The Long Beach Municipal Band

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.

Federal Court Ruling on Prop 8

I released the following statement to the press today following the announcement that the Federal Court has ruled Proposition 8 is unconstitutional:

"The decision by the Federal Court today ruling that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional should be celebrated by everyone -- no matter what a person believes concerning sexual orientation -- because our constitutional rights were affirmed and remain in tact."

My vote last night on taxing marijuana

I voted against declaring a fiscal emergency last night that would be linked to putting a tax on medical marijuana because I have consistently raised questions about how we can tax something that should not be sold. Medical marijuana collectives are supposed to be non-profit and are not supposed to be selling.

Moreoever, how is it that if we consider this to be medicine, we are taxing it? We don't tax other medicine.

I did vote to tax recreational marijuana -- however, I don't believe Prop 19 will pass.

3 Person Fire Trucks Have to Be Negotiated --- Rolling Brownouts is Rolling the Dice on Response Time

The problem with a budget being dropped in the laps of City Council that contains proposals by the Mayor to cut fire and police without any analysis of what the impact would be on service levels, is that everyone thinks they are an expert on fire and police staffing.

Take for example a proposal being shopped around -- reducing the level of staffing on a fire truck from 5 to 3 persons.And the proposal for having a rolling brownout -- closing firestations throughout the city on a rotating cycle.

Let me share with you what just happened when the city council in Reno, NV tried this:
http://www.rgj.com/article/20100715/NEWS/7150353/Reno-council-drops-referendum-on-fire-truck-staffing

Staffing levels are a bargained issue.

Without data showing the council what the impact would be of reducing staffing levels, both in response time and effectiveness, not to mention how reduced staffing exposes firefighters to work hazards, then we have no business putting it out there as an action in this budget cycle. If my colleagues want to get it analyzed and negotiated then go for it, but it can't be done in the current budget cycle because there isn't sufficient time.

Also there is something very wrong with a city council directing staffing patterns for any department. We don't and should not tell the police where and how to staff. We don't tell our Public works department how many people should be on a street repair crew. You get my point.

But don't take my word about why reducing staff on a fire truck or emergency apparatus is dangerous, take a look at NPFA 1710 --

NFPA 1710: Standard for the Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by Career Fire Departments, 2004 Edition. Click here.

This is published by the National Fire Protection Association which is the expert on fire, electrical and building codes and safety in the U.S.

 The rolling brownout is another dumb idea. Click here and see what is happening in the City of San Diego which is using brownouts to save money -- a kid just died and some are contending it was because of the longer response time needed to bring a paramedic across town when the local station is on closure.

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

Need to Dust Off Proposal to Find Corporate Partnerships for City Revenue – Let’s Do What San Diego Does

San Diego has set out with an aggressive program to lure corporate America to pay up to be the “official” something of the City of San Diego. And it is working big time.

San Diego got $1.25 million for its general fund from designating Verizon the “Official Wireless Partner” of the City.

San Diego Metropolitan Credit Union is paying San Diego $100,000 annually designated “Official Credit Union Partner” of the City of San Diego.

Pepsi forked over a $1.5 million signing fee and a minimum of $250,000 each of five years, as well as thousands of dollars in donated products and marketing and advertising, as the “Proud Sponsor of the City of San Diego.”

San Diego partnered with General Motors to provide 29 vehicles for the city’s lifeguards and five vehicles for the city’s police and fire departments free of charge. In return, small graphic signs on the vehicles are placed advertising GM as the official sponsor.

The city to our south also developed partnerships to receive emergency equipment from Cardiac Science.

Again, the partnerships have resulted in cash for the city and discreet emblems on the vehicles.

New York landed a $33 million contract with Snapple in return for the drinks being sold exclusively at city facilities. New York also received $19.5 million to establish a NY City Official History Center that is owned and operated by the City but funded by the History Channel.

Costa Mesa partnered with a local skateboard apparel manufacturer to sponsor the operation and maintenance of a skateboard park in the city – paying the city $30, 000 each year for naming rights, the right to hold events and a link on the City web site.

During our budget discussions I will bring this concept back to the council. We need to look at sources of revenue that do not include taxing our residents.

July 23 City Manager Weekly Newsletter

Friday Newsletter 7-23-10

Message from City Manager to City Employees Regarding the Budget

Dear Employees:

Today I released our Proposed Fiscal Year 2011 Budget, and Mayor Foster released his Budget Recommendations. To address our $18.5 million structural deficit in these very challenging financial times, I have proposed the following five-pronged approach:


1. Department reductions: Asking all departments to make further reductions

2. Potential new revenue : Continuing to explore new revenue to reduce the deficit

3. Government reform: Consolidating departments and improving efficiency

4. Employee contributions: Negotiating to reduce employee costs

5. Pension reform: Negotiating to reduce current and future pension costs


I encourage you to read more about this at www.longbeach.gov . Online you will find the two-page Budget Snapshot, and a larger 24-page document that details the budget solutions. Department Directors will be talking to employees in each affected area to keep everyone apprised of the potential impacts. While I regret that these recommendations will have an impact on our organization and on some of our employees, as a City we must take these actions in order to solve the budget deficit. Additionally, I am hopeful that, through negotiations, our employee organizations will once again choose to be a part of the solution. Without additional assistance from our employees this year, an additional 85 positions will need to be eliminated, causing significant service reductions to core services.

Despite our budget challenges, as a City family we have accomplished a great deal over this past year. Part of the Budget presentation today was to highlight all the great work our employees have done, from keeping our City clean and safe, to creating new parks, to repairing the most amount of streetwork in a decade, and many other successes. This budget will be difficult on us all, but I am confident that Long Beach will continue to be a leader in California in providing quality services to our community.

PATRICK H. WEST
CITY MANAGER

Budget and Bronchitis

Council was given notice late Thursday that the release of the Mayor/City Manager Budget would be at a Friday press conference. Nothing new. Has happened every year I have served on City Council. So much for working together. I understand only two council people showed.

I am home with a copy of the very large budget. Once my medicine kicks in and I stop coughing, I will start looking at the proposals. My doc says I have bronchitis. Worse news is that I need to stay away from my 6 month old grand daughter until I have enough antibiotics on board to protect her.

Swearing In and Other Fun

I was sworn back into office yesterday by my partner of 30 years, Flo Pickett. My dear friends, Bob and Lela Nelson, drove down from Stockton for the ceremonies. My kids watched on TV and friends were in the chamber as well as over at the El Dorado Golf Restaurant.

The ceremonies were brief. Different this time around was the lack of hand-shaking and hugging by other councilmembers.

I again liken this city council to a group foster home (no pun intended). We are put together and need to learn how to get along.

Sadly, what was a routine selection of the most senior councilmember for vice mayor has now become a political game. Unbeknownst to me, several council members agreed prior to the election to support a junior council member after they received her endorsement for their campaigns.

I nominated Councilman Patrick O'Donnell because he and Councilwoman Rae Gabelich are the senior members of the council -- and Rae declined being considered for Vice Mayor. Patrick received 4 votes -- and other 4 held out for Councilman DeLong to return from the Bahamas so they can have their 5th vote. However, with Councilman James Johnson absent at our next meeting -- it maybe back to 4 to 4.

What would stop the game and make it more equitable is if the Council were able to rotate the Vice Mayor every year instead of every two years. That my friends, would take a charter change and a vote by the residents.

Thank you.

Would like to thank the resident who sent this letter to the editor:

Taking care of business

The citizens of the 5th District in Long Beach are fortunate to have a councilperson of such professional ability to represent us downtown.

As further evidence, my street just had the sidewalks repaired on both sides of the block and the work was accomplished in a few days with a minimum of inconvenience and was very expertly engineered to be better than what it replaced.

Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske keeps us advised, via the web, of any problems that may arise, of any matters which affect us as property owners, and of any news that we should be aware of that may affect us.

In other words, she is hands-on for all of us.

Ted Conlin

A big thank goes to the Public Works staff who actually oversees the repair of our sidewalks.

City Manager's Latest Newsletter

Friday Newsletter Final

Reasonably Available Is Standard Used by Other Legislative Bodies

Look at the LA Times today and you can read the latest polling on just how low elected officials are held. The feeling many Americans have is that elected officials consider themselves "better" than the average resident.

Then consider a Long Beach City Council that tolerates one of its members phoning in a vote from the Ritz Carlton in the Bahamas.

I've done a little checking on how other legislative bodies in California handle the Brown Act requirements for teleconferencing and most apply the standard:

Commissioner confirmed that his location was reasonably accessible to the public, such that any member of the public could participate in the teleconference from his location if he or she wished to do so.

Don't know about you, but last time I checked, the Bahamas is a foreign country, not readily accessible to the public. And because a passport is required to go there, "any member of the public" can't participate without paying to get a passport and a ticket. Ah, noblesse oblige.

We don't need no stinkin meetings...we can phone it in.

Hot off the press: Councilman Gary DeLong is off on vacation and will not be at Council this coming Tuesday as the Mayor and several councilmembers are sworn in to office. Mr. DeLong arranged to get sworn in before he flew out of the country.

And to prove just how wonderful technology is and to assure that his choice for Vice Mayor of the City Council (Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal) wins -- Councilman DeLong has graciously arranged to call in his vote from the Bahamas.

All perfectly legal.

Just a note to any of you who would like to exercise your rights to have government meetings open -- you might want to fly down to the Bahamas and find Mr. DeLong. Join him for drinks as he phones his friends back at City Hall.

So now we understand why he only wants to hold council meetings twice a month. Why meet when you can phone it in? All Long Beach residents who have jobs that allow them to do the same raise your hands!