Los Angeles mayor slashed fire budget last year, prioritized homeless population

Breck Dumas / FOXBusiness

Los Angeles' budget is in the spotlight as multiple wildfires rage around the city amid revelations that Mayor Karen Bass slashed the fire department's budget last year while prioritizing spending on the city's homeless population.

For the 2023-2024 fiscal year, Los Angeles budgeted $837 million for the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD), which was roughly 65% the size of the homeless budget of $1.3 billion.

An analysis by L.A.'s city comptroller last year found that roughly half the budget for homelessness went unspent.

From the 2023-2024 to the 2024-2025 budgets, the LAFD’s budget was reduced by over $17 million from $837,191,237 to $819,637,423. 

Bass had proposed a larger budget cut to the LAFD, about $23 million, but it was not adopted. Read more and see video here.

Matt Gaetz believes he can win Florida governorship despite allegations against him

Joe Sommerlad / INDEPENDENT

Matt Gaetz, the former Florida Republican congressman turned cable news anchor, has revealed he is “starting to think about running for governor” of the Sunshine State in 2026 in place of two-term incumbent Ron DeSantis.

“I have a compelling vision for the state,” Gaetz told The Tampa Bay Times.

“I understand how to fix the insurance problem, and it’s not to hand the keys to the state over to the insurance industry.

“If I run, I would be the most pro-consumer candidate on the Republican side.”

He added that he needs more time to pray on his decision and to discuss it with his wife Ginger Gaetz.

The MAGA favourite was tapped by President-elect Donald Trump on November 13 last year as his nominee to be the next US attorney general and stood down from the House of Representatives in order to lobby senators for the role. Read more and see video here.