City Hall layoffs plan moves ahead

Officials and union officials were unable to come to any agreement Wednesday that would avert layoffs of about 278 city workers on July 1. Negotiations are expected to continue before the workers, heavily concentrated in the library and recreation and parks departments, actually lose their jobs. Mayor Villaraigosa kept up the pressure in a gaggle with reporters Wednesday at Staples Center, where he had just called for peaceful celebrating after tonight's Game 7 of the NBA Finals between the Lakers and Celtics (and evaded my question about the official role he claims is getting him into the game.) The mayor chided those who wanted the city to go bankrupt, though he never mentioned former mayor Richard Riordan by name. In the video, the 3,500 reduction in payroll he mentions refers to those who left by early retirement, transfer to other departments, eliminated vacant positions, the small number of previous layoffs and now the new layoffs that are contemplated.

Also: The Board of Library Commissioners asked Wednesday that a $39-a-year parcel tax be placed before voters on the November ballot.