Buddy, Can You Spare A Cop?

Driving home from work today, my wife asked me how Los Angeles was paying for all the police presence required for the Michael Jackson memorial today since California is in major, major trouble budget-wise. I told her I had no idea. Lo and behold! The answer for how LA is planning to pay for the $2 to $4 million cost of all the coverage:

They are begging for it. No, I mean they are literally begging:

Matt Szabo, spokesman for Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, said providing security at the event was the city’s “obligation” and its “No. 1 priority.”

But the city does need help, he said.

“Nothing could tarnish this event more than having a public safety disturbance of any kind,” he said. “We’re working to make sure that doesn’t happen. And we’re asking Michael Jackson fans to help contribute.”

Los Angeles faces a budget crisis and has amassed $530 million in debt. The state of California’s budget deficit has climbed to $24 billion.

“Even though we’re the entertainment capital of the world, we’re not immune to the recession,” Szabo said.

Maybe the police should strap little collection cans to their prowl cars? Or allow the cops  to panhandle?

This is what California is down to at this point. Begging to raise money. This is how badly spend and tax policies end.

This is the path our current Democrat-controlled Congress is heading the entire country down.