Los Angeles is facing a massive budget shortfall, and while some city leaders may try to blame external factors like natural disasters or economic downturns, the reality is far more straightforward: we are in this mess because we spend an outrageous amount of money on the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and the mounting liability payments from police misconduct. Until we unseat pro-police Councilmembers like CD11’s Traci Park, our city will continue to be broke, unable to properly invest in public services, and dangerously unprepared for disasters like the Pacific Palisades fire.
The True Cost of Over-Policing
As of July 1, 2023, Los Angeles had nearly $800 million in reserves, a safety net meant to shield the city from unexpected crises. However, those reserves have now dwindled to just $525 million, with another $225 million in anticipated hits from liability claims and departmental overspending. This leaves the city with only $300 million in reserves—a mere 3.75% of general fund revenues.
The primary driver of this financial crisis? LAPD’s bloated budget and skyrocketing legal payouts from police misconduct. LAPD already consumes over half of the city’s discretionary budget, and when you add the hundreds of millions spent on liability claims due to officer brutality and misconduct, it’s clear that the cost of over-policing is bleeding the city dry.
Traci Park: Prioritizing Police Over Public Safety
CD11 Councilmember Traci Park has been a staunch supporter of police expansion and aggressive enforcement policies, all while opposing investments in affordable housing, public services, and community safety programs. Park’s insistence on more police—despite the financial and social costs—puts Los Angeles in a perpetual budget crisis, ensuring we remain unable to address infrastructure failures, housing insecurity, and emergency preparedness.
With the recent Pacific Palisades fire causing an estimated $300 million in damage, the city now faces an even more dire situation. Infrastructure damage to Recreation and Parks, Public Libraries, Sanitation, and Street Lighting is extensive. Yet, instead of a well-funded emergency response system, we are left scrambling because our reserves were drained by reckless spending on policing.
A Broken Budget That Endangers Us All
Our city’s misplaced spending priorities don’t just harm our finances; they actively endanger residents. Without a sufficient rainy-day fund, LA is ill-equipped to handle emergencies like wildfires, earthquakes, and climate disasters. The lack of investment in essential services means that when disaster strikes, we don’t have the resources to respond effectively.
Los Angeles must take decisive action to restructure the budget—and that starts with holding police-accountable politicians like Traci Park responsible. We cannot continue pouring money into a department that costs us more in lawsuits than it does in actual public safety improvements. Until we rein in LAPD’s budget and elect leaders committed to true fiscal responsibility, we will remain in a cycle of budget shortfalls, underfunded services, and growing risk when disaster inevitably strikes.
