In the heart of Los Angeles City Hall, voices echoed with urgency as community members gathered to address the city’s budget hearings on April 25, 2025. The atmosphere was charged with concern, as speakers highlighted critical issues affecting both the social equity program and animal services in the city.

One passionate speaker, representing the cannabis industry, implored the Budget Committee to conduct a thorough audit of the Department of Cannabis Regulation (DCR). “Our industry is on the brink of extinction,” they warned, emphasizing the detrimental impact of mismanagement on the social equity program. They criticized the DCR for requesting a substantial salary increase of $6.5 million while failing to provide adequate customer service. “We can’t even get a customer service rep on the phone to help us out,” they lamented, pointing to a broader crisis of trust and support within the industry.

The speaker's concerns were echoed by others who expressed frustration over the high taxation on legal cannabis, which they argued was driving customers away and undermining the very equity the program was designed to promote. “DCR has thoroughly destroyed the equity program,” they stated, urging for immediate reforms to stabilize the market and restore faith in the system.

As the meeting progressed, Lynn Chow took the floor, advocating fiercely for the city’s animal services. “Do not cut the budget allocated for animal services or cut staff positions,” she urged, warning that such actions would lead to dire consequences for vulnerable animals. Chow highlighted that Los Angeles already has the lowest funded large shelter system in the country, a situation exacerbated by what she described as mismanagement under Mayor Bass.

She criticized the mayor for an insufficient budget increase of only 18%, which fell far short of the department’s needs. Chow pointed out the troubling trend of high euthanasia rates and overcrowding in shelters, calling for immediate action to address these pressing issues. “Mayor Bass vowed to make LA the model city of animal welfare,” she said, “but instead, we are seeing the opposite.”

The budget hearings revealed a city grappling with significant challenges, from the sustainability of its cannabis industry to the welfare of its animals. As community members voiced their concerns, the urgency for reform and adequate funding became clear, leaving the Budget Committee with the weighty task of addressing these critical issues in the upcoming budget decisions. The future of both the social equity program and animal services hangs in the balance, as stakeholders await the city’s response to their heartfelt pleas.