Livingston tow truck bill stalls in divided council

Of all the City Councils that Livingston Police Chief Bill Eldridge has worked with, he said the current one is the most dysfunctional.

He gets along with each of the five members, but told me that he's never seen a group so divided by politics.

"I feel like we're not going forward," he said Monday. "It just creates so much of a demise for the city."

The latest frustration for the chief is an ordinance he hoped to have the council approve that would let tow trucks be parked in residential neighborhoods. I missed the spirited debate earlier this month because the meeting was running late and I had to file a story for the next day's Sun-Star. However, I read the meeting minutes, which showed it to be rather contentious.

The snag in the ordinance came because Councilman Rodrigo Espinoza runs a tow truck business and has been parking his rig in front of his home for some time. Some of his neighbors don't like that, to put it gently. Some of his critics pointed out that he has been breaking the law by where he parks. The ordinance clearly, they say, smacks of favoritism.

Because of the conflict, he stepped outside during the discussion and didn't vote on the matter.

Eldridge, who puts politics aside, drafted an ordinance that would let Espinoza -- and any other tow truck operators -- keep their rigs in residential areas. It's in the name of public safety, he said, because police officers need cars moved quickly at times and don't have time to wait for someone to get a tow truck from across town.

Mayor Gurpal Samra and Councilman Bill Ingram said this shouldn't be political issue. Even some of Espinoza's critics urged the council to get beyond politics and pass the ordinance.

Councilmen Roy Soria and Frank Vierra didn't see it that way. Soria said the move could be seen as unethical.

The vote was 2-2 with one member standing outside. That's government inaction.