Long Beach City Budget Focuses on Wrong End

Took sometime tonight after a very long day of California Medical Board hearings, to start taking the proposed FY 2010 Budget apart. (Yes, I should be watching some tv..but I couldn't find anything worth watching.)

When I first looked at the budget last week, it didn't seem right somehow. It didn't sit right with me about the proposed cuts. Then I started to look at who was being proposed to be cut -- even with concessions from the unions to pay more of the pension costs.

All the cuts in staff are aimed at lower level, lower paid, lower pensioned staff. Read my lips: no management were harmed in the budget. Nada. An $18 million dollar deficit and not one management level person is getting cut.

We are talking about crossing guards, clerks, secretaries, recreation staff, clerks, customer service reps, being singled out as the sacrifice being offered up in the name of reducing the deficit.

Several on the council asked for government reform. You know. Like consolidating and eliminating departments. What we were presented is a shuffling around of employees from one department to another -- not one person eliminated in the move -- not one dollar saved. But we got "government reform."

I think the public should be particularly offended by any salary increase for elected officials or increasing the number of city employees who make over $100,000. And folks, the increases are in the budget and more employees are now making over $100,000 a year.

I am going to continue to dissect the budget. I implore readers to do the same.

Sacramento Meeting of the California Medical Board

Am up in very hot Sacramento for the quarterly meeting of the California Medical Board. I serve as a public member appointed by the Senate Rules Committee.

The mission of the Medical Board is to protect healthcare consumers through the proper licensing and regulation of physicians and surgeons and certain allied healthcare professionals (not nurses)through the vigorous,objective enforcement of the Medical Practice Act. The Board also promotes access to quality medical care through the Board's licensing and regulatory functions.

My appointment requires that I review numerous discipline and licensing cases as well as serve on a number of subcommittees of the Board: Enforcement, Application Review, Supervision of Affiliated Health Care Professionals and Access to Care.

The 15 member Board (13 appointed by the Governor; 1 by the Speaker of the Assembly and 1 (me) by the Senate Rules Committee) has approved holding a quarterly meeting in November in Long Beach. This will be the first time in the history of the Board that the meeting has been held in Long Beach. I have asked Memorial Medical Center to host two day meeting in its new Childrens' Hospital.

By the way, the Board does now require physicians to post notices in their offices informing patients that they are regulated by the Board. The notice must also include the telephone number and website of the California Medical Board so that patients know where to file complaints.

The Rest of the Lobbyists Reporting in Long Beach

The City Clerk has corrected his release of documents relating to lobbyists who have registered under the City's new lobbyist ordinance. See below for the remainder who have filed --you can see who they represent and on what issues:

Supplemental Report 07272010

Who's Is Lobbying Whom? The First Report on Who Is Lobbying in Long Beach

Check out the report below I received from the City Clerk. It is the first filing of local lobbyists -- who they are and who they represent. Interestingly enough is the fact that when Council was considering the lobbyist ordinance, we had a long line of "lobbyists" who didn't want to register. The first report indicates that not many did or they stopped being lobbyists.





Lobbyist Report

CBS Features 5th Council District Youth Work Program

 Click on the link to view the news spot CBS-KCAL ran on the 5th Council District Youth Work Program

http://www.cbs2.com/video/?id=140118@kcbs.dayport.com

Teens are paid through a federal grant to work for local business or the city. Last year, I utilized 7 youth to clean, landscape and paint 4 parks in the 5th District.

This year a new group is attempting to tackle cleaning up the 44 alleys in the 5th district. One of my council staff supervises their work.

This is a great use of funds and a good work experience for these young people -- all of whom attend Long Beach high schools.

Schipske Tried to Get Council to Do Pension Reform 4 years Ago

Four years ago, in a land not so far away, I proposed several charter amendments that would have dealt with the current financial problems related to pensions.

I ask the press to go back and ask my colleagues who are now beating their chests on this issue (after two major employee contracts were approved while they were on city council)why they were not interested in these reforms then:
10/11/2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRESS RELEASE #LD05-110
Subject :

Schipske Proposes Several Charter Amendments to Improve City Services
Suggests Charter Change to Set Police and Fire Staffing Levels

Fifth District Councilwoman , Gerrie Schipske, today proposed that the City Council Charter Amendment Committee consider placing several items on the ballot to improve budgeting for both public safety levels and employee pensions. The Council Charter Committee is currently considering amendments to the City’s Charter which will be placed on a city-wide ballot in Spring 2007.


Among Schipske’s proposals:

* Requiring the City Council establish mandatory minimum staffing levels based upon a ratio of public safety personnel to population. This would require that that public safety be established as a priority in each annual city budget at levels sufficient to provide public safety.
* Requiring that the City Council certify that there are sufficient funds available to pay for any pension system provided by the Council for City employees.
* Making the age of retirement in the Charter for City employees consistent with the state retirement programs. Current language sets retirement at age 65 while CALPERS allows retirement at age 55 for public safety personnel and 57 for other employees.

Swearing In Remarks

Swearing in Remarks