Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Wednesday

What does the City of LA do to one up screwing businesses in Los Angeles with onerous taxes? Try to tax businesses OUTSIDE the City of LA as well. LA thinks it has the rights to tax businesses outside the City Limits if it thinks the business is somehow doing business within LA, however they figure it. Its such an outrage that usual polar political opposites Supervisors Mike Antonovich and Gloria Molina have banded together to bring the full brunt of LA County goverment to bear on Antonioville. Stay tuned.

Remember Nanny Jan Perry's goofy ban on fast food restaurants in low income areas of her Council District? The prestigous think tank Rand Institute has found that the ban won't work and that even the premise behind it is faulty. Perry tried to make the case that South LA was overrun with Popeye's Chicken, Mickey Ds and Taco Bells. Rand's figures show the per capita distribution of restaurants in South Central is actually lower than other parts of the city. Both Rand and nutritional experts who don't have a dog in the fight say that rather than a ban, the best way to fight obesity is to provide people with education and let them make their own choice. Imagine that?

The Los Angeles Fire Department is highlighting National Fire Prevention Week and is urging residents to educate themselves and stay fire safe. The Department's excellent blog notes that "Each year approximately 3,000 Americans die as a result of home fires and burns, and more than 200,000 are seen in our nation’s emergency rooms for burn injuries." The blog has many tips you should read and memorize to keep your family and home safe from unnecessary blazes.