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LA Mayor Villaraigosa names new homeland security chief
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has threatened to veto an early retirement plan he helped negotiate.
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Frank Stoltze/KPCC
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LA Mayor Villaraigosa names new homeland security chief
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa Thursday named a federal prosecutor as his deputy mayor for homeland security and public safety. KPCC’s Frank Stoltze reports.
Frank Stoltze: For 14 years, Eileen Decker’s worked in the Los Angeles office of the United States Justice Department.
Eileen Decker: As an assistant U.S. attorney, I had the opportunity to work very successfully with the Los Angeles Police Department.
Stoltze: Recently, Decker’s focused on anti-terrorism as head of Justice’s national security section in L.A. She’ll oversee all public safety issues for the mayor. But she says L.A.’s budget deficit will factor into her new job.
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Decker: The biggest challenge will be to maintain the level of police force and dealing with the budget issues – and trying to basically get more with less.
Stoltze: Some at City Hall say L.A. will have to furlough or even lay off police officers to address its $400 million budget shortfall.
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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.
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