LOS ANGELES : Fire Department Asked to Consider 13% Budget Cut
Mayor Richard Riordan has asked the Fire Department to consider cutting 13% of its budget, a move that could result in the elimination of 300 jobs, fire officials said Tuesday.
But mayoral spokeswoman Jane Galbraith stressed that all ideas for trimming spending are only proposals at this point.
Administration officials refuse to discuss specific cutbacks in individual agencies until the mayor releases his proposed budget next month.
A 13% spending cut, or $30 million, could involve 300 jobs in a department with 3,200 uniform personnel and civilians, Chief Donald Manning said.
“It’s going to be a tough time, folks,” Commissioner David Fleming said. “There are going to be very substantial cuts in a lot of departments in this city.”
But, Fleming said, people should not assume at this point that the mayor will take $30 million out of the fire department’s budget.
The mayor’s aides merely want to know what actions the department would take if officials had to reduce spending by $30 million, Fleming said.
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