Krekorian Talks Entertainment Production, His L.A. Roles and the Budget

Saying he's never seen "such a wholesale" change at City Hall when Mayor Eric Garcetti and a new crop of city leaders took over in July, District 2 Los Angeles City Councilman Paul Krekorian addressed several infrastructure projects and local issues to the Studio City Neighborhood Council Oct. 16.

"The timing is good," he said, pointing to sitting at the head the Budget Committee. "We've had five really bad years. Now the economy seems to be rebounding. We've had jobs growth the last three consecutive years...good signs for this part of San Fernando Valley. And our revenues are starting to go up."

Krekorian said Los Angeles had a $3 billion project deficit in a $4 billion general budget three years ago.

"With the work we've done - reducing the size of the work force, pension reforms, cost reductions, re-negotiations with labor unions and other things, we've reduced it down to $100 million for this fiscal year, which is manageable but not on the precipice," he said. "As budget chair, I've been able to increase our reserves to the highest level they've been in more than a decade."

With lower interest rates to go to bond and a boost to L.A.'s credit worthiness, it's good progress but the job is not done, Krekorian added.

Garcetti's appointed Krekorian to serve on the Metro Board of Directors and will be providing oversight to the Studio City Redline station and all other transportation impacts and needs for the district.

"And investing in infrastructure here so we're not always last after the Westside and far flung areas of the county, so hopefully this will start to change that," he said.

Krekorian also plugged the recently launched San Fernando Valley Council of Governments, of which he is chairman.

City Council waives fees for television pilots

Krekorian said he introduced the motion with Mayor Garcetti for the recently approved ordinance to waive than $400 in fees normally charged for television pilots shot in Los Angeles. As highlighted in Variety on Garcetti's concern for movie and television production fleeing L.A. and needing to hire Film Czar Thom Sherek, Krekorian said the ordinance will help keep entertainment jobs in the city.

"It's still an ongoing battle because of incentives offered by New York, Louisiana and elsewhere," Krekorian said. "In Sacramento, we need to renew that incentive and expand it, and also continue locally to encourage more production to stay here."

With it being less costly to film a pilot locally, Krekorian added the hope is it gets picked up and made into series and continue growing that economic activity.

"Producers waiving these fees in the big scheme of things doesn't even compare to the incentive," he said. "The production of the pilot itself justifies doing that."

Sherek is focusing on making progress in Sacramento, and Krekorian said he's independently focusing organizing around the issue locally in the entertainment industry to act, as well as how to make it easier to film in L.A., and Studio City is at an epicenter for much of the city's production.
 
Several members of the neighborhood council made Krekorian aware of some location shoots in Studio City that are affecting the quality of life for residents nearby, such as the blocking of driveways and public parking.

Krekorian said FilmLA is supposed to be monitoring those issues and be more aggressive.

"They should be spreading it around equally," he said.