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MJ Memorial Donations -- Next to Nothing

Posted Jul 8th 2009 7:11PM by TMZ Staff

The city of Los Angeles has only received $17,000 of the $1.4 million it cost to put on Michael Jackson's memorial -- but it's not because MJ fans are cheap ... it's because of the complete failure of the official donation website.

MJ Memorial Donations -- Next to Nothing

The press release from Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa says, "The city's Information Technology Agency could not handle the high volume of traffic or adequately respond to receive contributions for several hours Tuesday afternoon ... for at least 12 consecutive hours Tuesday evening ... and periodically throughout Wednesday morning."

So Villaraigosa is begging MJ fans to go back to the website and cough up a donation -- but please, not all at once.


Inside the Memorial Photos

Tags: 1.4 million, 1.4Million, donations, los angeles, LosAngeles, memorial, michael jackson, MichaelJackson

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16. All that money they are going to make from his re-released albums should be enough

Posted at 7:41PM on Jul 8th 2009 by tracey

17. Yeah, TOO MANY people wanting to donate........Right, If that's the story Villar is sticking to, then I guess that's the one I'll pretend to believe :: whistles ::

Posted at 7:41PM on Jul 8th 2009 by Makesyawonder

18. why shlould taxpayesr have to fork out for this ?

Posted at 7:42PM on Jul 8th 2009 by HE WASNT BOARD CERTIFIEDjackso so called doctor

19. His estate with be worth billions and the Jackson's are not paying for the funeral? They are asking for donations? HOW PATHETIC!

Posted at 7:43PM on Jul 8th 2009 by jb

20. There will be money coming in to cover this... watch; with all the CD's and DVD's he's selling again...

Posted at 7:43PM on Jul 8th 2009 by .:Loki 4Ever:.

21. ALL THEY HAVE TO DO USE PUT A MOTION IN WITH THE COURTS TO HAVE IT PAID OUT OF THE ESTATE>>

Posted at 7:43PM on Jul 8th 2009 by susie

22. I have a STUPID QUESTION.. I don't ask many but here goes...
Why doesn't the Michael Jackson estate pay for the whole Show???

Posted at 7:44PM on Jul 8th 2009 by The Truth

23. Honestly... put all the Jackson kids together... I'm sure they could have covered the costs easily between them... why aren't they paying for it? They're the millionaires, not us.

Posted at 7:46PM on Jul 8th 2009 by Crystal

24. Surely the jackson family should pay for this...not the punters. Good grief, so if one of my family members kicked the bucket I would ask the City of Beverly hills to pay for it...come on.

Posted at 7:47PM on Jul 8th 2009 by Phill

25. Al Sharpton should have taken up a collection...or maybe he did and all of the money is going to the "Al's Gotta Eat Good Charity Fund".

Posted at 7:47PM on Jul 8th 2009 by Dflo

26. Please. The tabloids and so-called legitimate press stand to make MILLIONS from the comprehensive press coverage since Michael's untimely passing. Aside from additional income from hotels, restaurants etc., during the memorial and even before/after, no one needs to pay a cent to the city for the supposed cost of this memorial. The press basically killed him in the end - causing unnecessary stress and turmoil and the least we can do as tax-payers is cover this cost. The fact that our city/state budget is a mess is the politician's problem. That's why they were elected - to fix stuff like this and not ask for handouts from the public. Disgusting. But nothing surprises me anymore.

Posted at 7:49PM on Jul 8th 2009 by The Mayor of LA Can Suck It

27. This is a bunch of crap! The LA officials R shameful. What about all of the tourism dollars they raked in like hotels, restaurants, cabbies, museums, etc, etc.

Posted at 7:51PM on Jul 8th 2009 by ree

28. Why o why are they asking taxpayers to cough up some cash? Angeleno's have already been paying the taxes for these things. Public Safety is one that is provided to anyone and that was why it should not be paid for by any entity but the city. The city should be happy that revenues from the taxes that were charged to customers who ate at the restaurants, bought items and stayed at the hotels are at least doubled by this event. Mayor VillaraGROSSa should stop traveling and spending millions dating chicks and taking them out of town.

Posted at 7:56PM on Jul 8th 2009 by Jim Flax

29. I love how people are stating that this was all compensated by the hotels, etc. I guess those who are saying that didn't see what I saw or hear what I heard: people saying they were sleeping in their cars because they couldn't afford a hotel. And what about the businesses that closed down for two days for this, after a three day weekend? There were probably more people out of pay due to this than with pay due to this. More business revenue lost than gained due to this. Anyway, why doesn't LA pass an ordinance about this, so there is no future problems. You want it, that's fine, but you pay for it. Deposit first please.

Posted at 7:52PM on Jul 8th 2009 by skippyqsb

30. the city could easily make this money and so much more. there are thousands of actors that make well over 100k living in the city. they should be required to pay 100% tax on all income over 100k. just think of the improvements in health care, government housing, and education that could be done with all this money. hopefully, mr. obama will do everything within his powers to make this possible.

come join me, and mr. obama in our fight to rid the united states of its evil capitalistic ways.

Posted at 7:52PM on Jul 8th 2009 by team obama

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