Hundreds urge City Council to restore cuts in mayor’s proposed budget during lengthy public hearing

On May 21, 2025, the Los Angeles City Council heard public comment on the mayor’s proposed 2025–26 budget. Council President announced 126 people had signed up to speak on the single agenda item — the budget — and estimated public comment would run about 90 minutes; speakers ultimately continued into a 15‑minute overtime “lightning round.”

Speakers across labor unions, service providers, immigrant‑rights groups, youth advocates and environmental organizations urged the council to restore cuts the Budget and Finance Committee made to the mayor’s proposal and to protect programs council members and community groups described as life‑saving.

The most frequently raised operational concern came from the fire department and its union representatives. “We currently have more than 100 paramedic vacancies, and this is a direct impact on our ability to respond to life and death emergencies,” said Dave Bridal, firefighter captain and director with United Firefighters of Los Angeles City. Rich Ramirez, second vice president of UFLAC Local 112 and a paramedic firefighter, warned the committee cut funding that would train new paramedics and remove dozens of emergency incident technicians. “Cutting 42 EIT positions is a huge cut in our operations,” Ramirez said, adding that the budget committee removed $540,000 that the mayor had proposed for paramedic training.

Board of Fire Commissioners member Sharon Delukic described mobile advanced provider rescue units (APRUs) and gave an on‑scene example of a medically urgent case treated without an ambulance, noting those units routinely “handle about 8 to 10 calls a shift” and reduce ambulance demand.

Immigration lawyers and service providers urged the council to keep or increase funding for Represent LA, a city program that subsidizes removal‑defense legal services. “This has become a critical infrastructure,” said Tess Feldman, an immigration attorney, requesting the council allocate $1,000,000 to the Represent LA Removal Defense Fund. Multiple immigrant‑rights organizations and speakers from CARECEN (Central American Resource Center) and Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project reinforced that ask and described the day labor centers as essential for worker safety and economic stability.

Youth advocates pressed the council not to consolidate the Youth Development Department (YDD) into a larger office. “The consolidation for the youth development department isn’t a good idea, period,” said Araceli Rodriguez, campaign lead for the Invest in Youth Coalition, arguing YDD’s focused structure and accountability are needed for programs serving people ages 10–26.

Climate and environmental justice groups backed restoration of staff for the Climate Emergency Mobilization Office and programs addressing oil and gas extraction, brownfields and heat resilience, warning that one‑time or short‑term funding would not meet long‑term needs. “We need long term sustained investment in CMO to be the hub for climate resilience and engagement,” said Karen Romero Estrada, climate justice associate at SCOPE.

Animal‑welfare advocates and veterinarians urged full funding for spay and neuter vouchers, saying the current rates and caps have caused many providers to stop accepting vouchers. “Please fully fund all voucher types,” said Zoe Nattel, executive director of the Community Animal Medicine Project.

Multiple speakers representing homelessness services asked the council to preserve the homeless‑services budget and to fully appropriate interim housing dollars so contractors can operate without repeated amendments. “Cutting critical services would not only reverse our progress, it would cost more in the long run, in human suffering and in dollars,” said Joy Richardson of Saint Joseph Center.

Speakers also raised separate concerns about language access and Department on Disability staffing, continued funding for the city film‑liaison position that supports local production, and the preservation of historic‑site staffing at places such as Hollyhock House and Barnsdall Art Park.

Procedurally, the council limited speakers to one minute for the budget item and a second minute for general comment, closed the public‑comment sign‑up list at the start of the hearing, and went into a 15‑minute overtime period to accommodate more speakers. The meeting recessed at the end of the session and was scheduled to reconvene at 10 a.m. on May 22 to consider the Budget and Finance Committee report.

Motions recorded early in the session included a motion to approve the minutes of the May 20, 2025 meeting (moved by Councilmember Blumenfeld; seconded by Councilmember Padilla) and a motion to approve commendatory resolutions (moved by Councilmember Soto‑Martinez; seconded by Councilmember Hutt). The transcript does not record outcomes for those procedural motions.

The council did not take a final vote on the budget at the May 21 hearing; the item remained under consideration and councilmembers and members of the public said they expected further deliberations the following day.