Mayor Karen Bass’s proposed budget for the Los Angeles Animal Services department is being opposed by city officials who want more money for the troubled department.

Larry Gross, chair of the committee overseeing Animal Services, contacted Councilman Bob Blumenfield last week to push for more staff to be hired, Gross confirmed to The Times. Blumenfield chairs the city’s budget committee.

Bass’s budget suggested $31 million for Animal Services for the fiscal year beginning July 1, an 18% increase over this year’s budget for the department. That’s far less than $42 million, or the 56% raise, requested by Animal Services.

City council members are now reviewing Bass’s spending plan.

Gross said in an interview Monday that he told Blumenfield that “an enormous number of staff” was needed.

He also pointed to two recent reports, one from former city councilman Paul Koretz, the other from city manager Kenneth Mejia, detailing Animal Services’ various problems, including a lack of employees.

Everyone is concerned about this issue,” said Gross. “If we don’t get the staff, what are we supposed to do?

The Times has chronicled deteriorating conditions in the shelters, including inadequate care for dogs and small animals. At the same time, the department lacks volunteers trained to handle larger dogs, so those dogs are in cages without walks for extended periods of time. That could be dogs

those are

more stressed, making it more difficult for them to get adopted and leading them to being euthanized.

Blumenfield has been holding hearings over Bass’s proposed budget for the department in recent days.

During Monday’s hearing, Annette Ramirez, the interim general manager of Animal Services, told Blumenfield and other council members that Bass’s proposed budget does not include the dozens of positions sought by the department. Among other things, Ramirez wants staff to “help people with pet preservation” such as medical care or food assistance.

Blumenfield asked city analysts for a report on the staffing problems.

“We probably can’t fund all of that, but we certainly want to understand what you think it takes to get there,” Blumenfield said.

Bass spoke about Animal Services in her State of the City address last month, thanking the volunteers who work at the shelters. She said the mayor’s office is leading a nationwide search for a new General Manager of Animal Services.

The budget proposed by the mayor for

the

2023-24 includes one additional regular position for the department, as well as 27 “resolution” positions, which are temporary positions that will be reviewed later, said Bernyce Hollins, Bass senior budget director.

Hollins said Bass’s team budgeted for a large number of resolution positions because of the expectation that a general manager will join the department soon.

“It is not necessary for these resolution positions not to continue, but it is appropriate to allow for some flexibility,” Hollins said. “So like this [general manager] comes in and says, ‘You know what, instead of positions in this area, I really need them in another area.'”

During Monday’s budget hearing, City Councilman Tim McOsker asked Ramirez if the department was looking for a volunteer coordinator.

Ramirez responded by saying that the department has a volunteer coordinator. However, she failed to mention that the coordinator, Juan Rivera, has been on administrative leave since February 14. The reason for his absence has not been made public.

Information provided by the city government

shows

that Rivera was paid in the most recent payment period.