Sunset Junction denied permit

In the face of unpaid fees totaling more than $400,000, the Los Angeles City Board of Public Works voted Monday to deny a permit for the Sunset Junction Street Fair, scheduled for next weekend. Despite testimony from local acts and other supporters, the board voted 3-1 to bar the event, with member Valerie Lynn Shaw the lone dissenter. Members could reconsider their vote on Wednesday. However, fest organizers would have to see a swift financial windfall for the event to come off, since organizer Michael McKinley and attorney Jerry Neuman both told the board that Sunset Junction had only $50,000 on hand. The Aug. 27-28 lineup for Sunset Junction, which has been mounted in Silver Lake for three decades, included the Butthole Surfers, Bobby Womack, Hanson, the Melvins and Lil Jon. More than 90 acts were booked on six stages. At issue were nearly $267,000 in unpaid fees from last year's fair plus an additional $142,000 levied for this year. Money goes to pay for city and police services tied to the sprawling festival, which closes several blocks of Sunset Boulevard. City ordinances mandate that fees be paid prior to the issuance of the required permit. Neuman contended at the board hearing that the fees levied upon Sunset Junction were "unreasonable," and McKinley and Neuman offered to try to come up with the $92,000 shortfall in this year's fees by this Wednesday if a permit were granted. "I'm asking please to find a reasonable way for the event to move forward," Neuman said. However, the majority of the board members were unmoved by Neuman's plea, and noted that to date the city has not received a penny of the '10 or '11 fees. Debate counterpoised the obvious benefits to community services supported by the fair and local businesses vs. the budgetary demands of a municipality facing a serious fiscal crunch. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com