City workers whose positions could be cut under Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's proposed $7.2 billion budget pleaded for their jobs Monday, as union representatives delivered their own financial plan to avoid layoffs.
Villaraigosa's 231 proposed layoffs would touch many city departments, but primarily affect the civilian side of the Los Angeles Police Department.
The plan to close a $238 million deficit follows years of cutbacks by Villaraigosa, who has eliminated more than 4,500 positions during his tenure.
Whether the City Council will go actually through with the layoffs is unclear.
In past budget years, layoffs have been avoided by shuffling around employees, finding new sources of funding to pay for staff and reaching concessions with unions.
This year the unions refused to reopen their contracts. They made concessions last year, including paying more for their retirement benefits and delaying pay raises that are now scheduled to go into effect later this year.
