Alex Villanueva discusses the local response to California’s devastating wildfires on “The Big Money Show.”
The Los Angeles budget is in the spotlight as several forest fires Anger is raging in the city amid revelations that Mayor Karen Bass cut the fire department’s budget last year while prioritizing spending on the city’s homeless population.
For the 2023-2024 financial year, Los Angeles budgeted $837 million for the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD), which represented approximately 65% ​​of the $1.3 billion homeless budget.
Mayor Karen Bass cut the Los Angeles Fire Department’s budget by more than $17 million last year. She had initially proposed reducing it by $23 million. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images/File)
An analysis last year by the Los Angeles city comptroller found that about half of the homeless budget was unspent.
Between the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 budgets, the LAFD budget was reduced by more than $17 million, from $837,191,237 to $819,637,423.
Firefighters battle wind and fire as homes catch fire in Malibu, California, along the Pacific Coast Highway near Carbon Canyon Road during the Palisades Fire, January 8, 2025. (David Crane/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images)
Bass had proposed a larger budget cut for the LAFD, of about $23 million, but that proposal did not pass.
FOX Business reached out to Bass’ office for comment on the reasoning behind the cuts.
LOS ANGELES AREA COLLEGE CAMPUS CLOSES AS WILDFIRES SPREAD
The budget for the homeless was also reduced in the 2024-2025 budget but remains higher than the LAFD budget.
Tents for homeless people are seen on a sidewalk on Skid Row in Los Angeles on August 16, 2023. (FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)
Los Angeles is currently at the center of four ongoing wildfires, the Eaton, Palisades, Woodley and Hurst fires, which have consumed countless homes and businesses and cost the lives of two people.
Ongoing wildfires in Southern California (Fox News)
The fires have prompted evacuation orders for more than 30,000 people and come as California faces a crisis. insurance crisis after several insurers fled the state, largely due to costs associated with wildfire losses.
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE
Of California’s 20 most destructive wildfires, seven occurred in the past five years, the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection reported. In terms of economic cost, the 2018 Camp Fire caused $10 billion in damage, the 2017 Tubbs Fire cost $8.7 billion, and the 2018 Woolsey Fire cost $4.2 billion. billion dollars.
FOX News’ Anders Hagstrom and Kristen Altus contributed to this report.
