In a state that is bankrupt and cutting costs across the board the City of  Los Angeles tomorrow will be forced to pay costs that could exceed two million dollars due to the Jackson Memorial at Staples Center.  Though it is a private event on private property the cost on public streets to handle the overflow crowd and the traffic will quickly mount up.

From police to fire departments, to medical and sanitation cost this memorial service will cost the taxpayers of Los Angeles big bucks.  Those are bucks that could be much better spent elsewhere.  As a former Angelino I would be outraged to learn that money that could go to schools, health care for the poor or meals for the hungry is being spent on yet another ego trip for a dead celebrity.  For the owners of the Staples Center it is certainly going to be hype for unreleased Jackson songs and videos and I am willing to bet that film footage of the memorial will be in a movie at some later date that they profit from.

So you, the unfortunate millions paying taxes in L.A., will be forced to pay the bill so a big company and the Jackson estate can make big profits.  Enough is enough.  Either the Jackson family or the Staples Center should be required to pay the cost to the city for this event.  Short of that, a portion of the videos, songs and movie rights should be slotted to the city so they can recoup the cost at a later date.

Though he was famous, his fans are not entitled to have a party at the expense of the majority of hard working people who don’t give one whit about  his memorial service.