Street Vendors

Congratulations to City Councilman Michael Woo and to Dora Alicia Alarcon for their efforts to liberalize the laws governing street vending (“Sidewalk Enterprise,” Platform, Commentary, Jan. 7). I hope they succeed.

Despite its Spanish heritage, Los Angeles is the only city in the U.S. that totally bans street vending. The street vendors, many of them refugees from repressive regimes in Latin America, are trying to earn an honest living, yet they have been constantly thwarted by this unfair ordinance.

Even those who have purchased food vending carts in compliance with Health Department regulations, have been detained, fined and had their goods and money confiscated.

With all the real crime in our city, the police have better things to do than to arrest these people, who want nothing more than to support their families without harassment.

JEAN KOCH

Los Angeles