Found money: L.A. council close to compromise on LAPD [Updated]

[Updated at 6:30: A threatened cut to the ranks of the Los Angeles Police Department apparently will be averted in a compromise reached by members of the City Council.]

[An earlier version of this post incorrectly suggested that the mayor's office had brokered the compromise.]

The council has been considering a police hiring freeze as one way to reach the $530 million in cuts needed to close the city’s looming budget shortfall.

Over the weekend, however, aides to the council and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said they found enough money to hire replacements for up to 480 of the 520 officers who typically leave each year through retirements and such. Apparently, the city’s share of property taxes next year will be $20 million greater than expected, and $4 million provided by the federal government could also be used to hire officers. Plus, the council may decide to use some of the $18 million held in city reserves.

The money will only allow the city to maintain close to its current level of police staffing. It won’t be enough for Villaraigosa to continue his goal to grow the Police Department by 1,000 officers, one of the top priorities of his administration.

The council is expected to vote on the compromise this evening.

-- Phil Willon

Comments

[Foxy L.A. Lady]

If all those funds existed in the first place, then why did the city impose the trash fee in the first place?

[Paul]

Oh...now the mayor can "find money" for more cops that hardly prevent crime but he can't find money to keep teachers and prevent layoffs? The former educates kids for a productive life and attempts to keep them out of the crosshairs of the police and the latter keeps people from the despairation of resorting to crime to feed their families. I think the money can be put to better use.

[nmoore6676]

Maybe if they shake out the sofa cushions they can "find" enough to fix the rest of their financial morass.

[Dick]

First of all - the teachers do not teach anymore, the try to indoctrinate. Their pension plan is absolutely rediculous. (as are the rest of the government employee unions) But we need police, and we need more than teh 1000 that Tony Villar promised. Teachers need more money/ - what are you smoking?

[LA Resident]

City Council just did the whole hiring freeze of LAPD to get something on their agenda in return. Politics at work.

[John]

I'm a cop here in LA and either way it goes the only people hurt in this are the citizens of los angeles. I work hard and do my best out there wheter the city hires more cops or doesn't will not change my work ethic. Of course more boots on the ground means less crime because there are more guys to bring in arrestees. If they tell me the popular "do more with less" guess what??? I am pretty good at "zoning out" and this is definitely one of those times. I along with many of my co workers are not stupid if you want "more" then you better be prepared to pay "more". Stress is a killer and I plan on pulling as much out of the pension as possible. So my advice to the few percentage of police bashers out there you better be nice because next time you call I may just take my sweet time!;)

[UTLA Freaks]

I love how people, like Paul, believe that the City of Los Angeles has anything to do with the teacher layoffs. I didn't know the City of L.A. suddenly became the Los Angeles Unified School District!

Also, I agree with Foxy L.A. Lady. I've been wondering this whole time, "The trash collection fee funds!!! THOSE FUNDS!! Whatever happened to those funds?!?!!??"