The Los Angeles City Council has approved a $13 billion budget for the new fiscal year that reflects a historic investment of $1.3 billion to combat the homeless crisis – including $250 million Mayor Karen Bass had sought for her signature “Inside Safe” homelessness initiative – and increased funding for both the police department and unarmed emergency response teams that officials say are redefining public safety.
The council voted 13-1 on Thursday, May 18, to accept the budget, though it must vote next week on a resolution to formally adopt the spending plan before it can be sent to Mayor Bass for her signature.
Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez cast the dissenting vote, saying a good chunk of taxpayers’ dollars would go to the Los Angeles Police Department. Hernandez, elected last year, campaigned to cut funding to the LAPD.
Council President Paul Krekorian noted that there are five councilmembers in their first year in office – a record for the city council – and that never before have councilmembers represented such a broad spectrum of viewpoints. Still, he said he believes the budget reflects “the best of consensus-building.”
“From day one … every single member in this council has demonstrated their deep devotion to serving the public, their incredible sense of responsibility,” Krekorian said during a news conference following Thursday’s vote. “And even though we come to our issues from different perspectives, it’s very clear that there’s unanimity in the level of dedication and passion about serving the public.”
Councilmembers hailed the record $1.3 billion investment in combating homelessness as an example of shared priorities between the council and mayor.
But there was a wrinkle at one point during budget deliberations when councilmembers on the budget committee considered placing the majority of Inside Safe dollars into an “unappropriated balance” fund rather than putting the full amount directly into the…
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