Budget and Finance Committee · Held
Los Angeles City Council Budget and Finance Committee meeting, August 4, 2026
From official records: On Aug. 4, 2026 the Los Angeles City Council's Budget and Finance Committee sent all 38 of its items to the Council. They included 28 lawsuit settlements totaling about $13.5 million (our sum). The largest, $2.95 million for a 2018 crash with an LAPD motorcycle officer, was recommended 4-1 with Bob Blumenfield voting no. It also backed an annual public report on every City grant and federal grant applications for two bridges; every other vote was 5-0.
As of October 2, 2026, outcomes for the August 4, 2026 meeting of the Budget and Finance Committee of the Los Angeles City Council come from official records posted so far, such as council files, recorded votes and filed statements. Some results may be missing until the full minutes are posted and read.
| Agenda | Official agenda (posted July 30, 2026) |
|---|---|
| Council Journal | Official Journal |
| Video | Recording |
| City Council districts | Council District 6 |
Committee members voting, per the Journal: Katy Yaroslavsky (chair), Bob Blumenfield, Heather Hutt, Tim McOsker and Eunisses Hernandez. Twenty-eight of the 38 items were lawsuit settlements heard in closed session.
Settlements in all
- The 28 settlement motions on file total $13,466,998, our sum of the amounts in each motion (for example CF 26-0946 and CF 26-0901). Most are paid from the Liability Claims Fund.
- The Journal records the committee approving 24 settlements in open session, 5-0, and only discussing four (items 18, 19, 30 and 31). The Council motions later filed for those four say the committee recommended approval: 5-0 on three and 4-1 on Newborn, with Blumenfield voting no (Newborn motion).
- The Council adopted 27 of the settlements on Aug. 12, 2026, all 14-0 with Yaroslavsky absent except Garcia, 13-1 with Traci Park voting no; Pickett followed on Aug. 18 (CF 26-0996, CF 26-0901).
3. Apply for $4.79 million in federal Bridge Investment Program planning grants
- What it does: Lets the Bureau of Engineering apply for federal planning grants for two replacement projects: the First Street Bridge over Figueroa Street and the San Fernando Road bridge over Tujunga Wash (CAO report).
- Money: Project costs total $5,405,000; the City would request $4,785,047 and put up $619,953 (11.47%) as match, which is not yet budgeted (CAO report).
- Who it affects: Council Districts 6 and 14 (CAO report).
- What happened: The committee concurred with the Public Works Committee’s June 24 approval, 5-0 (Journal).
- What’s next: The Council adopted it Aug. 19, 2026, 13-0, with John Lee and Hugo Soto-Martinez absent (CF 26-0854).
8. Annual public report on every grant the City applies for and receives
- What it does: Tells the CAO, with the Controller, to recommend an Annual Grants Report due each Jan. 20 covering every grant applied for and received, matching funds, staffing, timelines and reimbursements. It asks the City Attorney for code changes to require it and the CAO and ITA to plan an online grants platform open to the public (committee report).
- Who brought it: Heather Hutt and Katy Yaroslavsky, seconded by Ysabel Jurado (motion).
- Money: No financial analysis was completed (committee report).
- What happened: Approved, 5-0 (committee report).
- What’s next: The Council adopted it Aug. 12, 2026, 14-0, with Yaroslavsky absent (CF 26-0566).
18. Settle Bridget Pickett v. City for up to $2.2 million
- What it does: Settles an LAPD employee’s employment claims (LASC No. 21STCV10488): $1.9 million from the Liability Claims Fund and $300,000 in back wages from LAPD’s sworn salaries account (Council motion).
- What happened: Discussed in closed session (Journal). The Council motion says the committee recommended approval 5-0 (motion).
- What’s next: The Council adopted it Aug. 18, 2026, 13-0, with John Lee and Curren Price absent (CF 26-0901).
19. Settle LaJune Newborn v. City of Santa Clarita for $2.95 million
- What it does: Settles a suit over a Dec. 19, 2018 crash on State Route 14 involving an LAPD motorcycle officer: $2,550,000 to the plaintiff and her lawyers and $400,000 to an annuity (Council motion).
- Money: $2,950,000 moved from the Liability Claims Fund to Police Liability Payouts (Council motion).
- What happened: Discussed in closed session (Journal). The motion records a 4-1 committee recommendation, with Bob Blumenfield voting no (motion).
- What’s next: The Council adopted it Aug. 12, 2026, 14-0 with Yaroslavsky absent, after a McOsker-Hernandez amendment named MetLife Assignment Company as the annuity company (amending motion, CF 26-0946).
30. Settle Alejandra Garcia v. City, over LAPD conduct during the 2020 protests, for $850,000
- What it does: Pays $850,000 to finalize settlement of a suit over LAPD actions between May 29 and June 2, 2020 (LASC No. 21STCV07940) (Council motion).
- What happened: Discussed in closed session (Journal); the Council motion says the committee recommended approval 5-0 (motion).
- What’s next: The Council adopted it Aug. 12, 2026, 13-1, with Traci Park voting no and Yaroslavsky absent (CF 26-0996).
37. Settle Melissa Lilly v. City for $1 million
- What it does: Settles a suit over an April 16, 2024 trip and fall at or near 3778 Griffith View Drive, paid from the Liability Claims Fund (Council motion).
- What happened: Approved in open session, 5-0 (Journal).
- What’s next: The Council adopted it Aug. 12, 2026, 14-0, with Yaroslavsky absent (CF 26-1020).
Every item
| # | Item | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Apply for $4.79 million in federal Bridge Investment Program planning grants for two bridges | Concurred with Public Works, 5-0 |
| 8 | Annual public report on every grant the City applies for and receives, plus an online grants platform | Approved, 5-0 |
| 18 | Settle Bridget Pickett v. City, LAPD employee's employment claims, for up to $2.2 million | Discussed in closed session; recommended 5-0 per later Council motion |
| 19 | Settle LaJune Newborn v. City of Santa Clarita, 2018 crash with an LAPD motorcycle officer, for $2.95 million | Discussed in closed session; recommended 4-1 per later Council motion |
| 30 | Settle Alejandra Garcia v. City, LAPD conduct during the May-June 2020 protests, for $850,000 | Discussed in closed session; recommended 5-0 per later Council motion |
| 37 | Settle Melissa Lilly v. City, a 2024 fall near 3778 Griffith View Drive, for $1 million | Approved, 5-0 |
| 1 | Move $87,925 left in the closed Panorama City BID fund; $60,000 goes to Lanark Street traffic calming | Approved, 5-0 |
| 2 | Extend the City Attorney's Aeon Nexus contract for its criminal case system to Sept. 30, 2027, no added money | Approved, 5-0 |
| 4 | Use a Subaru donation for animal care and community services in Skid Row | Concurred with Arts, Parks committee, 5-0 |
| 5 | Use $25,004 of a Petco Love grant for animal care and community services in Skid Row | Concurred with Arts, Parks and LA Recovery committees, 5-0 |
| 6 | Refund $68,874 in housing linkage fees to Phantasma Construction for 2000-2002 S. Louella Ave., Venice | Approved, 5-0 |
| 7 | Refund $172,839 in housing linkage fees to Galpin Mazda for 8353 N. Sepulveda Blvd., North Hills | Approved, 5-0 |
| 9 | Rename outside counsel Summa LLP to ruth LLP and waive a conflict so it can sue the City in Sinisterra | Approved, 5-0 |
| 10 | Add $200,000 and extend to 2029 the outside counsel contract defending the rent-control case brought by apartment owners | Approved after closed session, 5-0 |
| 11 | Settle Emily Juarez Gonzalez v. City (Robertson Blvd. crosswalk fall) for $200,000 | Approved, 5-0 |
| 12 | Settle Jonathan R. Ramirez v. City (e-scooter fall near James M. Wood Blvd.) for $225,000 | Approved, 5-0 |
| 13 | Settle Cesar Buenrostro v. City (Topanga Canyon Road crash) for $255,000 | Approved, 5-0 |
| 14 | Settle Joanne Ttanna v. Timothy Moen (Oso Ave. and Devonshire St. crash) for $150,000 | Approved, 5-0 |
| 15 | Settle Michael Bates v. City (Sanitation employment claims) for $250,000 | Approved, 5-0 |
| 16 | Settle Gerald Stephens v. City (fall into open Hill Street vault) for $400,000 | Approved, 5-0 |
| 17 | Settle Jeffrey Duggan v. Caltrans (pedestrian struck on Mulholland Drive) for $740,000 | Approved, 5-0 |
| 20 | Settle Anthony Cruz v. Mitchell Jay Borses (Hollywood Freeway crash) for $300,000 | Approved, 5-0 |
| 21 | Settle Gevork Gevorkian v. City (fall at 16909 Devonshire St.) for $125,000 | Approved, 5-0 |
| 22 | Settle Keityn Meneses Chiari v. City (fall at Central and Manchester avenues) for $149,999 | Approved, 5-0 |
| 23 | Settle Jordy Molina Vasquez (sidewalk fall at 20742 Saticoy St.) for $155,000 | Approved, 5-0 |
| 24 | Settle Mark Gonzalez v. City (Highland Park sidewalk fall) for $160,000 | Approved, 5-0 |
| 25 | Settle Marnie Birger v. City (fall at 1500 Vine St.) for $195,000 | Approved, 5-0 |
| 26 | Settle Maria Mendoza v. County of Los Angeles (fall at 6230 Sylmar Ave.) for $325,000 | Approved, 5-0 |
| 27 | Settle Dana Musial v. City (fall at 2557 4th Ave.) for $500,000 | Approved, 5-0 |
| 28 | Settle Jefrick Barrios v. City (LAPD K9 Unit incident) for $150,000 | Approved, 5-0 |
| 29 | Settle Martha Eugenia Galvan v. LAPD (termination claims) for $399,999 | Approved, 5-0 |
| 31 | Settle Steven Lord v. County of Los Angeles (fall at Avalon Blvd. and M St.) for $150,000 | Discussed in closed session; recommended 5-0 per later Council motion |
| 32 | Settle Armando Mejia v. City (101 Freeway crash) for $252,500 | Approved, 5-0 |
| 33 | Settle Leticia Martinez v. City (2021 LAPD bomb squad detonation) for $399,500 | Approved, 5-0 |
| 34 | Settle Yolanda Saenz Chavez v. City (Wilmington roadway fall) for $150,000 | Approved, 5-0 |
| 35 | Settle Gary Buchschacher v. City (bicyclist and pothole at Franklin Ave.) for $190,000 | Approved, 5-0 |
| 36 | Settle Robert Meyers v. County of Los Angeles (fall at Vista Del Mar Park) for $500,000 | Approved, 5-0 |
| 38 | Settle Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles v. City (records request on parking citation and towing data) for $145,000 | Approved, 5-0 |