00:00Los Angeles is staring down a billion-dollar budget pull,
00:03and city leaders say federal policies are partly to blame.
00:07City officials warn that Trump-era tariffs and immigration crackdowns
00:11are shrinking vital revenue streams like hotel and sales taxes.
00:15Mid-year reports show a $315 million dip below projected income for next year alone.
00:21But that's not all.
00:23The Palisades fire hurt property values,
00:26and the construction industry could face inflation due to deportations.
00:30Nearly 40% of workers are undocumented.
00:33Add in soaring legal settlement costs, a pension spike, and a shrinking reserve fund,
00:38and you've got a perfect storm.
00:40Some bling Trump's policies, while others say the city's real issue is overspending,
00:44especially after ballooning its budget during the pandemic.
00:47The police contract alone raised salaries by 13% and added four pay hikes.
00:53Now layoffs and cuts seem unavoidable.
00:56With the mayor's budget due soon, tough decisions are coming.
01:00Because once you start spending, it's hard to stop.
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