The Los Angeles City Council Tuesday instructed the Department of Tourism to waive participation fees for restaurants in the Dine LA program.
In a unanimous vote, the council approved a motion introduced by council members Monica Rodriguez and Katy Yaroslavsky on Oct. 7.
“I want to just emphasize how important it is that we continue to uplift, promote and support the food scene that truly defines Los Angeles,” Councilwoman Ysabel Jurado said.
Jurado said her office compiled a list earlier this year of participating restaurants in her 14th Council District, encompassing downtown and northeast Los Angeles neighborhoods.
“We were surprised when we learned that there was only one restaurant in Boyle Heights, one restaurant in Little Tokyo and one restaurant in El Serano,” Jurado said.
She described the neighborhoods as being well known for their food, and beloved by Angelenos and local food critics.
“But participation fees can be a real barrier for small, family-owned and independently operated restaurants. The very ones that make Los Angeles unique and the ones that have been deeply impacted by the (illegal immigration enforcement) raids,” Jurado said. “If they can’t afford to take part, we lose part of what makes our city special.”
Rodriguez called Los Angeles a “food capital.” But she warned that many restaurants are being impacted by a difficult economy and other complications.
“We’re watching restaurant closures. But this is a reminder not just to LA Tourism, but to every city department and agency that is involved in helping to advance the success of small businesses in the city of Los Angeles,” Rodriguez said. “Get out of the way, and let’s make business more accessible for people to operate here in Los Angeles.”
The Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board, a private non-profit business association, created Dine LA in 2008 to highlight restaurants across the city. The bi-annual program occurs for a two-week period, promoting restaurants from Sylmar to San Pedro.
Los Angeles contracts with the board as its official tourism marketing organization. The board reports directly to the City Tourism Department, and receives funding from several sources such as the city’s hotel tax.
In the summer, Dine LA featured 480 restaurants across 88 neighborhoods, representing 33 varieties of global cuisine and 80 new participants.
Dining and Cooking