Parks: Budget Woes No Excuse For LADOT 'Lap Dance'
LOS ANGELES (CBS) — City officials on Thursday welcomed the new budget signed by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, but dismissed the notion that the budget crisis could be blamed for recent bad behavior by city employees.
KNX 1070's Chris Sedens reports a city council member and former chief of police cut to the chase on a key issue.
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Budget committee chairman Bernard Park said "there's nothing [in official documentation] that says you should get a lap dance while you're doing traffic enforcement" when asked if recent bad behavior by some city employees could be linked to budget cuts and furloughs.
Mayor Villaragosa, however, opted for a more diplomatic approach.
"I don't buy the idea that somehow cuts have created some of the problems," said Villaraigosa.
The $6.9 billion budget is expected maintain police hiring, restore library hours city wide, expand street repair and fund over 1,000 summer youth jobs.
Villaraigosa said he has 97 percent of the coalition of unions on board with his plans for budget cuts and furloughs.
