Los Angeles Times
LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Fire Chief Brian Cummings turned the tables on City Council members Tuesday, blaming response time delays on budget cuts approved by lawmakers.
“You gave us a budget,” Cummings said during a nearly two-hour hearing at City Hall. “We’re giving you the most effective fire department that we can within that budget.”
Cummings had been summoned to appear by council members who complained that he had not produced a requested plan to improve service and shorten response times, which have grown longer since deep budget cuts were approved in 2009.
Full story: L.A. fire chief says more money needed to speed up 911 responses