Saturday’s Budget Day at City Hall successfully launched another year-long effort to provide Neighborhood Council input and influence into the City’s annual budgeting process. Over 200 NC Budget Representatives, Board members, and concerned stakeholders representing 77 of the City’s 95 Neighborhood Councils listened and participated for four hours of “talking budget.”
The standing room only crowd heard presentations from Mayor Eric Garcetti and his Deputy Mayor overseeing the budget, Rick Cole, as well as City Controller Ron Galperin, Councilman Paul Krekorian (chair of the Budget and Finance Committee), and City Administrative Officer (CEO) Miguel Santana. All agreed that although the City’s financial picture has improved, the ongoing structural deficit will continue to be a challenge until 2018. Their PowerPoint presentations may be viewed here.
In addition, several of the current Budget Advocates shared their experiences from the past year including outgoing Region 1 Advocate Ed Novy from Sunland-Tujunga NC who made the point of the budgetary “elephant in the room” by unfurling a six-foot tall “Stompy,” the pension liability elephant. It was an effective way to demonstrate a City financial challenge that continues to grow larger each year.
The entire morning session was taped and will be aired on Channel 35 in the next week or so. Watch for an announcement with the date and time.
After the presentations, the Budget Representatives from each of the Neighborhood Councils in attendance met in their respective Service Regions to elect new Budget Advocates, three for each of the 12 regions. Then all attendees were asked to
make budget-related suggestions for the Mayor and Budget Advocates to consider before preparing next year’s budget. These suggestions will be distributed to the NCs by Budget Advocates, and additional input will be encouraged.
The newly elected 36 Budget Advocates then assembled for the first time to elect their new officers. The 2014-15 co-chairs are Jay Handal (West Los Angeles NC) and Terrence Gomes (South Robertson NC).
The Budget Advocates will be holding a Retreat on Saturday afternoon to plan their work for the year ahead and will share their plans regularly with all NCs.
Attendees at Budget Day had the opportunity to fill out a brief Budget Survey which everyone is encouraged to complete by August 31, 2014.
The Budget Advocates welcome and encourage the ongoing suggestions and participation of the two Budget Representatives from each NC as well as all NC Board members during this year-long process to help shape the 2015-16 City Budget. Please email: [email protected]
