[{"_1":2,"_97":-5,"_98":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,73,85],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":55,"_72":55},"mediaId",6345022,"mediaKeyId","2249925-aba13f8cb5a037d4ccbd7b0a2e6754a8","parentId",2249925,"title","Committee approves consent item on payroll transfers amid public comment about collection and accountability","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",570000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2249925-aba13f8cb5a037d4ccbd7b0a2e6754a8&start=570&end=570","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2249925-aba13f8cb5a037d4ccbd7b0a2e6754a8/thumbnail_570000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6345022/Los-Angeles-City/Los-Angeles-County/California/Committee-approves-consent-item-on-payroll-transfers-amid-public-comment-about-collection-and-accountability","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6345022-96a8a8277d96f756b671f9e5481500c4/orig.mp4?Expires=1776067082&Signature=Ye5bXP293Cr6Etd661EF9StwJBmH4NRAdry3vqYWdB8UeGfBpzL5tcs6Y63F6CQ0~mXMCFwBVw~oLBS75PIG3yhaaAS25N8EUSi8OxhpWThuIJGOmiNkq5x~vPZLUIQL72whvvZYREDzBu8mI4-F-slHDapCcLqRyN~69OBSr~HTSpWSnJQzSVOnSinjMmQTJfrWym39t6DVEYeGNUe-SIXWby0xoMMc7zUR3mhhd2czIkohR1btD5jNZJ2NVOUgwBWt3ZMFM82gkDsPHAMuEJSBMZk7UBVXVgidny0kjTBNQrh94aPwSM291XVvpMM7R7zxAEkkiLYefDjFescj0g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-02-07T20:31:17Z","article","The Budget and Finance Committee approved item 3, a consent item related to appropriations and payroll reconciliation intended to address civilian salary account shortfalls. The committee initially approved the item on consent and later reopened the item to hear public comment before finalizing approval.

The item passed on initial consent roll call with four votes in favor and one member absent. After the committee reopened the item for public comment, a resident said there are “major deficits of funds to transfer,” and accused some entities of not paying penalties or permits that could provide revenue for city services. The resident specifically named “Scientology” as an organization that, the commenter said, had not been held accountable for alleged water-waste and unpaid penalties during the fire period.

The committee again took the vote after reopening and approved the item (roll call recorded as three ayes with one or more members absent). Committee discussion during the meeting noted the underlying need for transfers stems from civilian salary account deficiencies citywide and that the CAO and Finance will include such needs in broader midyear reconciliation work.

Public comment on items 1 and 2 also touched related topics: Judith Sirlin, representing Teamsters Local 911, urged support for continued funding of crossing guards and described the safety role crossing guards play for children and families.

Ending: The committee closed open session business and moved to closed session. The consent item was approved and staff will proceed with the administrative steps to effectuate the transfers as part of broader midyear budget work.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Budget and Finance Committee - 2/7/25","oneSentenceSummary","The Budget and Finance Committee approved a consent item related to payroll or appropriation transfers; public commenters raised concerns about uncollected revenues and alleged mismanagement, and the committee later reopened the item for comment before reaffirming approval.","taxTitle","Los Angeles City, Los Angeles County, California","taxId",4025,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":74,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":75,"_41":76,"_43":77,"_45":78,"_46":79,"_48":80,"_50":81,"_52":82,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":83,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":84,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":55,"_72":55},6345027,"Committee directs CAO to find funds to keep crossing guards after DOT reports $1.5 million shortfall",301,2673000,2974000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2249925-aba13f8cb5a037d4ccbd7b0a2e6754a8&start=2673&end=2974","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2249925-aba13f8cb5a037d4ccbd7b0a2e6754a8/thumbnail_2673000.jpg","/articles/6345027/Los-Angeles-City/Los-Angeles-County/California/Committee-directs-CAO-to-find-funds-to-keep-crossing-guards-after-DOT-reports-15-million-shortfall","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6345027-e5a3e8e84ec6392e548d70a869f0843a/orig.mp4?Expires=1776067082&Signature=DweGCFJEHaJcqjjB7q1Y86P-kJ4YlFAnti9tmgPiyYLv6E3wP-n2y0h8KB1pU2pS0aGOrwEZ4QtkEZhL8v~GK5VL72dRz01YYe5lUgNjPcbLfpnLhLd12YOO7yBFeeHVFVd82gszriZhE5rLQFgqgKFv3uUZbSyJI1dOH0F9V45fEAk3CzrPp8Y4~ASsM4jyA8jygtdiG0G0t7AezTtUoB6McJFiQPsaARxDLqbaQVBLs1zW13LaHwxhy1yw5cwRxRkJjB3gMSwNQZJIoKWFNFwU97ad4-WgbNVW7swIDhrfHqxt6dGEKa4hYBPIgV8jGWQk6jT8HDBT1iP6Q-ZJ3A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Budget and Finance Committee voted to keep Los Angeles’ school crossing guard program operating at current levels through the end of the school year and directed the City Administrative Officer to identify alternative funding sources at midyear to cover a projected shortfall.

Assistant General Manager Kevin Minh of the Los Angeles Department of Transportation told the committee that the department’s initial estimate of the crossing guard funding problem was about $3.3 million, refined to roughly $2.5 million after updating payroll systems and bonus eligibility. Using that updated data, DOT described an approximate $1.5 million deficit for the current fiscal year.

Kevin Minh said, “At the beginning of fiscal year, we knew we had a bit of a math problem with our crossing guard program given, and we cost limit increases, bonuses, retroactive payments that we would have to make to the crossing guards… Our initial estimate… was around $3,300,000.” After implementing bonuses into payroll systems, he said the estimate was refined to about $2.5 million.

DOT staff told the committee they expect current funds to run through roughly May but that a clear funding commitment is needed before LAUSD spring break so the department can communicate any program changes to LAUSD and bargaining units. Without added funding, staff warned the program would likely have to be suspended in May to avoid unpaid salaries.

The CAO representative said there are funds in an appropriated payroll cancellation account but stressed that the account is also earmarked to address other citywide overspending, including pay adjustments for the Fire Department. The CAO asked the committee to give flexibility in identifying which accounts will be used and said midyear Financial Status Report (FSR) materials in March will allow a more global solution for covering overspending.

Council members suggested structuring the operational response to maximize FEMA reimbursement (overtime hours could be eligible) and to consider hiring temporary staff or contractors to manage application and review workloads if needed. Committee members also proposed segregating application review work to make it easier to track eligible overtime for reimbursement.

The committee adopted an amendment offered by Councilmember Blumenfield to direct the CAO to identify alternative funding in the midyear FSR and to confirm that Crossing Guard services will continue at the same level through the end of the school year. The motion passed by roll call (Yaroslavsky, Blumenfield, McCosker and Hernandez voting yes; Hutt absent).

Ending: DOT will continue the program through May with the expectation the CAO will recommend funding solutions in the March midyear FSR; staff emphasized they need a funding commitment soon to avoid service disruption and to meet notification timelines with LAUSD and unions.","The committee voted to continue crossing guard services through the school year while directing the CAO to identify alternate funding; LADOT reported an estimated $1.5 million gap after bonuses and retroactive pay increased program costs.",{"_33":86,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":87,"_41":88,"_43":89,"_45":90,"_46":91,"_48":92,"_50":93,"_52":94,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":95,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":96,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":55,"_72":55},6345032,"Committee approves wildfire business tax relief ordinance with tighter eligibility and April application deadline",285,599000,884000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2249925-aba13f8cb5a037d4ccbd7b0a2e6754a8&start=599&end=884","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2249925-aba13f8cb5a037d4ccbd7b0a2e6754a8/thumbnail_599000.jpg","/articles/6345032/Los-Angeles-City/Los-Angeles-County/California/Committee-approves-wildfire-business-tax-relief-ordinance-with-tighter-eligibility-and-April-application-deadline","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6345032-e3364b4819e6c664b69df85c4cca4885/orig.mp4?Expires=1776067082&Signature=NBGwV1Jz9VLZJPH4~YGyfkUz5AGoMNLKchxe3R7pSbwL4682NQ-Fa40PG2KC94pWriSVnrnYP84aLJ8ZMO17aZWovwWjZUcuHLPxXMuyQwtWXYwJ~rcrxwy0RtgaiHkPgmc1D55WT1EYkg-yu4Zw9VITjklFb8riiZQ-e3aW9uSVWevWi9CgFQ370~3llN2~M-R3S7H82oMco~iFos58xb3hDZglcbVkrTyxQjeqgIVQlG0Lq2F2dwBKwXOrVd9jvngbFiejUTj3NpTfaHuktPBiBueG0TvJgoHb32ENQc-c7BSFa49xZ399OfLfrVywL0Sb5D48foy~j~nZ0KOlYQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Los Angeles City Council Budget and Finance Committee members voted to approve an ordinance to provide business tax relief for companies destroyed or severely disrupted by wildfires that began on Jan. 7, 2025.

The ordinance, approved as amended, directs the Office of Finance to implement rules and guidelines on eligibility, verification and an application process that will allow affected businesses to request relief through an April 14, 2025 deadline. The committee amended the originally drafted language that used “interrupted 60 continuous days” to instead cover businesses that have “experienced severe economic disruption,” and further shortened the qualifying threshold during committee discussion to a 45-day cumulative measure (as reflected in the committee amendment adopted at the meeting).

Charles Hong, assistant city attorney, said, “As submitted, the ordinance was, by motion from council was provide business tax relief for those businesses that were destroyed or interrupted 60 continuous days on account of the fires that began 01/07/2025.” He described the draft as modeled after relief adopted after the 1994 Northridge earthquake.

An Office of Finance representative told the committee that businesses destroyed by the fires would be relieved of business tax obligations for 2025 if approved, and that businesses that experience severe economic disruption may apply for relief and must provide proof for Finance to review. The representative said applicants would be “tagged” in Finance’s system so staff can follow up and notify taxpayers to re-register if they resume operations later in the year.

Office of Finance provided a geographic and revenue estimate for the area hardest hit by the fires: roughly 9,700 registered businesses in the three zip codes that most closely mirror the affected area paid a little more than $8 million in business tax last year. Staff said they cannot yet estimate how many additional businesses outside that geography will qualify under the “severe disruption” standard.

The committee discussed operational steps: the Office of Finance will prepare a one-page FAQ, targeted outreach through disaster recovery centers, mass email to registered businesses and web guidance. Staff advised applicants to also request the standard tax renewal extension when applying so Finance has an additional 45 days to process claims before penalties and auto-invoices take effect.

Council members pressed staff on the definition of “severe economic disruption,” and Finance said it will apply discretionary, evidence-based judgments and expects to refine objective guidance as applications arrive. Staff warned that processing workload could require overtime or temporary staffing depending on application volume.

The committee approved the ordinance as amended (final motion adopted by roll call; Yaroslavsky, Blumenfield, McCosker and Hernandez voting yes; Hutt absent). The committee also requested a report back on application results and implementation within 30 days of issuance of guidelines.

Why this matters: the ordinance pauses business-tax liability for eligible businesses for 2025 and creates an outreach and verification process meant to balance revenue protection with relief for firms damaged or economically disrupted by the fires. The committee emphasized that relief is not a blanket exemption and urged clear public communications so ineligible taxpayers do not mistakenly forgo required payments.

Ending: The committee directed the Office of Finance to draft implementation rules, produce public-facing FAQs and begin targeted outreach; Finance will provide a status update to the committee in the coming month.","The Budget and Finance Committee approved an amended ordinance to provide tax relief for businesses directly affected by the Jan. 7 wildfires, narrowing eligibility and directing Office of Finance to set verification rules and outreach; the committee also shortened the qualifying disruption threshold.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee approves consent item on payroll transfers amid public comment about collection and accountability

Committee directs CAO to find funds to keep crossing guards after DOT reports $1.5 million shortfall

Committee approves wildfire business tax relief ordinance with tighter eligibility and April application deadline