FALL IS A BUSY TIME FOR FIRE ADMINISTRATORS. They are preparing the budget for the next fiscal year AND getting ready for the December mid-year adjustment of the current budget.
Normally the first quarter budget review (July – October) is uneventful. Not this year!
This year municipalities were facing unprecendented reductions in tax revenues. Penelope Lemov, writing in the November 2008 issue of Governing, points out that states and localities are suffering a triple-whammy. Property, income and sales taxes are declining at the same time.
The furloughs (unpaid leave) are one response to this revenue shortfall. So is a hiring freeze, cancelling of training/travel and delaying of fire truck purchases.
Failure to control expeditures may lead to a locality filing for a Chapter 9 bankruptcy, which is what Vallejo, California did this spring.. This LINK takes you to Anya Sostek’s article on “Vallejo’s Fiscal Freefall.”
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HOW TO SHAVE $50 MILLION IN LAFD
During the current fiscal year, Los Angeles city eliminated 18 captain positions, representing six of the 18 battalion EMS supervisor positions in the field.
For the next fiscal year they were told to reduce their budget by 9%. That would require elimination of 360 firefighter positions.
- Thirty Captain II’s
- Thirty Captain I’s
- 60 Engineers
- 30 Apparatus Operators
- 210 Firefighters
That is the staffing for:
- 10 engine companies
- 10 light forces (truck + engine)
- 10 ambulances
The budget submission for FY09-10 complies with the directive. See page 10 of THIS document to see the reduction summary.
This submission has been approved by the Fire Commission and forwarded to the Mayor. The political process will continue, the fire chief wants to maintain staffing and restore the 18 positions he lost this year. It looks grim.
Mike
FossilMedic
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