LA Zoo ticket prices to increase July 1st

LA Zoo prices to go up

Visitors to the Los Angeles Zoo can soon expect a $5 increase in the general admission.

LOS ANGELES - The next time you visit the LA Zoo, expect to pay a little bit more for your tickets. 

Starting July 1, general admission tickets will increase by $5. 

• Tickets for children (age 2-12) will go up from $17 to $22;
• Tickets for adults (age 13 and over) will go up from $22 to $27; and
• Tickets for seniors (62 and over) will go up from $19 to $24.
• The ordinance also showed that group rates for 15 persons or more stand at $24 for adults (age 13 and over) and $21 for children (age 2 to 12).

Reason for ticket increase 

The fee increase comes after the City Council on Friday voted unanimously to raise the fees in the upcoming fiscal year. The recommendation to increase ticket prices comes as the city addresses a $1 billion deficit. 

In April, elected officials increased trash collection fees for single-family homes and duplex buildings, a decision made to reduce a general fund subsidy for the service. Additionally, the city is expected to move forward with a plan to lay off approximately 614 municipal employees.

Elected officials have discussed a proposal to reduce layoffs by transferring such workers to the Port of Los Angeles, Los Angeles World Airports and the Department of Water and Power. These three proprietary departments are not impacted by changes in the General Fund because they operate on revenue from their respective services.

RELATED: Hundreds of layoffs loom as LA City declares fiscal emergency

Dig deeper:

The deficit was partially caused by overspending, new labor contracts and rising liability costs in connection with complaints filed against the Los Angeles Police Department, among other issues. These settlements have prompted elected officials to dip into the reserve fund, a rainy day account for emergencies.

January's wildfires exacerbated the city's financial condition, further reducing business and property taxes. Travel and tourism have also taken a hit, leading to lower revenue being collected from hotel taxes.

RELATED: LA County unveils tight 2025-26 budget

LA has a $1 billion budget shortfall. What does it mean for the city?

Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky joined FOX 11 to discuss the latest updates with the city's $1 billion budget shortfall.

Of the layoffs on the table, about 248 Police Department civilian employees are expected to lose their jobs, as well as 57 workers from the Personnel Department, 44 sanitation workers, 41 Fire Department workers, 34 workers from information technology, 33 general services workers, 29 transportation employees, among others.