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Council approves placing LAFD funding measure on ballot after testimony on understaffing
Summary
After firefighters and union representatives described depleted staffing and doubled response times, the council approved a ballot measure (Item 36) to provide dedicated revenue to the Los Angeles Fire Department for staffing, equipment and station repairs.
Councilmember E. Hernandez and multiple speakers, including Local 112 representatives and active firefighters, urged the council to approve a measure sending a funding question to the November ballot to boost staffing, replace aging apparatus and restore response capacity.
Union leaders said LAFD has fewer crews and longer response times than decades ago and cited the Boyle Heights incident as an example of how major emergencies can occur anywhere. Firefighters testified about exposed crews, aging reserve fleets and the need for additional stations and apparatus.
After discussion, the council voted on Item 36 as amended and recorded 14 AYES. Supporters described the measure as accountable, with citizen oversight and annual audits, and said it would create roughly $335 million a year in dedicated revenue for core fire services.
Next steps: The council directed placement of the measure on the November ballot so voters can decide; supporters asked members to make the measure a central focus through the campaign period.
