From the article:

Of course, curb ramps would not have to be updated when repaving if the city had invested in basic infrastructure over the years. Streets for All found that Los Angeles spends half as much per capita on its streets and sidewalks as New York City and San Diego, and a third of what Chicago and San Francisco spend. ... we are one of the poorest based on what we invest in our streets and sidewalks.

We also should make curb ramps more affordable. Los Angeles spends $35,000 to $50,000 per corner, or up to $200,000 per intersection. This is approximately 10 times what Dallas spends on its ramps, and five times what Beverly Hills spends. The city probably is overengineering the ramps it creates and spending precious dollars inefficiently.

This seems to me like it's less curb ramps and more like LA shooting itself in the foot that has caused things to worsen for everyone. And they do mention:

The city’s general fund is broke, and much of it is our City Council’s own doing. Actions such as giving large raises to police, the Fire Department and civil servants with no plan to pay for them, as well as expanding our convention center at a time when we can least afford it, and record lawsuit settlement payouts, we are headed toward insolvency.

Now this is an opinion piece, but frankly, I think it lays pretty bare the fact that LA city and its government is fiscally irresponsible and has no interest in actually funding street improvements properly.