In a major policy reversal that critics say will cost the city and taxpayers millions of dollars, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has abandoned his long-stated goal of getting the city’s public employee unions to pay a portion of their healthcare costs.
“You get elected talking tough,” said Christopher Thornberg, founder of consulting firm Beacon Economics. “Then you get into office and roll over.”Critics say Garcetti is ignoring warnings about City Hall’s shaky finances, as budget analysts warn of looming deficits. It also reflects how his public relationship with labor unions has shifted from adversarial to friendly since he first ran for mayor.
Budget analysts said last month that the city faces annual deficits of $200 million to $400 million because of new labor deals that leave the city on the hookL.A.'s practice of paying 100% of the cost of the healthcare premiums for most of its 50,000 city employees — though workers chip in toward co-pays and prescription fees — “is not typical,” according to a 2017.
At the time, Los Angeles was still recovering from a recession that had led to employee furloughs and cuts to basic city services, including sidewalk repairs, tree trimming and street paving. Like other cities across the country, the downturn drained tax revenue. Healthcare, salaries and pension costs for public employees were consuming a concerning share of the city budget.
John J. Pitney Jr., a professor of government at Claremont McKenna College, said there’s less pressure on politicians to get labor concessions because the economy has been strong and polls show the public views unions more favorably. At the same time, the national Democratic Party is focused on lowering healthcare costs for individuals.After the 2009 recession plunged L.A.
Wow, now you can’t beat that benefit....unless you’re the taxpayers who realize this isn’t sustainable.
He has done nothing to make this city better.
As the world (Garcetti) turns....the homeless population grows like a tsunami drowning LA.
Even part-time union city employees get full, free healthcare. That can't be sustained.
Said he'd clean up the DWP and not suck off the teat of developers either. He realizes his political career ends in LA, just setting up that sweet sweet retirement before he goes
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