One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This archival content was originally written for and published on KPCC.org. Keep in mind that links and images may no longer work — and references may be outdated.
LA could cut 926 jobs in budget plan
Los Angeles City Council President Eric Garcetti huddles with labor union leaders as the council considers confronts a $400 million budget shortfall. Powerful union leaders are demanding the city enact an early retirement plan.
(
Frank Stoltze/KPCC
)
Some 926 jobs could be cut and thousands of union employees could be required to take furloughs under a massive cost-cutting Los Angeles budget plan that the City Council agreed to unanimously this afternoon.
Furloughs and layoffs will begin Monday, Sept. 28 unless city officials and the unions can agree to an alternative plan by this Friday.
The issue has been referred to a formal bargaining committee that deals with the unions. If they're able to come up with an alternative plan involving early retirement, they will do that instead of going forward with layoffs and furloughs. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, however, has said he will veto any early retirement plan that will increase the budget.
The union leader and the city council president stated that they want to come to an agreement, but the city council president said that they're ready to go forward with layoffs and furloughs, and the union is threatening to go to the courts to stop layoffs if they have to.
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.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
