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In a Fox News report, it was highlighted that amid the budget cuts in the fire department, LA officials allocated thousands of dollars to programmes aiming at the welfare of transgenders
Celebrities have called out the authorities for dry fire hydrants despite paying the highest taxes amid devastating wildfires. (Source: Reuters)
Days before one of the deadliest wildfires in the history of Los Angeles broke out in the state and caused enormous devastation and human loss, millions of dollars were reduced from the fire department’s budget by the state’s officials.
Amid the cut down on the fire budget, LA officials allocated thousands of dollars for programmes like “Gay Men’s Chorus” and directed funds to provide housing to the transgender homeless.
South California battled the deadliest fires this week which got further flamed up by strong, gushing winds. The fire engulfed nearly 10,000 homes and businesses.
What left the residents more shocked and devastated amid this calamity was the dry fire hydrants that failed to produce water as the blaze burned homes to the ground.
Amid the reports of dry fire hydrants, California Governor Gavin Newsom posted a letter on X in which he wrote, “The ongoing reports of the loss of water pressure to some local fire hydrants during the fires and the reported unavailability of water supplies from the Santa Ynez Reservoir are deeply troubling to me and to the community.”
“We need answers to ensure this does not happen again and we have every resource available to fight these catastrophic fires,” he said.
The governor had addressed the letter to Los Angeles County Public Works Director Mark Pestrella and Quiñones. It was claimed by a Southern California water supplier’s member that the lack of electricity made it difficult to pump water which resulted in dry fire hydrants.
In the wake of such a lapse on the part of the authorities, the residents of California called out the state’s Democratic-led leadership who had decided to decrease $17.6 million from the Los Angeles Fire Department’s (LAFD) funding, months before.
Revision In LA County’s Budget: Where Did Officials Allocate Money?
In a report published by Fox News, it has been uncovered that thousands of dollars were allocated to inclusion, diversity and equity programmes and initiatives.
This year, $14,010 was allocated to the “Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles” in the budget. This is a group which seeks to “create musical experiences that strengthen our role as a leader among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) and performing arts organisations.”
The officials allocated $190,000 to the Homeless and HIV Programme which included a “syringe exchange” programme that provides sterile syringes to homeless drug addicts.
Meanwhile, $100,000 was kept aside to pay for Juneteenth celebrations and $13,000 was allocated by officials to “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Heritage Month Programmes.”
The authorities granted $100,000 to the Civil + Human Rights and Equity Department for funding “Midnight Stroll Transgender Cafe” which provides housing for homeless transgenders.
The county had allocated $13,000 to “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Heritage Month Programs” and $4.5 million was set aside for developing the infrastructure of electric vehicle (EV) chargers.
The $250,000 was allocated to appropriations for the General City Purposes for “equity and inclusion.”
LAFD Fire Chief Kristin Crowley had criticised the budget cuts in the fire department and had written to the Board of Fire Commissioners that the budget cuts “have adversely affected the Department’s ability to maintain core operations.”
Taking to X, celebrities expressed their anger over the incident. Actress Sara Foster wrote, “We pay the highest taxes in California. Our fire hydrants were empty. Our vegetation was overgrown, brush not cleared. Our reservoirs were emptied by our governor because tribal leaders wanted to save fish. Our fire department budget was cut by our mayor. But thank god drug addicts are getting their drug kits,” Foster wrote in a post on X. “@MayorOfLA @GavinNewsom RESIGN. Your far-left policies have ruined our state. And also our party.”
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Los Angeles, United States of America (USA)