Budget and Finance Committee · Held
Los Angeles City Council Budget and Finance Committee meeting, September 15, 2026
From official records: The Los Angeles City Council's Budget and Finance Committee approved 23 of 27 items on Sept. 15, 2026, all posted votes 5-0, including payment of a $5.5 million judgment in an LAPD whistleblower retaliation case, a $1.1 million Measure ULA tax refund, the second homelessness funding report of 2026-27 and new scooter and bike-share trip fees. It asked for reports on raising the $100,000 small business tax exemption and on a new Business Tax Advisory Committee. One item was noted and filed, one was continued and two were discussed in closed session without posted action.
As of October 2, 2026, outcomes for the September 15, 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 September 11, 2026) |
|---|---|
| Council Journal | Official Journal |
| Video | Recording |
| City Council districts | Council District 6, Council District 14, Council District 15 |
Committee members, per the committee reports: Katy Yaroslavsky (chair), Bob Blumenfield, Heather Hutt, Tim McOsker and Eunisses Hernandez. Every posted vote was 5-0. The Journal was not available to us as of Oct. 1, 2026, so votes come from the committee reports and from the settlement motions the Council adopted Sept. 22; item 7 has no posted committee report or tally. The twelve refunds, settlements and judgment on this agenda total $9,709,193.95, our sum of the motion amounts.
1. Ask the CLA how to re-establish a Business Tax Advisory Committee to study business tax reforms
- What it does: Tells the Chief Legislative Analyst, with the Office of Finance, to report in 60 days on re-establishing a Business Tax Advisory Committee modeled on the one behind the 2004 business tax reforms: its members, scope, staffing and a schedule to finish within 12 months. The committee amended it, on a Yaroslavsky motion seconded by McOsker, to put the small business tax exemption in the scope (committee report).
- Who brought it: John Lee, with Tim McOsker, Traci Park and Katy Yaroslavsky (agenda).
- Money: No CAO or CLA financial analysis was completed (committee report).
- What happened: Approved as amended, 5-0 (committee report).
- What’s next: The Council adopted it Sept. 30, 2026, 14-0, with Monica Rodriguez absent (CF 26-0744).
2. Office of Finance to study raising the $100,000 small business tax exemption and other tax structures
- What it does: Sends the Office of Finance back for a revised report: what kinds of businesses make up the City’s small businesses; how many registered in 2025-26 under thresholds of $200,000, $300,000 and $1,000,000; the General Fund cost of raising the exemption from $100,000 to $125,000, $150,000 or $200,000, of indexing it to inflation, and of exempting only restaurants. A Hernandez amendment adds options for a flat tax, tiered taxes and other structures (committee report).
- Who brought it: Motion by Monica Rodriguez, seconded by Bob Blumenfield (CF 25-1474).
- Money: No fiscal impact statement was submitted (committee report).
- What happened: Approved as amended, 5-0 (committee report).
- What’s next: The Council adopted it Sept. 30, 2026, 14-0, with Rodriguez absent (CF 25-1474).
4. Accept a $1 million state grant to enforce domestic violence restraining orders and firearm surrender
- What it does: Concurs with the Public Safety Committee’s Aug. 26 approval of the CAO report accepting the Board of State and Community Corrections Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program grant, Aug. 1, 2025 through Sept. 30, 2027 (committee report).
- Money: $1,000,000 with no City match. It pays part of the salaries of three Mayor’s Office and two City Attorney positions, plus sign language and captioning services (committee report).
- What happened: Approved, 5-0; the Mayor’s March 20 report was noted and filed (committee report).
- What’s next: The Council adopted it Sept. 22, 2026, 13-0, with Hutt and McOsker absent (CF 26-0417).
5. LAFD keeps spending its $5.1 million federal SAFER grant to staff an engine at Fire Station 7
- What it does: Lets the Fire Chief keep spending the fiscal year 2022 Staffing for Adequate Fire Emergency Response grant, plus City costs, to fully staff an engine at Fire Station 7, and seek FEMA reimbursement for the grant period March 13, 2024 to March 12, 2027 (CAO report).
- Money: Up to $5,103,040 in grant money (CAO report).
- Who it affects: Council District 6 (CAO report).
- What happened: The committee concurred with the Public Safety Committee’s Aug. 26 approval, 5-0 (joint committee report).
- What’s next: The Council adopted it Sept. 30, 2026, 14-0, with Rodriguez absent (CF 17-1434-S6).
6. Second homelessness funding report for 2026-27, with a search for alternatives to leased hotels
- What it does: Approves the CAO’s Aug. 21 report: a lease for a Tiny Home Village in Council District 15, Homekey 3 interim housing money in Districts 12 and 4, leasing costs at 11 interim housing sites, removal of an A Bridge Home site in District 15 and a Safe Sleep site in District 9, and eight replacement pallet shelters in District 14. The committee added an instruction, moved by Yaroslavsky and seconded by Blumenfield, for the CAO and General Services to work with a brokerage firm renegotiating hotel contracts and to look at alternative sites, including former interim housing sites (committee report).
- Money: The CAO reports no new General Fund impact; the actions use budgeted General Fund money and state HHAP grants (committee report).
- Who it affects: The report finds the navigation center at 600 E. 116th Pl. exempt from CEQA for up to five more years of use (committee report).
- What happened: Approved as amended, 5-0 (committee report).
- What’s next: The Council adopted both committee reports Sept. 16, 2026, 12-1, with Rodriguez voting no and Hutt and Curren D. Price absent. Amending Motion 34A (Jurado, Yaroslavsky) moved up to $1,513,350 in HHAP youth money to move-in costs for 150 Foster Youth to Independence vouchers (CF 23-1022-S40).
11. Ordinance setting new scooter and bike-share fees: $150,000 a year per company, 20 cents to $1.54 a trip
- What it does: Amends Municipal Code Section 71.29.1. Each shared mobility company would pay $150,000 a year plus a per-trip fee by area: $0.20 in Equity-Focused Mobility Development Districts, $0.32 in Standard Permitted Districts, $0.48 in Mobility Development Districts and $1.54 in Special Operation Zones (draft ordinance).
- Who brought it: The City Attorney, at the Council’s July 1 request. The City Attorney says a fee increase needs a noticed public hearing under state law before adoption (City Attorney report).
- What happened: The committee concurred with the Public Works and Transportation Committees, which approved the ordinance Sept. 8. The vote was 5-0 (joint committee report).
13. Three appeals in the Oceans 11 RV Park case over a recreational vehicle park at 23416 President Ave.
- What it does: Approves the City Attorney’s recommendation, made in closed session, on three appeals in Oceans 11 RV Park, LLC v. City. The trial court ruled that no conditional use permit is required for the RV park and that the City must issue its permits ministerially; later orders lifted a stay and barred the City from revoking the park’s certificate of occupancy on one basis (Council motion).
- Who it affects: Council District 15 (agenda).
- What happened: Discussed in closed session; the Council motion records the committee’s recommendation as 5-0 (Council motion).
- What’s next: The Council adopted the motion Sept. 22, 2026, 13-0, with Heather Hutt and Tim McOsker absent (CF 24-1168).
15. Refund $1.1 million in Measure ULA tax to LA Tour 5800, LLC for 5800 Wilshire Blvd. and Curson Avenue sales
- What it does: Settles a documentary transfer tax matter by refunding the Measure ULA tax LA Tour 5800, LLC paid on the sale of properties at 5800 Wilshire Blvd. and 725-731 Curson Ave. (Council motion).
- Money: $1,100,000 plus interest required by law, from the ULA tax revenue account (Council motion).
- What happened: Approved in open session, 5-0 (Council motion).
- What’s next: The Council adopted the motion Sept. 22, 2026, 13-0, with Heather Hutt and Tim McOsker absent (CF 26-1090).
25. Pay the $5.5 million judgment in Randy Rangel v. City, an LAPD whistleblower retaliation case
- What it does: Authorizes payment of the judgment in a case alleging whistleblower retaliation under Labor Code Section 1102.5 and violations of the Fair Employment and Housing Act. The case is also in the Court of Appeal as No. B348923 (Council motion).
- Money: Up to $5,499,904.45 plus 7% interest: $4,292,686.01 from the Liability Claims Fund paid to the Superior Court, and $1,207,218.44 from LAPD sworn salaries to Rangel for past and future economic damages (Council motion).
- What happened: Approved in open session, 5-0 (Council motion).
- What’s next: The Council adopted the motion Sept. 22, 2026, 13-0, with Heather Hutt and Tim McOsker absent (CF 26-1303).
Every item
| # | Item | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ask the CLA how to re-establish a Business Tax Advisory Committee to study business tax reforms | Approved as amended, 5-0 |
| 2 | Office of Finance to study raising the $100,000 small business tax exemption and other tax structures | Approved as amended, 5-0 |
| 4 | Accept a $1 million state grant to enforce domestic violence restraining orders and firearm surrender | Approved, 5-0 |
| 5 | LAFD keeps spending its $5.1 million federal SAFER grant to staff an engine at Fire Station 7 | Approved, 5-0 (concurred with the Public Safety Committee) |
| 6 | Second homelessness funding report for 2026-27, with a search for alternatives to leased hotels | Approved as amended, 5-0 |
| 11 | Ordinance setting new scooter and bike-share fees: $150,000 a year per company, 20 cents to $1.54 a trip | Approved, 5-0 (concurred with the Public Works and Transportation Committees) |
| 13 | Three appeals in the Oceans 11 RV Park case over a recreational vehicle park at 23416 President Ave. | Discussed in closed session; City Attorney recommendation approved, 5-0 |
| 15 | Refund $1.1 million in Measure ULA tax to LA Tour 5800, LLC for 5800 Wilshire Blvd. and Curson Avenue sales | Approved, 5-0 |
| 25 | Pay the $5.5 million judgment in Randy Rangel v. City, an LAPD whistleblower retaliation case | Approved, 5-0 |
| 3 | Budget and Finance Advisory Committee progress report No. 1 | Continued to a date to be determined |
| 7 | Study a low or no-interest micro-loan program for City employees | Approved (concurred with the Personnel and Hiring Committee) |
| 8 | CAO and CLA to propose a policy for permanently hiring and funding staff on grant-funded projects | Approved, 5-0 |
| 9 | Office of Finance 2025-26 Statement of Investment Policy | Noted and filed, 5-0 |
| 10 | Create a trust fund for donations to maintain the Sixth Street Viaduct | Approved, 5-0 (concurred with the Public Works Committee) |
| 12 | Hire Stoel Rives for $75,000 to defend the City in Los Angeles Waterkeeper v. City | Approved, 5-0 |
| 14 | Refund $109,289.50 in business tax to Costar Realty Information, Inc. | Approved, 5-0 |
| 16 | Ronald Tull v. City, employment suit by an Urban Forestry Division worker | Discussed in closed session |
| 17 | Settle Cristina Maria Restrepo vehicle incident suit for $250,000 | Approved, 5-0 |
| 18 | Settle Bernardino Escobar Martinez suit over a City vehicle and motorcycle crash for $400,000 | Approved, 5-0 |
| 19 | Settle Ervand Azatyan suit over a Granada Hills bicycle crash for $995,000 | Approved, 5-0 |
| 20 | Settle Silvia Tarliza Montufar Reyes two-vehicle collision suit for $125,000 | Approved, 5-0 |
| 21 | Settle Maria de Lourdes Figueroa traffic incident suit for $150,000 | Approved, 5-0 |
| 22 | Settle Bruce Watts suit over a 2022 medical emergency in Los Feliz for $500,000 | Discussed in closed session; recommended for approval, 5-0 |
| 23 | Settle Luis David Garcia motor vehicle accident suit for $150,000 | Approved, 5-0 |
| 24 | Settle Michael Slider whistleblower retaliation suit against LAPD for $250,000 | Approved, 5-0 |
| 26 | Settle Dymo Corporation storm drain flooding claims at 7407-7419 Melrose Ave. for $180,000 | Approved, 5-0 |
| 27 | Bird Global bankruptcy case involving the dockless scooter company | Discussed in closed session |