Alhambra, Torrance May Join Rose Parade Dropouts
LOS ANGELES (CBS) — At least five Southland cities facing tight budgets could be making a New Year's resolution in 2012 to opt out of the Rose Parade.
The city of Glendale, which is facing an $18 million gap, has already decided to scale back efforts to contribute a float to the parade, which costs taxpayers an estimated $130,000 in entry and construction costs.
KNX 1070's Pete Demetriou reports some locals are cheering the decision.
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"We got to save money where we can, and if it's going to save some jobs and keep people working, then I think that's where the money ought to be," said resident Greg Gio.
"I think we should cut back on anything that's unnecessary and not critical to the function of the city," said another man.
Glendale is the latest city to rethink its involvement in the annual parade: the cities of Alhambra and Torrance are also considering dumping the flowers and the floats over cash shortages.
Burbank has already cut its funding by 10 percent, while West Covina has already announced they won't enter a float.
West Covina assistant city manager Chris Freeland told KNX 1070 that since 2004, the city shifted responsibility for the mounting costs of participating in the parade to a nonprofit organization.
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"If it wasn't for the good graces of our past donors, we probably would've been out of the parade a few years ago," said Freeland.
Freeland added that the responsibility for raising funds should be fall squarely on the community and private donors.
