Mayor’s Budget Draws Heat at Hearing

Drawing loud cheers from a standing-room-only crowd of firefighters, Los Angeles City Council members on Monday expressed trepidation about Mayor Richard Riordan’s proposed budget for the Fire Department, worrying that possible staff cuts could threaten public safety.

Although Riordan has touted his budget as a multi-pronged public safety effort that includes a $5.5-million boost for the department, Fire Chief Bill Bamattre and union President Ken Buzzell agreed Monday that the department’s $267-million spending plan could hurt fire service throughout the city. Asked by lawmakers how he would meet the budget without cutting each day’s field force, Bamattre admitted that he is unsure.

“We still have a question mark. We don’t know how we’re going to fill that question mark,� Bamattre said as hundreds of firefighters wearing union T-shirts packed the council chambers. “It’s ridiculous for any of us to say that the reductions will not result in altered service levels.�

Riordan’s proposal--unveiled earlier this month amid a $4-billion overall city budget that adds $57 million to the Police Department--would cut about 28 firefighters from non-field operations such as disaster preparedness, hazardous materials and hydrant and tank inspections, and delete 140 unfilled firefighter positions from the payroll, making up the hours with overtime funds. But to meet the budget, Bamattre would have to cut funds that would amount to the pay for 50 to 100 firefighter jobs.

“It’s a drastic change and I think it bears more careful analysis before I’m comfortable voting for it,� Councilwoman Rita Walters said after the three-hour hearing, which kicked off two weeks of budget meetings by a special council committee.

“Somebody said it was a sleight of hand--I think so, too,� Walters added. “The mayor says on the one hand that he’s adding money to the budget. The real story is they’re losing money.�

Mayoral budget director Chris O’Donnell said council members raised a “legitimate concern.�

“The chief has committed to the mayor there would be minimal impact on service levels, if any at all,� he said. “There’s no department where there wasn’t some reductions. It’s a very difficult year.�

Committee Chairman Richard Alatorre and members Jackie Goldberg and Mike Feuer all said they will need to see more detail about pending cutbacks before approving the Fire Department’s budget. The full council can amend the mayor’s proposal line by line before passing it. Any items the mayor vetoes, the council can override with a two-thirds vote.

Also at Monday’s hearing, the panel reviewed proposed budgets for the city attorney’s office and the Animal Regulation Department. Several council members suggested that the city hire better lawyers with a broader range of expertise, rather than expand the use of private attorneys, which cost the city $8 million last year.

“I’m a big believer in the city attorney’s office cultivating talent that we can retain. We lose all that when we contract out,� said Feuer, noting that a city lawyer’s time costs $45 to $69 an hour, compared with $100 to $300 per hour the city typically pays a private firm. “No one wants to spend extra money. This is designed to save money.�