willrobwright@gmail.com has sent you an invitation to help re-shape City of Los Angeles's financial landscape.

Dear friends, family, and colleagues: I just took the Los Angeles Budget Challenge and I learned more about the City of Los Angeles budget and how this links to the future of City of Los Angeles. I want you to take the Los Angeles Budget Challenge too. Please make sure you send me your results when you finish! -Will Wright

Below is a summary of my policy choices. Category Status Quo My Policy Choice Budget Impact Pension Reform No. The City should not redesign the retirement system for new employees. Yes. The City should redesign the retirement system for new employees. (Requires voter approval for sworn employees.) $0M Employee Pay No. City employees should not agree to a reduction to their current compensation. Yes. All City employees should agree to a 10% reduction to their current compensation. -$200.0M Elected Officials Maintain funding for Elected Officials. Reduce funding for Elected Officials by 20%. -$30.0M Admin & Support Maintain funding for general administration and support functions. Reduce funding for general administration and support functions by $45 millio! n. This would result in severe reductions to personnel, custodial and technology services. -$45.0M Capital Improvement The City should not reduce funding for the construction of capital projects. The City should not reduce funding for the construction of capital projects. $0M Transportation Maintain funding for transportation and street services. Reduce funding for transportation and street services by $30 million. This would necessitate considerable personnel reductions and the elimination of some traffic control operations and street services. -$30.0M Police Department Maintain the current level of funding for the Police Department. Suspend the current policy of hiring new police officers to replace those officers who re! tire or leave. -$20.0M Fire Department Maintain the current level of funding for the Fire Department. Reduce funding to the Fire Department by $40 million. This could result in a new deployment model that would permanently restructure Fire resources Citywide. -$40.0M Rec and Parks Maintain the current level of funding for Recreation and Parks. Reduce funding to Recreation and Parks by $10 million. This would result in further reductions of personnel, recreational programs and facility maintenance. -$10.0M Library Maintain funding for the Library. Reduce funding for the Library next year by $5 million. This would result in further cutbacks to Library staff, service hours, book purchases, and programs. -$5.0M Fees & Fines No. The City should not pursue increases to licenses, permits, fees and fines. No. The City should not pursue increases to licenses, permits, fees and fines. $0M Reserve Fund No. The City should not dip into the Reserve Fund to help balance the budget. No. The City should not dip into the Reserve Fund to help balance the budget. $0M This shows the budget I built compared with what the budget would look like if no policy changes were made. Spending Categories 2011-12 Estimated Budget Status Quo My Choices Community Safety $1,641.0M $1,667.0M $1,607.0M Employee Benefits $1,289.0M $1,495.0M $1,495.0M General Admin & Support $554.0M $564.0M $489.0M Transp, Streets & Capital Projects $350.0M $374.0M $344.0M Cultural, Edu & Rec Services $221.0M $247.0M $232.0M Human Services, Envir & Dev $68.0M $94.0M $94.0M Other $253.0M $232.0M $32.0M Revenue Categories 2011-12 Estimated Budget Status Quo My Choices Property Tax $1,409.0M $1,429.0M $1,429.0M Licenses, Permits, Fees & Fines $778.0M $716.0M $716.0M Business & Sales Tax $701.0M $723.0M $723.0M Utility Users Tax $655.0M $667.0M $667.0M Power Revenue Transfer $257.0M $257.0M $257.0M Misc Revenue $576.0M ! $581.0M $581.0M Totals       Spending $4,376.0M $4,673.0M $4,293.0M Revenue $4,376.0M $4,373.0M $4,373.0M Deficit/Surplus $0M -$300.0M $80.0M   To take the Los Angeles Budget Challenge, go to: labudgetchallenge.lacity.org   This message has been sent to you from the Los Angeles Budget Challenge system. If this message is spam, please contact us: labudget@lacity.org.