“Mayor Takes Salary Cut Amid Record $1 Billion Deficit; Council Members Keep $224,000 Salaries, Sparking Controversy”
Amid Los Angeles facing an unprecedented budget deficit of approximately $1 billion, Mayor Karen Bass has drawn attention by announcing a cut to her own $301,000 annual salary.
Mayor Bass declared that she would “share the pain with citizens” and announced strong austerity measures that include not only reducing her own wages but also freezing salary increases for mayoral office staff.
However, the 15 Los Angeles City Council members, who each earn approximately $224,000 annually, have not shown any voluntary sacrifice, sparking widespread anger among citizens.
As council members fail to join the mayor’s decisive action, criticism is intensifying over whether they truly recognize the severity of the crisis.
Residents’ voices are growing louder: “They receive high salaries approaching $300,000 annually from taxpayers’ money, yet far from setting an example, they’re showing irresponsible attitudes.”
The salaries of LA city council members are notably higher than those in other American cities, creating a situation that demands leadership commensurate with their compensation.
Mayor Bass’s budget proposal includes major restructuring: cutting approximately 2,700 city jobs, laying off 1,647 civil servants, and eliminating 1,053 vacant positions.
Ironically, however, budgets for both the mayor’s office and city council have actually increased, raising questions about whether this truly represents shared sacrifice.
Local media and civic groups are demanding that council members follow the mayor’s example.
“True leadership in crisis situations is demonstrated through actions, not words,” they assert, urging council members to immediately reduce their salaries and participate in budget austerity measures.
The LA financial crisis is analyzed as a complex result of decreased tax revenue following COVID-19, increased investment in urban infrastructure, and massive budget allocations to address homelessness issues.
Experts predict that stringent austerity policies will be inevitable for at least the next three years.
Citizens insist that “pain should be shared equally” and are waiting for a sincere response from city council members. Whether LA city council members will meet the expectations of citizens and the mayor remains to be seen.
