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L.A. Now Live: Can Garcetti’s grand goals match reality?

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Despite Mayor-elect Eric Garcetti’s lofty rhetoric during the campaign, Los Angeles City Hall could quickly bring him crashing back to earth, with real-life struggles about to unfold over employee salaries, overtime pay and city spending overall.

Join us at 9 a.m. as we discuss Tuesday’s election, Garcetti’s victory and what it all means for Los Angeles with Times reporter David Zahniser.

On Thursday, the City Council — a body that Garcetti will still be part of until June 30 —– will decide whether to press ahead with a 5.5% pay hike for city workers, which has been portrayed as a budget buster by the city’s top financial advisers.

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FULL COVERAGE: Los Angeles election

By the end of the year, Garcetti and the council’s leadership must begin new contract talks with public employee unions representing police officers, firefighters, clerks, tree trimmers and workers at the Department of Water and Power — all of whom worked to deny him the job of mayor.

Budget battles could prove a big distraction for a mayor who wants to create 20 “great streets” — beautified boulevards with walkable shops and restaurants — and put food trucks at Los Angeles International Airport to serve travelers.

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