I have received dozens of emails asking that the Long Beach Municipal Band not be reduced or eliminated out of the city budget.
First, please know I live across the street from where the El Dorado park concerts are held on Fridays and have attended these concerts long before I was elected to City Council.
Secondly, the city faces a $18 million dollar deficit. The concerts performed by the musicians cost the city $450,000 for 6 week -- 2 hour venues. The same amount funds 4 police officers or 4 firefighters for an entire year.
Thirdly, Long Beach long ago abandoned employing a Long Beach Municipal Band. Instead, they would contract each summer for a conductor who would put the call out in Southern California for band players. They would come together and play each summer. The next summer different players would sign on.
Fourthly, people who attend the concerts do donate -- but the amount is small: $50,000 which leaves $400,000 to come out of the budget.
So that being said, we need to find a corporate sponsor to underwrite the costs and/or get a conductor and band that will play for less than $15,000 a concert plus the costs of the sheet music which I understand runs @ $54,000.
We are cutting parks, recreation, libraries, police, fire, etc. That is why the Mayor proposed cutting band concerts. Let's find a solution.
