L.A. Mayor Announces City Will Foot Bill for Jackson Funeral

The ongoing debate about who should be responsible for the costs associated with the late Michael Jackson’s memorial service took another turn yesterday. Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa tried diffusing the situation by announcing definitively that his city would cover the $1.4 million cost of police, traffic control workers and related services that were necessary for the smooth functioning of the memorial. Villaraigosa went so far as to deride a website that has been set up to request donations to defray the costs. Said the L.A. mayor, "This is a world-class city, and we provide fire and police protection, period.

The idea that we would charge the family for a funeral is nonsensical." The comments are at least somewhat interesting, as the funerals and memorial services for just about everyone else in the country are covered by...the family. And, in most instances, the hypothetical family in question for "Joe America’s" funeral is much less capable of covering the financial burdens of a memorial service than the uber-wealthy, compound-living-in, Rolls Royce-owning Jackson family. But we digress.

Ignoring the mayor, the Los Angeles City Council will continue to discuss the issue, and there is discussion that Villaraigosa’s most recent comments offer a stark contrast to earlier quotes attributed to him, to wit: "Michael Jackson’s music touched millions of fans across the globe. Donations will help the City of Angels provide the extraordinary public safety resources required to give Michael the safe, orderly and respectful memorial he deserves." The only thing that is certain is in death, as in life, Michael Jackson has people talking.