In the past decade, the City of Los Angeles has experienced a relentless increase in its annual structural deficit.  When Mayor Antonio Villaraigoza took office, he told us of a $ 158 million structural deficit and his intention to reduce and cancel it.  Essentially, Mr. Villaraigoza was promising us to correct our City’s history of relentlessly spending every penny we receive and applying short-sighted, short-lived solutions to an ever increasing list of financial short-comings.  His vision would require a partnership with the City Council and the cooperation of the 35,000-plus City Employees.  His goal was to be the Chief Executive of a “world-class,” financially solid City.

That did not happen.  Our annual deficits continued to rise.  On April 20, 2009, when the Mayor put out his Annual Budget Proposals, he told us there was a $ 530 million deficit and we were in the middle of the most severe financial melt-down since the Great Depression of the thirties.  The City’s income was decreasing and was expected to decrease further.  The City’s expenses, both short-term and long-term, were rising and was expected to increase further.

Clearly, the measures taken, so far, have not solved the problem.  Some or our recent financial measuresmay actually make our deficits worse  If further, effective measures are not taken, immediately,the City WILL be bankrupt.

With a general knowledge of this unsatisfactory situation, the Neighborhood Councils (NCs) have been meeting and learning the details.  This year’s groups of 15 NC Budget Representatives will follow the path of the last year’s group which proposed a dozen ways to redirect the City toward fiscal policy changes which would retain a maximum of our City’s employees (our City’s most important asset), would sustain our City services and would reverse the pattern of ever-increasing Budget deficits.

On Sunday, Jan. 10, 2010, the LANC Coalition, as gathering of NC activist from all over the City, met to review and regroup around solutions to these problems.  There were 80 NC activists present.  Among them were 7 of the 15 NC Budget Representatives.  In attendance, were a City Council Member (Paul Koretz, CD5), two Members of the Mayor’s Staff and the General Manager of DONE (Bong Hwan Kim).  The level of concern in that meeting room was intense.  The desire to be part of solutions to our City’s financial problems was high.  There will be a formal Press Release of these proceedings.

The NCs want “a seat at the table.”  They want Ex Officio status at the City Council, Council Committee, Task Force and Departmental meetings so that they can fulfill their Chartered responsibilities:

1. “…to promote more citizen participation in government…”
2. “…to make government more responsive to local needs…”
3. “…to present to the Mayor and Council an annual list of priorities for the City budget…” and
4. “…(to) monitor the delivery of City services in their respective areas and periodic meetings with responsible officials of City departments…”

The NCs want the opportunity and the ability, like all City-chartered officials, to bring their understanding, opinions and suggestions to our City’s decision-makers.

Respectfully submitted,

Daniel Wiseman