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Fewer Layoffs in Villaraigosa's Budget
In a preview of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's budget proposal for the next fiscal year--it will be released in full on Tuesday--the panic of 4,000 layoffs has been erased. Under the plan 3,546 position would be eliminated, but those comprise mostly of early retirements (2,400 people), those already laid off, people who have transferred to different jobs or those slated to be laid off next fiscal year, which begins in July. That puts the number of total layoffs around "several hundred," as the LA Times puts it. The LA Weekly says 750 will be either laid off or transferred to other jobs.
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.
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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.
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