Barger Issues Statement on L.A. County Board of Supervisors’ Approval of $46.7 Billion Supplemental Budget

Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger issued the following statement today, commenting on the Board of Supervisors’ approval of the final $46.7 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2023-24.

“I support our Los Angeles County Chief Executive Officer’s balanced approach to allocating our County’s available funds. We must live within our means and spend responsibly while staying laser-focused on areas of concern, such as addressing homelessness and expanding our mental health infrastructure. 

As we fund homelessness outreach, housing, and supportive services, we’re seeing clearly that treating mental illness is inextricably connected to successfully achieving lasting results. 

Funding mental health services, beds, and personnel are all fundamental building blocks to every focal policy area of our Board – from accomplishing reforms in the County’s jails, to helping people experiencing homelessness remain housed, to supporting foster youth who have experienced trauma that limits their full potential. 

I will continue to track and shine a bright light on our Department of Mental Health’s work to open much needed treatment beds in the coming weeks and months. Our County has a legal responsibility to do so, and we need a clear roadmap to show how we will deliver 3,500 beds that are presently court-mandated. 

It is our job as County Supervisors to eliminate policy roadblocks at state and federal levels that impede that work, and to direct sufficient resources to get the job done. I take that responsibility seriously and won’t stop until we make meaningful improvements.” 

The adoption of this supplemental budget is the final phase in Los Angeles County’s annual budgeting process. It accounts for final revenue estimates based on the County’s collection of property taxes, sales taxes, and cost savings.