You Will Be Fined For Playing Ball On A Los Angeles County Beach

The Second Essential Scary Truth

Regardless of the faux joy presented by the stock market and various media types, the Great Recession is still on and chugging along at an impressive clip.  Example: Los Angeles where even the best of spin can’t hide the rotten budget shortfalls.

(From 89.3 KCCC)

Los Angeles County’s chief executive said Monday the county faces a $220 million budget shortfall in the coming fiscal year, as lower tax revenues continue to strain local government coffers.

L.A. County Chief Executive Officer Bill Fujioka sought to put an optimistic spin on the projected deficit for the fiscal year that starts July 1. “The county today is presenting a proposed balanced budget, without a critical reduction in services,” he said. “We’re also avoiding any major layoffs.”

Fujioka proposes to close the gap by cutting $35 million in spending – mostly through “efficiencies.” He also proposes a range of other measures that include restructuring financing for capital projects.

“It’s not a hunky-dory budget. We are not in great shape,” L.A. County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky said. Yaroslavsky noted several big assumptions in the $23 billion spending plan that his board needs to approve.

“$419 million in shortfall is assumed to be covered by revenues to be identified later,” he said. “This is like a major league baseball trade – a player to be named later.”

Thus the question remains, where will the money come from to keep LA County afloat?  Today, Los Angelinos got their answer via the local CBS affiliate.

When you head down to the beach for a little fun this summer, county officials want you to leave the pigskin at home.

The Board of Supervisors this week agreed to raise fines to up to $1,000 for anyone who throws a football or a Frisbee on any beach in Los Angeles County.

In passing the 37-page ordinance on Tuesday, officials sought to outline responsibilities for law enforcement and other public agencies while also providing clarification on beach-goer activities that could potentially disrupt or even injure the public.

The updated rules now prohibit “any person to cast, toss, throw, kick or roll” any object other than a beach ball or volleyball “upon or over any beach” between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Exceptions allow for ball-throwing in predesignated areas, when a person obtains a permit, or playing water polo “in or over the Pacific Ocean”.

However, during the winter off-season, the new rules will be relaxed.

Officials warned that any activities that could potentially “any person or property on or near the beach” should not be allowed during the peak summer season.

Your kids could also end up costing you big bucks: the ordinance also prohibits digging any hole deeper than 18 inches into the sand except where permission is granted for film and TV production services only.

In short: Los Angeles County is $220 million in the red.  The politicians have no idea how to raise the money so they decided to make playing ball on the local beaches a finable offense.  They won’t enforce the existing health laws more stringently in county restaurants nor will they be utterly by the book on parking issues or plan an all out commercial blitz to get more tourist dollars.  No.  They are going to fine folks for throwing a football or baseball on the beach.

See, this is why I don’t do drugs anymore.

(Hat Tip: Chris Millar)