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Friends,
The dust from the campaign trail has settled, leaving in its wake the ongoing budget drama. During the candidate forums and endorsement interviews LAs dramatic budget deficit was a constant theme.
As we pack up the campaign office, we find ourselves still confronted with a crisis that prevents the city of LA from moving forward. BudgetLA is a vehicle to bring people together to seize this opportunity. I hope you'll join us.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
APRIL 4, 2011
"Can L.A. Afford Its Future?"
"The people of Los Angeles continue to pay more
to City Hall but receive less,
a pattern that will not change without significant
and immediate civic engagement from the community."
says community organizer Stephen Box
Los Angeles, CA: Announcing the upcoming meeting of BudgetLA, community organizer Stephen Box calls on the residents of LA to join in the process of establishing a long term balanced budget based on sustainable projections of revenue and expenses.
"As the Mayor prepares to release the City of LA's 2011/2012 Budget on April 20, it is important that the people of Los Angeles are in position to advocate for their priorities on the delivery of services and on the collection and allocation of revenues," said Box, "and BudgetLA is an opportunity for the people of LA to come together and to protect the future of LA."
BudgetLA is an open forum for community members, from neighborhood councils to homeowners associations, from business leaders to advocacy groups, and from elected officials to the city family.
The BudgetLA agenda will cover a "State of the Budget" approach to our current position and projections based on revenue, funding, and operational efficiencies. Most importantly, speakers from both the public and private sector will address the City of LA's growing pension and healthcare obligations.
The BudgetLA mission is to bring together neighborhood councils and community organizations so that the public is in position to hold City Hall accountable for the priorities that drive the collection of revenue and the allocation of resources.
"We want to organize, educate, and participate in the budget process," says Box "just as we did last year when the Mayor and the City Council spent an inordinate amount of time debating the future of small departments such as the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment while the larger opportunities to balance the budget passed by."
BudgetLA:
Saturday, April 16th 2011 from 10 AM - 1 PM
Hollywood Presbyterian Church - The Cellar
1760 N. Gower Ave.
Hollywood, CA 90028
For more information contact:
Stephen Box
BudgetLA Organizer
323.864.7586
Stephen@thirdeyecreative.net
budgetlosangeles@gmail.com BudgetLosAngeles@gmail.co
Download the Press Release in pdf for printing here |
The City's Contract with the People:
"Silence Gives Consent"
 The City of LA's current budget crisis puts City Hall in a "Contract vs. Contract" predicament that pits the people of LA against the employees of LA, one where the people who pay for services and the people who deliver services are both confronted with lose-lose proposals.
>>> continue reading |
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Building a Foundation of More Informed Stakeholders
 While much has been written about the Mayor's Budget Challenge and the fact that it focuses on a selection of actual policy decisions under consideration that some might view as biased, a closer look reveals a wealth of information for the uninitiated individual who wants to know more about the fiscal challenges faced by the city.
>>> continue reading |
Pension Reform for Los Angeles:
In Search of a Civil Solution
 The current system of pensions (including healthcare coverage) for civilian and sworn retirees of the City of Los Angeles is believed by many to be unsustainable. Much has been written about LACERS and LAFPP, the city's giant civilian and sworn pension systems, and the levels of employee and city contributions as well as the returns on investment achieved and expected in the future.
>>> continue reading |
NCs Call for Revenue Efficiencies,
Combining City Departments
On Monday, thirteen Neighborhood Council selected Budget Advocates presented Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and his staff with recommendations for a sustainable financial future for the city of Los Angeles. The Mayor expressed a general approval for many of the recommendations and expressed a willingness to endorse the spirit of, if not the all of the content, of the report.
>>> continue reading |
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April 4th @ 6:30 pm
Budget & Finance Committee
Glassell Park Recreation Center
3650 Verdugo Road
Los Angeles, CA 90065
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April 5th @ 10 am
NC Budget Advocates
City Council - City Hall
200 Spring Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
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April 9th @ 10 am
Plan Check NC
Historic Downtown Outreach Center
114 W 5th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90013
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April 16th @ 10 am
BudgetLA
Hollywood Presbyterian Church
1760 North Gower
Hollywood, CA 90028
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