Villaraigosa, Greuel remind city department managers to clamp down on budget items

The executive order, issued late Wednesday, requires municipal employees to get approval from the mayor's office for any travel - even lobbying trips to Sacramento or Washington, D.C.

Department heads were ordered to halt all non-salary expenditures, including any remodeling or furniture replacement.

"The mayor and controller sent out a similar order last year, and it resulted in some substantial savings," said Assistant City Administrative Officer Ben Ceja. "We are trying to save as much money as we can as the mayor prepares his budget for next year."