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East LA Taco Trucks are Staying Put
A taco truck, not in East LA, but Echo Park | Photo by Zach Behrens/LAist
There are over 4,000 taco trucks in Los Angeles County and those that do business in the unincorporated part of East Los Angeles are engaged in a "little war," according to Gloria Molina in the LA Times.
Citing "unfair competition," restaurants say the mobile dining options are forcing their businesses to close early and lose a customer base due to the truck's cheaper prices and accessibility. Currently, the law lets trucks sit for a half hour before moving to another location. If violated, the fine is $60 -- and that's if police have the time to take action and if the taco truck cares or just considers it a cost of doing business (it's pretty cheap rent if you think about it).
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Yesterday, the LA County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a law that changes the idle sitting time to a whole hour, but also increases the fine to $1000 and/or jail time. Essentially, parking over the time limit is a misdemeanor for some. The law covers all unincorporated parts of the county, not just East LA where the issue was brought forth from. Taco trucks say they ain't budging.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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