Los Angeles city leaders are weighing the future of a coastal clean-up program as it faces the possibility of being expanded to cover other city areas.
CARE+ Coastal Area Teams, a group that addresses trash and sanitation issues from around the Port of Los Angeles to Pacific Palisades, may go beyond the coast if the city’s budget is approved as it’s currently proposed.
“They work five days a week to cover our coastlines, and sensitive waterways, and environmental habitat areas that are out there addressing trash, illegal dumping, garbage,” Councilmember Traci Park said.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass’ office said the program is a $50 million program that’s still in the budget, with an additional $11 million proposed to address issues such as street sweeping and illegal dumping citywide. The proposed budget just eliminates the specific, extra funding focused only on coastal care.
Los Angeles City Councilmember Katy Yaraslovsky said the proposal to extend the program would benefit residents greatly as opposed to leaving it focused solely on the coast.
“I don’t think we can have specialized geography specific CARE, CARE+ teams given that we just don’t even have enough that are citywide,” Yaraslovsky said in a city council meeting. “And to continue to give certain neighborhoods their own dedicated teams to the exclusion of the rest of us, I just I can’t support another year of it.”
Councilmember Park said keeping the coastline clean and safe benefits everyone in Los Angeles and argues the program should stay as it is.
“We have enhanced tourism, garbage, illegal dumping,” she said.
Funding for the program continues to be discussed among the city council.