Money for parks, more youth investment and support for quality-of-life services in their city. That’s what Boyle Heights residents highlighted as top funding priorities at Councilmember Ysabel Jurado’s first stop on her budget listening tour Monday night.
The meeting, held at youth advocacy nonprofit Legacy LA in Ramona Gardens, was the first of three budgetary listening sessions hosted by Jurado to discuss community needs with her constituents. The effort comes as the city faces a nearly $1 billion shortfall that could impact its 2025-2026 budget.
“Youth are so disinvested in and it’s nuts,” said East L.A. resident Ariana Rios, who works with teens at Eastside nonprofit InnerCity Struggle.
The 25-year-old suggested the City Council rethink the share of the city’s budget that goes to the Los Angeles Police Department and reallocate funds to community organizations that empower neighborhoods that struggle with high rates of crime or gang violence.
“It’s a huge deficit, so I’m really curious to see how [city officials] scramble to make sure we prioritize the stuff that’s important to the everyday Eastsider.”
Most residents voiced concerns about the potential cuts to quality-of-life services, such as street lighting, parks and street repairs, which Jurado promised to prioritize as 14th District representative.
“We need a budget that will prioritize the creation of green spaces,” one resident wrote in a comment read aloud to the public. “We need beautification without gentrification in our neighborhoods.” Another resident’s comment mentioned they had fallen three times on broken CD 14 sidewalks because of walkways in need of repair.
Funding for departments that provide essential services to youth, seniors and city infrastructure hung on every word. But whether Jurado can meet her constituents’ needs while balancing her office’s goals with limited resources is uncertain.
Jurado reiterated several times that her vote was just “one of 15” and that it was up to the entire City Council to approve a budget that balances the needs of all Angelenos.
“Providing equitable city services continues to be one of the priorities. It shouldn’t be the rich parts of our city that get to enjoy quality city services, but the hard truth is we’re facing a billion-dollar budget deficit. And as many of us know, when you’re broke you have to make difficult decisions. So we need to figure out what those mean, especially for communities like yours,” Jurado said to the crowded auditorium of nearly 100 people.
The event was an example of Jurado’s “co-governance” model of leadership, aimed at giving constituents a seat at the decision-making table.
Joining her at the event was Los Angeles City Controller Kenneth Mejia, who presented a slideshow with a snapshot of the city’s fiscal health, explained the budgetary process and timeline and suggested strategies to alleviate the financial strain.
Mejia, whose office manages the city’s spending and conducts independent audits, explained that changes in federal grants, rising liability costs and a drop in tax revenues are hurting the city’s wallet and may result in departments losing essential funding and staff.
For instance, liability costs have consumed a large portion of the city’s funds. For the 2024-2025 fiscal year, the city set aside $87 million for lawsuits and liability claims. As of January 2025, the city has spent $210 million above the budgeted amount, according to a report generated by the office of City Administrative Officer Matthew Szabo.
Carlos Montes, a local activist and Boyle Heights resident, believes the amount of money that is funneled to the LAPD and the city attorney every year is inequitable. “We need to look at the departments that are getting a lot of money and start chopping from the top,” Montes said.
Mejia noted that Mayor Karen Bass and her office are preparing a report on the projected budget, set to be published by April 21. Once released, Budget and Finance and City Council hearings will be held to deliberate and revise the budget. The full City Council is expected to vote on the final budget in early June, and the approved budget takes effect on July 1, 2025.
Jurado has two additional events this month on her budget listening tour:
- El Sereno
- 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, April 8, 2025
- Barrio Action Youth & Family Center (4927 Huntington Dr. N #200)
- Eagle Rock
- 7 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, April 24, 2025
- Eagle Rock City Hall (2035 Colorado Blvd)
