Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
LAPD Union And Mayor Garcetti Announce Tentative Deal To Delay Raises And Avoid Layoffs
A hybrid police car is seen April 10, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (David McNew/Getty Images)
()
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and the union representing LAPD officers said Tuesday evening they have reached a tentative deal to delay contracted raises in future fiscal years. But the deal will not help bridge the city of L.A.'s estimated $675 million budget gap for the current fiscal year.
If ratified by rank-and-file members, the agreement would eliminate the possibility of 355 officer layoffs. A recent report from the LAPD indicated those cuts would eliminate some specialized patrols in Venice, Hollywood and near USC
The Los Angeles Police Protective League said the plan includes deferring raises that had been scheduled to take effect in January (3%) and June (1.5%) of 2022 until 2023. Last year, the union declined to put off a 3.25% pay raise that took effect last month, which would have helped with the city's current fiscal crisis.
Under the agreement, the city also commits to not laying off any officers this fiscal year, which ends June 30, and to paying out a minimum of $70 million in officer overtime in each of the next three years.
Support for LAist comes from
In December, city budget analysts recommended laying off close to a thousand Los Angeles police officers to help the city dig itself out of the budget hole created by the loss of tax revenue due to COVID-19 and its effect on the economy.
The City Council approved across-the-board cuts to department budgets and other last-ditch actions such as borrowing to pay for daily operations, a first in the city's history. Civilian worker and firefighter unions heeded calls from city leaders and Mayor Garcetti to pitch in, agreeing last month to extend contracts and defer raises to help the city scrape by. Before Tuesday’s announcement, the Protective League had spurned calls to come to the bargaining table.
Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily newsletters. To support our non-profit public service journalism: Donate Now.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
With less to prove than LA, the city is becoming a center of impressive culinary creativity. -
Nearly 470 sections of guardrailing were stolen in the last fiscal year in L.A. and Ventura counties.
-
With California voters facing a decision on redistricting this November, Surf City is poised to join the brewing battle over Congressional voting districts.
-
The drug dealer, the last of five defendants to plead guilty to federal charges linked to the 'Friends' actor’s death, will face a maximum sentence of 65 years in prison.
-
The weather’s been a little different lately, with humidity, isolated rain and wind gusts throughout much of Southern California. What’s causing the late-summer bout of gray?
-
Hexavalent chromium is the same carcinogen Erin Brockovich warned about in the 1990s, but researchers say more study is needed on the potential health effects of nanoparticles detected earlier this year. Experts will answer questions at a webinar this evening.
Best of LAist