L.A. to Join Campaign for Initiative to Protect Budgets

Alarmed by state proposals to cut funding to local governments, Los Angeles city and county officials will join counterparts throughout California today to launch a November initiative campaign to protect municipalities.

Backers, including Los Angeles Mayor James K. Hahn and Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chairman Don Knabe, need to collect 598,105 signatures of registered voters by April 16 to qualify the Local Taxpayers and Public Safety Protection Act for the fall ballot.

“We are putting this on the ballot to stop the state from taking local government money without voter approval,” said Patricia Alvarez-Sahagun, a spokeswoman for the League of California Cities, which is co-sponsoring the initiative along with the California State Assn. of Counties and other groups.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger recently proposed a budget that would take a projected $1.3 billion in property tax revenue from cities and counties.

The ballot measure, previously announced in other parts of the state, would require voters’ approval before the state could take and use local government funds in the future. The initiative also would require more timely reimbursements from the state whenever it mandated a program, service or added cost for local governments.

Hahn has said the proposed budget cuts would cost Los Angeles about $45 million, worsening a city budget that already is projected to have a $200-million shortfall next year.

The mayor and other city officials have warned that the cuts probably would hurt police and fire services.

To emphasize that point, directors of the Los Angeles police and firefighters unions are scheduled to attend today’s launching of the petition drive to offer support for the initiative.