Budget committee approves consent items, asks staff for hiring data and advances wildfire emergency income study after public appeals

The Budget and Finance Committee approved a package of consent items and voted to advance several separate items after public commenters urged continued funding for Trans Latina services and a citywide guaranteed-income program.

The committee, presided over by President Morales, approved consent items 1, 2, 4–10, 12–16 and 18 as presented. Councilmembers present — Jorovsky; Bloomingfield; Macascar; Councilmember Hernández — voted in favor. The roll call recorded five yes votes and the consent items were adopted as presented.

The committee then considered an update on a prioritized hiring and critical recruitment process (item 3). Councilmember Hernández asked staff for more granular data on whether vacancies reflect positions eliminated, lateral moves or retirements. City administrative staff said that those specific vacancy categories are not compiled in the current report. The committee approved the report “as amended” with an additional instruction from Councilmember Hernández to produce the requested vacancy details for future committee review. The item was approved with five yes votes.

On item 11, a proposed emergency guaranteed-income program for Angelenos economically affected by January 2025 wildfires, the committee heard staff estimates and public comment before referring the proposal for further study. City staff cited an estimated 35,000 workers who could lose jobs permanently because of the fires and said a $250,000 implementation estimate appears in the report to set up payment infrastructure. Staff described three payment-delivery options for participants — bank transfer, unbanked (paper or other methods) and a city-issued participant card — and said a proposed clearinghouse option could incur a roughly 2 percent processing fee.

Staff also noted uncertainty about funding sources. Members discussed whether T-FAR funds could be used; staff said T-FAR has geographic limits tied to five designated districts and that Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds are prescriptive in allowable uses. Committee members directed staff to analyze program feasibility and funding options and to return with a refined financial plan; the committee voted to note and file the report, add the instruction to analyze an emergency guaranteed-income program, and refer the matter to the Ad Hoc Recovery Committee and the Budget and Finance Committee for follow-up. The motion passed on a 5–0 vote.

Multiple public commenters urged the committee to preserve or increase funding for services serving transgender Angelenos and other vulnerable groups. Speakers representing the Trans Latina Coalition and partner programs described service outcomes and asked the committee to continue funding navigation, housing and employment supports. Daisy Di, identified in public comment as a program coordinator, said, “Si yo hubiera tenido esos recursos cuando estaba creciendo, no me hubiera forzado a estar...,” describing how programs helped participants obtain housing and employment. Several other speakers specifically urged support for the equity initiative and for a proposed $3 million investment referenced in public comment.

Finally, the committee approved item 17, a motion by Councilmember Jerovlasky (listed in the motion text as Jerovlasky, Harris‑Dawson, Hernández and others) to establish a municipal fiscal advisory group to advise the Budget and Finance Committee on measures to secure long‑term fiscal health. The motion passed unanimously, 5–0.

Votes at a glance - Consent package (items 1, 2, 4–10, 12–16, 18): approved as presented; vote 5–0. - Item 3 (Hiring/prioritization report): approved with additional instruction to provide vacancy-category data; vote 5–0. - Item 11 (Report on a proposed guaranteed‑income emergency program for wildfire‑affected Angelenos): noted and filed; staff instructed to analyze program design and funding options and refer to Ad Hoc Recovery and Budget & Finance Committees; vote 5–0. - Item 17 (Establish municipal fiscal advisory group): approved; motion moved by Jerovlasky; vote 5–0.

The committee concluded its open session and announced there would be a closed session on additional items. Several public commenters who addressed the committee during the meeting requested continued outreach and funding for community‑based organizations serving transgender residents and other vulnerable populations; staff and councilmembers agreed to consider those requests as part of the budgetary review and the directed follow‑up analyses.