Serving on Medical Board of California

I am finishing up two days of a quarterly meeting in Sacramento on the Medicsl Board of California. I have been reappointed for another four years by the Senate Rules Committee. I serve as a public (non physician) member. There are 15 on the board. Eight are
Physicians. Seven are public members. While there is not a slot for other health care professionals, I am the first and only registered Nurse on this board and any other Medical Board in the US.

The Board licenses and disciplines the over 130,000 MDs. We also oversee physician assistants, licensed midwives (non nurse midwives),lens and glasses dispensers, and a new category of polysomnographers-professionals who test for sleep apnea. I currently serve on the Executive board as secretary. I chair the committee on physician supervision and have been working on regulations to deal with the legislation on how physicians should supervise licensed staff in doing laser or light pulse therapies for cosmetic purposes.

Between meetings all board members must review numerous cases on line and render a vote on proposed discipline being considered for physicians who have broken the law.

As part of my health care administration classes I teach at CSULB, I teach about the board and how consumers need to be aware of its functions.

I honored to serve on this board and look forward to my next 4 years.

Special alert on traffic construction

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Special-Alert----Two-Week-Freeway-Connector-Closure.html?soid=1101716177586&aid=4_zFMdTYNiw

Why We Are Not San Bernardino and Stockton and Vallejo...

SAN BERNARDINO, CA - JULY 12: San Bernardino City Hall is reflected in the windows of one of the vacant buildings across the street on July 12, 2012 in San Bernardino, California. The San Bernardino City Council voted this week to file for Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection, making San Bernardino the second largest municipality in the nation ever to file for bankruptcy and the third in California to opt for bankruptcy in the past two weeks. Stockton, California with a population of nearly 300,000, became the biggest when it filed for bankruptcy on July 3, and the Sierra Nevada Mountains ski town of Mammoth Lakes, California filed onte same day. Rightfully, residents are concerned by what they are reading in the press -- California cities are filing for bankruptcy because their deficits outweigh their revenues. So when the Mayor announces a "deficit" here in Long Beach -- it sends chills up the spines of those many.

With all due respect to the seriousness of the financial situations at San Bernardino, Stockton and Vallejo -- I know those cities and believe me, Long Beach is no San Bernardino, Stockton or Vallejo.

Here is why:

• In each of those cities, money was spent on developments that obligated the city funds at a time revenues were on the decline because of the real estate market and stock market bust. Long Beach did not undertake similar projects -- even though it has been approached on recent occasions to consider tearing down city hall and leasing (to buy) a new city hall.
• In the case of San Bernardino, apparently the budget figures given to the council were bogus for 16 years -- and their budget wasn 't balanced. Due to the diligence of several council members who ask in depth questions about the budget, the budgets are real in Long Beach.
• In all cities, lifetime health care benefits were given to employees. Long Beach DOES NOT provide such a costly benefit.
• Those three cities were unable (or unwilling) to negotiate pension reforms with their employees -- to have employees pay their contributions and to increase retirement age and to reduce the amount paid out at retirement. Long Beach has been very successful in negotiating these reforms with our employees groups -- we are awaiting the final agreement with our miscellaneous employee (non public safety) group to have this completed.
• Unlike the three other cities, Long Beach owns and operates its own port, airport, oil wells, gas utility and water utility.
• Unlike the other three cities, Long Beach historically has placed sufficient funds into its reserves. San Bernardino apparently only had $115,000 in reserves. That is outrageous.
• In all three cases, the bankruptcy law does not allow the cities to escape their pension debt. Long Beach also cannot escape its pension debt or unfunded liability. (It's like a mortgage. You get something in return for the promise to pay off the cost of that something over a long period of time. The city agreed to pay for pensions of its employees. It cannot suddenly decide it doesn't want to.)

So we need to heed the lessons of these three cities as what not to do. And Long Beach certainly has in place sound financial practices. However, much more needs to be done to protect our future:

1.  Adhere to Responsible Management and Fiscal Practices

2.  Focus on Core Services

3.  Pursue Alternative Service Delivery Models

4.  Maintain a Sustainable Workforce

5. Raise New Revenues while Protecting and Maximizing Existing Sources

I will continue discussing our City finances as we begin the FY 2013 Budget cycle. I will continue asking questions and demanding the best for the residents of Long Beach.

Related articles

• A Q&A on the San Bernardino bankruptcy

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• San Bernardino Third Cali. City to Seek Bankruptcy - Businessweek

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• San Bernardino, Stockton took different routes to bankruptcy

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Urgent -- US Senate Debating Whether LB Residents Shall Be Mandated to Buy Flood Insurance

Barbara Boxer, United States Senator from California (Photo credit: Wikipedia)Dianne Feinstein, member of the United States Senate. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)1:55 pm Wed. June 27 -- Just received word that the Flood Control Insurance is being debated right now. Please call Senators Boxer and Feinstein immediately and tell them to remove Long Beach from the list of cities to be required to buy flood insurance even though the threat of flooding is minimal!

Office of U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer
112 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-3553

Senator Dianne Feinstein

United States Senate
331 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510

Phone: (202) 224-3841
Fax: (202) 228-3954
TTY/TDD: (202) 224-2501

Wall Street Journal Reads Councilwoman Schipske's Blog

Just received a news alert that the Wall Street Journal has included me in an article about the proposed increase in flood insurance which would impact Long Beach and is unnecessary.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304458604577488990400234060.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Reporter Alan Zibel called me from Washington, DC after he read my blog on how I sent an alert to my constituents that this legislation was on the US Senate floor, encouraging residents to contact both US Senators from California to oppose this expansion.

Gerrie Schipske, a member of the Long Beach, Calif., city council who opposes that plan, sent an email to her constituents over the weekend aimed at rallying opposition. Ms. Schipske says the Long Beach and San Gabriel rivers, which flow through concrete channels in her city, stand little risk of flooding. If the Senate bill isn't changed, she said, "a great portion of the homeowners will have to pay this flood insurance.…It's an unnecessary burden."

 Glad we got their attention in Washington, D.C. The bill is still pending Senate action this week. Apparently an abortion related bill is getting in the way from the US Senate doing its real work.

Please Join Us in Next Door District 5

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Join LBreport.com in calling upon California Congressional Delegation to Fight Flood Insurance Bill

From www.lbreport.com:

On Monday June 25, the U.S. Senate is poised to discuss a bill which includes verbiage -- removed from the House version that the City of Long Beach wants removed from the Senate version -- that would impose mandatory "flood insurance" on tens of thousands of homeowners and commercial property owners in much of LB and southeast L.A. County, claiming they are at "residual risk" of a "500 year" (0.002 annual chance) flood from federally certified levees to prevent a 100 year-flood. The real reason for this section of the bill is to bail out the Congressionally-created "National Flood Insurance Program" (administered by FEMA) which is financially unable to cover major flood claims.
If you want to take action, we urge you to send an email (suggested text below) to Senators Boxer and Feinstein (links below) so their offices will receive it by Monday morning east coast time. We suggest the following cut-and-paste text but feel free to compose your own:

Senator: My family is among many in Long Beach and southeast L.A. County who will be harmed by section 107 of S. 1940 that the Senate is scheduled to discuss on Monday. One section of that bill would re-impose federal "flood insurance" impacting hundreds of thousands of residents, draining money from my family that we could otherwise spend on our family and children and at neighborhood businesses. The City of Long Beach and Mayor Bob Foster have urged you to do what the House of Representatives (including our two House incumbents, Laura Richardson and Dana Rohrabacher) did last year: delete the "residual risk" section of the bill. This is especially justified here, where we fairly recently completed costly 100-year flood protection levee improvements advanced by the late Congressman Steve Horn and enacted with your support.
The issue now isn't about flooding. It's about funding. Congress shouldn't do what predatory insurers do elsewhere, trying to gouge middle class and working class families to gain revenue.
Please make a floor amendment to do what the House did and delete the "residual risk" verbiage of S. 1940. If that fails, please offer an amendment that will unambiguously exempt the Long Beach/Los Angeles County Drainage Area (LACDA, where the L.A. river has no history of flooding since it was channelized decades ago and 100-year flood protection was recently improved) from any "residual risk" designation. .
Simply voting against the current legislative text while your colleagues vote for it won't do what we need done. We need your advocacy to ensure that the "residual risk" section of the bill doesn't advance to a conference committee where it could become law.

Senator Boxer's email: http://boxer.senate.gov/en/contact/policycomments.cfm
Senator Feinstein's email:  https://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/e-mail-me

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• Fed flood insurance program gets 60-day extension

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• Flood Insurance Reform: A Chance For Congress To Do Something Productive

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Workshop for First Time Home Buyers In Long Beach

The Neighborhood Resource Center and Union Bank invite you to a

First Time Home Buyer Workshop

"Making the Dream of Home Ownership a Reality"

Presented by Union Bank and Operation Hope

Saturday, June 23, 2012

10am - 1pm

1900 Atlantic Avenue

Second Floor Conference Room (Free Parking On-site)

Learn valuable information to help you understand the home buying process

1) Learn what you need to prepare for home ownership

2) Why credit scores are important for mortgage approval

3) The pros and cons of owning versus renting

4) Learn about various mortgage programs, grants, and much more

RSVP to the Neighborhood Resource Center at (562) 570-1010 or sharron.hinkey@longbeach.gov

Let's Not Miss a Golden Opportunity

Oil field in Long Beach, 1920 (Photo credit: Wikipedia) For the first time since the 1970s when citizens brought campaign finance reforms to Long Beach, two ballot measures have qualified with signatures requiring the City to conduct an election this coming November.

This means that the City must now spend over $300,000 to conduct this election -- we have no choice because the ballot measures qualified. The good news is that we can place additional measures on the ballot without much additional expense -- a factor that has kept the city from putting items before the electorate.

This would be an opportune time then to fix two serious problems in the City's "oil production tax."

First problem:

• The city has two oil production taxes. The first was enacted by the City Council in the late 1990's and places a 15 cents per barrel tax on all oil produced in Long Beach. That was when oil was $24 a barrel. So this .15 cents (which has not increased ever) amounts to .006 per dollar.
• In 2006, the voters approved Prop H which set a .25 cents a barrel fee to be used for police and fire. An inflation factor was added based on the Consumer Price Index. Unfortunately, the CPI does not reflect the real increases in crude oil. Instead a Producer Price Index (used by the City of Signal Hill for their oil production tax) is more accurate. Had we used the PPI -- the City would have realized an additional $1.9 million from this tax since 2006.
• Unfortunately, the two taxes were not combined -- so any inflation factor is only applied to the .25 cents a barrel and not the entire .40 cents a barrel.
• Today, the crude oil produced in Long Beach (the 3rd largest oil field in the US) is selling at $96.00 a barrel. This means that currently the City of Long Beach is only getting .004 cents per dollar on its production tax.
• The City needs to combine the two production taxes so that it receives the appropriate amount of revenue.

Second problem:

• The City's oil production taxes are based upon the number of barrels of oil produced. Production has decreased since the late 1990s because early aggressive drilling removed alot of the oil However, new techniques promises to produce a steady supply. A per barrel tax on decreasing production results in decreasing revenue stream as the number of barrels decreases.
• Concurrently and historically, the price of crude oil has steadily increased.
• So, the City will continue to see less revenue if the oil production tax is only based upon number of barrels produced.

Additional information:

• The price paid to oil producers is posted daily by the refineries which purchase the oil. (See this link: http://www.crudemarketing.chevron.com/posted_pricing_daily_california.asp)
• Any taxes placed on the posted price DO NOT get passed along to the consumers -- or at the pump as the phrase is stated. That's because the tax is paid before the oil is sent to the refinery so no additional costs are added to that price.
• The high cost of crude oil which is refined into asphalt is making it impossible for the City to fix its streets.
• Signal Hill is now at @ .83 cents a barrel (because it uses the PPI inflation factor).

So what could we do right now with a ballot measure:

• We could ask you the voters to approve consolidating the two taxes and changing the inflation factor so that it keeps up with the true cost of oil   OR
• We could eliminate both taxes and set a new one that is either $1.00 a barrel or 2% of market value (which ever is the greater).
•  A flat $1.00 a barrel or 2% of market value for oil severed and saved by or for the owner or operator would mean that revenue derived for Long Beach can sustain the ups and down of a volatile market. 

For instance:

• a flat $1.00 a barrel when oil is $90.00 a barrel with production @ 12 million barrels, results in @ $12 million for the City; 2% of market value when oil is $90.00 a barrel with production of @12 million barrels results in @ $21.6 million.
• When oil goes to $100 a barrel, with a production rate of 9 million barrels, this results in  $1 dollar x 9 million barrels which equals $9 million for the City; 2% of market rate value when oil is $100 with production at 9 million barrels would result in $ 18 million. (By the way this calculates out to be .02 cents a gallon.)
• When oil goes down to $55 a barrel, with a production rate of 9 million barrels, this results in $9 million with the per barrel rate; and $9.0 million for the market rate.
• When oil goes down to $45 a barrel, with a production rate of 9 million barrels, this results in $9 million with the per barrel  rate; and $8.2 million for the market rate.
• When oil goes to $110 a barrel, with a production of 8 million barrels, this results in $8 million with the per barrel rate; and $17.6 million for the market rate.

Again, an increase in the Long Beach production tax will not increase gasoline at the pump because gasoline prices are set based upon the "Brent crude" index which is the price of overseas oil and which is used to price 2/3rds of the world's crude supplies. The oil produced in Long Beach is valued based upon the West Texas Index and traded on NYMEX. Much of the oil produced locally is used for asphalt.

Keep in mind just how small of a tax is being proposed on Long Beach oil if we go to $1 a barrel or 2% of market value x number of barrels. Today, oil is at $96.00 a barrel -- so $1 a barrel would mean the producer is left with $95 a barrel or 98.8% of the value. A 2% of the market rate would be $1.92 and leave $94.08 a barrel or 98% of the value.

Each barrel contains 44 gallons so the above scenario results in Long Beach receiving .04 cents a gallon.

Keep in mind Long Beach's major oil producer posted a $1.6 billion (that's billion) dollar profit for the 1st quarter of this year.

For what uses will this revenue be used? I suggest we work out a formula whereby we apportion the following:

• Police and Fire (50%)
• Street Repair (25%)
• Libraries (10%)
• Recreation (15%)

I also suggest that a citizen oversight committee be headed by the City Auditor and appointed by the Mayor and Council to ensure that the funds are spent appropriate.

Because the City has to conduct an election this November I think we should put this measure on the ballot so that this additional needed revenue can be made available.

What do you think?

City Documents You Need to Read

Am posting links to several city documents I have just received that I thought readers might like to see as well:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/97149799/Wheel-Clamping-Report

http://www.scribd.com/doc/97149798/Update-on-Municipal-Band-Concerts

http://www.scribd.com/doc/97149796/Spring-Street-Repair

http://www.scribd.com/doc/97149795/Report-on-Community-Gardens-and-Dog-Park

http://www.scribd.com/doc/97149794/Listening-to-Business-in-Long-Beach

http://www.scribd.com/doc/97149793/Fire-Department-Presentation-on-Gender-Inequities

Let me know what you think. And don't hesitate to contact me with questions and concerns.

Update on Municipal Band Concerts

Click on the following link to read the latest on the funding for the summer Long Beach Municipal Band Concerts.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/97149798/Update-on-Municipal-Band-Concerts

Please note that as we begin deliberating for next year's budget that funding for the Municipal Band may not be available.

FYI -- a little historical note. The first city band was formed by Dr. W.L. Cuthbert, a former assistant surgeon in the Civil War. He was also the city's first public health officer. He and his family played for local residents. Cuthbert played the horn and the drum. He is on the far left of the photograph dated 1901.

Book Signing at Bach Library June 16th at 12:30 pm to Benefit Friends of the Long Beach Public Libraries

Early Long Beach History To Be Presented At Ruth Bach Library Event

(LONG BEACH, CA; June 8, 2012) – Friends of the Long Beach Public Libraries has invited Fifth District Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske to discuss her recently published book, "Early Long Beach", at the Ruth Bach Public Library on Saturday, June 16th at 12:30 pm, located at 4055 N. Bellflower Blvd. Schipske will sign her book and donate 10% of the proceeds to the Friends of the Long Beach Public Library.
The Bath House and Board Walk, Long Beach, Ca. (1907)

The book is the third in Schipske's series about the history of the city that started out as part of the railroad backed American Colony tract in the late 1880's to become the center of oil production, shipping and aviation by the 1930's.

“The success of Long Beach today is in great part due to its early history and the efforts of its residents to make both education and libraries a priority," says Schipske, who is a native of Long Beach. In 1908, Long Beach erected a public library funded by Andrew Carnegie.

"Early Long Beach" chronicles the city's first 50 years from its early days as a "alcohol free" seaside resort and real estate development area to its recovery from a devastating earthquake that destroyed 90% of its school system.

"Along the way, Long Beach paved the way for the creation, development and advancement of some of the most essential industries the world relies on today. Our oceanfront provided a resort area, a landing strip for early aviators, a fishing industry, a port for shipbuilding and trade, and a location for the US navy to anchor its battle fleet in 1919 that led to a massive relocation of Navy and Army resources. In 1921, the discovery changed the city forever, bringing wealth and people. Few other cities can boast these important assets," reminds Schipske.

The Friends of The Long Beach Public Libraries, is a non-profit organization designed to replenish vital reading materials and support for summer reading programs for both children and adults. The organization has been instrumental in helping both the Ruth Bach and El Dorado Library branches replenish much needed books and materials. Through the Councilwoman's "Library Round Up" drive, each year , local businesses participate in rounding up spare change from their customers to donate to the libraries. The funds are given to Friends of the Long Beach Public Libraries which in turn donates them to the 5th District branch libraries for materials.

Councilwoman Schipske is also the author of two other books: Rosie the Riveter in Long Beach and Early Aviation in Long Beach, both of which capture the historical importance the city played in aviation and the participation of Long Beach women during World War II. They are published by Arcadia Publishing.

For more information regarding "Early Long Beach," please contact the Offices of Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske at 562-570-6932, or email district5@longbeach.gov

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Schipske Launches NEXTDOOR -- a Social Network for 5th District Residents

Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske Launches Nextdoor -- A Social Network for Neighborhoods
Nextdoor enables residents to communicate online in a secure website to build stronger communities

(LONG BEACH, CA; June 6, 2012) – As part of her advocacy of involving the residents of the Fifth Council District, Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske announced today the availability of Nextdoor (www.nextdoor.com), a secure social network for neighborhoods to foster neighbor-to-neighbor and citywide communication.

Starting now, residents within the Fifth Council District can use Nextdoor to create websites for their specific neighborhoods.  Enrollment enables individual residents to form relationships with their neighbors by asking questions and exchanging local advice and recommendations. Topics of discussion on Nextdoor are as varied as local events, school activities, babysitter recommendations, plumbing advice, disaster preparedness, recent crime activity, upcoming garage sales, or even lost pets.

 “I believe that when neighborhoods are more engaged, the city is stronger,” says Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske, who discovered Nextdoor when searching for a way to help connect the 11.5 square miles that comprise the Fifth Council District.

“Nextdoor will help create a tighter bond between the resident and the neighborhood in which he or she resides.  We will be able to utilize this network to make residents more aware of their neighborhood -- which is especially important should be ever face a disaster such as an earthquake."

Schipske says she was particularly excited to see the developers of Nextdoor interested in the very same things as she:

· "We are for neighbors.
· For neighborhood barbecues. For multi-family garage sales. For trick-or-treating.
· We're for slowing down, children at play.
· We're for sharing a common hedge and an awesome babysitter.
· We're for neighborhood watch. Emergency response. And for just keeping an eye
           out for a lost cat.
· We believe waving hello to the new neighbor says, “Welcome” better than any doormat.
· We believe technology is a powerful tool for making neighborhoods stronger, safer places
           to call home.
· We're all about online chats that lead to more clothesline chats.
· We believe fences are sometimes necessary, but online privacy is always necessary.
· We believe strong neighborhoods not only improve our property value, they improve
           each one of our lives.
· We believe that amazing things can happen by just talking with the people next door.
· We are Nextdoor. We are simply you and your neighbors, together."

Nextdoor has specific features which enable neighbors to communicate information with one another. All members must verify their address within the neighborhood. Information shared on Nextdoor is password-protected and cannot be accessed by those outside the neighborhood. Information entered will not show up on Google or any other search engine. In addition, Nextdoor never shares personal information with any third party. Unlike an email listserv or other online group, neighbor posts are organized and archived for future reference.

“I am really excited to be using Nextdoor to get to know more of my neighbors,” said Sarah Ireland, member of the El Dorado Park Estates Association.  “I hope it will make us more connected and an even better neighborhood.” El Dorado Park Estates currently has over 300 neighbors using Nextdoor today.

Any resident of the Fifth Council District interested in joining their Nextdoor’s neighborhood website can visit www.nextdoor.com and enter their address. "You don't have to be an organized neighborhood to set up a neighborhood website on Nextdoor," reminds Councilwoman Schipske.

 "If Nextdoor is available in a specific area of the Fifth Council District, you can immediately sign up. If a Nextdoor website has not yet been established for their area, active and engaged neighbors are invited to apply to bring Nextdoor to their neighborhood."

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Look What is Going on At Rosie the Riveter Park in Long Beach!

We Can Do It poster for Westinghouse, closely associated with Rosie the Riveter, although not a depiction of the cultural icon itself. Pictured Geraldine Doyle (1924-2010), at age 17. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)Take a look at this video showing how the Women in the Trades are honoring their own in Rosie the Riveter Park and Interpretive Center.We Can Do It!

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Recent Survey Shows Small Business Optimistic About Economy -- But Not Long Beach

The Walter Pyramid is a collegiate athletic facility located at Long Beach State University in Long Beach, California. It officially opened on November 30, 1994, and cost approximately $22 million to construct. It rises 18 stories high and measures 345 feet along each side of the base. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)There's good news and some bad about small business in Long Beach.

The good news is that in a survey of small businesses conducted by CSULB College of Business Administration, local small businesses are optimistic about the economy. In fact, 51% surveyed indicated they thought the local economy would get better.

But when asked if they would "start a news business in Long Beach today" only 36% responded they would. 44% responded they would start new business somewhere else; 21% responded they would not open a new business at all.

When asked what can be done to help their businesses, 63% responded that the local economy needs to improve; 61% responded that local business taxes needed to be reduced; 55% responded that regulations and bureaucracy needed to be streamlined; 46% needed more access to credit; and 34% needed incentives to hire more people.

This is a good report because it gives the City of Long Beach more information on what can be done to grow business and jobs in Long Beach. Again, that's why I have and am again proposing business tax relief and will be moving forward to hold "A Day without a Regulation" town hall to hear what specific regulations need to be changed.

Below is the report from CSULB on this survey.

LBSmallBusinessSurvey

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