$5.4 BILLION BUDGET TO BE AIRED COUNCIL AGREES ON POLICIES TO SAVE $300 MILLION SHORTFALL.Byline: Rick Orlov Staff Writer With Mayor James Hahn For the Iowa politician, see . James Kenneth "Jim" Hahn (born July 3, 1950) is an American politician from the Democratic Party. He was the Deputy City Attorney (1975-1979), City Controller (1981-1985), City Attorney (1985-2001) and Mayor of Los Angeles, California set to release an expected $5.4 billion new city budget today, Los Angeles City Council  The Los Angeles City Council is the governing body of the City of Los Angeles, California, United States. members agreed Tuesday to a series of steps intended to restrain spending and make up a $300 million shortfall. The council adopted 18 general policies designed to limit spending as they consider the budget. Officials with the Mayor's Office said they supported the council's action since it does not affect what he is proposing, but deals with general policies of the council. ``We have to take some steps to deal with this structural deficit,'' said Councilman Bernard Parks, who chairs the council's Budget and Finance Committee and will lead the review of the mayor's proposal. ``Each year, from the moment we approve the budget, we are looking at how we can make up the $300 million or so we know we will need to balance the budget. This is a way to control ourselves.'' Hahn has provided only broad hints as to what is contained in his spending plan, which is expected to have only modest growth in all areas except the Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. police and fire departments. The mayor has said he will provide funding for 720 officers - half of whom would be new officers and would represent an expansion of the department - as well as 48 more paramedics. As the council discussed ways to limit spending, one of the issues that drew the most attention involved the amounts the city waives in fees for special permits. A report prepared for the the council two years ago estimated the waivers total $5 million a year for a variety of events, from charitable programs to major events such as the Academy Awards and Dodgers and Lakers See Lake poets games. ``This is something we've needed to look at for a long time,'' Councilman Dennis Zine said. ``A lot of it just doesn't make sense. Something like the Academy Awards makes millions and we are waiving these fees. ``We waive To intentionally or voluntarily relinquish a known right or engage in conduct warranting an inference that a right has been surrendered. For example, an individual is said to waive the right to bring a tort action when he or she renounces the remedy provided by law for such the fees for the Hollywood Bowl The Hollywood Bowl is a modern amphitheatre at 2301 North Highland Avenue in Hollywood, California, USA, that is used primarily for music performances. The "bowl" in this context is the natural cavity in the earth into which the amphitheater is built, rather than the shape of the and all the revenue goes to the county. It doesn't make sense.'' Acting Chief Legislative Analyst Jerry Miller Jerry Miller (born July 10, 1943 in Tacoma, Washington) is an American musician, a guitarist and vocalist who was a member of the 1960s San Francisco band Moby Grape. Before joining the group, Miller and bandmate Don Stevenson were members of The Frantics, a Pacific Northwest bar said the council will be provided more information on the fee waivers to determine whether they are for nonprofit A corporation or an association that conducts business for the benefit of the general public without shareholders and without a profit motive. Nonprofits are also called not-for-profit corporations. Nonprofit corporations are created according to state law. or community groups as opposed to profit-making operations. Other proposals in the guidelines call for a freeze on new programs, charging market rates for the sale of surplus vehicles - now often given at a cost of $1 to other cities or organizations - as well as asking for a series of reports on ways the council can cut spending in future years. Rick Orlov, (213) 978-0390 rick.orlov(at)dailynews.com |
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