Facts on Budget Cuts for Fire Department in Los Angeles

[Dante]

As disappointing as it may be to some, there is always nuance and context to be considered when attempting serious looks into things. Things? Things like taxes and municipal budgets. Things like priorities and competing stakeholders and more.

A Closer Look at Mayor Bass and the Budget Cuts to the L.A. Fire Department

A closer look at the mechanics of budgeting offers some answers, but the financing is far from rosy.

www.nytimes.com

But as with much of the news swirling around the fires, the real picture is complicated. Facing lower tax revenues and higher operating costs, Ms. Bass did indeed approve a budget for the fire department’s current fiscal year that was $23 million less than the previous year.

That included eliminating 73 vacant civilian positions and reducing money available to pay firefighters’ overtime by $7.9 million. The total allocated — $819 million — was enough to include three new firefighting academy classes and some new gear.

But when the budget was approved last June, the city and firefighters’ union were still negotiating a new contract, and the fire department’s budget did not yet include expected raises.

A spokesman for Los Angeles City Councilman Bob Blumenfield explained that it is common budgeting practice that while negotiations are in progress, money for anticipated pay raises is not allocated to the department but approved separately in unappropriated funds.

When the two sides did reach an agreement in November, that money was moved over to the fire department’s pot, according to Mr. Blumenfield’s office, meaning this year’s fire budget is actually $53 million more than last year.

 

[Dante]

and...

Reality often bites for all involved -- spectators and complainers too:

Mayor Karen Bass of Los Angeles tried to project a unified front with her fire chief amid obvious tension on Saturday, a day after the chief criticized city officials and said they had failed to adequately fund her department.

Ms. Bass has been faulted over a range of issues in recent days, including her absence when the fires broke out and a cut to the Fire Department’s budget that she approved last year.

Those attacks came not only from outside critics but also from Chief Kristin Crowley of the Fire Department, who said in a television interview with Fox 11 on Friday that firefighters had been hampered by a lack of funding over several years. If the city had allocated the department more money, she said, “we would’ve been in a better position” to battle the fires.

The reporter in the interview pressed her further, asking, “Did the city of Los Angeles fail you, and your department and our city?” Chief Crowley initially demurred, but after being asked twice more, she said that they had.

Ms. Bass met with Chief Crowley after the interview on Friday, and afterward, the mayor did not appear a news conference that she had been set to attend. There were false rumors that Ms. Bass had fired Chief Crowley.

But at a news conference on Saturday morning, the pair tried to show that they were working together. At one point, Ms. Bass turned to Chief Crowley and asked her to stand next to her at the podium, which she obliged.

One reporter asked the mayor directly if she had planned to fire Chief Crowley when they met on Friday, and Ms. Bass said she had not. Ms. Bass said several times that they would deal with their differences out of public view.

“The chief and I are in lock step,” Ms. Bass said, adding that their priorities were putting out the fires and saving lives.

 

[Bleipriester]

As disappointing as it may be to some, there is always nuance and context to be considered when attempting serious looks into things. Things? Things like taxes and municipal budgets. Things like priorities and competing stakeholders and more.

A Closer Look at Mayor Bass and the Budget Cuts to the L.A. Fire Department

A closer look at the mechanics of budgeting offers some answers, but the financing is far from rosy.

www.nytimes.com

But as with much of the news swirling around the fires, the real picture is complicated. Facing lower tax revenues and higher operating costs, Ms. Bass did indeed approve a budget for the fire department’s current fiscal year that was $23 million less than the previous year.

That included eliminating 73 vacant civilian positions and reducing money available to pay firefighters’ overtime by $7.9 million. The total allocated — $819 million — was enough to include three new firefighting academy classes and some new gear.

But when the budget was approved last June, the city and firefighters’ union were still negotiating a new contract, and the fire department’s budget did not yet include expected raises.

A spokesman for Los Angeles City Councilman Bob Blumenfield explained that it is common budgeting practice that while negotiations are in progress, money for anticipated pay raises is not allocated to the department but approved separately in unappropriated funds.

When the two sides did reach an agreement in November, that money was moved over to the fire department’s pot, according to Mr. Blumenfield’s office, meaning this year’s fire budget is actually $53 million more than last year.

So is it more or less? And does it matter? Do fire fighters stay at home in such a case when overtime funds are empty? Do they say they don´t give a shit?
So, all the reasons why the Fire Department is less effective than it should be, aren´t they partisan pseudo-arguments? If the Department is lets say 10 % less effective for what reason ever, does that matter in the face of such a huge fire they can´t do anything about, anyway?

 

[Dante]

So is it more or less? And does it matter? Do fire fighters stay at home in such a case when overtime funds are empty? Do they say they don´t give a shit?
So, all the reasons why the Fire Department is less effective than it should be, aren´t they partisan pseudo-arguments? If the Department is lets say 10 % less effective for what reason ever, does that matter in the face of such a huge fire they can´t do anything about, anyway?

People want to pay less taxes.

actions have consequences

 

[Bleipriester]

People want to pay less taxes.

actions have consequences

Sure.

 

[ElmerMudd]

As disappointing as it may be to some, there is always nuance and context to be considered when attempting serious looks into things. Things? Things like taxes and municipal budgets. Things like priorities and competing stakeholders and more.

A Closer Look at Mayor Bass and the Budget Cuts to the L.A. Fire Department

A closer look at the mechanics of budgeting offers some answers, but the financing is far from rosy.

www.nytimes.com

But as with much of the news swirling around the fires, the real picture is complicated. Facing lower tax revenues and higher operating costs, Ms. Bass did indeed approve a budget for the fire department’s current fiscal year that was $23 million less than the previous year.

That included eliminating 73 vacant civilian positions and reducing money available to pay firefighters’ overtime by $7.9 million. The total allocated — $819 million — was enough to include three new firefighting academy classes and some new gear.

But when the budget was approved last June, the city and firefighters’ union were still negotiating a new contract, and the fire department’s budget did not yet include expected raises.

A spokesman for Los Angeles City Councilman Bob Blumenfield explained that it is common budgeting practice that while negotiations are in progress, money for anticipated pay raises is not allocated to the department but approved separately in unappropriated funds.

When the two sides did reach an agreement in November, that money was moved over to the fire department’s pot, according to Mr. Blumenfield’s office, meaning this year’s fire budget is actually $53 million more than last year.

Trump is such an idiot. He is blasting LA for budget cuts (whether true or not) and he is in the process of proposing large budget cuts.

 

[DigitalDrifter]

L.A. fire chief meets with mayor after saying the city failed her agency​

As firefighters continued to battle massive wildfires Friday, Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley stunned many observers with an extraordinary television interview.

Crowley, pressed by a Fox 11 reporter, said the city of Los Angeles — and by implication, her boss, Mayor Karen Bass — had failed her and her department. She went on to describe the Fire Department as understaffed and underfunded, saying the situation is “no longer sustainable.”

Hours later, Crowley was inside Bass’ office for a meeting so long that it intruded on the mayor’s nightly media briefing on the wildfires. Bass ultimately missed the briefing, where she had been billed as a featured speaker.

L.A. fire chief meets with mayor after saying the city failed her agency

Kristin Crowley, in multiple interviews, drew a connection between budget cuts to her department and the city’s struggle to combat the wildfires.

www.latimes.com

 

[westwall]

People want to pay less taxes.

actions have consequences

Ummmm, Angelino's are ALWAYS paying ever higher taxes you dumbshit. Their taxes NEVER go down,. ALWAYS up.

 

[Dante]

Cut taxes. Cut budgets.

 

[westwall]

Cut taxes. Cut budgets.

Feel free to point to a tax cut.

I'll wait.

 

[LAUGHatLEFTISTS]

People want to pay less taxes.

actions have consequences

Yes! Because California politicians have been trying to save taxpayers money for decades.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

People want to pay less taxes.

actions have consequences

Yes!! CA is known for tax cuts and fiscal discipline!

 

[Harry Dresden]

and...

Reality often bites for all involved -- spectators and complainers too:

Mayor Karen Bass of Los Angeles tried to project a unified front with her fire chief amid obvious tension on Saturday, a day after the chief criticized city officials and said they had failed to adequately fund her department.

Ms. Bass has been faulted over a range of issues in recent days, including her absence when the fires broke out and a cut to the Fire Department’s budget that she approved last year.

Those attacks came not only from outside critics but also from Chief Kristin Crowley of the Fire Department, who said in a television interview with Fox 11 on Friday that firefighters had been hampered by a lack of funding over several years. If the city had allocated the department more money, she said, “we would’ve been in a better position” to battle the fires.

The reporter in the interview pressed her further, asking, “Did the city of Los Angeles fail you, and your department and our city?” Chief Crowley initially demurred, but after being asked twice more, she said that they had.

Ms. Bass met with Chief Crowley after the interview on Friday, and afterward, the mayor did not appear a news conference that she had been set to attend. There were false rumors that Ms. Bass had fired Chief Crowley.

But at a news conference on Saturday morning, the pair tried to show that they were working together. At one point, Ms. Bass turned to Chief Crowley and asked her to stand next to her at the podium, which she obliged.

One reporter asked the mayor directly if she had planned to fire Chief Crowley when they met on Friday, and Ms. Bass said she had not. Ms. Bass said several times that they would deal with their differences out of public view.

“The chief and I are in lock step,” Ms. Bass said, adding that their priorities were putting out the fires and saving lives.

and you just believe what they tell you dante?..you must not have lived in S.Cal a long time......

 

[Ringo]

 

[westwall]

and you just believe what they tell you dante?..you must not have lived in S.Cal a long time......

If ever.

 

[Wild Bill Kelsoe]

Quibble about the numbers all you want, there are still plenty of failures by the state and city that caused these fires to be worse than they should have been.

 

[Dante]

As disappointing as it may be to some, there is always nuance and context to be considered when attempting serious looks into things. Things? Things like taxes and municipal budgets. Things like priorities and competing stakeholders and more.

A Closer Look at Mayor Bass and the Budget Cuts to the L.A. Fire Department

A closer look at the mechanics of budgeting offers some answers, but the financing is far from rosy.

www.nytimes.com

But as with much of the news swirling around the fires, the real picture is complicated. Facing lower tax revenues and higher operating costs, Ms. Bass did indeed approve a budget for the fire department’s current fiscal year that was $23 million less than the previous year.

That included eliminating 73 vacant civilian positions and reducing money available to pay firefighters’ overtime by $7.9 million. The total allocated — $819 million — was enough to include three new firefighting academy classes and some new gear.

But when the budget was approved last June, the city and firefighters’ union were still negotiating a new contract, and the fire department’s budget did not yet include expected raises.

A spokesman for Los Angeles City Councilman Bob Blumenfield explained that it is common budgeting practice that while negotiations are in progress, money for anticipated pay raises is not allocated to the department but approved separately in unappropriated funds.

When the two sides did reach an agreement in November, that money was moved over to the fire department’s pot, according to Mr. Blumenfield’s office, meaning this year’s fire budget is actually $53 million more than last year.

sigh


events like this bring out the worst --

in some people