Facing Budget Deficit, Los Angeles Could Eliminate up to 2,000 Vacant Positions

Facing a huge budget deficit, Los Angeles city leaders received some advice this week on where to start cutting. The city’s overspending already stands at more than $288 million at just the halfway point of the fiscal year 2023–2024, according to a report from City Administrative Officer Matt Szabo on March 18. To control expenses, Mr. Szabo suggested eliminating up to 2,000 vacant positions “at an annual value of $150 million to $200 million.” Mayor Karen Bass and members of the City Council would need to agree on which positions to remove from the books. The city employs about 50,000 people. Other recommendations included cuts in departmental expense accounts, reduced infrastructure spending, and higher fees “to achieve full cost recovery for city services.”...