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Budget committee approves prioritized memo list and commissions special studies; CAO to lead follow‑ups
Summary
The Budget Committee adopted a modified priority list of budget memos and converted dozens of requests into special studies. Members directed the CAO and departments to prepare memos on revenue options, true‑up calculations, public bank feasibility and other near‑term analyses to inform budget adoption.
On May 6 the City Council Budget, Finance and Innovation Committee adopted a revised memo list and instructed the City Administrative Officer and city departments to prepare prioritized budget memos and several longer special studies to inform final budget decisions.
What the committee did Committee members reviewed and modified a draft list of more than 200 proposed budget memos. After members proposed edits and additions, the committee adopted the list “as modified” and directed the CAO to distribute priorities and collect memos from departments.
Special studies and memos requested (highlights) - True‑up of pension and contribution timing: Members asked for memos examining whether Fire & Police pension contributions should be “trued up” to reflect actual pensionable salaries for FY 2025 and whether that would produce an accounting credit for FY 2026. The committee asked the Funds to coordinate with the CAO on the proposal. - Revenue and program studies: The committee converted several memo requests into special studies, including a public bank feasibility study and analyses of revenue generation opportunities suggested by stakeholder groups. - Departmental follow‑ups: The committee asked multiple departments (for example, LAWA, LA Zoo, Animal Services, City Clerk and others) to return with more detailed cost/offset information. It also asked for facility condition audits for the zoo and for studies of contracting and fee policy across cultural and library departments.
Why it matters The memo and special‑study process is the committee's main vehicle to gather detailed cost estimates, legal analyses and policy options before the council votes on budget changes later this month. Many memos requested are time sensitive and will shape the final budget allocations and program restorations.
Next steps The CAO will circulate the finalized priority list to departments and coordinate the delivery schedule for memos. Committee members instructed departments to prioritize memos that increase General Fund revenues or propose offsets; others were converted to special studies to be returned later.
Ending note Committee members emphasized the need to balance near‑term fixes with long‑term reforms and asked the CAO to work with departments on the technical analyses requested in the prioritized memo list.
