Ever wonder why so many sidewalks in Los Angeles are broken, narrow, or missing altogether? Decades of funding decisions that have not prioritized the public right-of-way—sidewalks, streets, and related infrastructure—are part of the answer.
Ever wonder how to improve a local park, library, streetlight, or public service? When residents ask elected officials to fix infrastructure or expand services, they often hear the same response: “If it’s not in the budget, we can’t do it.”
While budget allocations do not always translate immediately into visible improvements, they directly influence what residents can expect from their local government. In that sense, a city’s budget is a reflection of its priorities. It reveals what elected officials believe they can accomplish and what they are willing to invest in during the coming year.
City of LA Budget 101
The City of Los Angeles fiscal year begins on July 1 and ends on June 30 of the following year. The annual budget, adopted each June by the Mayor and City Council, serves as the City’s spending and revenue plan for the upcoming fiscal year.
A FY20 budget, for example, refers to the fiscal year running from July 2019 through June 2020.
Although the City Council ultimately approves the budget, many important decisions are made long before budget hearings begin. Department staff, the Mayor’s office, and the City Administrative Officer (CAO) all play significant roles in shaping the budget before it reaches the Council.
A Simplified Budget Timeline
September–November: Department leaders develop budget requests and submit them to the Mayor.
November–April: Department leaders, the Mayor’s office, and the CAO review funding needs and priorities.
April: The Mayor releases a proposed budget and outlines priorities for the coming fiscal year.
May: The City Council Budget and Finance Committee holds public hearings on departmental budgets.
June: The City Council adopts the budget before the new fiscal year begins on July 1.
How Can You Get Involved?
When engaging in the City’s budget process, we recommend three basic steps.
1. Relationships Matter
Anyone seeking to influence public spending should understand who helps shape budget decisions.
Key players include department leadership, staff in the Mayor’s office, budget staff, and members of the City Council’s Budget and Finance Committee. Building relationships and understanding how decisions are made can help residents and advocates engage more effectively.
2. Know Your Issue
If you are asking the City to fund a service or improve infrastructure, it helps to understand how that request might be paid for and maintained over time.
Some useful questions include:
- What funding source could support the proposal?
- Who would maintain it?
- What are the long-term costs?
- Have other cities successfully implemented similar programs?
Strong ideas are often strengthened by practical funding and implementation strategies.
3. Show Support
Elected officials are more likely to respond when they see broad community support.
Public testimony, sign-on letters, partnerships, neighborhood organizing, and public awareness campaigns can all demonstrate that an issue matters to residents. The most effective advocacy often combines strong relationships with visible public support.
A Vision Zero Case Study
One example of how priorities become investments is Vision Zero.
In 2015, Mayor Eric Garcetti launched Vision Zero, Los Angeles’ initiative to eliminate traffic deaths. LADOT developed plans identifying dangerous corridors and outlining strategies to improve safety.
Advocates, community members, and elected officials then worked to elevate Vision Zero during the budget process.
Funding grew from approximately $3 million to $27 million in FY18 and then to $37 million in FY19.
That increase reflected a growing recognition that traffic deaths are preventable and that street safety requires sustained investment.
Budget allocations alone do not save lives. Implementation matters. But without funding, plans often remain plans.
Why This Matters
City budgets are where priorities become real.
They reveal what a city values, where resources are directed, and what improvements residents can reasonably expect in the years ahead.
For anyone seeking better sidewalks, safer streets, improved parks, stronger transit, or more effective public services, understanding the budget process is essential.
The budget cycle is active nearly year-round. By understanding how it works, building relationships, and organizing around shared priorities, residents can play a meaningful role in shaping the future of Los Angeles.
