Los Angeles holds farewell ceremony for its last private business after Raman victory
Hours after Nithya Raman unseated incumbent Karen Bass, City Hall gave the departing firm a gold watch, a three-piece band and three closed blocks.
The gold watch was engraved by Saturday morning. The three-piece band was booked the night before. By the time Nithya Raman's victory over Mayor Karen Bass was confirmed, Los Angeles had already scheduled a farewell ceremony for its last privately owned business.
City workers closed three blocks of Spring Street for the send-off. The honoree, a payroll-services firm with a staff of three, left for Reno at dawn to beat the traffic and the forthcoming solidarity surcharge.
Guests received certificates of appreciation printed on recycled cardstock. An honor guard folded the firm's parking-validation stamp and presented it to the owner in silence. He accepted it, then handed back his key to the city, which officials said would be melted down for bike-share parts.
"We thank them for their years of involuntary contributions," a spokeswoman for the mayor-elect said. "Their seat at the chamber of commerce will be offered to a composting collective."
Attendance exceeded projections, with all three of the city's remaining individual taxpayers present. Proceedings ended ahead of schedule when the band announced its own relocation to Scottsdale.
