BUDGET: Early retirements and furloughs will mean less service.

With thousands of city workers scheduled for furlough days, reduced work hours and early retirements in coming months, city officials are bracing for what could be a big slowdown in the delivery of city services. Officials say the public may not notice the impact at first, as most of the services affected in the initial months will be for behind-the-scenes operations like repairing city cars or servicing computers.

But soon city parks, for example, may see reduced hours. And as the economy picks up and developers look to start building again, their permits could be delayed, officials said.

"We haven't seen the impact on furloughs yet," said Councilman Bernard Parks, chairman of the council's Budget and Finance Committee. "But next month, once our new contracts go into effect, the public will feel it."

The reason for the limited public impact so far is that the furloughs have only applied to the 10,000 members of the Engineers and Architects Association. They are slated for 26 furlough days a year, with each department making its own decision on how to schedule the time off.

But next month, if the Coalition of City Unions approves its new contracts, another 22,000 workers - many on the front line of city services - will face reduced work hours.

At the same time, the city is also implementing an early retirement program that could take up to 2,400 employees out of the city work force altogether.

The reductions were all part of the city's ongoing efforts to close a $400 million budget gap while avoiding extensive layoffs. The Mayor's Office has begun working with city agencies to prepare for the worst, beginning next month or so as the Early Retirement Incentive Program takes effect - if it is approved by the unions - and work begins on next year's budget.

"We are meeting with each department head and going over their budgets and personnel for this year and looking at where there will be vacancies," Deputy Mayor Matt Szabo said.

"There will be no excuse for saying we were not prepared."

The Mayor's Office and City Administrative Office have prepared lists of employees in various departments to try to figure out which ones will be leaving and how that will impact city services.

Most of the attention in those contracts has been on the retirements of 2,400 workers, but Parks said a more direct impact will be seen in the reduction of work hours by employees.

"They are going from an 80-hour work period to a 76-hour period," Parks said. "That has to impact services because these people are paid to provide service.

"You will see some parks closed earlier or without staff. Not all programs will be available at all parks. They might be clustered so people have to drive a little further."

Recreation and Parks officials agree the impact has been minimal so far, but they don't know what to expect starting in November.

"We are beginning to do our planning, but until we know the number of people who will retire, we still have no real idea on what will happen," spokeswoman Jane Kolb said.

Other impacts will be felt in the future - as planners are unable to process paperwork for projects that developers are hoping to build as financing becomes available.

"You will see computers not maintained, cars needing repairs, a degradation of what we have," Parks said. "That will reduce service to the public as well."

Villaraigosa has been trying to coordinate the changes to reduce the impact on the public.

"We are still working on this year's budget and looking ahead to next year," Szabo said. "The goal is to have as little impact on the services to the public as possible."

While residents may be frustrated by the reductions, some local activists acknowledged that there is little they can do about it, given the size of the city's budget deficit.

Leon Marzillier of the Granada Hills Neighborhood Council, after hearing a presentation Saturday by Villaraigosa on the city's financial problems, said Angelenos may just have to become accustomed to a reduced level of service from their city.

"We won't like it, but it is just something we might have to live with for a while," Marzillier said.

Bruce Gilman of the Department of Transportation said there will be a general slowdown in some of his agency's work, with up to 400 of 2,200 workers ordered to take furloughs.

"We are seeing some slowdown in work and we are trying to simplify our operation to refocus on our core programs," Gilman said, adding it will not affect traffic officers - who bring in revenue with parking tickets.

But some temporary parking restrictions might be delayed and the department will not be able to send out as many representatives to community meetings.

EAA General manager Bob Aquino said the impacts have been felt throughout the city.

"Department officials consistently reported that they are having problems in getting their work done because of the furloughs," Aquino said.

One city service that has faced extensive public controversy in the past year has been the Los Angeles Police Department's Crime Lab and its backlog in DNA testing of rape kits.

Aquino said the city has had to contract out to get the work done - using more expensive private labs.

However, Deputy Chief Charlie Beck said the contracting out was decided on last year and is being used until the backlog, which has been reduced from 7,495 cases to 2,937, is resolved.

Aquino also questioned the city's decision to furlough auditors who bring in money as a result of their inquiries. He said he believes the city is trying to punish his union and its members.

"The city wants to make an example of EAA so Coalition of City union members are scared into voting for the ill-advised 'ERIP' package," Aquino said.

"It is important to note that the only group of city employees who are actualy sharing any sacrifice to this point are EAA members."