As the city of Los Angeles grapples with the daunting task of closing the gap amid the $1 billion budget deficit, the parking enforcement team from the LA Department of Transportation is expected to further rigorously look out for parking code violators.
Parking tickets used to be a revenue generator for the city, but for the last several years, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic when fewer people were out and about to park on the streets, citation money has been dwindling.
Los Angeles City Controller Kenneth Meija said there is a $65 million gap currently as the parking enforcement department saw a reduction in staffing, which forces remaining workers to do non-revenue-generating work.
As City Hall is looking to possibly either lay off city employees or implement a wider hiring freeze, another possible option is to increase parking fines, according to Meija.
“You can either raise taxes. You can raise fees or fines or get subsidized from the federal government or the state government, but all those things are very sensitive issues,” the controller said.
As Mayor Karen Bass directed city staff to leave “no stones unturned” to find cost-cutting measures to hopefully minimize layoffs, officials will also likely consider adjusting the city’s solid waste management program, which could lead to increased trash rates for single-family home owners.
While renters across the city are carrying the burden of solid waste collection through RecycLA, Los Angeles Administrator Matt Szabo contended many homeowners are benefiting from discounted rates, subsidized by the city’s general fund.
If the city is making an adjustment to collect $200 million that went toward subsidies, those discounts offered for the low-income, elderly or people with disabilities could disappear or be reduced.
Szabo said the sanitation department will present a proposal to the city council while urging councilmembers to quickly approve the changes to “achieve full cost recovery.”
Currently, single-family homes pay around $75 bimonthly for trash, and that amount could increase to $155 by 2028.
Mayor Bass is expected to release her proposed 2025-26 budget April 21.
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