Jay Handal Addresses the Budget and Finance Committee of the LA City Council

JAY’S REMARKS - Our city is not just facing financial strain it is being mismanaged into a deeper crisis. 

We are failing at the most basic level of governance. Police and fire services remain underfunded, even as we push forward with multimillion-dollar projects like convention center renovations—that we cannot afford. This is not planning. It’s denial. 

At the same time, City Hall is advancing policies that will gut our own revenue base. Eliminating the business tax risks wiping out hundreds of millions of dollars with no serious plan to replace it. Meanwhile, we propose new taxes on illegal cannabis operators while failing to collect what is already owed by legal businesses. The system isn’t just inefficient, it’s broken. And the City knows it. 

While leadership debates theory, reality on the ground is deteriorating:

·      Streets, sidewalks, and streetlights are crumbling

·      Emergency vehicles are outdated and unreliable

·      City workers are left in constant uncertainty

·      Departments remain bloated, fragmented, and unaccountable

·      Billions spent on homelessness lack transparency and results

·      Proposed additional reductions in graffiti removal and homeless safe Parking programs  

Let’s be clear: these budgets are not truly balanced. They are paper exercises that mask service cuts, shift risk onto employees, and erode the quality of life for every resident. 

And the cost of this failure is compounding. Each year, the city pays out massive liability claims that many of them are preventable. Cracked sidewalks, neglected infrastructure, and understaffed departments don’t just fail residents, they cost taxpayers millions. Investing in the basics isn’t optional. It’s fiscally responsible. 

Even animal services - one of the most fundamental responsibilities of a humane city remains critically underfunded. That is not just a budget issue. It reflects priorities. 

This is not a one-off mistake. It’s a pattern repeated, sustained, and avoidable. 

Enough. 

It’s time to impose real discipline: rein in spending, consolidate departments, eliminate redundancy, and demand measurable results. Long-term planning must replace short-term political convenience. 

Because right now, the truth is simple: 

Every resident is paying for the failures of City Hall. 

(Jay Handal is a long time Budget Advocate and is co-chair of the Budget Advocates. He is a featured CW contributor.)