Over the last several years, Los Angeles, like most big cities in America, has faced the most difficult financial circumstances it has seen in generations.

In two years, we’ve addressed more than $1 billion dollars in budget deficits, and this year brought even more pain in the form of a $457 million deficit.

But with a new, forward-thinking approach, we aimed to permanently correct a detrimental structural deficit and attack the massive cost increases to our pension and health care systems.

This morning, I am proud to submit to the City Council a budget proposal that turns the corner and sets our sights on a stronger, more stable Los Angeles.  By implementing smart, structural changes, we can maintain our top priorities: public safety, maintaining a strong Reserve Fund, preserving core services, and protecting our workers.

My proposed budget aggressively pursues efficiencies and cuts deep into City spending.  It begins with an 11 percent reduction to my own office budget.  I am proposing the same reduction for City Council offices, and hope they will join in this sacrifice.

The largest single cut – $100 million – comes out of our largest department – LAPD.  But despite this cut, this budget maintains the size of our police force at its current level of 9,963 officers.

The second deepest cut – $54 million – comes out of our second largest department – LAFD.  This will allow the Fire Department to eliminate operational inefficiencies, end the Modified Coverage Plan, and enhance services where they are needed most.

The magnitude of this financial crisis has required me to include up to 36 furlough days for most of our civilian employees.

I don’t like furloughs, but the reality is that in order to balance the budget without relying on furloughs and layoffs, the City must reign in its pension and healthcare costs.

But the good news is that this budget gives us a chance to do that.

This budget gives our employees the opportunity to end furloughs and the cycle of layoffs, displacement, and uncertainty.  This budget gives employees the opportunity to invest in themselves and put money towards their retirement, rather than lose it with furlough days.  This budget gives us all a chance to invest in our city and our future, allowing us to:

• Expand library hours and restore Monday service
• Provide funding to the Department of Recreation and Parks to open new facilities
• Fund 735 miles of street maintenance and resurfacing
• Provide funding to fill 300,000 potholes
• Continue operations at 7 animal shelters
• Maintain funding for our homeless shelters and senior meals programs
• Provide full funding to support the Metropolitan Detention Center
• Provide full funding for the Emergency Management Department

This budget is a commitment to responsible, fiscal management and the long-term financial stability of our City.  Working together, we will continue to move towards a sustainable future.

I’d like to take this moment to thank my budget team.  This is a group of seasoned professionals with over a century of combined financial experience who have sacrificed to help their City in her time of need.

Our team of experts spent months reviewing department budgets, operations, and services.  They met with department leaders and staff to discuss ways to eliminate excess unrelated to our core services and ways to deliver these basic services more effectively.  They have undertaken a Herculean task with surgical precision, and deserve our City’s thanks and gratitude.