LA WATCHDOG-We have been bombarded by commentary on Eric Garcetti’s performance during his first year as our Mayor. While this makes for attention grabbing headlines, many of us are more interested in his priorities over the next three years and how he intends to achieve these goals?
Eric’s first year as mayor was rated “satisfactory” by the Editorial Board of The Los Angeles Times. Many people have cited his lack of urgency and his deliberative, low risk management style that has emphasized his “back to basics” policies that focus on long term outcomes. Others criticized his failure to reduce the gross receipts business tax and the raiding of the Reserve Fund for $129 million to balance this year’s budget.
But Eric deserves some serious brownie points, especially as it relates to the Los Angeles River, the subway, the light rail extension to LAX, and our Department of Water and Power.
Unfortunately, his past actions as City Council President have come back to bite him now that he has to eliminate next year’s projected budget deficit of $165 million. He also has to address the projected $424 million shortfall over the next three years that is the result of an increase in salaries, pensions, and benefits of almost $400 million.
These deficits may widen depending upon the outcome of the current contract negotiations with the City’s unions.
The Mayor and his office have already started work on next year’s budget. But unlike the past where the budget is kept under wraps until April 20, we need an open and transparent process so that the Neighborhood Councils, the media, and other stakeholders have the opportunity to review and analyze the budget and provide input throughout the process.
As part of this more fluid process, the Mayor needs to outline his short term and long term priorities and how he intends to achieve these goals, especially given the City’s fiscal constraints.
For example, how does the Mayor propose to eliminate next year’s budget deficit of $165 million?
How does the Mayor propose to repair our streets and sidewalks?
How does the Mayor propose to eliminate the $10 billion unfunded pension liability?
How does the Mayor propose to restore the funding for our parks and libraries as well as key departments such as Planning and Building & Safety?
How does the Mayor propose to fund our $500 million obligation to restore the Los Angeles River over the next decade?
How does the Mayor propose to finance the phase out the gross receipts business tax over the next fifteen years?
How does the Mayor propose to “benchmark” the City’s compensation policies and the efficiency of its operations?
How does the Mayor propose to address the affordable housing crisis plaguing Los Angeles?
These are just a few of the many difficult issues facing the Mayor and the City Council.
But to earn the trust, confidence, and respect of the voters, all of these issues must be addressed in an open and transparent manner where we have timely access to unbiased information and analysis so that we can participate in the process of how our cash strapped City is allocating our scarce resources.
And that openness and transparency begins NOW.
(Jack Humphreville writes LA Watchdog for CityWatch. He is the President of the DWP Advocacy Committee, The Ratepayer Advocate for the Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council, and a Neighborhood Council Budget Advocate. Humphreville is the publisher of the Recycler Classifieds -- www.recycler.com. He can be reached at: [email protected]. Hear Jack every Tuesday morning at 6:20 on McIntyre in the Morning, KABC Radio 790.)
-cw
Tags: Jack Humphreville, LA Watchdog, mayor’s performance, future priorities, plan for the future, next three years, budget deficit, DWP
CityWatch
Vol 12 Issue 54
Pub: Jul 4, 2014