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Committee approves pilot for underground mechanized collection; staff instructed to find non–general-fund gap financing
Summary
The Budget and Finance Committee adopted a pilot program to test underground mechanized technology for waste and recycling collection. LA Sanitation and CAO staff said roughly $6.7 million is needed, with an unmet city-funded gap of about $3.82 million; the committee instructed the CAO to identify non–general-fund sources to cover the shortfall.
The Los Angeles City Budget and Finance Committee on July 1 approved a pilot program to test underground mechanized technology for collection of waste and recyclables and instructed city staff to seek funding options other than the general fund to cover an identified shortfall.
LA Sanitation and the City Administrative Officer described a pilot with a total estimated cost of $6,700,000 and an unmet city funding need of about $3,820,000. Alex Hallou, assistant general manager at LA Sanitation, said earlycommitments included $1,000,000 from a state recycling program and about $2,000,000 in vendor contributions. “We were able to secure $1,000,000 from car recycle,” Hallou said; he added that the vendor North Engineering has contributed close to $2,000,000 and that the department can contribute a compressed natural gas truck to support collection if the pilot proceeds.
Jan Su of the Office of the City Administrative Officer told the committee the CAO has identified a potentially eligible non–general-fund source: the Integrated Solid Waste Management Trust Fund. “Right now, we are looking at an off budget fund that is eligible to fund this. This is the Integrated Solid Waste Management Trust Fund,” Su said, but she cautioned that staff must determine whether sufficient balance exists in that fund to cover the project.
Committee members expressed reluctance to tap the general fund while the city contends with fiscal constraints and layoffs. In response, the committee adopted an amendment instructing the CAO, with assistance from the City Clerk and LA Sanitation, to identify potential non–general-fund funding options, such as grants or special funds, to cover the unmet need. The motion adopted by the committee included that direction and carried on the record.
The committee’s action was recorded on the roll call immediately following discussion; the clerk recorded the vote in part (Yaroslavsky: Yes; Blumenfeld: Aye; Hutt: Yes); the transcript does not include a full roll-call listing for every member on the record in the segment provided. Staff said the department and vendor partners are also exploring other outside sources, including contacts related to Olympic venues, because the pilot could be showcased at nearby venues.
The committee’s instruction requires the CAO to return with identified non–general-fund sources before city general fund support is committed.
