More on the budget and it not being cut:
Budget Cuts to Fire Department Are a Point of Contention, but the Full Picture Is Complicated
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A spokesman for Los Angeles City Councilman Bob Blumenfield explained that it is common budgeting practice that while negotiations are in progress, money for anticipated pay raises is not allocated to the department but approved separately in unappropriated funds.
When the two sides did reach an agreement in November, that money was moved over to the fire department’s pot, according to Mr. Blumenfield’s office, meaning this year’s fire budget is actually $53 million more than last year.”
Also, regarding the chief being “unqualified”, she has been a firefighter, paramedic, engineer, fire inspector, captain, battalion chief, assistant chief, fire marshal and deputy chief during her 22 years with the department and when she took the exam back when she started she was in the top 50 out of several thousand. Not sure what qualifications she’s missing out on.
I also find it peculiar that the same folks who want to blame her for what’s happening are also saying out of the other side that the fire department was being underfunded and no wonder this happened.