Eric Garcetti Polls Citizens on Prioritizing Stimulus Dollars

lucindamichele — Tue, 05 May 2009 21:52:33 +0000

You can go here to register your top three priorities for the spending of federal stimulus dollars in LA. Your choices?

Infrastructure: Street lights, sidewalks, repaving
Afterschool programs
Gang intervention programs
Community centers/senior centers
Permanent housing for homeless
Neighborhood beautification: medians, plantings
Foreclosure prevention & counseling
Career training centers

So. What will you vote for? I chose gang intervention, afterschool programs, and permanent housing for homeless.

There’s also a field where you can make suggestions–do you have a write-in idea for how to spend the stimulus cash? Ha. Hahaha. I just bet you do.

LA City Budget Survey: Share your voice!

lucindamichele — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 21:32:08 +0000

I’m on a mailing list for NorthEastLA (NELA) community issues and this came across my desk: the City of Los Angeles Budget Survey. I just completed the survey myself. I think it’s a good exercise and brings up a lot of interesting questions. Why no survey questions about subway funding or routes? And why do they even have to ask about what they call “needs based budgeting,” which would divert funding to areas that appear to need them the most? Is the city actually NOT “Repaving streets based on condition of the streets and the usage of the particular street?” or NOT “Focusing gang reduction services in communities where gang crime occurs most”…? Why do they even have to ask me if this is a good idea?! It made me think of a recent report I heard on local newsradio, where a representative from the Westside was bitching about higher-crime communities diverting his crime-prevention forces. “I know we don’t have as much crime as those areas,” he admitted, then went on to whine about the whole thing.

Well, ’nuff said. Go voice your own opinion here. The letter that came with the link is behind the jump.

Info on the current budget & process is here; the fiscal year 2008/09 budget itself is here.

City of Los Angeles Budget Survey

Sat Dec 13, 2008 12:26 am (PST)

Fellow Angelenos:

Each year, the City of Los Angeles develops a budget blueprint that
addresses the needs of the City’s diverse communities, reflects shared
priorities, and moves the City toward important goals. As we begin the
planning process for Fiscal Year 2009-10, the City of Los Angeles
invites you to help develop a proposed budget by sharing your thoughts
on how the City should create a balanced budget that addresses City
priorities and remains fiscally responsible.

To ensure that the needs of your neighborhoods are voiced, a budget
survey was created to help guide the development of the City budget.
This survey asks you to make very tough choices regarding real
decisions that the City will need to make. This year, the City of Los
Angeles will be challenged by many issues, including the uncertain
impact of the turbulent national economy, likely revenue shortfalls,
and increased service demands.

Given these daunting challenges, it is important to hear from
community members about their budget priorities and their thoughts
regarding the City’s revenues and expenditures. Your participation in
the budget survey will make a significant impact on your community.
Your participation will help ensure that budget priorities encompass
the most pressing needs of our City.

You can access the Budget Survey here:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=hX409b9Zyb98ZiT7_2bTsNtA_3d_3d

If you require more information about the City’s Budget Process,
please visit http://mayor.lacity.org/budget/.

Sincerely,

Abigail Ramirez, East Area Director
Neighborhood and Community Services
City of Los Angeles
213.922.9777 (o.)
213.435.9928 (c.)
abigail.ramirez@lacity.org

Blogging.la » city

Eric Garcetti Polls Citizens on Prioritizing Stimulus Dollars

LA City Budget Survey: Share your voice!

City of Los Angeles Budget Survey

Sat Dec 13, 2008 12:26 am (PST)