Westminster City Council funding for Tet Parade

Westminster council OKs funding for Tet and Founder's Day parades
Council members approved up to $20,000 for each of the parades at their Wednesday night meeting.
By DEEPA BHARATH
The Orange County Register
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WESTMINSTER In one vote, City Council members voted to revive two parades that had died for lack of money and support.
The City Council Wednesday night voted 5-0 in favor of city sponsorship of the Tet Parade in February and the Founder's Day Parade in April. They approved a city contribution of up to $20,000 for each of the parades.
A group called the Vietnamese Heritage and Cultural Foundation of America based in Little Saigon and headed by Hung Nguyen, a South Vietnamese Army veteran, announced in November that it was going to bring back the Lunar New Year Parade on Bolsa Avenue after a four-year hiatus.
The council approved funding for the parade on condition that organizers submit a $20,000 cashier's check Feb. 8.
Marsh said he would not tolerate intimidation or political antics from organizers.
"We've had a history of parade organizers not submitting paperwork and money on time," he said. "It will not be tolerated this time."
The city would pay the $20,000 only after all the money raised by the parade organizers is spent.
Westminster Councilman Andy Quach and Garden Grove Councilwoman Dina Nguyen had agreed to help the parade committee through the entire process.
Mayor Margie Rice said she was approving money for the parade only because the founder's parade was included in the staff proposal.
"I think the Tet Parade is important," she said. "But the Founder's Parade is more important because it shows the history of our city as a whole."
Dina Nguyen, who spoke on behalf of the Tet Festival committee, said the parade would build on the unity and solidarity of the community.
"We don't have a parade in Vietnam," she said. "A parade is an American tradition and we are celebrating that."
Resident Darrell Nolta said he supports the parade but would not like to see it politicized.
"I would not want to see expressions of war in this parade, but of peace," he said.
The parade is planned for Feb. 9, the opening day of the annual Lunar New Year celebrations put on by the Union of Vietnamese Student Association in Garden Grove. The last Tet Parade took place in 2004 when it was run by now-Orange County Supervisor Janet Nguyen.
Hung Nguyen, who is organizing this year's parade, says he already has a list of eight floats and promises of some corporate sponsorship. He is also hosting a fundraiser Friday night at the Parasol restaurant in Westminster to benefit the parade.
Hung Nguyen said he has secured permits from the city for the parade.
"We are confident that we will be able to raise the money that's needed to bring back the Tet Parade to Westminster," he said.
Rice said she received two phone calls opposing the Tet Parade.
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