The fun phrases being thrown around: "union lackey, in the pocket of the unions, union slave..." That's how some people are describing the Mayor and City Council.
I understand that these same people don't like the Mayor and Council's support of collective bargaining or the pension levels that the city is currently obligated to pay (and which need to be addressed by both state and local levels). But name calling doesn't elevate the discussion.
Now the latest I have heard is that the only reason I support using Schroeder Army Hall for a police substation is because the police union wants it.(They omitted the 7 other council members who voted for it as well.)
Really? My understanding is that when this issue was first raised, the Councilman from the 4th District stated that the POA didn't want the east station to move out of the 4th Council district and that they wanted a substation in the 4th and not in the 5th (which is just actually blocks away).
At no time have I ever talked with the police union about Schroeder Hall. Ever.
The proposal to use that surplus army property as a police substation was made by a citizen's committee which approved the city's application for that use. (The committee approved that use instead of the other applications which also included transitional housing units.)
That property -- which is in great condition -- will save the City of Long Beach millions of dollars because of the value of the land and the fact that the buildings do not need to be demolished. The current police substation next to Krispy Kreme is bursting at the seams and is costing the city thousands in rent.
And yes, the 800 pound gorilla is still in the room -- accepting the property from the army requires that the city accommodate the homeless -- which the city is still working on in order to minimize impacts on the surrounding community.
I don't know if people notice my votes on the council. But I am in no one's pocket except the people who elected me.
Notice: This is not a City of Long Beach site.
Dear Readers: Please note that this is not a City of Long Beach website and is not paid for nor maintained by taxpayer funds.
If you contact Gerrie Schipske through this site on any matter pertaining to the City of Long Beach, a copy of your contact will be forwarded to her official city email as an official public record.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Save Station 18
- Council Guts Fire Services in the Middle of the Night - 9/7/2011
- Come to Community Budget Meeting to Discuss Cuts to Fire, Police, Library and Recreation - 8/25/2011
- How Facts Get in the Way of Political Agendas - 8/12/2011
- They are at it again -- 27 firefigthers to be cut -- Station 18 to be downgraded - 8/8/2011
- You Did It -- Fire Station 18 Will Remain Open - 9/18/2009
Popular Posts
-
LA Times article indicates rate of homelessness down in LA County -- LB Needs to Make Issue with HUDCurrent Seal of the County of Los Angeles, California (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) A current article in the LA Times ( htt...
-
Last night, the Council approved two agenda items brought forth by Councilman Robert Garcia and me that would further open up City Hall to t...
-
English: Discount Medical Marijuana cannabis shop at 970 Lincoln Street, Denver, Colorado. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) For Immediate R...
-
California Forward, a nonpartisan, non profit organization whose mission is to bring government closer to the people has highlight...
-
I just polled my email readers and asked: Do you think the City Council should vote to support a parcel tax that would assess residential a...
-
NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association sponsored its 16th USC vs. UCLA Real Estate Challenge. Top graduate student ...
-
The State Department of Finance today released two letters sent to Long Beach about the amounts claimed for administrative expenses to wind ...
-
I cannot believe that as we look at severe cuts to police, fire, libraries and recreation services that anyone on the City Council would pro...
-
I am still awaiting a full response from City management concerning response times by our Fire Department prior to budget cuts. NFPA Standa...
-
The public is invited to a meeting at the El Dorado Community Center at 2800 Studebaker, to hear what is being proposed for the staging of B...