go to ted 397 00:21:39,880 --> 00:21:41,320 Speaker 1: In La Ted Hello. 398 00:21:42,480 --> 00:21:46,879 Speaker 10: Yes, sir Ted City. The Angels Los Angeles more commonly known, 399 00:21:47,600 --> 00:21:49,800 Speaker 10: just wanted to weigh in on this as they would 400 00:21:49,800 --> 00:21:54,240 Speaker 10: weigh with their scale for an ounce. Uh. Basically, you know, 401 00:21:54,400 --> 00:21:58,159 Speaker 10: just like the pharmaceutical heroin that got you know, people addicted, 402 00:21:58,200 --> 00:22:00,920 Speaker 10: like athletes with an injury and then they found out 403 00:22:00,960 --> 00:22:06,600 Speaker 10: they could get five dollars Mexican tar heroine to exacerbate 404 00:22:06,680 --> 00:22:10,359 Speaker 10: their addiction. Now you have kids that have a green 405 00:22:10,440 --> 00:22:13,960 Speaker 10: light to try it because the other kids go, look, 406 00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:16,320 Speaker 10: it's legal, just like alcohol. So now you have a 407 00:22:16,359 --> 00:22:21,000 Speaker 10: bigger pool of addicts trying it and future worst drug 408 00:22:21,160 --> 00:22:24,600 Speaker 10: use because it is a gateway drug, and so therefore 409 00:22:24,640 --> 00:22:28,600 Speaker 10: you have a larger market. Now you have more illegal 410 00:22:28,720 --> 00:22:31,080 Speaker 10: use because you have a larger market that needs to 411 00:22:31,119 --> 00:22:36,400 Speaker 10: be filled you know, supply and demand, and so therefore 412 00:22:36,440 --> 00:22:41,400 Speaker 10: you have a manifesto of a way worse problem, all 413 00:22:41,440 --> 00:22:44,960 Speaker 10: the way around, all different angles, just like you said. 414 00:22:45,520 --> 00:22:47,920 Speaker 10: And you know that's my take on it. I also 415 00:22:48,160 --> 00:22:51,160 Speaker 10: used it as a youth and it is a gateway 416 00:22:51,200 --> 00:22:54,680 Speaker 10: to other things. It's very very dangerous for our youth. 417 00:22:55,160 --> 00:22:57,960 Speaker 10: So and I'm grateful to be sober twenty eight years 418 00:22:57,640 --> 00:23:01,880 Speaker 10: and you have a great show, and you know, may. 419 00:23:01,480 --> 00:23:02,520 Speaker 3: Congratulations with that. 420 00:23:02,760 --> 00:23:03,000 Speaker 6: Ted. 421 00:23:03,040 --> 00:23:04,760 Speaker 1: You know what I will say, I will say When 422 00:23:04,760 --> 00:23:07,080 Speaker 1: I was a pot smoker, I said, no, this isn't 423 00:23:07,080 --> 00:23:10,199 Speaker 1: a gateway drug. But then I tried coke, and then 424 00:23:10,200 --> 00:23:13,240 Speaker 1: I tried ecstasy, and well I think it might have been. 425 00:23:14,920 --> 00:23:18,600 Speaker 10: Absolutely it is, and it's just a soft way to 426 00:23:18,640 --> 00:23:22,600 Speaker 10: get people involved. And we have a lot more addicts 427 00:23:22,640 --> 00:23:26,760 Speaker 10: as the result of saying, look, it's legal, just like liquor, 428 00:23:26,880 --> 00:23:30,080 Speaker 10: and then kids are more apt to try it because 429 00:23:30,320 --> 00:23:31,240 Speaker 10: it's legal. 430 00:23:33,040 --> 00:23:34,919 Speaker 1: Agree, I'll thanks so much for the call, Ted. We 431 00:23:34,960 --> 00:23:38,680 Speaker 1: agree on that. Oh I forgot shrumies and then one 432 00:23:38,720 --> 00:23:40,600 Speaker 1: time I thought it was shromies, but it was these 433 00:23:40,680 --> 00:23:43,440 Speaker 1: chocolates that had mescaline, which was similar. 434 00:23:43,680 --> 00:23:47,560 Speaker 3: But you know, I don't do any of that anymore. 435 00:23:48,119 --> 00:23:51,520 Speaker 1: I do drink, but not a lot. But I really 436 00:23:51,560 --> 00:23:55,280 Speaker 1: do enjoy vermoot. Have I told you about Vermot? I 437 00:23:55,320 --> 00:23:57,920 Speaker 1: can't shut up about it. All right, Let's go back 438 00:23:57,960 --> 00:24:00,680 Speaker 1: to Amelda trying to figure out how this would work, 439 00:24:00,720 --> 00:24:03,520 Speaker 1: where we're going to send a tax bill to illegally 440 00:24:03,600 --> 00:24:05,000 Speaker 1: operating plot stores. 441 00:24:05,920 --> 00:24:08,399 Speaker 7: Matt Crawford offs Finance. I could pare to hear you 442 00:24:09,480 --> 00:24:09,880 Speaker 7: say good. 443 00:24:10,080 --> 00:24:11,000 Speaker 2: I could barely hear you. 444 00:24:11,119 --> 00:24:13,040 Speaker 7: Okay, Matt Crawford offs Finance. 445 00:24:14,840 --> 00:24:17,240 Speaker 1: The every single one of these meetings acts like an 446 00:24:17,280 --> 00:24:18,040 Speaker 1: SNL sketch. 447 00:24:18,320 --> 00:24:24,560 Speaker 7: The policy proposal in front of you still would not 448 00:24:25,440 --> 00:24:30,200 Speaker 7: address a lot of the compliance issues around DCR permitting, 449 00:24:30,920 --> 00:24:36,399 Speaker 7: the kind of the factor, and that really determines what 450 00:24:36,400 --> 00:24:40,639 Speaker 7: we're talking about, illegal versus legal. What we're what we 451 00:24:40,680 --> 00:24:45,240 Speaker 7: would be doing is addressing just purely the tax side. 452 00:24:45,080 --> 00:24:48,760 Speaker 1: These people already don't follow our laws. We try to 453 00:24:48,800 --> 00:24:51,639 Speaker 1: shut them down, but apparently we can't. So if we 454 00:24:51,760 --> 00:24:54,719 Speaker 1: send them a tax bill, they'll definitely pay it. 455 00:24:54,800 --> 00:25:01,320 Speaker 7: Right, The incentive structure around paying would be around the 456 00:25:01,480 --> 00:25:05,240 Speaker 7: financial leverage that the Office of Finance can bring through 457 00:25:05,440 --> 00:25:06,560 Speaker 7: collections efforts. 458 00:25:07,480 --> 00:25:09,320 Speaker 1: Oh great, So you know what we're going to do. 459 00:25:10,000 --> 00:25:12,960 Speaker 1: You are breaking our laws. You are selling a product 460 00:25:13,000 --> 00:25:15,439 Speaker 1: you're not allowed to sell. You're selling a product that 461 00:25:15,640 --> 00:25:20,440 Speaker 1: is less clean and pure than the legal product. We're 462 00:25:20,480 --> 00:25:23,280 Speaker 1: going to have someone call you at all hours of 463 00:25:23,320 --> 00:25:25,879 Speaker 1: the day until you answer the phone and pay the bill. 464 00:25:26,760 --> 00:25:27,960 Speaker 3: That's not going to work. 465 00:25:28,040 --> 00:25:33,800 Speaker 7: And taking the businesses to court in order to pay 466 00:25:33,800 --> 00:25:41,120 Speaker 7: the liability. So this would bring about assuming non payment 467 00:25:42,280 --> 00:25:45,560 Speaker 7: and kind of the discovery process you talked about, this 468 00:25:45,600 --> 00:25:50,560 Speaker 7: would ultimately end up with collections efforts, likely civil court 469 00:25:50,600 --> 00:25:52,879 Speaker 7: cases to try and collect the city's money. 470 00:25:53,200 --> 00:25:55,800 Speaker 1: Have we It's almost like they have thought this through 471 00:25:55,840 --> 00:25:58,359 Speaker 1: and they still think, oh, this totally makes sense. And 472 00:25:58,440 --> 00:26:02,080 Speaker 1: again they have to put us on the ballot. How 473 00:26:02,200 --> 00:26:05,639 Speaker 1: is any average LA voter going to understand what this 474 00:26:05,800 --> 00:26:06,800 Speaker 1: even means? 475 00:26:07,320 --> 00:26:07,560 Speaker 3: Uh? 476 00:26:07,600 --> 00:26:09,919 Speaker 1: And that's in our All it tells me is the 477 00:26:09,960 --> 00:26:15,120 Speaker 1: city has no ability to shut down illegal pod stores none, 478 00:26:15,920 --> 00:26:17,560 Speaker 1: So we might as well just go for it. 479 00:26:17,960 --> 00:26:18,200 Speaker 6: Uh. 480 00:26:18,240 --> 00:26:21,880 Speaker 7: And that's in our in our experience with the rest 481 00:26:21,880 --> 00:26:25,400 Speaker 7: of the business community. Uh, those efforts are pretty successful. 482 00:26:25,680 --> 00:26:25,800 Speaker 8: Uh. 483 00:26:26,560 --> 00:26:28,880 Speaker 7: Businesses don't like being in those situations. 484 00:26:28,920 --> 00:26:32,800 Speaker 1: So yeah, but you're talking about an illegally operating business, 485 00:26:32,840 --> 00:26:34,760 Speaker 1: one that's probably operated by gangs. 486 00:26:34,840 --> 00:26:38,440 Speaker 7: It's usually cost effective to resolve their tax liability. 487 00:26:38,720 --> 00:26:40,600 Speaker 2: Now that's my next question. Is that cost effective? 488 00:26:41,480 --> 00:26:41,600 Speaker 8: Uh? 489 00:26:42,040 --> 00:26:47,040 Speaker 7: Outside of the cannabis world. Yes. Uh, it's the uh, 490 00:26:47,880 --> 00:26:52,040 Speaker 7: the taking businesses to court when when the liability is high. 491 00:26:52,160 --> 00:26:55,040 Speaker 1: Okay, we need to stop electing stupid people and the 492 00:26:55,080 --> 00:26:58,000 Speaker 1: stupid people that we elect. Need to stop appointing stupid 493 00:26:58,040 --> 00:27:01,040 Speaker 1: people to all these jobs. I know there are only 494 00:27:01,080 --> 00:27:04,560 Speaker 1: a few people that are smart and talented and still 495 00:27:04,600 --> 00:27:07,800 Speaker 1: want to go into government, but this is what happens 496 00:27:07,800 --> 00:27:09,879 Speaker 1: when we are run by buff phones. 497 00:27:10,720 --> 00:27:14,719 Speaker 7: That can be a very cost effective method. 498 00:27:15,480 --> 00:27:17,840 Speaker 1: Okay, I'm done with her. Let's hear what Bob Lumenfeld 499 00:27:17,840 --> 00:27:18,400 Speaker 1: has to say. 500 00:27:18,920 --> 00:27:21,639 Speaker 11: One of to come on two aspects of this, and 501 00:27:21,680 --> 00:27:24,720 Speaker 11: first and thank the Chair for bringing this forward. As 502 00:27:24,720 --> 00:27:27,720 Speaker 11: we do need to have revenues. This budget is going 503 00:27:27,760 --> 00:27:30,600 Speaker 11: to be very difficult as as you mentioned, we're going 504 00:27:30,680 --> 00:27:33,879 Speaker 11: to have to be a real balance of trying to reduce. 505 00:27:33,880 --> 00:27:36,560 Speaker 1: Where we're going to raise money is by taxing illegal 506 00:27:36,600 --> 00:27:37,360 Speaker 1: pot stores. 507 00:27:37,760 --> 00:27:41,720 Speaker 11: What reduce spending, reduce what we do overall, and hopefully 508 00:27:41,720 --> 00:27:45,280 Speaker 11: have some revenue. First, on the cannabis aspect of this, 509 00:27:45,440 --> 00:27:47,680 Speaker 11: when I when I first read this, I was dead 510 00:27:47,680 --> 00:27:54,080 Speaker 11: set against it because I hate the idea of giving 511 00:27:54,160 --> 00:27:59,440 Speaker 11: a BTR giving a license for taxes to a illegal shop. 512 00:27:59,520 --> 00:28:01,199 Speaker 11: I want to I don't want to collect revenue from 513 00:28:01,240 --> 00:28:04,000 Speaker 11: these illegal shops. I want to shut them down. So 514 00:28:04,040 --> 00:28:06,280 Speaker 11: when I first thought about this, I was like, no way, 515 00:28:06,320 --> 00:28:08,320 Speaker 11: I'm going to be against this, But then I thought 516 00:28:08,320 --> 00:28:11,879 Speaker 11: about sort of the al Capone thing, where you know, 517 00:28:11,920 --> 00:28:14,320 Speaker 11: they didn't get him for being a gangster, that got 518 00:28:14,400 --> 00:28:15,800 Speaker 11: him for tax evasion. 519 00:28:19,040 --> 00:28:21,399 Speaker 1: So what you're saying is our laws are written so 520 00:28:21,640 --> 00:28:25,479 Speaker 1: badly that even though people are willfully breaking them and 521 00:28:25,520 --> 00:28:28,199 Speaker 1: opening up storefronts and selling a product they have no 522 00:28:28,400 --> 00:28:32,040 Speaker 1: legal authority to sell. We can't get them on that, 523 00:28:32,080 --> 00:28:34,800 Speaker 1: but maybe we can get them on not paying us taxes. 524 00:28:35,200 --> 00:28:38,720 Speaker 11: And these guys can legally eat these illegal shops at 525 00:28:38,720 --> 00:28:42,360 Speaker 11: this point don't have to pay taxes. So if we 526 00:28:42,640 --> 00:28:46,239 Speaker 11: add that requirement on that, they, like anyone else, have 527 00:28:46,280 --> 00:28:48,719 Speaker 11: to pay taxes. I don't want to collect from them. 528 00:28:48,760 --> 00:28:50,560 Speaker 11: I want to shut him down. But that gives us 529 00:28:50,600 --> 00:28:53,360 Speaker 11: another tool to go after them. 530 00:28:53,560 --> 00:28:57,000 Speaker 1: Sure, because you're already so successful in shutting them down 531 00:28:57,080 --> 00:28:58,280 Speaker 1: that they're still operating. 532 00:28:58,760 --> 00:29:01,160 Speaker 11: And it's, frankly, it's a longer tool than just that 533 00:29:01,200 --> 00:29:03,640 Speaker 11: they don't have a license. You cannot have a license 534 00:29:03,680 --> 00:29:05,720 Speaker 11: and disappear and then not have a license again, and 535 00:29:06,040 --> 00:29:08,040 Speaker 11: it's pretty much a slap on the wrist. But when 536 00:29:08,040 --> 00:29:11,400 Speaker 11: you don't pay taxes, it's a it's a much stronger penalty. 537 00:29:11,440 --> 00:29:14,040 Speaker 11: So that got me thinking, yeah, this makes sense. 538 00:29:14,600 --> 00:29:17,440 Speaker 1: Let's let's usually consider him one of the smarter members 539 00:29:17,440 --> 00:29:21,880 Speaker 1: of the city council. Not today, Let's go to Dale 540 00:29:21,920 --> 00:29:22,960 Speaker 1: in Long Beach Dale. 541 00:29:22,960 --> 00:29:26,840 Speaker 6: Hello, Hello, Randy. If they ever admit how much money 542 00:29:26,880 --> 00:29:29,000 Speaker 6: they've been making to the city, they'll have to admit 543 00:29:29,080 --> 00:29:31,880 Speaker 6: that to the irs and pay taxes that they don't 544 00:29:31,960 --> 00:29:35,040 Speaker 6: that's taxes age. 545 00:29:36,200 --> 00:29:39,040 Speaker 1: It's like nobody has thought this through as to how 546 00:29:39,040 --> 00:29:42,480 Speaker 1: they're going to get criminals to comply with tax law, 547 00:29:42,600 --> 00:29:45,080 Speaker 1: let alone the laws that they're already breaking. 548 00:29:46,440 --> 00:29:49,560 Speaker 6: It's stillingly ridiculous. It's later is I have to laugh. 549 00:29:51,280 --> 00:29:53,360 Speaker 1: That's why I bring this. The only thing we can 550 00:29:53,400 --> 00:29:55,440 Speaker 1: do at a time like this is laugh. Thanks so 551 00:29:55,520 --> 00:29:57,840 Speaker 1: much for the call, Dale, appreciate it. Eight under two 552 00:29:57,960 --> 00:29:59,920 Speaker 1: two two five two to two two is to tell 553 00:30:00,800 --> 00:30:03,800 Speaker 1: when we come back. There's one sane voice in the 554 00:30:03,880 --> 00:30:07,760 Speaker 1: room in this conversation, and it's Monocra Rodriguez of the 555 00:30:07,800 --> 00:30:11,280 Speaker 1: East Valley. We'll hear what she has to say next. 556 00:30:11,640 --> 00:30:15,320 Speaker 1: It's the News Blitz with Randy Wang on KABC. It's 557 00:30:15,360 --> 00:30:19,760 Speaker 1: the News Blitz with Randy Wang on KABC. Only one 558 00:30:19,880 --> 00:30:23,600 Speaker 1: common sense voice was spoken during this entire exchange. At 559 00:30:23,600 --> 00:30:25,560 Speaker 1: the La City Council where they need to put a 560 00:30:25,600 --> 00:30:27,920 Speaker 1: measure on the ballot that you need to vote on 561 00:30:28,040 --> 00:30:31,040 Speaker 1: so they can have the authority to start taxing illegally 562 00:30:31,120 --> 00:30:34,760 Speaker 1: operating pot stores Monica save Us. 563 00:30:35,320 --> 00:30:42,640 Speaker 12: Matt Crawford, you mentioned that how would you go about 564 00:30:43,440 --> 00:30:51,560 Speaker 12: collecting on this proposal for illegal cannabis operators to recover 565 00:30:51,640 --> 00:30:52,480 Speaker 12: this business tax? 566 00:30:53,800 --> 00:30:58,560 Speaker 7: I think we would. We would start with discovery and notification. 567 00:30:58,880 --> 00:31:02,320 Speaker 7: So there's a few different so. 568 00:31:02,320 --> 00:31:04,320 Speaker 1: That means you know what the address is, which means 569 00:31:04,320 --> 00:31:08,000 Speaker 1: why aren't we just busting them up right now? It 570 00:31:08,040 --> 00:31:10,200 Speaker 1: would mean shouldn't it be then that we need to 571 00:31:10,320 --> 00:31:13,680 Speaker 1: change the laws to toughen the penalties to where there's 572 00:31:13,720 --> 00:31:18,480 Speaker 1: an actual criminal consequence for operating illegally. 573 00:31:19,080 --> 00:31:20,840 Speaker 3: And to point out. 574 00:31:20,640 --> 00:31:23,880 Speaker 1: Something that Ammelda said earlier, at what point do we 575 00:31:23,920 --> 00:31:27,920 Speaker 1: go after the landlord? If a landlord is willfully renting 576 00:31:27,960 --> 00:31:31,560 Speaker 1: space to an illegal business, shouldn't the landlord be liable 577 00:31:31,600 --> 00:31:31,840 Speaker 1: for that? 578 00:31:32,160 --> 00:31:38,920 Speaker 7: Ways of kind of identifying the universe of businesses out 579 00:31:38,960 --> 00:31:42,960 Speaker 7: there that are not currently in compliance, we would have 580 00:31:43,040 --> 00:31:46,360 Speaker 7: to since this currently they're not allowed to file for 581 00:31:46,400 --> 00:31:50,040 Speaker 7: a BTRC, so there's no we wouldn't be collecting on 582 00:31:50,120 --> 00:31:52,120 Speaker 7: prior year liability there is none. 583 00:31:52,240 --> 00:31:54,280 Speaker 1: So how are they going to make seventy million dollars 584 00:31:54,520 --> 00:31:57,080 Speaker 1: if they already can't collect on the money because it 585 00:31:57,120 --> 00:31:58,240 Speaker 1: hasn't been legal yet. 586 00:31:58,720 --> 00:32:00,440 Speaker 7: We would need to let everybody know. 587 00:32:00,480 --> 00:32:02,360 Speaker 1: These are the people in charge of trying to figure 588 00:32:02,400 --> 00:32:04,720 Speaker 1: out how to make more money for the city, and 589 00:32:04,800 --> 00:32:08,240 Speaker 1: so far their best ideas today are raise the hotel 590 00:32:08,360 --> 00:32:11,600 Speaker 1: tax after they already made it impossible to operate a hotel, 591 00:32:12,240 --> 00:32:14,880 Speaker 1: and try to tax illegal pot stores. 592 00:32:15,440 --> 00:32:19,480 Speaker 7: We would need to let everybody know. Everyone we could 593 00:32:19,480 --> 00:32:25,000 Speaker 7: find notify them that starting whatever the effective date is, 594 00:32:26,240 --> 00:32:28,640 Speaker 7: you now you know you have to sign up for 595 00:32:28,680 --> 00:32:31,880 Speaker 7: a BTRC, so there would be mailings. We would also, 596 00:32:32,560 --> 00:32:35,000 Speaker 7: I think, do field work. 597 00:32:35,840 --> 00:32:38,520 Speaker 1: Put do you think these pod stores, the illegal ones, 598 00:32:38,560 --> 00:32:41,280 Speaker 1: they've got books and they're really marching out all their 599 00:32:41,280 --> 00:32:43,040 Speaker 1: payroll making sure that they pay their tax. 600 00:32:43,120 --> 00:32:44,800 Speaker 3: What are you talking about. 601 00:32:44,640 --> 00:32:49,040 Speaker 7: Actually physically show up to businesses and give them the information. 602 00:32:49,920 --> 00:32:54,560 Speaker 7: In the interest of taking care of my own staff, 603 00:32:55,240 --> 00:32:57,120 Speaker 7: we'll want to be with LAPD for all of that, 604 00:32:57,400 --> 00:32:58,400 Speaker 7: so we'll need that. 605 00:32:59,600 --> 00:33:01,680 Speaker 1: So now we're paying for LAPD to show up, then 606 00:33:01,680 --> 00:33:03,840 Speaker 1: why don't we just pay for LAPD to bust up 607 00:33:03,840 --> 00:33:04,320 Speaker 1: the shop. 608 00:33:04,920 --> 00:33:05,640 Speaker 3: What happened? 609 00:33:05,680 --> 00:33:08,080 Speaker 7: There are probably other departments that we will need to 610 00:33:08,840 --> 00:33:13,440 Speaker 7: involve along the way, right and then and then once 611 00:33:13,520 --> 00:33:19,680 Speaker 7: the sorry, once the notification happens, then well it'll be 612 00:33:19,680 --> 00:33:24,160 Speaker 7: a matter of follow up continuously, kind of keeping track 613 00:33:24,200 --> 00:33:26,520 Speaker 7: of who's registered, who hasn't. 614 00:33:27,440 --> 00:33:29,760 Speaker 1: Please sign up for this website so we can start 615 00:33:29,800 --> 00:33:33,360 Speaker 1: taxing you for your illegal business. Hey, if this works 616 00:33:33,360 --> 00:33:35,200 Speaker 1: with the pot stores, can we start doing it with 617 00:33:35,240 --> 00:33:36,040 Speaker 1: the whorehouses? 618 00:33:36,640 --> 00:33:37,600 Speaker 3: What are we doing? 619 00:33:38,520 --> 00:33:41,200 Speaker 1: It's Randy Wang here. It's the News Blitz with Randy 620 00:33:41,200 --> 00:33:44,640 Speaker 1: Wang on KABC. It's the News Blitz with Randy Wang 621 00:33:44,680 --> 00:33:48,160 Speaker 1: on KABC. All right, time for a little history lesson 622 00:33:48,160 --> 00:33:51,280 Speaker 1: with Monica Rodriguez as we still try to figure out 623 00:33:51,360 --> 00:33:54,920 Speaker 1: how we can tax illegally operating pot stores. 624 00:33:55,120 --> 00:33:58,240 Speaker 12: So, Matt, I'm just gonna let you know kind of 625 00:33:58,520 --> 00:33:59,760 Speaker 12: I'm going to try and give a little bit of 626 00:33:59,760 --> 00:34:04,080 Speaker 12: a knopsis of the history with illegal cannabis operators and enforcement. 627 00:34:07,320 --> 00:34:13,719 Speaker 12: I introduced an ordinance that actually goes and shuts off 628 00:34:13,719 --> 00:34:16,640 Speaker 12: the utilities for illegal cannabis operators. 629 00:34:16,880 --> 00:34:19,840 Speaker 1: Any that's a pretty simple one, especially the growers. Do 630 00:34:19,880 --> 00:34:21,560 Speaker 1: you know how much power you need to use to 631 00:34:21,600 --> 00:34:22,840 Speaker 1: grow this stuff. 632 00:34:22,760 --> 00:34:24,960 Speaker 12: And it was proven to be very successful. In fact, 633 00:34:25,000 --> 00:34:28,239 Speaker 12: we got to we got net zero illegal operations in 634 00:34:28,600 --> 00:34:32,840 Speaker 12: my district working with LAPD, DWP and Building in Safety. 635 00:34:33,480 --> 00:34:37,239 Speaker 12: DCR's only role is to confirm whether or not that 636 00:34:37,680 --> 00:34:42,560 Speaker 12: operator is a legitimate operator or not. Subsequently, mister Harris 637 00:34:42,600 --> 00:34:48,040 Speaker 12: Dawson introduced we talked about the padlock ordinance and requiring 638 00:34:49,600 --> 00:34:52,840 Speaker 12: a simple matter of the city attorney just sending a 639 00:34:52,920 --> 00:34:57,239 Speaker 12: letter to the property owner to say, hey, you're harboring 640 00:34:57,520 --> 00:35:04,120 Speaker 12: an illegal business, sees a options and let's stop, let's 641 00:35:04,120 --> 00:35:05,600 Speaker 12: cut it out, let's stop it. 642 00:35:06,480 --> 00:35:08,560 Speaker 1: And you've got to think to yourself, why wouldn't we 643 00:35:08,600 --> 00:35:10,480 Speaker 1: do that? And that's not just for the pod stores, 644 00:35:10,480 --> 00:35:13,439 Speaker 1: but all the other businesses that are breaking the law 645 00:35:13,520 --> 00:35:17,160 Speaker 1: that pay a business tax. You know the pod stores don't. 646 00:35:17,200 --> 00:35:21,280 Speaker 1: But look, we know what's going on at the massage parlors, 647 00:35:21,719 --> 00:35:24,080 Speaker 1: we know what's going on at the smoke shops. Why 648 00:35:24,120 --> 00:35:27,760 Speaker 1: are there so many of these? Well it's not because 649 00:35:27,760 --> 00:35:33,680 Speaker 1: they're doing legitimate services. But why do we allow it? Well, because, 650 00:35:33,760 --> 00:35:35,160 Speaker 1: and this is what they want to do with the 651 00:35:35,160 --> 00:35:38,160 Speaker 1: pod stores. They don't care if you're breaking the law. 652 00:35:38,640 --> 00:35:40,320 Speaker 1: They just want to make sure they get a cut. 653 00:35:40,440 --> 00:35:41,520 Speaker 1: That's what this is all about. 654 00:35:41,719 --> 00:35:43,680 Speaker 12: We couldn't even get the city attorney to do that 655 00:35:44,120 --> 00:35:45,360 Speaker 12: in a consistent manner. 656 00:35:45,760 --> 00:35:49,279 Speaker 1: Why wouldn't the former or current city attorney go after 657 00:35:49,360 --> 00:35:53,719 Speaker 1: the landlords that are harboring illegal businesses because we obviously 658 00:35:53,760 --> 00:35:54,560 Speaker 1: make money on it. 659 00:35:54,840 --> 00:35:57,879 Speaker 12: So I say all this to you, and I appreciate 660 00:35:58,000 --> 00:36:00,319 Speaker 12: your efforts to try and figure this out. When you're 661 00:36:00,360 --> 00:36:02,880 Speaker 12: talking about, for example, well, of course, for the safety 662 00:36:02,880 --> 00:36:06,520 Speaker 12: of your staff, because we know the circumstances with encoursing 663 00:36:06,560 --> 00:36:10,880 Speaker 12: on an illegal cannabis operation. It's why we have vice 664 00:36:11,000 --> 00:36:14,600 Speaker 12: and everybody going out helping to shut down the illegal operators. 665 00:36:15,040 --> 00:36:17,879 Speaker 12: If all we're going to do is now send your 666 00:36:17,920 --> 00:36:22,840 Speaker 12: staff out staffed with LAPD officers because of the safety concerns, 667 00:36:23,200 --> 00:36:27,279 Speaker 12: we still haven't really cured the symptom here and the 668 00:36:27,320 --> 00:36:29,400 Speaker 12: problem we haven't gotten to the root of the problem. 669 00:36:29,640 --> 00:36:32,560 Speaker 12: And the root of the problem is what's undercutting our 670 00:36:32,600 --> 00:36:38,719 Speaker 12: ability to maximize the legitimate operators from fully honoring their 671 00:36:38,800 --> 00:36:41,720 Speaker 12: tax is the fact that they're competing against the illegal 672 00:36:41,719 --> 00:36:43,759 Speaker 12: operators that are allowed to flourish. 673 00:36:44,239 --> 00:36:47,319 Speaker 1: Yes, and one of the reasons for that is we 674 00:36:47,440 --> 00:36:52,919 Speaker 1: charge way too much in taxes. We got greedy from 675 00:36:53,080 --> 00:36:57,359 Speaker 1: day one on this and so. And also, if you're 676 00:36:57,400 --> 00:37:00,120 Speaker 1: going to tax and regulate it, you have to a 677 00:37:00,360 --> 00:37:02,680 Speaker 1: fair market, and we're not doing that. 678 00:37:03,719 --> 00:37:05,560 Speaker 3: You know, think of all the taxes and. 679 00:37:05,520 --> 00:37:07,640 Speaker 1: Fees you have to get to get a liquor license, 680 00:37:08,080 --> 00:37:12,040 Speaker 1: and in some cities it is a nightmare to do that. Imagine, 681 00:37:12,160 --> 00:37:14,560 Speaker 1: you know, you've got to price out your tequila and 682 00:37:14,600 --> 00:37:18,120 Speaker 1: your wine whatever, based on all the fees and everything 683 00:37:18,160 --> 00:37:19,960 Speaker 1: else that you pay and the rest of your overhead. 684 00:37:20,440 --> 00:37:24,160 Speaker 1: Now imagine, because this is La and everything's legal. I 685 00:37:24,280 --> 00:37:27,600 Speaker 1: set up a little cart outside of the nice tequila 686 00:37:27,640 --> 00:37:31,320 Speaker 1: bar Daisy in Sherman Oaks, and I just bring out 687 00:37:31,360 --> 00:37:34,400 Speaker 1: a big old bottle of tequila and I start pouring. 688 00:37:34,920 --> 00:37:37,160 Speaker 1: I only paid thirty dollars for this bottle, and I'm 689 00:37:37,200 --> 00:37:40,600 Speaker 1: before five dollars a shot. I'm gonna make so much money. 690 00:37:40,800 --> 00:37:44,080 Speaker 1: Apparently the city of LA can't do anything about that. 691 00:37:44,280 --> 00:37:46,359 Speaker 1: If you take that to what pot is doing, that's 692 00:37:46,400 --> 00:37:48,320 Speaker 1: what's going on here, and it makes no sense. 693 00:37:48,680 --> 00:37:53,160 Speaker 12: And so I appreciate. Listen, we're all everyone's trying to 694 00:37:53,680 --> 00:37:56,000 Speaker 12: look between the couch cushions and figure out what we 695 00:37:56,040 --> 00:38:00,520 Speaker 12: can do to increase revenue. I got it. We all 696 00:38:00,960 --> 00:38:05,839 Speaker 12: often we also have to have the conversation about how 697 00:38:05,880 --> 00:38:07,960 Speaker 12: do we rain things in? 698 00:38:08,440 --> 00:38:09,720 Speaker 3: Oh, we don't do that, Monica. 699 00:38:10,320 --> 00:38:12,920 Speaker 1: This is the city of LA The last thing we're 700 00:38:12,960 --> 00:38:16,040 Speaker 1: going to do is figure out how to cut the budget. 701 00:38:16,040 --> 00:38:19,200 Speaker 1: We're gonna find ways to increase revenue, even though some 702 00:38:19,280 --> 00:38:21,440 Speaker 1: of those ways are a waste of time like this 703 00:38:21,960 --> 00:38:25,240 Speaker 1: or short sighted, like jacking up the hotel tax, driving 704 00:38:25,280 --> 00:38:28,560 Speaker 1: even more tourists outside of the city of Los Angeles. 705 00:38:28,600 --> 00:38:31,120 Speaker 3: But here we are, there you go. 706 00:38:31,440 --> 00:38:33,440 Speaker 1: Do you feel like your tax dollars were hard at 707 00:38:33,440 --> 00:38:36,240 Speaker 1: work today? They all make two hundred and twenty thousand 708 00:38:36,280 --> 00:38:39,640 Speaker 1: dollars a year. Thanks for listening, everybody, It's the News 709 00:38:39,640 --> 00:38:42,560 Speaker 1: Splits with Randy Wang on KABC