Garcetti on film credits, bicycling and Donald Sterling
As you’ve probably heard, film and TV production is leaving California, to the alarm of Hollywood and local lawmakers. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and the mayors of several other…
By Avishay Artsy • • 1 min readLA Mayor Eric Garcetti rides his bike to work on Monday.
As you’ve probably heard, film and TV production is leaving California, to the alarm of Hollywood and local lawmakers.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and the mayors of several other big California cities sent a letter today to legislative leaders in Sacramento, calling on them to pass an extension of the state’s film and TV tax credit program.
“I’ve watched, as an Angeleno, while we see filming leave California. It doesn’t just mean money’s leaving California, it doesn’t just mean prestige is leaving California, but jobs,” Garcetti said.
Garcetti spoke with KCRW’s Steve Chiotakis about tax credits.
They also discussed bicycle safety in Los Angeles. Garcetti rode his bike to work on Monday as part of Bike Week LA, and says he’s working to promote bicycling in LA through the addition of bike lanes and educational campaigns. The city has seen a small increase in bike ridership, but overall it’s just one percent of commuters.
“It is still way too dangerous,” Garcetti said. “I want to make this a convenient way to commute and run errands in Los Angeles too.”
Garcetti also discussed the fate of the LA Clippers after owner Donald Sterling’s ouster from the NBA. In an interview with CNN, Sterling apologized – but also criticized basketball icon Magic Johnson for contracting HIV.
“I think we need to see new ownership,” Garcetti said. “Any team that bears my city’s name on its jerseys deserves better backing than the Sterling family.”