|
 Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky spoke positively about the financial shape of the county during a luncheon in Calabasas last week, but declared that there was “no light at the end of the tunnel” when it comes to the state’s own budget woes.
Yaroslavsky gave his State of the County talk to members of Calabasas Chamber of Commerce. Yaroslavsky represents the county’s 3rd District, which includes Calabasas. Yaroslavsky said L.A. County is in better financial shape than any major urban county in the state— and definitely better off than the city of Los Angeles. He attributed the county’s ability to weather the current economic storm to the board of supervisors, most of whom were in office in 1995 and learned hard lessons that year about the county’s near bankruptcy. “We watched our lives pass before our eyes, and none of us ever wanted to go through that again,” Yaroslavsky said. “We decided that the county would live within its means—a very novel, radical idea.” Yaroslavsky said the board knows that when the county is having a good year or two financially, there’s no guarantee that the easy times will continue. “When we were having good years we didn’t undertake programs that couldn’t be sustained in bad years,” he said. “We also took some money and socked it away. We put money away for a rainy day.” Yaroslavsky said the county has avoided employee layoffs and furlough days. He sees no change for the coming year. He also said the county reached an agreement with sheriff’s deputies and firefighters not to take a pay raise last year and this year. The county’s deputies and firefighters are contracted out to the city of Calabasas. County civilian employees also agreed not to take a pay hike for the next two years. In comparison, the city of Los Angeles gave its employees a 5 percent pay raise each year for five years, Yaroslavsky said. “We’re in the best fiscal position we could possibly be in right now,” he added. “We’re doing good—relatively good.” The state, on the other hand, remains in dire shape, Yaroslavsky said. “I don’t think there’s a way to get out of this,” he said. “The hole is too big.” Because it’s not constitutionally not allowed to declare bankruptcy, Yaroslavsky recommends the state go into receivership. If a judge ran the state for a couple years, spending rules could be set and amended budgets could be put into place, Yaroslavsky said. “It would be ugly,” he said. “It would take a lot of blood on the floor by the time it’s over. But it’s at a point now where something radical has to be done. There’s no light at the end of the tunnel.” Yaroslavsky warned that the mounting state deficit could have a “horrendous” impact on Calabasas, but not as bad as it would be on other parts of the county that rely on public funds for transportation and mental health services. “Calabasas is a very well-run city, and it’s very well-endowed,” Yaroslavsky said. He also discussed the gains the county has made as a result of Measure R, which last year imposed a half-cent sales tax increase for transportation. “I’m very focused—like a laser beam—on public mass transportation in this region,” he said. “Los Angeles cannot be economically viable without a 21st century transportation system.” Yaroslavsky also touted the amount of construction for the arts during the last decade, including the Walt Disney Concert Hall, the expansion of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Hollywood Bowl renovation, the new theater at Cal State University Northridge and the new Getty museums. “I’m still excited about getting up every morning,” Yaroslavsky said. “Los Angeles is such a dynamic county with so many dynamic cities, like Calabasas, a very well-run city that’s on the cutting edge of many things.” Yaroslavsky has held public office since 1975, first serving on the Los Angeles City Council. He’s been reelected to the Board of Supervisors twice. He also serves on the board of directors of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Doug Ridley, chair of the Calabasas Chamber, called Yaroslavsky “one of the most dynamic” politicians in the area.
|
