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As the City Council prepares to vote on laying off 1,000 employees in order to help save teh $208-million budget shortfall, Westside Councilmember Bill Rosendahl is unwilling to bend on one issue in particular: calligraphy, which is a $1 million affair at city hall. During Monday's budget hearing, he said "whatever we need to do to preserve it, I want to do." That's quite a shift from 2009 when he told the LA Weekly "if it comes down to fixing the pothole or giving out a certification, I’ll fix the pothole.”
City calligraphers make beautiful proclamations as handout to constituents from politicians, recognizing the work they do such as volunteering. “Some recipients [of the scrolls] have told me it’s one of the most meaningful recognitions they’ve ever received," Council President Eric Garcetti explained to the Weekly.
There is no doubt that proclamations help fuel community spirit, civic pride and the general improvement of the city, but in this financial crisis, Angelenos will be much more proud of their city if it's not bankrupt, if the streets work and police respond. Rosendahl and others who think calligraphy is a vital service need to get their act together.
