Some Cities Can't Afford To Pay For Rose Parade Floats
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Officials in some Southern California cities are wondering whether tight budgets mean they can't afford to contribute money for floats in the Rose Parade.
The Los Angeles Times says Glendale's City Council on Monday asked city staff to create an account where residents could donate to the city's float, but most members said they wouldn't commit $130,000 from the general fund to the project.
The city, which is facing a $18 million budget gap, has entered floats in the parade for the past 98 years.
West Covina's city manager, Chris Freeland, says city officials couldn't justify spending money on a float if it might mean cutting a police officer.
In Burbank, parks officials proposed eliminating the $67,500 float funding but city council members chose to cut the contribution by 10 percent instead.
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