Krekorian Issues Statement on Mayor’s 2013 State of the City

Councilmember Paul Krekorian, chairman of the Budget & Finance Committee, issued the following statement after Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa delivered his final State of the City address Tuesday:

“In the three years that I've been on the Council, Mayor Villaraigosa has worked very hard to get Los Angeles back on track.  Our city is now on a path toward economic recovery, and I'm proud of the work that we've done together to create jobs and establish a leaner and more sustainable city budget.  Under the leadership of the Mayor and City Council presidents Eric Garcetti and Herb Wesson, this city has taken significant and difficult steps to reduce a projected billion dollar deficit by more than 80 percent.  Deep departmental cuts, pension reform and reductions in the city's workforce have not always been popular steps -- but they have helped the city continue to close the structural deficit and balance its budget.

“The future for our city is bright, but we face many more difficult choices before we can fully erase the structural deficit and restore our City to a level of service of which all Angelenos can be proud. I applaud the Mayor for his continued hard work for our present and our future.  The next mayor likewise must focus on working closely with the Council and taking the hard steps necessary to create a balanced budget that reflects the values of our city and the priorities of its residents, who expect and deserve only the best from their government.”

Councilmember Paul Krekorian represents Los Angeles' Second Council District, which includes the east San Fernando Valley. His website is cd2.lacity.org, where you can sign up for news updates or visit him on Twitter (@PaulKrekorian) or Facebook.