News

Street Services Staff Say LA City Neighborhoods ‘Take a Beating’ from Budget Cuts

Drastic budget cuts to the LA City Urban Forestry Division and Bureau of Street Services have crippled emergency response times. This was demonstrated when a 50-foot tree crushed a Granada Hills home on Oct. 25 and injured a resident. The tree was removed days later after media reports.

Art-Sweatman80x80.jpg“It could take days for LA City to respond,” said LA City tree trimmer Art Sweatman. “Budget cuts, layoffs and furloughs have led to increased emergency response times. We’re calling on residents to stand up for neighborhood services.”  
 
Residents of Granada Hills say they are stonewalled when seeking tree-trimming services because of the lack of personnel. Click here to read the LA Daily News report “Tree limb removals fall to LA City budget ax.”

Street Services Face “Severe and Dangerous Cuts”

“This is a prime example of how our LA City neighborhoods are taking a beating because of severe and dangerous service cuts,” Sweatman said.

Street Services handles road and pothole repairs, median maintenance, and tree trimming for thousands of parkway and sidewalk trees. 

  • Budget cuts have resulted in laying off half of the Street Services and Urban Forestry Division workforce
  • No regular tree maintenance is being performed to prevent dangerous tree emergencies
  • Equipment mechanics, who repair forestry equipment, are being furloughed and equipment is slow to enter the field
  • Workers are only responding to emergencies and hazards
  • Neighbors can go two weeks to a month without street cleaning
  • Streets are riddled with pot holes  

Support LA City Services by Calling the LA City Council Today.

Tell your LA City Council member: “I’m a resident of District _. I support city services and I want my street services back. That means end furloughs, restore services and collect the millions of uncollected debt owed to the City.”

Call today and let’s bring back the necessary services needed to restore and repair our neighborhoods.

Dist. 1 – Ed Reyes
(213)-473-7001

Dist. 3 – Dennis P. Zine
(213)-473-7003

Dist. 4 – Tom LaBonge
(213)-473-7004

Dist. 6 – Tony Cardenas
(213)-473-7006

Dist. 8 – Bernard Parks
(213)-473-7008

Dist. 9 – Jan Perry
(213)-473-7009

Dist. 10 – Herb J. Wesson, Jr.
(213)-473-7010

Dist. 11 – Bill Rosendahl
(213)-473-7011

Dist. 12 – Greig Smith
(213)-473-7012

Dist. 13 – Eric Garcetti
(213)-473-7013

Dist. 14 – Jose Huizar
(213) 473-7014