(The Center Square) – The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors heard about budget requests Tuesday from departments handling law and order and fire protection.
The county Sheriff’s Department has a total new appropriation request of $556.6 million. This includes $116.7 million for an aero patrol and rescue aircraft multi-year replacement plan, $44.9 million for emergency vehicle fleet and components, $39 million for weapons qualifications and a perishable skills training facility, $22 million for Computer Aid Dispatch and staffing, along with $5 million for a wellness center.
The sheriff’s department is being hurt by inflation and the costs of goods and services, Sheriff Robert Luna told the board.
Vehicles used by the department also have high mileage and need to be replaced, Luna said.
Luna also noted the department has experienced “a high number of retirements” at a time in which the department is preparing for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the 2027 Super Bowl, and the 2028 Olympics and Paralympics. As a result, filling “critical vacancies to serve the public” is among Luna’s listed priorities.
“There are many critical funding needs at the Sheriff’s Department,” Luna told the Board of Supervisors. “I’ve requested only the most critically needed funding, and I proposed writing many projects over several years to ease any fiscal strain on the county.”
During the meeting Tuesday, Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone said the county fire district is requesting a budget increase of $10.2 million. This would include money for two additional fire captains, two additional firefighter specialists for Catalina Island, one nursing instructor to support the prehospital blood transfusion program and one staff assistant to support air operations.
Of the $10.2 million, $8.8 million would go toward departmental operations, including implementation of advanced automatic vehicle location system that Marrone said will provide more accurate vehicle tracking and reporting during emergency incidents.
“The district continues to face multiple budget challenges and pressures, including revenue uncertainties,” said Marrone. “Property tax, our primary source of revenue, represents 68% of the fire district’s budget. It is impacted by many external factors outside of the district’s control, and this may limit our ability to absorb inflationary pressures on the cost of goods and services, and to fund other critical needs.”
Marrone added that the department is also facing an increasing workload and operational costs driven by an increased demand for services.
“Climate change continues to create longer and more destructive fire seasons,” said Marrone. “In addition, our workers’ compensation liability continues to strain the fire district’s budget.”
Approximately 86% of the fire department’s budget is for salary and employee benefits, including $243 million in workers’ compensation liability.
The fire department currently has 339 employees, or 7% of the total workforce, out on injury. That is a 10% reduction from last year, when the department had 393 personnel off on injury. However, Marrone said the department will continue to work with county leaders on cost reduction and revenue-generating strategies “to ensure the district can cover all long-term financial obligations and be prepared for future disasters.”
The department’s current fiscal year 2025-2026 final adopted budget is $1.8 billion and includes $1.5 billion for salaries and employee benefits, $202 million for services and supplies, and $118 million for capital assets, equipment, and other charges.
Currently, 75% of the fire department’s budget is for public safety and emergency response. Another 19% is for administration, facilities, infrastructure and asset management. The remaining 6% is for permitting, licensing and regulatory compliance.
Also appearing before the board was Public Defender Ricardo Garcia, who thanked the county for having a “care first, jails last” mentality, something he said has saved clients many years behind bars.
Still, Garcia said, help is needed to continue the work. With a budget of $317 million for fiscal year 2025-2026, the Public Defender’s office has a total new appropriation request of $34.6 million to help maintain a law clerk-to-attorney pipeline while covering services and supplies.
“Eighty-five percent of our budget is funded through net county cost,” said Garcia. “We do not receive as much federal, state, or grant funding as the district attorney or the Sheriff’s Department.”
District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said he needs more prosecutors.
Hochman told supervisors that his office is doing more with less.
“We are down literally from 950 prosecutors down to just over 800 in the last four years,” said Hochman. “As a marker, in the early 2000s, the DA’s office was over 1,100 prosecutors with a fraction of the cases.”
Types of cases being handled by the district attorney’s office include gang violence, homicides, cybercrimes, sex crimes, trafficking and hate crimes.
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors will decide on budgets at a later date.
