With Los Angeles facing a $469 million budget deficit, Mayor Karen Bass made significant spending cuts in her proposed budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year.
Bass’ $12.8 billion proposal, released Monday, reduces spending on addressing homelessness by 26% compared to last year, according to City Controller Kenneth Mejia. The housing budget was also reduced by 31%.
The mayor’s signature Inside Safe program – which is facing a court-mandated audit amid concerns about its spending – will see its funding cut to $185 million, down from this year’s $250 million.
City Administrative Officer Matt Szabo blamed the city’s budget deficit on $289 million in unexpected spending, along with “downward pressure” on sales tax and property tax revenue. The city is also planning to eliminate nearly 2,000 vacant positions to help balance the budget.
One department that isn’t seeing its funding slashed: the LAPD, which will receive an extra $138 million compared to the current fiscal year. Bass’ goal is to increase the department’s ranks to 9,084 sworn officers – backtracking from last year’s stated goal of reaching 9,504 officers.
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A factor in the city’s current budget deficit is last year’s labor deal with the police union, which included hiring bonuses and 20% raises for sworn officers. The deal will cost the city nearly $1 billion over the life of the contract, according to Szabo.
Despite the pay bump – which was aimed at boosting recruitment – the LAPD’s ranks continue to dwindle. As of April 10, the department was down to 8,888 sworn officers.
“We gave raises to officers, we gave raises to city employees. Now we have a big deficit and we'll have to figure out how to close it,” Bass told KNX News during last week’s public safety town hall.
The City Council Budget Committee will begin reviewing the mayor’s proposed budget on April 30. The city’s final budget needs to be in place no later than July 1.
City News Service contributed to this report.
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