May 15, 2008

umamichatter: The Great LA Taco Truck Debate

by Kayoko

Preface reading: yesterday’s sneak preview reader.

jim: yo

kayoko: ah, there you are!
jim: here i am
jim (2:44:04 PM): so the taco truck thing
kayoko: yes taco truck
kayoko: tell me a little about it???
kayoko: the only reason i know it’s going into effect tonight is cause of Tastespotting
jim: this happened about a month ago
kayoko: right i saw that
kayoko: and then there’s this petition going on online
jim: to be honest as much as i love the trucks i understand both sides
jim: its undermining the people who have brick and mortor shops
kayoko: i gotta say that’s pretty ridiculous
jim: not really
jim: if there was dude slinging cheap sushi from a truck outside of your dads joint im sure he wouldnt be happy
kayoko: but trucks or morter, it doesn’t really matter much
jim: sure it does
jim: people in brick and morter pay taxes that the trucks dont and the overhead is much more
kayoko: that’s a good point
jim: all in all i want the trucks to stay but i understand the beef
kayoko: i guess i sort of just think that they are going to put this ban on the trucks, but they are going to find another means of feeding people anyway
kayoko: i think these trucks are really innovative way of looking at the way we eat
kayoko: i don’t think that brick and mortar shops should feel so threatened by them
kayoko: it’s such a different ballgame
kayoko: i mean, it’s just a totally different experience, no?
jim: for the most part you are correct, however this law has gone into affect due to complaints from business owners in east LA where the majority of the surrounding restaurants are serving a VERY similar product to the trucks
jim: but can’t compete with them on pricing
jim: due to business taxes and other overhead issues
jim: in other areas id say you are right most people are trying to do mexican street food in this way that the trucks do it but in east LA its literally the same game
kayoko: right
kayoko: i see that
jim: i feel for both sides here
kayoko: i guess it just utterly depresses me cause this is such an AWESOME, historical thing, that is so UNIQUE to LA, you know?
jim: the truck owners probably cant afford to get into the stationary restaurant game and they need these trucks to support their families
kayoko: you just can’t find this sort of taco culture anywhere else in the states
kayoko: at least, i don’t think so
jim: not even fucking close

jim: however if these trucks are putting traditional restaurants out of business, is that cool?

kayoko: are they really going out of business though?
kayoko: really?
kayoko: i mean, are there any statistics on that?
jim: there are thousands of trucks here
kayoko: which is INCREDIBLE
kayoko: to shut those all down?
kayoko: i think it’s detrimental to the dining community, really
jim: they wont
jim : this is all bullshit
jim: nothing will change
kayoko: right
jim: its the city waving their stick
jim: “remember who is in charge”
kayoko: it’s just a point in which the government is being brought into it
jim: “dont fuck with us”
jim: the business association funds the city govt
jim: and when they are pissed the govt is forced to react
jim: i was always illegal for the trucks to park somewhere for more than an hour
jim: but it was only a $60 fine
kayoko: i mean, then why doesn’t the city then just make all the trucks pay some sort of annual tax or something?
jim: now its $1000 fine
jim: or set a radius
jim: all in all its a reason for white people to get mad about “injustice”
jim: cause somebody is messing with their favorite ethnic eats
jim: people are fucking idiots
kayoko: interesting point
kayoko: it goes both ways, doesn’t it
jim: correct
kayoko: but as an outsider, i do think that the LA taco truck scene is pretty phenomenal
kayoko: and unique
jim: its amazing
jim: have you seen the taco hunt blog?
kayoko: yeah i’ve been looking at that
jim: pretty ill
kayoko: ok so just for the sake of correct information
kayoko: tonight at midnight, this ordinance goes into effect, where the taco trucks will get fined $1000 if they are parked somewhere longer than an hour?
jim: The previous order by the County Board of Supervisors was to force taco trucks to move every hour or face a $60 fine. Most trucks paid it as the cost of doing business. Now the supervisors have upped that fine to as much as $1000 and possibly jail time.
kayoko: so ridic
kayoko: how are they going to fucking enforce that
jim: they wont
jim: kayoko
jim: this is all horseshit
jim: the govt had to “do something” because the restaurant lobby is very powerful in LA
jim: nothing will change
jim: immigrants with still be afforded the chance for upward mobility with these trucks
jim: and the restaurant owners will feel better because “something was done about the problem”
kayoko: so nothing is going to change, is it?
jim: smoking weed is “illegal”
kayoko: it’s all hype
kayoko: ha
kayoko: gotcha
jim: im a cynic
jim: so take it for what you want
jim: i guess im also hopeful, cause there is this fucking ill mariscos truck about 5 blocks from my pad
jim: and if it was gone id be bummed
kayoko: of course
kayoko: i think it would all be pretty devastating for a lot of people
jim: ill ceviche and shrimp tostadas
kayoko: ha! which is why people are up in arms about it though!
jim: right
jim: white kids like me who have these trucks come into their neighborhoods from the otherside of town are like “oh no! i hope my favorite shrimp taco isn’t ripped out of my hands!” but they dont ever see the face of the dude in east la with a stationary business who is hurting cause these fools are charging a dollar less for a taco cause they aren’t paying certain taxes
kayoko: i want to see those statistics though
kayoko: i think it’s more than just a white people thing, seriously
jim: stats are bullshit
jim: just use common sense
kayoko: but i mean, all of this is bullshit then
kayoko: i just don’t really buy it
kayoko: or at least not all of it
jim: if sushi kuni had truck parked out side called sushi larry and he sold the same set lunch for $3 less
jim: it would hurt business
jim: period
kayoko: right
kayoko: but then my dad would just have to think of something that the truck couldn’t offer
kayoko: he would have to up that
kayoko: it’s all about staying on top of the game
kayoko: it just seems like a copout to me that these businesses are scared of these trucks
kayoko: they need to use their ingenuity a little more, is how i see it
kayoko: i mean, they have an advantage too
kayoko: they are STATIONARY
jim: word, now that you got me thinking of tacos im going to go hit the truck
kayoko: they have a ROOF over their heads
kayoko: totally different eating experience
jim: i dont think new table cloths is gonna do the trick
kayoko: it’s not that
jim: i know
jim: i get it
jim: im being an asswipe
kayoko: no not at all
kayoko: but i think you’ve just always gotta think big
kayoko: esp in business
kayoko: everything is a competition
kayoko: you can’t let a TRUCK ruin your game!
kayoko: fucking please! such a fucking copout.
jim: word

*Jim is an old college friend, born and bred in LA. He is intensely serious about food- I knew that he would be the best person to talk about this issue with. Jim will be opening his own joint very soon (which you know I’ll be schilling about, big time).

Video of an East LA taco truck courtesy of Tmonkey.

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