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Committee votes to deposit bus-lane pilot fines into general fund after debate over targeted spending
Summary
Council voted 5-0 to treat revenue from a bus-lane violation camera pilot like net parking revenues and deposit it into the general fund; members debated dedicating a portion to immediate street-safety infrastructure before deciding on the general fund approach.
The Budget and Finance Committee approved an amendment to the Transportation Committee’s spending plan for revenue generated by a bus-lane violation enforcement pilot, instructing that net proceeds be deposited to the city’s general fund. The amendment, put forward by Councilmember Bob Blumenfield, passed on a 5-0 roll call.
Committee discussion centered on whether to reserve a portion of the pilot revenue for urgent transportation safety projects — including pedestrian safety treatments at the top 50 locations for street takeovers and other infrastructure requests from LADOT and LAPD — or to treat the money as general fund revenue so the larger budgeting process could weigh competing needs. Councilmember Hernandez urged setting aside a portion for urgent DOT gaps, giving the example that $250,000 could cover installations at 50 locations; Blumenfield and others argued that diverting new revenues to earmarked pots risks fragmenting the budget and complicating priorities.
CAO staff advised the committee that city financial policy typically recommends new revenue flow to the general fund to preserve flexibility; staff also noted the difficulty of budgeting based on fines, which can vary year to year.
Public comment on the item included appeals both for using the revenue for safety and for placing new revenue into the general fund; several callers also raised unrelated grievances during the public comment period.
The vote roll call was Councilmember Yaroslavsky — yes; Councilmember Blumenfield — yes; Councilmember Hutt — aye; Councilmember McOsker — yes; Councilmember Hernandez — yes.
The committee approved the Transportation Committee report as amended. The CAO will follow financial policy guidance when the funds are recognized, and the council can consider specific allocations through the regular budget or financial status report process.
