LA Council Gives Up Some Pet Project Funds
Jennifer Halligan
In early February, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa told the Los Angeles City Council members that he wanted to borrow $40 million from the accounts the city had set aside for pet projects in order to replenish the city’s emergency reserve and help deal with the budget crisis. Last Thursday, February 25, the Council voted to give up $12 million of the pet project funds. The fifteen Council members agreed to have each of their offices choose accounts to draw money from to reach each member’s $800,000 share. Most of the money is expected to come from a fund composed of tax revenue from redevelopment areas, which was going to be used for economic development projects. Council members have said this decision is only a step and that the accounts will be analyzed to find more money that can be used to help the budget crisis.
- Pet projects: A project or goal that a council member works on because it is a personal favorite rather than because it is necessary.
- The money for pet projects often goes to things like crosswalks and graffiti removal. If the money is allocated elsewhere, projects like these will be put on hold.
- Once the money is moved to the emergency reserve, city officials plan to use the reserve money to deal with the city’s $212 million budget shortage.
-http://articles.latimes.com/2010/feb/09/local/la-me-la-budget9-2010feb09
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