In many cases, event sponsors are supposed to reimburse the city for those wages.
But the city of Los Angeles failed to collect $1.8 million in 2013-14 because poor bookkeeping made it impossible to track how much money had been spent and how much was owed, according to an audit released Wednesday by City Controller Ron Galperin.
Among the unpaid bills the city has identified and sent to a collection agency are charges for the Academy Awards, auditors found.