L.A. vs. San Diego: trimming the budget fat
While Eric’s twittering today’s City Council budget hearing, perhaps you’ll want to read about the deficit L.A.’s facing: $110 million. According to the L.A. Times, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is calling for 3 percent across-the-board cuts from all city departments (except for public safety, which is expected to cut 1 percent). Unlike San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders, who wanted a quick vote from the City Council on his proposed budget cuts, Villaraigosa’s set a Dec. 31 deadline. And while L.A. doesn’t have the same city pension-fund problems that San Diego faces, it has its own problems, according to the Times:
Further complicating the city’s finances are efforts to settle scores of lawsuits that were filed over the Los Angeles Police Department’s treatment of protesters and journalists at a May 1, 2007, immigrant rights rally. One group of settlements, reviewed by the council this week, is expected to cost nearly $13 million
Then there is the ongoing debate over a $42-million elephant exhibit at the Los Angeles Zoo. Animal-rights advocates have urged the council to halt work on the exhibit, even though $12 million has already been spent on the facility.
Yep. Pensions for us, elephant exhibits for L.A. What are some of the things L.A.’s looking at cutting to save money?
* $1.45 million from the library budget, though that could be offset if the library system can sell off some surplus property.
* $1 million-worth of school crossing guards
* Cuts to the program to install more left-turn signals throughout the city
* 53 older police cars won’t be replaced
* Cuts to funding for the planned “golden monkey exhibit” at the L.A. zoo
* People attending to business at L.A.’s City Hall would no longer get their parking validated
* $800,000 from the city’s tree-trimming program
* Eliminating paddle boats in MacArthur Park
The city of San Diego doesn’t spend a penny on the zoo—a property tax covers that (about $9 million, I believe). So, no cutting into the golden monkey exhibit for us, though there’s talk about charging for parking at the zoo. Nor do we have any sort of city-run paddle-boat program (at least not that I’m aware of). San Diego’s budget is like a woman unadorned, whereas L.A.’s got those dangly hoop earrings, a handbag and cocktail ring to remove before the clothes come off.
