Villaraigosa signs $6.9B spending plan

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on Thursday signed the $6.9 billion budget for the coming year that avoids layoffs and widespread employee furloughs thanks to benefits concessions made by city workers.

The agreement approved by most municipal employees to contribute to their retirement health care and pensions was key to bringing some stability to the the city's finances, he said.

The spending plan that takes effect July 1 also restores some services, such as reopening libraries for a sixth day, filling some 300,000 potholes and opening new recreation and parks facilities.

And while it allows the LAPD to retain a force of 9,963 officers, it requires the Fire Department to redeploy personnel to emphasize medical care and to eliminate 315 firefighting jobs over the next three years.

LAMediaWatch.com