Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is under fire after revelations surfaced that she slashed $17.6 million from the city’s fire department budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year.
This significant reduction, originally proposed as a $23 million cut, is the second-largest budget decrease for the city, according to a report by the New York Post.
The cuts were first noted in October by LA City Controller Kenneth Meija, who highlighted the reductions in a graphic showing the $17.6 million cut to the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) budget.
The only larger cut was $21.4 million from street services. This decision stems from Bass’s broader $12.8 billion budget reduction for the 2024-25 fiscal year, which she proposed in April and signed into law in June.
City Council increased or decreased departments’ operational budget
The timing of these budget cuts has reignited criticism as devastating wildfires continue to rage across Los Angeles. Since the fires began on Tuesday, they have burned over 5,000 acres, destroyed homes, and forced mass evacuations. The fires remain uncontained as of Wednesday morning, with emergency responders stretched thin.
Adding to the controversy, Mayor Bass has been out of the country,