Dark fiscal clouds at City Hall

Hoping to avert layoffs next year, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is negotiating a voluntary retirement plan with the city's employee unions that could affect as many as several thousand workers.

In a letter Friday to City Council members outlining his plan to eliminate an $86.6-million gap in the current year's budget, Villaraigosa said he had directed the personnel department to come up with a plan for layoffs in case the city and the unions cannot reach a deal. "I know that involuntary downsizing will be devastating for the affected individuals and the city as a whole, but I believe I have no choice," Villaraigosa wrote. "We must plan for various potential outcomes, including layoffs."

Both the mayor's office and a spokeswoman for the Coalition of L.A. City Unions -- a group representing roughly 22,000 city employees -- declined to discuss the details of their talks. In the letter, Villaraigosa said he hoped a plan could be presented to city employees in February.

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--Maeve Reston

Photo: Los Angeles Times file

Comments

[m]

Why doesn't Tony cut his benefits and salary until he produces results for the city? If he was paid for the actual work he does, instead of a fixed salary, the city would save a lot of money. Cut his travel budget and money spent on photo ops and the city will be financially healthy again.

[m]

Why doesn't Tony cut his benefits and salary until he produces results for the city? If he was paid for the actual work he does, instead of a fixed salary, the city would save a lot of money. Cut his travel budget and money spent on photo ops and the city will be financially healthy again.