[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6746130,"mediaKeyId","3802569-48093e86e88e99ac923068ad15c5212f","parentId",3802569,"title","South Gate budget shows $8 million structural gap; council weighs cuts and new revenue options","audioSeconds",4254,"startMs",12194000,"endMs",16448000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3802569-48093e86e88e99ac923068ad15c5212f&start=12194&end=16448","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3802569-48093e86e88e99ac923068ad15c5212f/thumbnail_12194000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6746130/South-Gate/Los-Angeles-County/California/South-Gate-budget-shows-8-million-structural-gap-council-weighs-cuts-and-new-revenue-options","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6746130-3d51a3dcd3ef732b81d212f61ff6067b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771176795&Signature=O5YftOrvjzGhS8QZ5vXyG9ozygkicifBu~t2x2qa2kOYkdKrUTd6zXR7fKiYEWVcg0SLcz3uhZknAt0WJKb7oDvc68zIWrIpFSrede5DJyD5ug8fP3EQCoWrdHXE5ynZlor~c57ruVciW1HrPnT2u2fVF8S6fI0rerJp4hz6bpgYVd7ymppULTJnveDw8kwABsEaUmVeHxdb51OnyCVXfSftHQjl30Gz4zHFRezKz6EVGuYqLi-qrX8nXSpLu3O-AtrWfsnmS0PlC8kPzZiK6hnsrpDFGVR5qPuZxuKX-pxIHh0zTrZdPcFVYHMvnHT3DA2M7UIfAfzmIj4XzzjT0A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","South Gate, CA","date","2025-06-11T06:58:58Z","article","City Manager Rob Houston and Administrative Services Director Luis Frosto told the City of South Gate City Council on June 10 that the proposed fiscal year 2025–26 budget is balanced for the coming year only through the use of one‑time reserves and transfers. The presentation warned that, without new revenues or sustained cuts, the city faces recurring general‑fund shortfalls that could total roughly $8 million next year and grow in subsequent years.

The administration’s overview said staff refined line‑by‑line spending and found ongoing expenditures — driven largely by employee compensation, benefits and rising insurance and pension costs — are now outpacing ongoing revenues. Frosto said the city has used ARPA and other one‑time funding in recent years and is running short of those sources: “Most of the one‑time resources that were tapped into in the past years are no longer available to us,” he said.

City staff proposed a mix of near‑term and longer‑term actions. For FY 2025–26 staff recommended using about $3.4 million from a budget‑stabilization reserve plus transfers from capital and other restricted funds to balance the coming year while also requiring departments to identify roughly $1 million in cuts now. The presentation included a second set of deeper reductions (a staff estimate of approximately $4.5 million) targeted for FY 2026–27 if new revenues are not secured.

The budget slides show personnel costs — salaries, benefits, and retirement contributions — as the primary driver of the forecasted deficit. Frosto told the council that California pension liabilities and health‑insurance increases have accelerated rapidly and are major contributors. On the revenue side, staff noted the city’s property‑tax and sales‑tax shares are comparatively low regionally and pointed to local revenue options such as a utility users tax as possible revenue sources to help close the gap.

Directors across public safety, public works, parks and recreation, community development and administrative services briefed the council on proposed service and staffing reductions tied to the deficit. Examples presented by staff included freezing or defunding vacant positions, cutting some special events and youth program seasons, reducing park maintenance frequency, delaying building and facility repairs, and temporarily reducing code‑enforcement capacity. The police department presentation warned that further officer cuts or elimination of crossing‑guard programs would have immediate public‑safety consequences.

Council members thanked staff for the level of detail and scheduled additional public discussion. Staff proposed a public budget workshop for June 17 and said a final budget would return to the council later in the month for adoption. The council did not adopt the budget that evening; the presentation served as the first formal proposal and the basis for follow‑up deliberations.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","South Gate City Council Meeting 6/10/25","oneSentenceSummary","City Manager Rob Houston and Finance Director Luis Frosto presented a FY 2025–26 proposed budget that relies on one‑time reserves for the coming year and shows a structural general‑fund shortfall that staff estimate could reach about $8 million next year without new revenues or deeper cuts.","taxTitle","South Gate, Los Angeles County, California","taxId",5784,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6746125,"South Gate public‑safety briefing: staffing shortages, fireworks enforcement and ICE concerns raised",8884,359000,9243000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3802569-48093e86e88e99ac923068ad15c5212f&start=359&end=9243","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3802569-48093e86e88e99ac923068ad15c5212f/thumbnail_359000.jpg","/articles/6746125/South-Gate/Los-Angeles-County/California/South-Gate-publicsafety-briefing-staffing-shortages-fireworks-enforcement-and-ICE-concerns-raised","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6746125-75b11905b466b6738b1ee64ee5794260/orig.mp4?Expires=1771176795&Signature=mQtKokH2RI8b02QCpWTR5xEQ5CccW2TJeAppNHUToj6XfGCr1VrzyrTMQ4CDweaWrNvTXY0GsjQijAHoIw3F56vlW2qoKk-if0wMyvUbzW-L-Gc3p9UhvpAlUYuiwMRjOBNKRxffUrjzij4RrbVV8pKaQ2G5LcmVNO5eUrrqNoD5TNnDD6h9~8~Hmr4kaFX3RnnDcxslIRLqZXMZEj~~OnIwDM~OzJvkJ584LL6oE462HKSoEDjfJnTsTjBlfdlhab8eWRHNxwroO-kWNhmhXRr0E15EsvE6oHOXjzVwuI8WICppRvNjvXhJhoo4zP47mjLsFHL6rrOAtzT~q6otlA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Public commenters and police officials used the June 10 council meeting to highlight strains on public safety in South Gate, focusing on officer shortages, illegal fireworks and community concern about federal immigration activity.

Arturo Macias, speaking for the Southgate Police Officers Association, told the council officers are working “tirelessly” and said the department received 45,536 calls for service in 2023. He said the department has lost experienced officers to neighboring cities offering higher pay and that mandatory overtime has become persistent.

During departmental remarks the police chief said the department is budgeted for 86 officers but has operated short — at times down about 25 bodies — and that vacancies, training pipeline time and long‑term injuries mean fewer officers are available for patrol: “At any given time during this fiscal year we’ve technically been down 25 police officers,” the chief said. The chief described steps the department can take — overtime deployments, targeted enforcement for illegal fireworks — but cautioned there are limits to what can be covered without additional staffing or funding.

Multiple residents urged stiffer enforcement and higher fines for illegal fireworks near the Fourth of July, including proposals for escalating fines (examples cited: $2,000 first offense, $3,000 second). Police said first‑offense administrative citations are already substantial and that enforcement requires tying an offense to a person; capacity is the limiting factor.

Separately, several speakers asked the council and police to make public the city’s plan and guidance for schools and community events in the wake of reported ICE activity in neighboring cities. Police reiterated that local departments operate under California law (Senate Bill 54) and that the department will continue to cooperate with federal authorities only in limited circumstances (for example, to remove dangerous felony offenders) while seeking to preserve community trust.

Council members asked staff to continue public outreach about residents’ rights and to circulate legal‑rights cards; the chief described mutual‑aid planning and readiness in case regional incidents require a coordinated response.","Police officials and residents told the City Council the department is operating with fewer officers than budgeted and that mandatory overtime and officer departures are straining patrol capacity.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6746115,"Stella Pride Festival application prompts debate over timing, insurance and city support",1321,7419000,8740000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3802569-48093e86e88e99ac923068ad15c5212f&start=7419&end=8740","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3802569-48093e86e88e99ac923068ad15c5212f/thumbnail_7419000.jpg","/articles/6746115/South-Gate/Los-Angeles-County/California/Stella-Pride-Festival-application-prompts-debate-over-timing-insurance-and-city-support","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6746115-abc3f44e65b4870ab9c9886447c55686/orig.mp4?Expires=1771176795&Signature=Dx0h7250pFY79ppnPOitZ3YV4C7GcK3GfdC~p~m-uq1vYjSkbiykZ4W8fFTdWfTJFyVZy0W3KwcaIcYRuMYSbylAjEfCc~XIUorE-VUDmaNSeLKTubPS8PtVLb51eeVleJxhu0qPf~Jdx--AJpxYEUnLHiZqJ2ttHsEwSFfvxnU108TNHDB~ASSMTniOm9lZgQAjR~HMYBJ8QzcZDXZp8wQop0kNwAhibx1emnHDDYWKqC2nOia9XCT6O7IhHvAF9Ptr1VnLEueBhqZYxXyQ33FnQskNc8CW7MlDz9thP588XYB5v39qx0kR2COtI0MthgUEw~kTlOt3P9YQ-QPSlg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Community members and event organizers asked the council to allow the Stella Pride Festival to occur in South Gate this summer after the city earlier signaled it would not host the event this year. Several speakers said a late‑submitted application and questions about nonprofit sponsorship and insurance, not opposition to the event’s content, were the reasons for the delay.

Organizers and allies described the festival as a free community event providing LGBTQ+ resources, visibility and youth programming. Adolfo Vares (Adolfo Vares/Adolfo Vadis in the transcript) and representatives from local allies described prior successful festivals in the city and urged the council to work with organizers so a later summer date or a nonprofit sponsor could be found.

City Manager Rob Houston and Parks & Recreation Director Steve Costley explained the city’s application process: events typically need 90 days’ lead time, a nonprofit sponsor is required for fee waivers and the city must ensure proper insurance and public‑safety resources because the park is heavily used in summer. Houston said the city supports the pride community but asked organizers to provide the correct paperwork and a nonprofit partner; Costley and staff offered to work with applicants to identify a later date and an appropriate nonprofit or insurance solution.

Members of the public emailed and spoke in favor of hosting the festival in South Gate; other residents urged respectful conduct at council meetings. No formal council vote on the event was taken that night; staff committed to continuing to work with organizers and to schedule a proclamation for Pride Month at an upcoming council meeting.","Community organizers said the city has historically supported pride events and asked staff to accommodate a Stella Pride Festival application that arrived late; staff said rules require applications, nonprofit sponsorship for fee waivers, and adequate insurance and time to schedule busy park weekends.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6746120,"City employees urge council to protect pay and staffing as labor negotiations proceed",12121,195000,12316000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3802569-48093e86e88e99ac923068ad15c5212f&start=195&end=12316","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3802569-48093e86e88e99ac923068ad15c5212f/thumbnail_195000.jpg","/articles/6746120/South-Gate/Los-Angeles-County/California/City-employees-urge-council-to-protect-pay-and-staffing-as-labor-negotiations-proceed","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6746120-433e38a787ea9c88707802b246ab875a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771176795&Signature=CJ9KSJ0AOeJ72hvDZ4EsfWIDAvTeeDz5DJN4K~tnJf46uqKxiB957hSvYkHVbIfz4cyi6vojL0Ym~aDwBfnmMD-AWTZivWHiX2AsP9W~QZIxtoXJuwv3yvkPAXdkOl6WAuPVKRqFizRv5KgaxKciKvXpGNrel6sdU2tChdSjkWygOgaLvcagf~QiyJ~qMtdvQlS8HOO88hEjbZi8dCiZtfZGP56lePKbIZ1a53ww6EcGmrr5XH3yyFfnE6wONQrNQTd5eJrcgYUnVLDz3pch8H3ogWCc9bBHtqrRVfcEV~Ehvrpc5sfD5SDQ4soJUcCpwhBUZHP9MsD7wG545p4Xvg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Multiple representatives of South Gate employee associations addressed council on June 10 during the public‑comment period and in closed session briefings. Speakers representing the Professional Mid‑Management Association (PMMA), the Municipal Employees Association (MEA) and the Police Officers Association pressed the council to factor employee recruitment, retention and morale into budget decisions and labor talks.

Joanna Monteroza, vice president of PMMA, said the association is committed to working with the city but urged “clear good faith engagement” in labor bargaining and asked the council to consider the impact of staffing and compensation choices on continuity of city services.

Brandon Williams, president of MEA, told the council that several employee groups had coordinated and supported recommendations to address pay and that the city’s historic refusal to adopt a utility users tax has left South Gate behind neighboring cities with more revenue for staffing and infrastructure.

Arturo Macias, speaking for the Police Officers Association, described operational strain in public‑safety staffing, repeated mandatory overtime and the loss of officers to better‑paying neighboring departments. He urged the council to prioritize employees to maintain public safety.

In closed session the city manager briefed the council on negotiations with the five employee organizations listed on the agenda; the city attorney reported guidance had been given but that no reportable action was taken when council reconvened in open session.","Representatives of multiple employee organizations told the council on June 10 that staffing shortages and low pay are driving attrition and damaging city services. Unions urged transparent bargaining and warned that cuts to compensation or staffing would further harm recruitment and public‑service delivery.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6746109,"Council authorizes city defense in Jay Tran litigation; labor negotiator briefing reported",673,5259000,5932000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3802569-48093e86e88e99ac923068ad15c5212f&start=5259&end=5932","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3802569-48093e86e88e99ac923068ad15c5212f/thumbnail_5259000.jpg","/articles/6746109/South-Gate/Los-Angeles-County/California/Council-authorizes-city-defense-in-Jay-Tran-litigation-labor-negotiator-briefing-reported","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6746109-16563cc06d38067e0ad8c90d8568cfc6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771176795&Signature=P2jPKs8pIrYacu6EV9sJVL0ApWj~-sx9YDK4KqEppar-HFukDV-0kLMt8-I9qlQLoT0UcGUv7iOO9sOg~MQ-OqiO3Sg~bf9r3~i5oTYqjkaQmLp0AJPy-Oj2OPYtDc3K69UTu897dCXepaEvIJPKxo3qM78gVodbr6wLbukEJ7cuZxrsiWdUP6m3xsgVjBzcahZpZMeIWo2Y2nQJX-52AdhlB1RVgmTJzn93RJom2iwcAFDJaW6vvWu0U1nHe72u4XT7d41GCeWI820up3RGB38jn1~rRbPhQTPMIPNyywEga1FT27tbHjKOxDQO1E~Lhx-EOK1ICRy2AYo64Y0DXw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City of South Gate City Council met in closed session on June 10, 2025, to discuss two items: pending litigation (Jay Tran v. City of South Gate) and conference with the city’s labor negotiator.

City Attorney Salinas reported that, on the litigation matter concerning the storage of a vehicle following an arrest and a claim over alleged damage, a motion to authorize the city to defend the case was made by Council Member Avalos, seconded by Council Member Hurtado, and approved by a 5–0 vote. The council therefore authorized the city attorney to defend the action on the city’s behalf.

On the labor negotiation item the city manager presented information about bargaining with five listed employee organizations (MEA, PMMA, DMA, South Gate Police Management Association and South Gate Police Officers Association). The city attorney reported that the council provided guidance to the negotiator in closed session but that there was no reportable action; in open session the attorney summarized the closed‑session report.","After closed session the city attorney reported the council voted 5–0 to authorize the city to defend Jay Tran v. City of South Gate in a claim over vehicle storage and alleged damage. On labor negotiations the city manager briefed the council on talks with five employee organizations; council gave guidance but took no reportable action.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

South Gate budget shows $8 million structural gap; council weighs cuts and new revenue options

South Gate public‑safety briefing: staffing shortages, fireworks enforcement and ICE concerns raised

Stella Pride Festival application prompts debate over timing, insurance and city support

City employees urge council to protect pay and staffing as labor negotiations proceed

Council authorizes city defense in Jay Tran litigation; labor negotiator briefing reported