Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa Approves $6.9 Billion Budget

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa signed a $6.9 billion budget that will add certain city services and cut others, but ultimately avoid layoffs.

Police overtime pay will be eliminated and a quarter of fire engine teams will decrease, but library services and pothole repairs will go up.

Other budget cuts include graffiti removal efforts, homelessness programs, neighborhood councils and the City Council itself.

However, the budget isn't as harsh as last year, when thousands of people lost jobs.

The 2011-2012 fiscal year budget was approved last month by the LA City Council with a 15 to 0 vote which the mayor officially signed today. Villaraigosa stated Critical city services would have been reduced due to furloughs if not for the significant sacrifices made by our hard-working employees.

Their willingness to come to the negotiating table to help the city preserved jobs, maintained services and put thousands of city employees back to work full-time.

The service and pay cuts were met with dissatisfaction from the city's firefighters and police union.