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THAT NASTY DEFICIT - Los Angeles residents, if you Google “L.A. Budget deficit” this comes up first: Los Angeles is currently facing a budget deficit of approximately $1 billion for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins July 1. This deficit is prompting the city to declare a fiscal emergency and implement cost-saving measures, including potential layoffs.
Those of us who pay attention have seen the endless, open-checkbook behavior of our City Council when “negotiating” city union labor contracts. Or as it might be called, full capitulation in return for campaign contributions. (And selling out the residents and taxpayers, each time, every time.)
But as a long time resident of the City of Angels, a city I love, I could not help notice this: a line of at least 30 luxury (Genesis GV 70) SUVs in the Fire Dept. Training Center in Elysian Park. I pass by there daily on my way to downtown.
Each of the 30-40 (they seem to be distributing, so the number is slowly dwindling in the line/stack in the parking lot) has L.A.F.D signage on the doors and numbering. So they are clearly being procured for usage by the L.A.F.D for staff usage.
An equally instant Google search shows these “luxury SUVs” sell for minimum of almost $50,000. up to $74,000.
Which begs the question: who are these for, and why are the taxpayers of Los Angeles, with a 1 billion dollar budget deficit, on the hook for at least 30 (probably 40 or more) luxury vehicles at a minimum expenditure of 1.5 million dollars?
Also, an instant Google search on “what are the cheapest SUVs?” shows the most affordable new SUVs currently on the market are the Hyundai Venue, Chevrolet Trax, and Kia Soul, with starting prices around $20,000. So who made the decision to spend 150% more than a perfectly useful basic SUV, and buy luxury models?
Maybe there is an acceptable explanation here. Perhaps Genesis donated them, or sold them at a deep discount. But this taxpayer would like to know why, at a time with billion dollar deficits, the Los Angeles Fire Department is buying its staff “luxury SUVs.”
(Michael Wilson is a longtime Los Angeles resident, originally from Seattle, who has called the city home for over 40 years. A producer and director by profession, he also serves on the Board of the Franklin Hills Residents Association. Michael is a returning contributor to CityWatch, bringing both creative insight and community perspective to local issues.)
