No growth budgets for city

In an attempt to rein in city spending, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa directed city managers Thursday to submit no-growth budgets in 2008 and prepare for a potential 8percent cut. Kerry Cavanaugh in the Daily News.

While the city begins preparing for next fiscal year's budget in December, the projections are already grim.

Some city departments have already overspent their budget this year and the city recently approved a five-year salary deal with six Los Angeles unions that includes incentives that could boost the cost of the contract to nearly $300million.