Week in review

Council members had mixed views on plans submitted jointly by the two massive shopping centers, with some questioning the motives behind the signs and others contending that the ads could be a part of the city’s long-term vision and evolution into a growing commercial center.

But allowing the ads could also create a double standard in the city and create problems with regulating content, even if they limited the advertisements to promoting items sold only within the vast shopping centers, city planners said.

Representatives for the Glendale Galleria and Americana owner Caruso Affiliated said the proposed signs, which may be placed on walls facing Brand Boulevard, Colorado Street, Central Avenue and Broadway, were an effort to bring more business to their tenants.

Councilman Dave Weaver dismissed that claim, arguing that the sole basis for installing the signs would be to generate revenue from ad sales for the two malls, which could amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars annually for each permitted advertising space, city officials said.

Both the Americana and Galleria are well known in the Los Angeles area and draw a range of visitors, Weaver said.

Although the stated intent was to attract customers by advertising only items sold within the properties, Councilwoman Laura Friedman questioned whether the malls would have had problems if they had been structured differently.

Councilmen Ara Najarian and John Drayman suggested a “sunset clause” that would allow the zoning concessions to expire after 18 to 24 months, with the council having an opportunity to review its decision at that point.

EDUCATION

An additional tax that could steer Glendale and Burbank school districts away from a looming funding cliff has piqued the interest of administrators, especially with the latest warning coming down from Sacramento.

A parcel tax, which recently won in Culver City and failed in Long Beach, could preserve teaching jobs, class sizes, and arts and athletic programs that might otherwise face additional cuts as state financing fails to meet budget projections.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger predicted Tuesday that there would be additional cuts in education and other funding as the state continues to grapple with a budget gap between $5 billion and $7 billion.