LA fire department funding cut by Mayor Karen Bass by $17.6 million in 2024-25 city budget

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is facing criticism after it was revealed that she cut $17.6 million from the city’s fire department budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year. The reduction, the second-largest cut in the budget, had initially been proposed at $23 million, according to a report by the New York Post.

LA City Controller Kenneth Meija noted the budget cuts in October, with a graphic shared by the official showing the $17.6 million cut to the fire department’s budget, which was only outdone by a $21.4 million cut to street services. According to Newsweek, Bass had proposed a $12.8 billion cut in the city’s budget for the 2024-2025 fiscal year in April, and in June signed the budget. 

The resurfacing of this decision comes as wildfires continue to threaten the city. Adding to the controversy, Bass is on her way back from a trip to Africa for the inauguration of Ghana’s president while the fires rage. Despite her absence, Bass has praised firefighters and emergency crews for their efforts, saying they are working “overnight to protect Angelenos affected by fires.”

“Angelenos should be advised that the windstorm is expected to worsen through the morning and to heed local warnings, stay vigilant and stay safe,” Bass posted on X. 

The wildfires, which began Tuesday, have burned over 5,000 acres, destroyed homes, and forced residents to evacuate in large numbers. The fires remain uncontained as of Wednesday morning, and reports indicate that some firefighters have run out of water while battling the flames. Former LA mayoral candidate Rick Caruso explained to Fox 11 that “There’s no water in the Palisades. There’s no water coming out of the fire hydrants." 

"We’ve got a mayor that’s out of the country, and we’ve got a city that’s burning, and there’s no resources to put out fires,” he explained.

The Los Angeles Fire Department has also called off-duty personnel to assist with the crisis. California Governor Gavin Newsom announced on Wednesday the deployment of more than 1,400 firefighters to combat the fires.

“Emergency officials, firefighters, and first responders are all hands on deck through the night to do everything possible to protect lives,” Newsom wrote in a post on X.