Mayor Bass Cuts Pay Amid Nearly $1 Billion Budget Shortfall

Facing a nearly $1 billion budget shortfall for the 2025-26 fiscal year, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced she will take a pay cut and freeze scheduled raises for her staff as part of broader efforts to address the deficit. Her proposed $13.9 billion budget calls for the elimination of more than 2,700 city positions, including 1,647 layoffs and the removal of 1,053 vacant roles, impacting various departments such as the Los Angeles Police Department and Bureau of Street Services. Despite these cuts, the budget represents an 8.2% increase over the previous year and protects services like homeless funding and public facilities. The City Council's Budget and Finance Committee is reviewing the proposal and seeking alternatives to minimize layoffs, while Bass is also lobbying for a $2 billion relief package from the state. The deficit is attributed to reduced tax revenue, increased liabilities, higher labor costs, and disaster recovery expenses. Public hearings have seen strong opposition from city workers and residents, who argue that layoffs would overburden remaining staff and reduce service quality.