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$10.6 Billion Budget Is Largest in L.A. History
Tents and belongings of the homeless line a street in downtown Los Angeles, California on June 25, 2018.
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$10.6 Billion Budget Is Largest in L.A. History
This week, the L.A. City Council passed a $10.6 billion budget, the largest in the city's history. Mayor Eric Garcetti said a booming economy is bringing in record revenue, which the city will use to increase funding for things like street repair and police overtime
But he added that these aren’t good times for everyone. Garcetti said he expects that an upcoming count of Angelenos experiencing homelessness will show that more people are living on the streets.
The budget allocated $458 million towards effort to ease homelessness, a slight increase from last year. Some of that new spending will go toward trying to prevent low-income renters from falling into homelessness.
The budget also puts nearly $400 million into reserves, to prepare for the next recession, whenever it might hit.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
