Taqueros Push Back ~ Los Angeles
The battle for Los Angeles’ Taco Truck providers heated up on Tuesday night as several taco truck operators stormed the council floor in order to bring a real debate to the staid chamber. According to the Pasadena Star News‘ intrepid city reporter Alison Hewitt:
A county ordinance targeting food vending trucks took some heat Tuesday when a couple dozen truck owners and their lawyer came to the Board of Supervisors meeting to oppose it.
The supervisors had given the ordinance tentative approval last week. But after the vendors’ protested Tuesday, the supervisors put off a final vote, which now could take place next week.
One vender vowed to sue the county unless changes are made to the proposed ordinance.
Specifically, the vendors oppose a 60-minute time limit on parking at one location, even though current county law prohibits such trucks from staying for more than 30 minutes in one spot. The vendors said 60 minutes is still not long enough.
Even worse, they said, was a provision that makes it a misdemeanor to park beyond the time limit. Now, county law calls only for citations for lagging lunch trucks.
The group’s attorney charged that the ordinance, as written, would not hold up in court.
County supervisors arranged an impromptu information session for the apprehensive truck owners, but their lawyer was barred from the session.
(11 tacos)
Lucy wrote:
I am an owner of a taco restaurant. Started 20 years ago with a catering truck myself. After complaints of local restaurants, doing everything they could to take me out of business, because i was killing their business, they succeeded and i was forced to shut down. I then opened a restaurant shortly thereafter. Have been very successful, and now i understand why the local business owners (restaurants) were in my case! I as a restaurant owner, have taco trucks all around me! They don’t pay workers compensation insurance, business insurance, sales tax, rent, utility bills, dealing with health department and other regulatory departments etc.. And they sale their food at the same price as i do! It’s very unfair! I believe that if they had the same monetary obligations, it would be fair game, but they don’t! I say that having have been on both sides of the coin! I SAY NO TO TACO TRUCKS!
Posted on 23-Apr-08 at 3:49 pm | Permalink
Desiree wrote:
Hi, My name is Desiree. I dont know about everyone else, but, tacos are my favorite food. I live in delaware, I hope some day the taco trucks travel down here. SAVE THE TACO TRUCKS!!!!
Posted on 05-May-08 at 10:34 am | Permalink
triphow.com » Join the LA Taco Truck Revolution wrote:
[…] LA county officials recently passed a law banning taco trucks from parking in the same spot for more than one hour. While LA county already has a law against parking taco trucks in the same spot for more than 30 minutes, with citations for violators. Photo credit - LATaco.com […]
Posted on 05-May-08 at 11:16 pm | Permalink
L.A. Adds Taco Trucks to War against Street Food | inuyaki | a food blog wrote:
[…] Picture from lataco.com […]
Posted on 06-May-08 at 10:50 am | Permalink