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City Council Approves $7.01 Billion Budget
Photo: JT3_11
And that approval came at a price. Last night's budget compromise included 800 more employee layoffs--400 were approved earlier this month--26 furlough days for many city employees, no new left turn signals or sidewalk repairs, reduced hours at city libraries and swimming pools and a slower plan to hire 1,000 new officers, albeit probably not by the end of the year as desired by Mayor Villaraigosa and Chief Bratton. Interestingly enough, the plan to lease parking meters and parking garages like Chicago did not make the cut, or at least until the council gets a more detailed study on the proposal. Mayor Villaraigosa has two weeks to review the budget.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
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