‘Find another way’: City workers warn budget layoffs will cut services for youth, seniors, animal care

Find another way.

That was the resounding demand from Los Angeles residents and city workers who packed recent public hearings to oppose  major layoffs proposed in Mayor Karen Bass’ draft budget.

Hundreds of locals lined up at Van Nuys City Hall April 25 and Los Angeles City Hall April 28 to vent their outrage in one-minute public comment testimonies on the proposal that would lay off 1,647 city employees and eliminate 1,076 vacant positions in an effort to close a nearly $1 billion budget gap for the 2025-26 fiscal year. 

The proposed budget also grows the city’s reserve fund and consolidates entire departments while increasing overall spending by 8.2%, bringing the total to $13.9 billion. 

“Today is about hearing from you,” said Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky as she opened Monday’s budget hearing at Los Angeles City Hall. “The decisions we make over the next few weeks should reflect the priorities of Angelenos across the city.”

At the hearings, Los Angeles Documenters Isaac Shamam, Martin Romero and Rafael Cazzorla monitored public comment and published residents’ budget priorities in their own words on Documenters.org. 

Here is what Los Angeles had to say about the proposed city budget:

City workers warn of service cuts if layoffs move forward

Among the most prominent voices at public comment came from labor partners and city workers urging the committee to reconsider proposed cuts across a number of departments.

403 people will be cut from the civilian ranks of the Los Angeles Police Department, the most proposed layoffs of any department, though those cuts equate to just 3% of the overall department workforce, according to data compiled by L.A. City Controller Kenneth Mejia. Other departments are seeing large-scale reductions relative to their size. The City Planning Department, Animal Services and the Department on Disability are all slated to lose around a third of their workforce under Bass’ proposed budget.

During public comment, city employees said the proposed layoffs would overwhelm remaining staff, lower the amount and quality of city services they can offer and hamper the city’s preparations for the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics. 

• “People are going to have to do the same job with less people and that does not make absolutely any sense to me,” said Mark Moreno, a helicopter mechanic with the General Services Department and an SEIU 721 union member. “Please try to find the money somewhere else because there are other places to cut.”
• “Balancing the budget on the backs of essential workers and services means a threat to public safety, and will increase future liabilities,” said Jenita Igwealor, the regional director of  SEIU 721, while presenting with the coalition of L.A. City Unions. 
• “You can’t rebuild L.A. without city planners,” said Roy Samaan, a city planner and the president of the Engineers and Architects Association Union Board of Governors. 
• “It would take another generation of planners to rebuild what we stand to lose,” said Karen, a city planner, in reference to cuts to the city planning department, including closing the Office of Racial Justice, Equity and Transformative Planning.

Advocates say consolidating the Aging and Youth Development departments would deepen instability for L.A.’s most vulnerable

While some city departments are seeing major reductions in staff, the Youth Development Department, the Department of Aging and the Economic and Workforce Development Department are proposed to be consolidated into the Community Investment for Families Department. About half of the employees in the Youth Development Department would be cut and 20% of the Department of Aging’s employees would be cut.

• “At the cusp of a recession when youth needs us the most we are slashing the very services that ensure their safety, mental health and housing stability,” said Joey Garcia, the director of Youth Protection for the department.
• “Already, our youth are facing constant uncertainty from our federal government and we look to you, our city government, for protection and certainty,” said Jovana Ordóñes, a community member. 
• “Cutting the funding to these services will not just harm individuals but would harm the entire community,” said Yaretzi Velazquez, a CSUN student and intern at the Bernadi Multi-Purpose Senior Center. “Today I stand with our seniors and advocate for their right to age with dignity and to be cared for and to be respected.”
• “As our older adult population grows, it’s critical to dedicate resources that ensure seniors live with dignity, respect and the necessary support that they deserve,” said Mitchel Kero Diaz from elder care service provider One Generation.

Working-class immigrants ask for protection and resources

In the face of rising economic uncertainty and growing immigration enforcement across the country, working-class residents and immigrant community members expressed the need for the city to invest in day laborer centers, immigration legal services and other organizations tasked with protecting their rights. 

• “In this political climate, Mayor Karen Bass and members of this city council have the responsibility to protect our due process,” said David Malikyar, speaking on behalf of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights. 
• “I ask you to approve a budget that should really be for the community with funds for services and resources for everyone that we all deserve,” said Fidel Gonzalez, a day laborer at a CARECEN center. 
• “We are invisible to the mayor who does not recognize our contributions and is eliminating the support of our center in Los Angeles,” said Yanet Martinez, a house cleaner and member of the Instituto de Educacion Popular del Sur de California. “She shows that she doesn’t care for our safety or our protections.”

Public seeks a holistic approach to community safety

The largest share of the city’s unrestricted funds is allocated toward LAPD – nearly $2 billion in city funding for a department with a total operating budget of $3.3 billion, when taking into account other state and federal funding. Community members were critical of the department’s size and cost, particularly liability payouts, which rose to $100 million last year. Residents expressed the need for a holistic approach to community safety that relied on non-police intervention and services to create safer neighborhoods in L.A.

• “LAPD has defunded our city,” said Julian Virgos, a neighborhood councilmember in council district 2. “We need to refund our communities and refund the people.” 
• “We know that crime doesn’t come from moral failure, it comes from unmet needs,” said Lauren Peritra, a member of the public from council district 11. “More police won’t fix that — investing in housing, youth development and community empowerment will because when people have what they need to live dignified lives, crime goes down.”
• “Cutting GYRD’s [Gang Reduction and Youth Development] budget now would undo years of investment that made our communities safer not through enforcement alone but through opportunity, healing and hope,” said Maria Luna, a member of the public.

Cuts to understaffed Animal Services would hinder an already struggling department

At Animal Services, around a third of the workforce is slated to be laid off, worsening conditions for animals in an already underresourced department. Public commenters criticized Bass’ proposed budget that includes laying off 62 people and eliminating 49 vacancies. 

Understaffing was the major issue highlighted in a 2023 transparency report from Controller Mejia, which found “that staff shortages have led to insufficient animal care and deficiencies in customer service.”

• “Do not cut the budget allocated for animal services, or cut staff positions. It is a death sentence to dogs, cats and animals,” said Lyn Chao, a community member. 
• “Budgets reflect the priority of our city and mayor, and it should reflect priorities of the public,” said Britney Thorn, a member of the public. “Yet this proposed budget cuts 122 positions from LA Animal Services, which is a 33% reduction to an already underfunded department.”

Editor’s Note: This story was updated on Thursday, May 8 at 9:30 a.m. to correct the name and affiliation of Yanet Martinez.

Reporting for this story came from notes taken by Los Angeles Documenters Isaac Shamam, Martin Romero and Rafael Cazzorla, at the LA City Council’s Budget Hearings April 25 at Van Nuys City Hall and April 28 at Los Angeles City Hall. The Documenters program trains and pays community members to document what happens at public meetings. Check out the meeting notes and audio on Documenters.org.