The Budget Process
Last month, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the County recommended a budget to the Board of Supervisors (called Recommended Budget).
On May 15, the public is invited to share comments over the phone or in person to the Board of Supervisors on the CEO’s Recommended Budget and have until May 24 to share written comments.
Between June and September, there are further deliberations about the budget. Then in October, the budget is finalized. See here for more information: https://ceo.lacounty.gov/budget/.
Funding for Vision Zero is missing in this proposed budget!
The CEO’s recommended budget does not include the $7.5M funding requested by the Department of Public Works (DPW) to advance the County’s Vision Zero plan.
The Board of Supervisors adopted the Vision Zero Action Plan in 2020 to bring traffic fatalities to zero by 2035, with DPW responsible for implementing recommended traffic safety enhancements to our roads.
While DPW’s funding request includes specific projects ranging from leading pedestrian signals to additional street sweeping, it does not include additional dedicated staffing to advance the Vision Zero Action Plan. DPW has largely relied on grant funding, but that is very competitive and not guaranteed. With the considerable need for traffic and pedestrian safety across the County DPW needs staff support dedicated to Vision Zero.
Share Your Comment at the Public Hearing
Share your comment over the phone or in person at the budget public hearing on Wednesday, May 15 at 9:30am.
Instructions on how to provide public comment are listed below.
Physical location:
Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration,
500 West Temple St., Ste 383, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Watch online:
https://bos.lacounty.gov/board-meeting-agendas/live-broadcast/
Listening only by phone:
(877) 873-8017 / Access Code: 111111 (English), 222222 (Español)
To make public comment:
In person: attend in-person and be in the Board Room when the item is being discussed
By phone: (877) 226-8163 and enter Participant Code: 1336503 then press 1 then 0 to be placed in the queue. An operator will ask your name and the item you would like to speak on.
Written:
https://publiccomment.bos.lacounty.gov/
More instructions here:
https://bos.lacounty.gov/board-meeting-agendas/how-to-participate/
Suggested Talking Points:
I urge the Board to support the County Vision Zero Action Plan with ongoing investments in executing the plan.
Just in the Second District unincorporated communities of about 200,000 people, there are about 40 traffic deaths each year. That’s the highest in the County and countless studies have shown that those crashes disproportionately kill Black and Brown Angelenos.
The seven and a half million dollars DPW is requesting is the bare minimum for what is required to address the traffic violence crisis will take much more. Yet, the Recommended Budget as zero dollars dedicated to Vision Zero.
If the County wants to eliminate pedestrian deaths and fatalities by 2035 then the Department of Public Works needs a full team dedicated to that work and a budget to match.
We need to invest a lot more into Vision Zero and programs like it so our kids, families and communities can enjoy our sidewalks and streets with comfort and safety.