Pink slips, or "preliminary layoff notices" went out around the state yesterday. Local districts are are among those who sent off the most, but the Los Angeles Unified School District takes the cake: They sent out 11,700 notices, which is over half of the total sent state-wide. more ›

Advocates of art, adult, and early childhood instruction received some encouraging news today while the Los Angeles Unified School District board opted to delay the adoption of a controversial budget item that would wipe out three significant branches of education offered in the schools. more ›

Mid-year budget cuts are coming in the state of California, and with the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) set to lose out on $38 million, Superintendent John Deasy has announced today plans to sue the state. more ›

If a proposed tuition increase is approved by the California State University Board of Trustees, it would mean a sixth straight year of fees going up. The current increase is a proposed 9 percent, or $498 annually for full-time undergrads at the CSU's 23 campuses. more ›

Faculty at California State University's 23 campuses will be holding informal protests today to draw attention to the current "impasse" in an ongoing salary dispute and in the wake of executive pay raises. A strike by the faculty union has been called at two campuses for November 17. more ›

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has announced their soon-to-debut retooled Solar Incentive Program (SIP) to help get more local customers set up for solar power, and reaping the benefits. Late last year, the L.A. City Council asked the LADWP (voted one of the nation's 19 most-hated companies) to come up with a revised plan. more ›

In the face of a $408-million shortfall, the Los Angeles Board of Education approved its final budget on Thursday, "bridging a multimillion-dollar deficit in the state's largest school district with pay cuts and the layoffs of about 3,000 people, including some teachers, counselors and office workers," according to the LA Times. more ›

Gov. Jerry Brown approved the months-late state budget as passed by state legislators Wednesday night and signaling the beginning of various cuts on state programs and tax hikes for Californians. more ›

After being advised by police not to bring his guitar into a Costa Mesa City Council meeting, 69-year-old Terry Koken was left with no other option than to sing his troubles a capella. "The self-professed folk musician filled his three-minute public comment slot on June 21 with 'Pig Politics,' written by his brother about the corruption the political system breeds," according to the Orange County Register. more ›

Metrolink's 2011-12 budget has received final approval after "being adopted by all five of its member agencies," according to a news release. The budget, approved by RCTC, VCTC, SANBAG, OCTA and Metro, will provide for expanded safety enhancements, a new, onboard customer service initiative, 22 new trains (including four express), and no increase in base fares. more ›

Facing massive budget deficits, some Southern California cities are unable to raise the money necessary to represent with a float in the 2012 Rose Parade. more ›

After reviewing the budget passed last week by the California legislature, State Controller John Chiang found that it was unbalanced, and that legislators will therefore forfeit their pay and living expenses. In a statement, Chiang said that “My office’s careful review of the recently-passed budget found components that were miscalculated, miscounted or unfinished. The numbers simply did not add up, and the Legislature will forfeit their pay until a balanced budget is sent to the Governor.” more ›

The budget package passed Wednesday by Democratic legislators has been vetoed by Gov. Jerry Brown, sources say, according to the L.A. Times. more ›

Good news for beach-goers: You might not have to hold it! Yesterday, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors agreed to go back to a early morning-open schedule for seven of the 52 beach restrooms operated by the County, reports the L.A. Times. more ›

Despite opposition, Ramirez Canyon Park, the 22.5-acre Malibu ranch donated by (mega) Barbara Streisand in 1993 to the state of California, is on the list of properties that Gov. Jerry Brown wants to shop around. Streisand reportedly says she understands if the gifted land needs to be sold to help balance the budget and hopes the buyer will preserve its "special habitat," reports the Associated Press. more ›

Several dozen protests are being held statewide today to spotlight the perils of cuts made to funding for public education. Locally, such protests are taking place in Long Beach, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Valley Village, Van Nuys and elsewhere in Los Angeles, according to ABC7. more ›

The Los Angeles Zoo is struggling to meet its payroll, and with the current state of the city's budget, there isn't likely to be an influx of cash streaming in from the coffers any time soon. One solution on the table is to turn the Zoo over to a private operator who can afford to run the attraction, according to the Press-Telegram. more ›

As a cost-cutting measure, "the California Department of Parks and Recreation has come up with a list of 70 parks statewide that it will close by July 2012," reports KCET. Of the 70, just 13 are located south of San Luis Obispo, however of those 13, six represent half of our Desert State Parks. more ›

With California state revenue exceeding expectation, Gov. Jerry Brown wants to use to use an unexpected $6.6 billion "to boost education spending and help repair California’s battered finances," notes the LA Times. more ›

26 teachers were arrested during a protest at the Capitol over education budget cuts last night, reports the Huffington Post. The arrests occurred just after the building was supposed to close at 6:00 p.m. An officer with the California Highway Patrol, the group that made the arrests, said that teachers had been warned a number of times that they had to leave and did not comply. more ›

City of Los Angeles employees managed to waste about $1M on cellphones, says City Controller Wendy Greuel in an audit released yesterday aimed at uncovering the spending habits of seven departments when it comes to cellular technology. Said Greuel of her findings: "My audit demonstrates that our technology policies need to keep pace with technology. Cellular phone service contracts are constantly evolving and we should not pay a penny more than we have to - ever." more ›

How can the Los Angeles Fire Department spend less without compromising the invaluable services they provide to residents? Budget cuts to the department as proposed by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa call for the permanent closure of 30 fire trucks and paramedic units and the elimination of 300 firefighters, according to KPCC. However, the plan is being met with resistance, including from the firefighters' union, whose president says the cuts will lead to "unnecessary deaths." more ›

CBS2 has mounted an investigation into the travel habits--namely spending--of city officials, and have discovered that Los Angeles International Airport execs prefer to fly business class, and the city is footing the bill. Gina Marie Lindsey, LAX Airport Director, who has flown in a few $8- to $10,000 seats on international flights, says she doesn't "understand what the problem is." more ›

It's almost as if you can see the presidents of the 23 California State University campuses getting out their tin foil hats and hoarding the canned goods: The higher-ed system is bracing for what they are calling California's devastating "scorched earth budget," and have released details of their contingency plan of action. more ›

For the many Californians whose vehicle registration fees come up this July, some sort of good news. You won't have to pay your fees...in July. Renewal notices for July are being ordered on hold at the DMV because while there is a law that goes into effect that month that sees to it the fees are lowered, Governor Jerry Brown and other lawmakers are working on our state budget, which could see those fees maintained to help rectify our deficit, according to CBS2. more ›

It was no deal for the labor groups who rejected a proposed contract deal with the City of Los Angeles, and as a result, yesterday Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa got down to the business of ordering 42 furlough days for various city employees, according to CBS2. The Mayor issued the order verbally during a press conference at City Hall: “I hearby direct all city general managers to immediately initiate furloughs for those employees and bargaining units who failed to ratify the agreement,” declared Villaraigosa. more ›

Today Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa revealed his budget plan for the City of Los Angeles, and while it did not include layoffs, it did include furloughs. "In an effort to close a $457.5 million deficit, the mayor is calling for 26 furlough days for city workers who will not get cost-of-living raises as part of their contracts, and 36 furloughs days for employees scheduled to get raises," explains the Daily News. more ›