Defunding of Recreation & Parks Continues

LA WATCHDOG - The City’s 16,000 acres of parkland are one of the City’s crown jewels. This is why the City’s charter provides for a minimum level of funding for the Department of Recreation and Parks that is equal to 0.0325% of the Assessed Value of property located within the City ($920 billion).  For the upcoming fiscal year that begins on July 1, this amounts to almost $300 million. 

With this level of funding, why are our parks in such poor condition?  Why is there a deferred maintenance budget of over $2 billion? And why has the Department cut back on its programs that serve seniors, working mothers, and youth?   

Unfortunately, Rec & Parks budget has been gutted by the “full cost recovery” program. This was instituted in 2010 to help balance the budget that was adversely impacted by the great recession and budget busting labor agreements. Under this policy, the Department, unlike any other City departments other than the Library (the only other charter funded department), was charged for its costs for pension, health, utility, and refuge collection.  

For the upcoming year, the Mayor is proposing a chargeback of $141 million, a $16 million increase over the current level.  This amounts to almost half of charter mandated funding.   And over the duration of this program, over $1.2 billion has been drained from Rec & Parks.  No wonder are parks are in such sorry shape. 

Rec & Parks is also embarking on $4 million Park Need Assessment survey to “evaluate the present and future recreational needs of the residents within the City of Los Angeles.” This is in anticipation of yet another ballot measure.  In 2022, Measure SP, a parcel tax designed to raise $225 million a year ($6.8 billion over 30 years), was rejected by 65% of the voters, in part because there were no detailed plans, and it was considered a “blank check” for our elected elite to fund their pet projects. As such, we can expect to see a ballot measure in 2026 that incorporates the results of the survey.    

But before we even consider voting for a ballot measure for a parcel tax or the issuance of bonds, the City needs to end the full recovery program that has eviscerated the Department.  

Furthermore, the City needs to clean up its act and implement the seven budgetary reforms recommended by the Neighborhood Budget Advocates (see below). This will begin the long process of the Mayor and City Council earning the trust and confidence of the City’s voters. 

Until then, forget it.  

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The following are the Neighborhood Council Budget Advocates seven recommendations for reform.  

1. The Four-Year General Fund Budget Outlook needs to be updated to reflect anticipated raises for City employees, increased liability claims, and the economy.
2. Develop a two-year budget as recommended by the City Controller and the LA 2020 Commission.
3. Conduct open and transparent labor negotiations that require significant outreach to Angelenos before, during, and after the negotiations.
4. Place a measure on the ballot that would prohibit the City from entering into any labor agreement that would create a current or future deficit. In the short term, pass an ordinance. 
5. Develop a long-term infrastructure plan to address deferred maintenance and future capital expenditures.
6. Create a robust Reserve Fund that can only be used in declared emergencies, not to balance the budget as is the current procedure.
7. Establish an Office of Transparency and Accountability as recommended by the LA 2020 Commission to oversee the City’s budget and finances in real time. 

(Jack Humphreville writes LA Watchdog for CityWatch. He is the President of the DWP Advocacy Committee, the Budget and DWP representative for the Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council, and a Neighborhood Council Budget Advocate.  He can be reached at:  [email protected].)