LA County has spent heavily on wake systems while cutting the fire services budget

While Los Angeles officials stripped millions of dollars in funding from their fire department before the most destructive wildfires in the nation’s history, hundreds of thousands of dollars were allocated to fund programs like the “Gay Men’s Chorus” and housing for the homeless.

Deadly wildfires have raged across Southern California this week, fueled by strong winds that have destroyed nearly 10,000 homes and businesses. After fire hydrants failed to produce water and homes burned to the ground, residents began calling out the state’s Democratic leadership, which cut the Los Angeles Fire Department’s (LAFD) $17.6 million in funding a few months ago.

But as the department’s funding is being rolled back, a Fox News Digital review of the LA County budget revealed thousands of taxpayer dollars are being allocated to diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and programs that provide injections to the homeless.

For example, the budget was allocated $14,010 to the “Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles” this year, a group that wants to “create a musical experience that strengthens our role as a leader among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) and performing arts organizations.”

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Another $190,000 was allocated to the Homelessness and HIV Program, which includes a “syringe exchange” program that provides sterile syringes to homeless drug addicts.

An additional $100,000 of district funds was set aside to pay for the thirteenth anniversary, and $13,000 was allocated for “Male, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Heritage Month Programs.”

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The Department of Human Rights and Equality also awarded $100,000 to the “Midnight Stroll Transgender Cafe” to fund housing for homeless transgender people in Hollywood.

The Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles performs on stage during the 2013 Do Something Awards at the Avalon in Hollywood, California, on July 31, 2013. (Michael Tran/FilmMagic)

The county also provided $13,000 for “Gender, Gender, and Transgender Heritage Month programs” and $4.5 million for electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. The City’s General Purpose Budgets saw $250,000 set aside for “equity and inclusion.”

According to the report, funding for the homeless has exceeded the LAFD budget for the second year in a row.

Amidst the fires in Los Angeles, celebrities, such as actress Sara Foster, have called out state officials for their focus on the law over the years.

Entire blocks of homes appeared to have burned in the Pacific Palisades section of Los Angeles on Thursday. (Mark J. Terrill)

“We pay the highest taxes in California. Our fire engines were empty. Our vegetation was overgrown, the brush could not be cleared. Our dams were closed by our governor because the tribal leaders wanted to save the fish. Our fire department budget was cut by our mayor. But thank god the drug addicts got their services. of drugs,” Foster wrote in a post on X. “@MayorOfLA @GavinNewsom REIGN Your leftist policies have ruined our country and our party.”

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After the funding cuts, LA County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said Wednesday that “there are not enough firefighters in LA County to deal with four different fires of this nature.”