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LADOT Proposes to Cut Full Funding from Bikeways Office
Photo by GarySe7en via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr
Photo by
GarySe7en
via the L
Aist Featured Photos pool
on Flickr
The
LA County Bicycle Coalition
sent out an "urgent alert" Saturday afternoon that was pretty shocking:
LADOT THREATENS TO CUT THE ENTIRE BIKEWAYS DEPARTMENT!! BIKE PROJECTS WOULD BE CUT!! Los Angeles is facing a perilous budget crisis. All city departments are being asked to submit plans on how they will cut spending, and LADOT have proposed to eliminate the entire Bikeways staff. Not just lay off some people, but cut it altogether.
Basically, in the Mayor's proposed budget that includes the "shared sacrifice, shared responsibility" concept, he did not differentiate between general fund and special funds. That meant, specially funded areas also had to make cuts and when LADOT looked at Prop C funds, Safe Routes to School and bikeways went on the chopping block.
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But special funds, which can be only use for specific purposes, cannot be used to help relieve the general fund deficit, explained LADOT's Selwyn Hollins, Acting Assit. General Manager for Finance and Administration. "It doesn't benefit the city to cut positions that are specially funded... There is no value in contributing to the shared sacrifice."
The City Council's Budget and Finance committee agrees. Last week, they recommended to the full council to exempt special funded positions from shared responseiliby and sacrifice. Hollins believes the council is likely to approve the recommendation, but there's no guarantee that bikeways will be saved until the budget process has been completed.
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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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