L.A. urged to cut funding to libraries and other programs
Anticipating a $110-million shortfall, the city's budget office recommends cuts from the L.A. Zoo, tree trimming and crossing guards programs, among others.
Los Angeles city officials -- facing an expected $110-million budget shortfall -- are being urged to act quickly to cut funding to libraries, the Los Angeles Zoo, tree trimming and crossing guards programs, among other municipal services.
The recommended cutbacks, contained in a report released this morning by the city's budget office, are part of what is expected to be a painful belt-tightening as the city's budget gap widens, driven by the nation's weak economy.
City revenues have been hit by a drop in property-based tax revenues, as well as the jump in fuel prices and higher than expected payouts on lawsuits against the city, according to Los Angeles' top budget official, interim City Administrative Officer Raymond P. Ciranna.
Ciranna said residents "are not going to like" many of proposed service cuts. But he said options are limited.
This round of cutbacks would save $55 million -- only half the current shortfall -- so additional trims will be required in the months ahead.
The proposed cuts will be considered by the City Council's budget committee on Monday. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's budget advisors have been briefed on the proposals and will also weigh in during the council's deliberations.
Ciranna urged the council to take quick action, saying the city expects finances to be even more dire in 2009-2010, when the city is expected to face a budget shortfall of at least $300 million.
The $79 million library budget would be cut by $1.45 million, which one library advocate said would have an immediate impact on library hours and book acquisition.
"The last time they tried something like this, they stopped buying books across the board," said Kim Cooper of Save of LA Public Library. "There's not much else they can do. All they spend their money on is buying books and paying librarians."
Cuts to the libraries could possibly be avoided if the pending sale of surplus library property brings in more money than originally expected, Ciranna said.
Among the other cuts and money-saving measures being proposed:
* $800,000 from the city's tree-trimming program, which the Bureau of Street Services is being asked to spread equally among the 15 city council districts.
* $1 million from the crossing guards program -- which amounts to about one out of every five crossing guards in the city employed by the Transportation Department.
* $650,000 to the transportation department's program to install more left-turn arrow signals at city intersections. The city had planned to install 113 of those signals this budget year. It's unclear how many signals would be postponed.
* A freeze on new hires at the City Attorney's Office and City Controllers Office, with limited exceptions.
* $1.92 million from the Los Angeles Police Department program to replace older squad cars. The city had budget $4.3 million to replace 118 black-and-whites. By keeping 53 of those cars on the road, the city would save the $1.92 million.
* Transferring $1.14 million from a Los Angeles Zoo trust fund to the city general fund for general city expenses. A portion of that money had been set aside for the Golden Monkey exhibit, but has been unspent because of a delay in acquisition.
Willon is a Times staff writer.
phil.willon@latimes.com
