City Council adopts revised 2025–26 budget after contentious debate over fire, police and homelessness oversight

The Los Angeles City Council adopted a revised 2025–26 budget May 21 after a daylong session that restored some services and jobs but left major policy fights unresolved over fire department funding, police hiring and where the city will house homelessness oversight. The council approved the Budget and Finance Committee report and a set of budget motions and instructions that together change the mayor's original proposal.

Council members and department leaders repeatedly returned to the same tensions: preserve day-to-day services and public safety while confronting an unusually sharp fiscal shortfall. "This is the most serious budget crisis the city has seen in nearly 2 decades," Budget and Finance Committee Chairwoman Councilmember Yaroslavsky said, outlining the committee's attempt to restore core services while trimming new programs.

Why it matters: The package kept many basic services in place and reduced the number of planned layoffs, but it also cut or delayed proposed new programs and forced tradeoffs that sparked sharp disagreement on the dais. Council members from across the political spectrum said they feared either deeper service cuts in neighborhoods or insufficient investment in public safety.

What the council approved - The council adopted the Budget and Finance Committee recommendations as amended and passed a package of budget motions and technical adjustments. Staff were instructed to prepare the final budget resolution for return to council for completion of the formal budget ordinance process. - The committee restored funding for a range of departmental positions and services described in the committee report, and the council voted on a sequence of amendments and motions that adjusted department staffing and one-time allocations.

Public safety debate: fire restorations, paramedic training and equipment Yaroslavsky…