The Budget and Finance Committee built on the Mayor’s proposed budget, finding an additional $50 million in net revenue. Here are some of the highlights of what was adopted:
Public Safety:
Fully funds Fire Dispatch
Provides 5 Firefighter Training Classes
Fully restores Ambulance services
Funds vital Fire Life Safety Equipment and Technology for Fire Fighters
Adds a New Engine Company to increase the restoration of the Fire Department
Initiates a False Alarm Fee Process
Funds the innovative Nurse Practitioner program to help residents access better emergency services and improve ambulance response times
Upgrades our emergency communication systems
Provides money to reduce LAPD’s Fingerprint Backlog
New Black and White vehicles and zero-emission motorcycles for LAPD
Provides vital funding for the Devonshire PALS Center to serve our most vulnerable at-risk youth
Adds technology and resources for the Emergency Management Department
Public Works:
Preserves 2,400 lane miles of street pavement
Trims 57,000 trees
Provides $2 million in median maintenance
Fills 350,000 potholes
Increases funding for sidewalk repair
Restores graffiti abatement funding
Expands the Clean Streets program to combat illegal dumping
Creates coordinated Sustainability efforts to protect our communities
Critical City Services:
Expands the school crossing guard program
Reduces the Personnel Department’s testing backlog – vital to restoring city services
Expedited Plan Review positions provided for the Department of Transportation
Additional resources for Pavement Preservation Quality Control
Creates a pathway to increase Neighborhood Council funding by up to $5,000 a year
Includes a Neighborhood Council online voting pilot
Adds staff for the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment
Fully funds our Senior Centers – including Wilkinson, in Northridge
Funds technology for use by our Disability Community
Provides Youth Employment funding
Adds a Zoning Administrator to increase the level of planning services for the Valley
Creates a Neighborhood Conservation unit and Code Amendments unit to enforce planning conditions
Financial Responsibility:
Brings the City’s Reserve Fund up to $313.5 million, or 5.8% of General Fund revenue
Brings the Budget Stabilization (Rainy Day) Fund up to $91.9 million
Restores audit funding for the City Controller
Eliminates the Business Tax for New Car Dealership leases as well as sales
Resources for added intergovernmental meetings and training
Initiates a cost-benefit analysis for the City’s Historic Preservation designation
Builds on efficiencies, using data and metrics and provides funding to update vital technology infrastructure for more streamlined and transparent service delivery
Eliminates the previously projected $165 million deficit for the current year and fully eliminates the structural deficit by 2019.