#  LA’s Latest Sidewalk Fix: 30 Years and a Billion Short

     Details    Paul Hatfield   ![logo](https://www.citywatchla.com//templates/ja_teline_v/images/logo.png)         April 02 2015       [ARCHIVE](https://www.citywatchla.com/archive)   - [  Previous Article **American Cops Killed Three People Every Day in March. How Many More Will It Take?** ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8759:american-cops-killed-three-people-every-day-in-march-how-many-more-will-it-take&catid=16)
- [  Next Article **The Godmother of LA Politics: Rosalind Weiner Wyman** ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8761:the-godmother-of-la-politics-rosalind-weiner-wyman&catid=16)

  ###### Typography

- [](# "Smaller Font")  ****Smaller** **Small** **Medium** **Big** **Bigger****  [](# "Bigger Font")
- [](# "Previous Font Style")  ****Default** **Helvetica** **Segoe** **Georgia** **Times****  [](# "Next Font Style")

- [ Reading Mode](# "Reading Mode")

> <a class="a2a_button_facebook"></a><a class="a2a_button_twitter"></a><a class="a2a_button_email"></a><a class="a2a_button_print"></a>[](https://www.addtoany.com/share)
>
> ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Apr-2015/028l.png)PERSPECTIVE-At least a few City Council members are patting themselves on the back for the sidewalk repair settlement reached with groups representing the disabled. For sure, it was a landmark case, with the [city pledging to spend $1.3 billion over the next thirty years](http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-lawsuit-broken-sidewalks-20150331-story.html#page=1) to eliminate the growing backlog of deteriorated walkways.

>
> The amount includes an escalation in annual spending to adjust for increasing costs over time. [The last estimate for eliminating the current sidewalk repair backlog was $1.5 billion](http://www.dailynews.com/government-and-politics/20140826/los-angeles-looking-for-options-to-repair-sidewalks).
>
> On paper, it looks like a pretty good match – only $200 million difference. But since the $1.3 billion commitment will be spread over 30 years, you have to apply inflation to the current $1.5 billion estimate over the same duration. Using 2% compounded over 30 years, the repair costs will grow to $2.7 billion, resulting in a gap of $1.4 billion. I also looked at it from a present value approach.
>
> Discounting the future cash flow of $1.3 billion at 2%, the result came to $963 million, well under the current estimated cost of $1.5 billion. Still quite a gap. 2% may be low considering the city authorized 46 new positions in the Department of Public Works to make repairs. I assume more will be needed.
>
> Public employees come with a high price tag, especially when you load in postretirement benefits.
>
> Regardless, the city still has to come up with the initial annual outlay of $30 million, and every year thereafter. It was a struggle just to come up with $27 million for this year.
>
> Serious consideration must be given to outsourcing much of the work in order to manage the costs.
>
> Certainly, we need to repair the sidewalks, but it is pure audacity the way certain Council Members are hailing this as a breakthrough deal, especially when it took a lawsuit to force them to do their jobs.
>
> ***(Paul Hatfield is a CPA*** ***and serves as President*** ***of the Valley Village Homeowners Association. He blogs at Village to Village and contributes to CityWatch. He can be reached at: <phinnoho@aol.com>)***
>
> **–cw**
>
> **CityWatch**
>
> **Vol 13 Issue 28**
>
> **Pub: Apr 3, 2015**
>
> **{module \[1177\]}**

  - [  Previous Article **American Cops Killed Three People Every Day in March. How Many More Will It Take?** ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8759:american-cops-killed-three-people-every-day-in-march-how-many-more-will-it-take&catid=16)
- [  Next Article **The Godmother of LA Politics: Rosalind Weiner Wyman** ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8761:the-godmother-of-la-politics-rosalind-weiner-wyman&catid=16)
<div data-id="1" 
	class="eb-inst eb-hide eb-emailform eb-1 eboxContentLocker"
	data-options='{"trigger":"onPageLoad","trigger_selector":"","delay":3000,"early_trigger":true,"scroll_depth":"percentage","scroll_depth_value":80,"firing_frequency":1,"reverse_scroll_close":true,"threshold":0,"close_out_viewport":false,"exit_timer":1000,"idle_time":10000,"close_on_esc":false,"animation_open":"slideInDown","animation_close":"fadeOutDown","animation_duration":400,"disable_page_scroll":true,"test_mode":false,"debug":false,"ga_tracking":true,"ga_tracking_id":"G-P16BQ7X1SW","ga_tracking_event_category":"EngageBox","ga_tracking_event_label":"Box #1 - Global Email Signup Form","auto_focus":false}'
	data-type='popup'
	>

	<button type="button" data-ebox-cmd="close" class="eb-close placement-outside" aria-label="Close">
	<img alt="close popup button" />
	<span aria-hidden="true">&times;</span>
</button>
	<div class="eb-dialog eb-formVer" role="dialog" aria-modal="true" id="dialog1" aria-label="dialog1">
		
		<button type="button" data-ebox-cmd="close" class="eb-close placement-inside" aria-label="Close">
	<img alt="close popup button" />
	<span aria-hidden="true">&times;</span>
</button>	
		<div class="eb-container">
						<div class="eb-content">
				
<form action="https://citywatchla.us2.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=34d69f33624fd058ee9b56516&amp;id=4bfa422f51&amp;f_id=00d6c2e1f0" class="eb" method="post" id="mcform-1" name="mcform-1" target="_blank">
			<div class="eb-form-header"><p><img src="/images/2023/06/be-a-city-watcher.png" alt="be a city watcher" width="350" height="97" loading="lazy" data-path="local-images:/2023/06/be-a-city-watcher.png"></p>
<p>Sign up to receive our special e-news blasts on Monday and Thursday evenings!</p></div>
	
					<div class="eb-field-row">

			
			
			
			<input class="eb-input" type="email" name="EMAIL"  placeholder="Email address"  id="EMAIL" value="" required>

			
		</div>
										
	<div class="eb-footer">
    	<button class="eb-btn" type="submit" name="subscribe" style="background-color:rgba(93, 183, 93, 1);color:rgba(255, 255, 255, 1)">
    		Sign up    	</button>
    </div>
</form>			</div>
		</div>
	</div>	
</div>
<div data-id="3" 
	class="eb-inst eb-hide eb-yesno eb-3 "
	data-options='{"trigger":"onScrollDepth","trigger_selector":"","delay":0,"early_trigger":false,"scroll_depth":"percentage","scroll_depth_value":80,"firing_frequency":2,"reverse_scroll_close":false,"threshold":0,"close_out_viewport":false,"exit_timer":1000,"idle_time":1000,"close_on_esc":false,"animation_open":"fadeInUp","animation_close":"fadeOut","animation_duration":300,"disable_page_scroll":false,"test_mode":false,"debug":false,"ga_tracking":true,"ga_tracking_id":"G-P16BQ7X1SW","ga_tracking_event_category":"EngageBox","ga_tracking_event_label":"Box #3 - Yes \/ No Donation Popup Box","auto_focus":false}'
	data-type='popup'
	>

	<button type="button" data-ebox-cmd="close" class="eb-close placement-outside" aria-label="Close">
	<img alt="close popup button" />
	<span aria-hidden="true">&times;</span>
</button>
	<div class="eb-dialog " role="dialog" aria-modal="true" id="dialog3" aria-label="dialog3">
		
		<button type="button" data-ebox-cmd="close" class="eb-close placement-inside" aria-label="Close">
	<img alt="close popup button" />
	<span aria-hidden="true">&times;</span>
</button>	
		<div class="eb-container">
						<div class="eb-content">
				
<div class="ebox-yes-no">
	<div class="ebox-yn-text">
		
		
		<div class="ebox-yn-headline" style="font-size:22px;color:#888888">
			<p>If you only give once a month, would you consider giving to CityWatch?</p>
<p>Your support fuels our mission to promote and facilitate civic engagement and neighborhood empowerment, and to hold area government and its politicians accountable.</p>
<p>Would you like to help? Even if you can only give $5, it will make a difference.</p>		</div>
			</div>
	
	<div class="ebox-ys-buttons" style="font-size: 16px;">
		
<a
					data-ebox-prevent="0"
		data-ebox-cmd="close"
				target="_self"
		href="https://www.citywatchla.com/donate"
		rel="noopener"
	
	
	
	
	class="ebox-ys-btn"
	style="background-color:#2ec664;color:#ffffff;min-width:100px">
	Yes
	</a>
<a
	
	
			data-ebox-cmd="close"
		href="#"
	
	
	class="ebox-ys-btn"
	style="background-color:#ef2345;color:#ffffff;min-width:100px">
	Not Right Now
	</a>	</div>

	</div>			</div>
		</div>
	</div>	
</div>