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 [ LA WATCHDOG ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=12)

#  Bass Budget Transparency Needed to Earn Our Votes

December 22 2025

Written by Jack Humphreville.

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LA WATCHDOG - The Mayor is in the process of developing her budget for Fiscal Year 2026-27 that she will submit to the City Council on April 20, 2026. Until then, it is radio silence and we Angelenos, her constituents, are mushrooms, kept in the dark and covered with manure, and denied essential services.

Once submitted, the City Council will hold hearings to review over 2,000 pages of budget related material and hundreds of budget memos responding to requests by Councilmembers. The budget needs to be approved by June 1.

In between, on March 1st, the Controller will release his charter mandated Revenue Forecast Report that estimates revenue for the upcoming General Fund.

This system has failed us. Every year we have a budget crisis, including one where the shortfall exceeded $1 billion. Public safety has been sacrificed. Our infrastructure is deteriorating. Homelessness has not improved despite billions in expenditures. The result is an intense lack of trust and confidence in Mayor Bass and the City Council.

As it is, the City is facing a more than $250 million shortfall for next year (FY 2026-27). Department budget requests are also $700 million (a 13% increase) more than this year’s Adopted Budget while revenues are anticipated to increase by only $225 million (2.7%).

Rather than conducting meetings behind closed doors, it is time for transparency and accountability. This calls for city wide meetings where Mayor Bass and the City Administrative Officer tell us what the hell is going with the budget and how the Mayor proposes to balance the budget.

On November 21, City departments submitted their budget requests to the Mayor. A potential timetable would be to schedule an open meeting on January 15. A second meeting would be scheduled for March 15, just two weeks after the release of the Controller’s Revenue Forecast Report. The discussions would include a discussion of the revenues, especially if estimates vary, and appropriations by department, with an emphasis on public safety, infrastructure, and homelessness.

Another topic would be the impact of AI on the City’s operations and the other efforts being made to improve the efficiency of the City’s operations.

There are also three other important dates. On January 26, the City Council will need to approve any measures to be placed on the June primary ballot. This will most likely include increases in the hotel and parking taxes as well a tax on tickets for Olympic events held in the City.

On March 21, the Charter Reform Commission is scheduled to submit its recommendations to the City Council for its analysis and review and its approval by June 17, the deadline to place measures on the November ballot.

And on June 2, we vote for Mayor, City Attorney, City Controller, eight Council Members, and the ballot measures.

Angelenos are in a foul mood. We do not trust our elected elite. We have experienced the Palisades fire, cutback in public safety, immigration crack downs, failing infrastructure, poorly maintained parks and budget crisis after budget crisis.

Angelenos can express their anger and frustrations in the June primary for the Mayor, Council Members, and ballot measures. It’s time for City Hall to clean up its act.

***(Jack Humphreville** writes the LA Watchdog column for CityWatch, where he covers city finances, utilities, and accountability at City Hall. He is President of the DWP Advocacy Committee, serves as the Budget and DWP representative for the Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council, and is a longtime Neighborhood Council Budget Advocate. With a sharp focus on fiscal responsibility and transparency, Jack brings an informed and independent voice to Los Angeles civic affairs. He can be reached at **<lajack@gmail.com>**.)*

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