Councilmember Tim McOsker commented April 20 on Mayor Bass’ State of the City address. He noted that the mayor shared that revenues are strong in the City of Los Angeles and that this is a much better position than at this same time last year.
McOsker said this also means that service-oriented positions previously at risk of layoffs can be funded and restored, and 500 new positions are proposed to be added in the draft budget. And the councilman is in agreement that positions which provide essential services are critical to maintaining a workforce that serves residents’ needs. He recalled after spending significant time last year leading a layoff avoidance plan in the personnel committee, he is pleased that the committee does not anticipate facing similar challenges this coming year.
“A continued focus on public works, city infrastructure, public safety, and homelessness prevention and response are all the right choices,” said McOsker.
He added the increased funding for street and sidewalk repair, cleaning services, illegal dumping enforcement, curb ramps, and street lighting will enable the city to deliver real improvements that improve the lives of residents in their neighborhoods.
“I am also encouraged by the public safety hiring plan based on attrition and the full funding of civilian positions within the Police Department,” McOsker said. “This approach can help stabilize operations while allowing us to be thoughtful about how we grow and deploy our workforce.”
Finally, McOsker said he looks forward to receiving Mayor Bass’ 2026–27 proposed budget and digging in during budget committee deliberations, as the higher revenues provide a solid foundation to build on.