City Council

(27) 24-1368 CONTINUED CONSIDERATION OF PERSONNEL, AUDITS, AND HIRING and BUDGET, FINANCE, AND INNOVATION COMMITTEES’ REPORT relative to the Budget Reduction Exercise to strategically help guide established priorities of the City Council. Recommendations for Council action, pursuant to Motion (McOsker, Blumenfield – Soto-Martinez, Yaroslavsky): 1. INSTRUCT the City Administrative Officer (CAO), in coordination with the Chief Legislative Analyst (CLA) and Personnel Department, to report quarterly to both the Personnel, Audits, and Hiring and Budget, Finance and Innovation Committees with a personnel-focused Budget Reduction Exercise that includes: a. An analysis of current staffing levels and the associated cost for staffing levels for each City department in comparison to the levels they were at last Fiscal Year (FY). b. A current list of each vacant employee position which includes: i. The position classification and the departmental program to which they are assigned. ii. The annual salary cost for each vacancy. iii. Whether the positions are regular or Resolution. iv. Whether they are funded through special funds or the General Fund and if any are fee-supported. v. The positions that are needed to meet each department's FY 2024-25 salary savings rate. c. A review and analysis, prior to any proposed reductions to departmental appropriations, of the impacts to constituent service delivery that results from the reductions be presented. d. Updates on costs (including staffing) related to major long-term construction projects or public works-related infrastructure projects and reviewing financing structures for these projects. e. An analysis, by department, of City contracts for service and contracts for projects that includes the rates charged to the City and the cost of service by contractors and subcontractors in an effort to reduce the overhead cost of contracting. f. Updates on costs (including staffing) related to compliance with obligations established under federal, state and local law, including the Americans with Disabilities Act and Measure Health Streets LA. g. A framework for the City to explore the use of zero-based budgeting that maintains staffing levels and does not decrease City services for departments or offices that have not met their adopted budget or are at risk for overspending. 2. INSTRUCT the CAO, in coordination with the CLA and Controller, to report quarterly to both the Personnel, Audits, and Hiring and Budget, Finance and Innovation Committees on: a. Updates on the City's debt programs managed by the CAO, finances, disclosures, bond ratings, and anticipated bond offerings. b. Updates related to the City's Pension Obligation Bonds. c. A review of the City's fees for service and an analysis of fees for service that are not recovering costs. d. Defined benchmarks or targets for the City to meet its adopted financial policies with a particular focus on meeting and maintaining a structurally balanced budget. 3. REQUEST the City Attorney to report bi-monthly on the total amount of approved settlements and settlements pending before Claims Board and/or City Council, including a description on the type of case. Fiscal Impact Statement: Neither the CAO nor the CLA has completed a financial analysis of this report.