Items for 2010 ballot

When I return to Long Beach (from far away San Diego), I will put the finishing touches on two agenda items that I would like see placed before the voters in 2010:

1. Changing our city elections from the April and June cycle to a June and November cycle. Voters are expressing fatigue at the frequency of elections. Long Beach holds elections every two years at April and June and the State holds elections every two years at June and November. What's wrong with this picture? It is costly for the City. Voters are tired of multiple elections. Voter turnout in April is low and favors incumbents. Making this change would certainly address these problems.

2. Increasing the per barrel tax on crude oil to 60 cents a barrel and to use the proceeds to get more police and fire on the streets. This increase to 60 cents a barrel would bring Long Beach in line with the City of Signal Hill which has been assessing 60 cents a barrel for several years. Additionally, Signal Hill uses a more appropriate inflation factor for crude oil -- the PPI -- or Petroleum Price Index. Long Beach uses the CPI -- Consumer Price Index -- which does not reflect the increases in crude oil. So we need to change the inflator.

As you might remember, I am also trying to get a charter amendment before the voters next April that would open up the bargaining process between the city and employee unions by requiring the sunshining of the proposals so the public can provide input and see what is being done.