Fr: DAILY NEWS (3/4/11)
With the city still facing a $54 million shortfall this year, City Controller Wendy Greuel on Friday threatened to withhold salaries and other payments for departments that go over budget.
Also Friday, a city pension panel authorized a 7 percent increase in health benefits for police and firefighters, despite warnings from Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa that it would add $4.8 million to the city's general fund expenses. (I SAY THE POLICE & FIRE DEPARTMENTS ARE IN A BIG FUCKING HURRY TO LOSE ALL SUPPORT FROM ANY FORMER SUPPORTERS IN THE COMMUNITY. ZUMA DOGG BEING FIRST IN LINE! ARE YOU FUCKING CRAZY, POLICE & FIRE PENSION COMMISSIONERS?!?!?! OH MAN, DID YOU JUST BUY YOURSELF 7% MORE BLOGGING BY ZUMA DOGG ABOUT LAFPP PENSION FRAUD, YOU DUMB-SHADY, MUTHERFUCKERS! (GOOD LUCK! I AM GOING TO BE A HUMAN DIE PACKET ON YOUR EXTRA SEVEN PERCENT...WATCH ME!)
The mayor is asking the City Council to overturn the benefits increase approved by the city Board of Fire and Police Pension Commissioners.
"I think it is wrong what they are doing and that's why I want the council to take control of this and overturn the decision," Villaraigosa said, adding he has asked for a legal opinion on what steps are available to the city to halt the increase.
"We cannot approve an increase like this when we are laying off and furloughing workers."
Councilman Greig Smith, who chairs the Public Safety Committee, said he supports the mayor in trying to overturn the action.
"The pension board has some independence but, at the least, we can let them know how unhappy we are with their action," Smith said. [OH....GREIG SMITH FINALLY ADMITS HE IS ALLOWED TO PIPE UP AND PRETEND HE IS A CITY LEADER AND SAY SOMETHING ABOUT PENSIONS???? I THOUGHT YOU TOLD ME YOU WERE A POWERLESS-PUSSY OVER THE MATTER, GREIGGY-POO?]
Greuel's report said city departments are at risk because they have to cover the costs of the early retirement program adopted by the city two years ago as well as the work furlough program.
She said those two items are contributing to departments going over budget by as much as $31.9 million, with salaries being the greatest contributing factor.
If the departments have not taken steps to cover the deficits, she said she will not dip into the city's reserve funds to cover the costs.
"I will strictly enforce Charter Section 262 at year-end by withholding payments (including salaries) that lack sufficient available appropriations," Greuel wrote.
The biggest deficits are with the LAPD, $10 million; City Attorney, $9.3 million, General Services, $4 million and Information Technology, $2.8 million.
City Administrative Officer Miguel Santana said the Greuel report is helpful in naming the specific departments that are facing budgetary problems.
"We will be providing solutions to this and the remainder of the deficit for this year in our next financial status report," Santana said. That report is expected to be released late next week.
Original link to Daily News article
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