Articles

Mayor Says Let ‘Em Go. Council Sticks the Poor

February 5, 2010 – Los Angeles Times – L. A. Mayor Orders 1,000 Jobs Eliminated – “to eliminate 1,000 city jobs and begin planning employee layoffs . . . [saying]  “I don't do this because I want to. I do this because I must."  [In fact, it appears the Mayor is hoping that most of the employees will be able to  transfer to the proprietary departments or positions funded by other than the General Fund.]

February 5, 2010 - Los Angeles Times - L. A. City Council Votes to Reduce Trash Subsidy for Poor - "Los Angeles City Council set aside a slew of budget proposals designed to prevent the City from going bankrupt.  But they did approve a reduction to one subsidy program . . .Solid Waste Lifeline Rate Program will have to pay $12.71 per month, and eventually $25.42."  [That's our City Council -- the one we know and love!  They ignored proposals to cut their spending habit and put the solution on the backs of senior citizens and the poor, just like they put the blame on employees instead of themselves.]

February 5, 2010 – Daily News – Mayor Orders 1,000 Layoffs – “pushing to reopen salary talks with city unions . . . request to the City Council to move $40 million it controls in discretionary funds to the city's reserve fund."  [The Daily News seems to have found more in his proposals than the Los Angeles Times did, so we offer their perspective as well.]