Lawndale Council Delays Action on Budget

The Lawndale City Council, which has been overspending at a rate of $50,000 a month for several months, once again postponed adopting a budget until council members can consider proposals on how to streamline staff positions at City Hall.

City Manager Charles Thompson had recommended during a budget hearing Thursday night that the council staunch the flow of money by adopting a $7.8-million budget that could be revised at a later date.

But Councilman Larry Rudolph said he could not sign off on a budget that proposed cutting police services by $275,000 and eliminating several longstanding city programs such as the Fun Fair and Photo Day. Instead, he proposed that the city manager review ways to restructure the administration of City Hall.

The council voted 3 to 1 to send the budget back to Thompson for further revisions. But Councilwoman Carol Norman, who favored Thompson’s recommendation, dissented, saying she would oppose any attempts to eliminate the city’s already-depleted staff. “Once you cut them, you can’t get them back,” she said.

The budget hearing was continued to Sept. 6.