City Freeze Announced

Mayor Villaraigosa is trying to get serious, announcing to many city agencies that they need to stop spending on things like new furniture, food, and travel.

From the Los Angeles Daily News:

With the city facing severe-cash flow problems, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Controller Wendy Greuel today ordered a citywide freeze on all spending other than salaries.

In a letter to department heads, the two said no spending will be allowed for the remainder of the fiscal year, which ends June 30. That includes everything from furniture and equipment to food and beverages for employee-related events.....

The freeze also will affect any office remodeling plans, mass mailings with the exception of those that generate revenue, and decreasing contracting services, such as shredding services, custodial, tree-trimming and landscaping.

Exempted from the freeze are police investigations, travel for legislative purposes and that which is reimbursed by other agencies.

The L..A. Times reports on the parts of city government not affected by this:

The memo does not apply to several city departments, including the Department of Water and Power, the Port of Los Angeles, Los Angeles World Airports and two agencies that oversee pension funds for retired and civilian city workers.

Past City of Angles blogging on the city's budget crisis developing from June to October.

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