Post Office to Close Processing Facility in Long Beach

I was contacted by a US Postal Service worker and I just saw the story on line in Rough and Tumble. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/nov05election/detail?entry_id=97585
Long Beach postal processing facility at Redondo Avenue is slated for closure.

Please take a moment and email Senators Boxer and Feinstein and ask their assistance in keeping the facility open and the jobs kept in Long Beach.

Senator Barbara Boxer
Senator Dianne Feinstein

White House Sends Update on President's Jobs Act

Good afternoon, Last night President Obama walked Congress and the nation through the American Jobs Act, his plan to create jobs in America now. It's up to Congress to act on this set of bipartisan ideas that put people back to work and put more money into the pockets of working Americans. You can watch a special enhanced version of the speech, featuring charts and other relevant information here: Here are a few important points about how the American Jobs Act works, and why Congress should act quickly: First, it provides a tax cut for small businesses, not big corporations, to help them hire and expand now and provides an additional tax cut to any business that increases wages. Second, it puts people back to work, including teachers, first responders and veterans coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan, and construction workers repairing crumbling bridges, roads and more than 35,000 public schools, with projects chosen by need and impact, not earmarks and politics. Third, it helps out-of-work Americans by extending unemployment benefits to help them support their families while looking for work and reforming the system with training programs that build real skills, connect to real jobs and help the long-term unemployed. Fourth, it puts more money in the pockets of working and middle class Americans by cutting in half the payroll tax that comes out of every worker's paycheck, saving families an average of $1,500 a year. And it removes the barriers that exist in the current federal refinancing program (HARP) to help more Americans refinance their mortgages at historically low rates, save money and stay in their homes. The American Jobs Act is based on ideas supported by both Democrats and Republicans, and is fully paid for by closing corporate tax loopholes and by asking the wealthiest Americans to pay their fair share. It would have an immediate impact on job and economic growth, but Congress has to act now. You can learn more about the American Jobs Act on Whitehouse.gov. Over the next few days there are a number of ways for you to ask questions and engage with Administration officials about the American Jobs Act including Open for Questions live panels and Twitter Office Hours. In fact, next week, I’ll be participating in my very first White House Office Hours on Twitter, so be sure to tune in and send me your questions using the hashtag #WHChat. Here’s a list of the full lineup of events so far: Today at 4:30 p.m. EDT: Brian Deese, Deputy Director of the National Economic Council will be answering your questions on Twitter during White House Office Hours using the hashtag #WHChat. Monday September 12 at 4:30 p.m. EDT: White House Office Hours on Twitter with Stephanie Cutter, Assistant to the President and Deputy Senior Advisor. Tuesday, September 13 at 5:30 p.m. EDT: I’ll be answering your questions on Twitter during White House Office Hours using the hashtag #WHChat. Wednesday, September 14th at 4:00 p.m. EDT: White House Office Hours with Brian Deese, Deputy Director of the National Economic council. Sincerely, David Plouffe Senior Advisor to the President P.S. After last night’s address, a few White House policy experts answered questions about the speech. Check out the video of the event: WhiteHouse.gov/JobsSpeechOFQ

City Council Cuts Fire, Police, Libraries After Public Leaves

For Immediate Release
Contact: Tiffany Andrews, Office of Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske
562 570-6932

City Council Passes Budget in the Late Night Hours
– Cuts Fire and Police Staffing

Moments after six members of the Long Beach City Council voted in the middle of the night to make Long Beach the only major metropolitan city to staff its fire engines with 3-man crews, Council members Rae Gabelich, Steven Neal and Gerrie Schipske issued the following joint statement:

“In a shameless display of disrespect to the residents of the city, 6 members of the council orchestrated a vote on the budget in the late hours of the night after the public had left the council chambers. By waiting until the public left, they violated every principle of transparency and openness and proceeded to seriously cut essential public safety and quality of life services with few public in attendance.

“As a result of that vote, one-half of the City’s fire engines will only have 3 fire fighters, instead of the standard 4 that every other major metropolitan city provides. Other reductions in fire services will also take place at Stations 14, 18 and 19. This means that the City of Long Beach will have the lowest number of on duty firefighters in the last 40 years.

 “At least twenty one police officers were also eliminated with this late night action – including patrol officers, gang enforcement, Homeland Security detail, and violent crime detectives. All at a time when the state is getting ready to release prisoners back into the community.

“Six on the council ignored the concerns of both the Police and Fire Chiefs who expressed reservations about the cuts proposed by Mayor Bob Foster and City Manager Pat West.

“Despite more than 28 residents giving testimony earlier in the evening against making cuts to public safety and quality of life services, the majority on the council waited for the public to leave before they jammed through a budget that seriously cuts these critical services.

“What we saw tonight was a blatant disregard for the will of the people and a lack of  transparency in the budget process, This is a sad night for the City of Long Beach.”

#30

Long Beach to Join Special Needs Awareness Program -- First Responders Will Get Important Information to Aid Residents with Disabilities

Thanks to my colleagues for supporting an item I sponsored with Councilwoman Rae Gabelich that approves Long Beach Fire and Police departments participating in the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management Special Needs Disaster Registry.

The SNAP program is voluntary and allows persons with special needs and/or disabilities who may need  specific  disability related  assistance and/or accommodations in the event of a major disaster. Special accommodations and assistance needs may include communicating through alternative means, requring specialized paratransit services, life sustaining medications or equipment, etc.

Enrollment in the Special Needs Registry is completely voluntary. The information provided could help to save lives. Information submitted to this registry is confidential and will only be used by first responders.

Long Beach residents wishing to sign up for the program should click here or to to the Los Angeles County -- http://www.snap.lacounty.gov/

Imitation is certainly the sincerest form of flattery...especially by council colleagues

I am so flattered to see on today's city council agenda an item (added last minute) by three of my council colleagues proposing (as I did in April of this year) that the city pursue asking the Feds for a waiver in the ceiling of local hires on transportation projects.

See folks, the council already approved directing the City Manager to find out what the city could do to get a waiver on the cap of local hires allowed -- it was a 9-0 vote on April 8, 2011...just a mere 5 months ago.
But nothing happened.

Then last week the LA Times broke the story that the LA Mayor was taking this concept directly to Washington, DC so that LA could get a waiver of the ceiling of local hires on transporation projects -- using perhaps the only allowable way to get a waiver -- by utilizing an innovative contracting procedure.

So thanks, colleagues for agreeing with me, my blog and the Mayor of Los Angeles -- that there is a way to ask the feds for a waiver on the amount of local hires for a transportation project.

Let's hope on the vote today that everyone agrees -- this time we really mean it! (And thanks for the compliment.)

Budget War on Libraries Is So Wrong -- Especially in the 5th District

The City Council asked for a report on usage of library branches over the past several years.

We did so because of the proposal to make three branch libraries -- "reading rooms" and cut their services.

First of all, no one in libraries any where in the US has branches that are "reading rooms" only -- ah Long Beach leads the way.

Anyway, the report came back and just as I suspected it shows that Bach is one of the busiest branches in the City -- yet one of the three slated for serious cuts.

Click here and look at attachment A under total circulation -- which means number of books, tapes, cds, etc. checked out. If you look at Bach you will see 106,544 while the other two branches slated for reductions: Brewitt and Alamitos have 1/2 half the circulation...

There is absolutely no logic to go after a library branch that is one of the busiest in the City...

Click here for emails and phone numbers of the Mayor, City Manager and City Council. Call and email and tell them "NO" -- leave Bach Library alone!!

Important FY 2012 Budget Documents -- How the City Spent Oil Revenues

In response to our questions during the budget hearing on oil revenues, City Manager responded to part of the question -- we asked for an accounting of the past 10 years  -- he only answered for 2006 to 2011.


If you click on this link you can read the answer in Attachment B of the memo.

Please note that with a few small exceptions, the oil revenues have been used just as Councilmembers Gabelich, Neal and I are proposing: to smooth out the deficit -- fund important city services.

That's why our "Public Safety and Quality of Life Protection Plan" is the responsible plan.
 We continue to use the additional revenue to smooth out the deficit and fund important police, fire and recreational services instead of spending on a "wish list" of projects. Click here to read the wish list being circulated at City Hall for spending oil revenues.

Here's why the Gabelich, Neal, Schipske "Public Safety and Quality of Life Protection Plan" is the MOST RESPONSIBLE -- we are proposing an incremental approach to using the revenue -- not spend it on one time projects.

It would be like if you and I received a raise -- would it be wiser to use it to go out and buy a new, bigger and better wide screen television or to use the monthly increase to pay for on going expenses?

If the oil revenue and other revenues for the city lessen next year, then we can adjust our spending immediately and make cuts as we go along. If we spend that revenue on one time projects -- it is spent and we cannot recover it. Now that would be irresponsible.

Come to the City Council chambers this Tuesday at 3 pm and tell the City Council in person what you think about the budget and whether or not you think the City should spend all at once now or do so on a month by month basis as being suggested by Councilmembers Gabelich, Neal and Schipske.

LA Mayor Villaraigosa Takes Schipske's Jobs Idea to Washington, DC

Imagine my surprise to read in today's LA Times on page AA: "Mayor sends a jobs plan to D.C. -- Villaraigosa wants local workers to have an edge in federally funded transportation projects." (http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-local-jobs-20110831,0,7132005.story)

Surprised because on March 8, 2011 -- I introduced a council item (which I asked Councilman Patrick O'Donnell to co sponsor) that stated the following:

Subject: AGENDA ITEM: Request for Federal Wavier of Local Hiring Restrictions
Mandated by the Federal Highway Administration

Background:
At 14%, the City of Long Beach currently faces one of the highest rates of
unemployment in the state (if not in the U.S.). The need to create jobs is critical in order to put our residents back to work.

To increase the number of Local jobs, the City Council and the Harbor Commissioners
have approved the case of project labor agreements ("PLA") which contains among
other provisions, a requirement that a certain percentage of the hiring be of Long Beach
residents.

Unfortunately, Federal Highway Administration regulations prohibited local hiring
preferences. This prohibition needs to be waived, especially in cities such as Long
Beach, so that a local construction project can be staffed with unemployed residents
who live in the city in which the project is being constructed.

Recommendation:
Request the City Manager to contact the Federal Highway Administration to
determine how the City and the Port can be given a waiver and allowed to set
sufficient local hiring preferences for major construction projects.

As you can see in the video below, the item passed 9-0.

So today, I read:

Reporting from Washington—

In an effort to bring down the stubbornly high unemployment rate, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is lobbying Washington officials to give local workers an advantage in winning some of the more than 166,000 jobs expected from transportation projects planned for the region.

Federal rules prohibit local hiring preferences on federally funded transportation projects, under the premise that all U.S. taxpayers help to pay for the work and should have an equal shot at getting the jobs. The rule also stems from concern that making local hiring a factor in awarding contracts will increase the cost of projects.

But with Washington jittery about unemployment heading into an election year, the mayor has received a positive signal from the administration. Hovering at 12%, California's unemployment rate is the second highest in the nation, behind Nevada's.

So thank you Mayor Villaraigosa for taking a good idea from the City of Long Beach to Washington, D.C. and doing something with it...I'm still waiting here for Long Beach to do the same.

Right in our own backyard --Help Ability First

Schipske: Physical Fitness Program for Disabled Children, Adults
Needs Long Beach Community Support for Fiscal Fitness

Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske urges residents to support a local physical fitness program for disabled children and adults.

The AbilityFirst Long Beach Center, at 3770 East Willow Street, serves more than 350 community members with disabilities. “It has one of only two warm water pools in the Long Beach area and a curriculum designed to do more than teach participants how to keep their heads above water,” Schipske says.  “It strives to help them become more independent, learn to play and act in social situations and improve their physical and emotional wellbeing.”

The AbilityFirst After School Program serves more than 50 children and young adults who need a safe, effective exercise program where they learn to swim. That can be tough with physical or developmental disabilities including autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome and epilepsy.  The warm water is conducive to stretching, muscle extension and limb movement. Improved physical health radiates into all aspects of a child’s health, according to the center’s Gail Stewart Garber. The staff educates parents about healthy living so entire families can be fit, and encourages participants to attend aquatics sessions consistently all year.

More than 30 adults with similar disabilities are enrolled in the Adult Day Program.

Whether children or adults, these are people who typically don’t get to swim at public pools because they need a lot of assistance, changing into their swimsuits and getting in and out of the pool.  AbilityFirst provides a staff to participant ratio of up to one-to-one, for a quality aquatics experience tailored to each participant’s needs, Garber says.

AbilityFirst also offers warm water exercise classes for community swimmers with arthritis and related conditions, fibromyalgia, obesity-related conditions and people recovering from stroke, illness or injuries. It serves more than 350 community members with disabilities, mostly seniors, with an average age of 65.

AbilityFirst, provides a training ground for Cal State Long Beach Therapeutic Recreation students when it’s time to do internships, Garber notes.

“This incredible program exists on a tight budget, squeezed by the economic downturn and state cuts, and AbilityFirst is appealing for donations to Long Beach corporations and civic groups,” Schipske notes. “To help these children and adults continue to hone their abilities, please help AbilityFirst.”

For more information about the AbilityFirst Aquatics and After School programs, please contact Gail Stewart Garber, Regional Director of Development, at (562) 264-0479 or go to www.abilityfirst.org.                       ###

Tele Town Hall Planned on Budget Cuts

with permission of www.LBReport.com:

(August 30, 2011) -- Councilmembers Steve Neal, Rae Gabelich and Gerrie Schipske will use digitally enabled technology to communicate directy with taxpaying residents citywide and discuss their proposal -- reported in detail (with video) by LBReport.com last week -- to use already-budgeted money they identified in City Hall's proposed FY12 budget to provide an alternative to budget cuts to police, fire, parks and libraries proposed by Mayor Bob Foster and City Manager Pat West. 


On Thursday Sept. 1 from 7 - 8 p.m., the three Councilmembers will hold what they describe as a "citywide interactive discussion" of the FY12 budget which residents can access from the convenience of their home. 

A release via Councilman Neal joined by Councilmembers Schipske and Gabelich says residents will be able to hear -- and take part in -- a citywide telephonic Town Hall, including questions and answers and a live survey and direct feedback. 

To join in, the release invites residents citywide -- in all Council districts -- to RSVP by either emailing district5@longbeach.gov or district9@longbeach.gov or calling (562) 70-6932 (the 5th Council office) or 570-6137 (the 9th district Council office). 

"All who RSVP will receive a call at 7PM on Thursday evening, and will be automatically connected to the Town Hall. Participants will engage in question and answer, as well as live surveys and direct feedback," the release says. 

"Participants will discuss proposed cuts in the fiscal year 2012 budget, and possible alternatives, such as the "Public Safety and Quality of Life Protection Plan" as proposed by Neal, Gabelich and Schipske. The teleforum will provide an opportunity to join thousands of residents from all parts of town in a discussion on the proposed cuts to police, fire, and quality of life services, and how it will impact Long Beach families."
Councilmembers Neal, Schipske and Gabelich presented their alternative (a "Public Safety & Quality of Life Protection Plan") at an Aug. 23 midday news conference. It proposes using $18 million in current fund balance in the Uplands Oil Fund to maintain a $2 million fund balance and restore $12 million in Mayor/City Management proposed FY12 cuts in General Fund in Police, Fire, Libraries and Parks & Rec and use about $4 million for one-time expenditures:

Police: $6.2 million (14 patrol officers + gang enforcement, violent crimes and homeland security details + Chief's priorities)

Fire: $4.3 million, (maintaiun four person engine staffing, restore Stn 18 engine, restore Rescue 12)

Library Services: $750,000

Parks & Rec: $750,000 The three Councilmembers were joined by LB Fire Fighters Ass'n Pres. Rich Brandt, IAM Union rep & Sarah Pillet of LB Public Library Foundation.

To view VIDEO on-demand of speakers' presentations, click here. UPDATE: To view VIDEO of reporters' Q & A, click here.  Within hours -- and before the public had an opportunity to hear details of their alternative to the Mayor/Manager budget -- it was met with criticism by Mayor Foster (who called it irresponsible but has no vote) and by Councilman Gary DeLong (who does have a vote). Apart from DeLong, no Councilmembers (besides proponents Gabelich, Schipske and Neal) spoke on the issue and there was no voted action. Councilman Neal (who made a motion to adopt the proposal) withdrew it...but indicated the next day (as reported by LBReport.com) that he intends to advance it on September 6.

Meanwhile, at last night's (Aug. 29) 5th district community meeting on the budget [separate coverage coming on LBReport.com], Councilwoman Schipske told attendees that she believes the use of already budgeted uplands oil money to avert the Mayor/Manager proposed budget cuts is reasonable and responsible...and has publicly requested that city management explain how those uplands oil funds have been spent in previous years.
In an exchange prompted by a question from the floor, Councilwoman Schipske indicated she would support a variation on the Gabelich-Schipske-Neal proposal (editorially proposed by LBReport.com, click here.

She criticized Councilman Gary DeLong (at one point referring to him as the "Long Ranger") for leaking information -- that she called only partial information -- on revisions to City Hall's contract with the LB Police Officers Association negotiated by Mayor Bob Foster. Further on this to follow separately on LBReport.com.

LBReport.com will continue to provide details on these continuing fast breaking developments

City Council Was Told It Could Not Disclose Proposed Contract with LB Police Officers Association

It wasn't a slip of the tongue. It was a deliberate disclosure of some of the details of the proposed new contract with the Long Beach Police Officers Association that one of the councilmembers gave to the Press Telegram last week.

There are several problems with the Lone Ranger in doing what he did: 1) he was not the designated spokesperson for the City Council and thus as the City Attorney will probably confirm, he was out of line; 2) Mayor Bob Foster negotiated the contract with the POA and only he should have been discussing what is in the proposal; 3) he only gave his version of what the proposed contract includes -- leaving the public to wonder what else is in the contract and the cost benefit analysis of the features of the agreement (which some say is why he did what he did); 4) since most of the contract is out in the public, the rest needs to be as well.

For a long time I have been advocating for making labor negotiations more transparent to the public. I believe the public has the right to know the details of what the council is doing regarding collective bargaining; details that are not leaked out but are provided in their full context. City management was directed by the council several months ago to put on the agenda a process for making negotiations more open and transparent -- we asked that this be done before the budget is passed. The budget has to be passed on September 15th. So where is the item?

I am sure that the Lone Ranger will respond that his talking to the press is being open and transparent. But it wasn't, because he only gave selective details of the contract that was given to us in a closed session and none of us have seen the actual contract language that will be placed into the agreement.

Had we a more open and transparent process, the information wouldn't be trickled out to the public as it was. You want real open and transparent? Click here and see how the City of San Jose posts everything about their labor negotiations so the public can see all along the way what is being negotiated. No surprises when the council gets ready to ratify a contract.

And by the way for those who think this would be awful in Long Beach...nothing bad has happened in San Jose because the public knows what is being negotiated. The unions still come to the table. Negotiations still take place. Management is still able to bargain from a strong position. And my hunch is that the public trust is much higher.

I Chair the Civil Service and Personnel Committee of the City Council and I will start conducting hearings on how we can make negotiations more open and transparent. A first "baby step" for transparency in employee negotiations is something that San Jose does in addition to posting negotiations on line -- it is a requirement that annually the city disclose an update on all employee contracts -- when they are set to expire, how much they cost, etc. The report also explains the state labor law governing these negotiations, the personnel rules and other items that impact negotiations. That way the public gets to know what is going on.

Click here to read San Jose's "Sunshine Report." It is enlightening!

Response to Press Telegram Editorial Bashing 3 Council Members For Trying to Find a Solution

The Press Telegram today published an unsigned editorial (see they can use people's name in the editorial but you don't get to find out who wrote it) bashing Councilmembers Gabelich, Neal and myself for proposing that the council utilize a portion of the increased revenue we received this year for restoring cuts to police, fire, libraries and parks and recreation.

Here's what I just posted on their on-line comments:

It is hardly irresponsible for council members to suggest how to keep serious cuts to public safety and quality of life services from happening. While you bash the three of us who proposed a solution, we await the ideas of the the remainder of the council or the mayor. Yes, the others are lining up to spend the increased revenue on a variety of projects. Public safety should come first -- not an underground tunnel that someone forgot to design when the court house was proposed or a new city website.

Please get your facts straight -- for the past 9 out of 10 years -- the City has received more oil money than budgeted and it was used to restore cuts which is what we were proposing to do.

By the way, the three of us also tried to get the council to meet this coming week (instead of taking the day off) to continue working on the budget -- no surprise -- the City Manager said we couldn't get a quorum.

Bet most residents didn't even know that for the past 9 out of 10 years the city has received extra funds -- some times as much as 9 - 10 million. I have asked the City Manager to explain to the City Council where the extra revenue from inland oil has been spent for the past 9 out of 10 years so the public can see where their money has gone.

So as long as the Mayor continues to propose cuts to 5th District libraries, police, fire stations and recreational programs you can bet I will look for every source of funds to restore those cuts. That's being responsible.

City Needs to Support Transparency in New Reporting Standards for Pensions

The Government Accounting Standard Board (GASB) sets standards of accounting and financial reporting for state and local governments. The Board is in the process of revising its standards and proposing significant improvements to standards for accounting and reporting of pensions that governments provide employees.


Click on the link to read the proposed standards. GASB is asking for public in put and response. I am going to ask our City Manager to make certain Long Beach weighs in about these standards -- supporting the transparency these standards provide.

Budget Cuts Hit 5th District Hardest

Schipske Puts Petitions in Bach and El Dorado Branch Libraries –

Asks Residents to Sign and Join Push to Save Library, Police, Fire and Recreation Service Cuts

Proposed by Mayor Foster and City Manager West That Hit 5^th Council District Hardest

Long Beach, CA – August 24, 2011 – Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske today urged residents to visit either Bach or El Dorado branch libraries and sign a petition she has started which calls upon the Mayor and City Council to restore the proposed cuts to vital police, fire, parks and recreation and library services in the FY 2012 budget.

“Residents of the 5^th Council District need to know that the Mayor and City Manager have placed the following important public safety and quality of life services on the cutting board. Not coincidentally, these cuts disproportionately reduce city services in the 5^th Council district,” says Schipske. “While we hear the sloganeering that Long Beach is ‘one city,’ the 5^th Council District is once again being singled out to lose more services.”

Schipske lists the following services being cut in the 5^th District:

·        Fire stations 18 & 19 – which together have more than 2,500 calls for service a year, will be reduced

·        Plus removal of 3 firefighters per shift at Stations 18, 19 & 5 with downgrading staffing to 3 firefighters per truck (leaving the city seriously understaffed in case of an emergency)

·        Reduction of library services at Bach library by downgrading branch to a “reading room”

·        Increase demand for library services at El Dorado branch without additional staff or resources

·        Elimination of 14 weeks of recreational programming at Heartwell Park

·        Reduction of gym operations at Pan Am Park

·        Elimination of Teen Center at El Dorado Park

·        Reduction of materials for senior program at El Dorado Park

·        Elimination of 14 police patrol officers

·        Elimination of police J-Car (juvenile car)

Schipske also points out that the proposed elimination of 14 police patrol officers will disproportionally hurt the eastside of Long Beach – especially the 5^th Council district which is the largest council district geographically because it contains 11.5 square miles and takes more to patrol.

“Residential burglaries, commercial burglaries and auto thefts are soaring in the eastside so cutting patrol officers who provide a visible deterrent to these types of crimes is senseless and irresponsible. Also as bad is the elimination of the police J-car. I have 22 schools in the 5^th Council District – including one of the largest high schools and a new high school on the way. This is not the time to cut this police service.”  Schipske notes that J-Cars are a pro-active unit of investigators which is designed to apprehend juvenile offenders in or around our schools. Officers work closely with school administrators in identifying and apprehending juvenile offenders involved in criminal activities such as narcotics, assaults and graffiti.

“I am asking residents to help send a message to the Mayor and the other members of the City Council, who do not live in the 5^th District, that these cuts are at a minimum unfair and at a maximum irresponsible.”

Residents can go the Bach Branch Library at 4055 Bellflower Blvd. 90808 or El Dorado Branch Library at 2900 Studebaker and sign the petitions in person. They can also go on line to www.gerrieschipske.com and click the online petitions.   #30

Council decides to cut fire, police, library and recreation services -- City needs one time cut in management

Although a reasonable sensible motion was made last night to utilize a portion of the increased revenue the city realized from the increased price of oil to restore serious, critical cuts to fire, police, library and recreation services, the majority of the council opposed it and the motion was withdrawn.

Oh, but moments later, the majority passed a motion to explore spending $500,000 - $600,000 for a new website and $80,000 for a study that will lead to spending $5 - $10 million on an underground tunnel between the police department the soon to be constructed state courthouse.

Here's the game. Several council members have a list of projects they want funded. Others of us believe that you don't fund projects when you are cutting public safety and quality of life services.

For 9 out of the last 10 years -- the City has under estimated the revenue from oil. Some are calling the  increased oil revenue -- "one time monies" -- and should not be spent on on going expenses.

Really? Yet when sales tax revenues have increased 12% (as they were reported to have done so last night) that isn't "one time money" -- that money is used to offset any reductions in the budget. So the oil revenue which is in the same column as sales tax revenue is "one time" but the sales tax isn't?

So where is their plan to come up with revenue to restore the cuts proposed by Mayor Foster in police, fire, library and recreation? Haven't seen it. Haven't heard it.

Here's an idea. City Manager -- go back and make the $20 million dollars in cuts in all departments except fire, police, recreation and library. Start at the top and cut management positions. Stop cutting at the level where services are delivered and start cutting at the management level.

If it helps. Think of it as a one time cut.

Three on Council want to spend $500,000 on a website

I cannot believe that as we look at severe cuts to police, fire, libraries and recreation services that anyone on the City Council would propose spending $500,000 to $600,000 for a website that would provide a 24/7 online contact with the City.

First of all, I have provided such a contact on my website for 5 years for free -- check it out: http://www.longbeach.gov/district5/sr.asp.

Secondly, the City can use SeeClickFix which I have been beta testing for several months. It costs $100 a month.

Or use Better Place from the Florida League of Cities -- again for a minimal fee.

Actually, the old fashion way works just fine -- email. I get hundreds of them each month with requests for service -- sometimes with photos attached. It's free and it works. Then my staff forwards the requests to the appropriate department and we map (and put it online) where the requests have been made so we can use that data to plan how we can group requests together for repair so that more can be made at one time.

How can we ask city employees to pay more for their pensions and to give up raises while we spend one half million for a new toy? How can be cut police, fire, library and recreation services? How can we cancel police and fire academies? Again.

How can we cut back on maintenance of our parks?

$500,000 fixes a lot of sidewalks and potholes and a couple of residential streets.

 Based upon the 5 years I have been using my on line, 24/7 service form, we know where the problems are -- we just need the funds to fix them.

Schipske Working with Airport Marriott on How to Improve Business in Area

I have been meeting with the folks at the Marriott at Lakewood and Spring adjacent to Skylinks Golf Course and the LB Municipal Airport.

The hotel in undergoing some fantastic renovations and its marketing chief, Michael Robby and I have been talking about how we can network to get more business to the hotel and those businesses near the airport.

One of the ideas we are developing is to form a Long Beach Airport Area Business Network that can gather the various businesses, the city and others and start working on a plan to get more business. Stay tuned as we launch the venture with a networking reception at the Marriott.

I have already proposed at council some ideas on how to grow and retain business by providing waivers and reductions and other incentives in our business license tax. We need move aggressively so that we can develop jobs in our city. The rate of unemployment is unacceptable.

Let's get Long Beach moving again!

Meeting with Lilly Avenue Residents and Eastside Commander Lopez

 

Tonight I met in the home of a resident on Lilly Avenue in El Dorado Park Estates who called together neighbors and asked that I talk and listen about concerns related to reports of crime in the area.

Eastside Commander Lisa Lopez attended and provided crime stats for the specific area which showed only 5 crimes this year in the area. Nonetheless she emphasized the need to report to the police any suspicious activities or people and to make sure to take valuables out of cars and to lock doors and windows to make entry difficult.

I recommended that residents go on line and sign up for crime alerts in their neighborhood. Anyone can access the sign up at http://beta.crimereports.com/ The site maps crimes reported by the LBPD and gives residents an update if and when crimes occur.

CrimeReports mobile version!

CrimeReports is the only near real-time source for both official crime data and sex offender information, giving you access to information from over 700 participating law enforcement agencies across North America and sex offender data for all 50 States.

• The CrimeReports iPhone app allows you to filter crimes by location or address, crime type, and customizable date range
• View data on the crime map or in a list view
• View national sex offender data alongside crime in your neighborhood
• Sign-up for free, automated, email crime alerts
• Request the participation of your local law enforcement agency if they’re not already on-board

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Spirit of 45 Event a Hit! You should have seen me dance...

 What a great event! Keep the Spirit of '45 Alive was held at the El Dorado Community Center on Sunday, August 14. More than 125 attended the event and danced to the swing music of the Johnny Klecker Band.

A special appearance by President Franklin Roosevelt added to the theme and attendees sat attentively listening to his talk about being president and how we entered World War II

 Boeing provided some historical photographs of the women working at Douglas Aircraft.

Vitas Hospice provided refreshments and decorations. My staff and volunteers from The Long Beach Rosie the Riveter Foundation helped staff the event. The Parks, Recreation and Marina Department also provided staffing.

 The Long Beach celebration of the Spirit of '45 also included the placing of a memorial wreath at the memorial in Rosie the Riveter Park and Interpretive Center.

The event is celebrated nationally. I am happy that Long Beach was able to participate.

LA Times Article Features Long Beach Rosie the Riveter Park

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-rosie-riveter-20110814,0,7574598.story?track=rss

Please check out the great article on the Long Beach Rosie the Riveter Park in Sunday's Los Angeles Times. Just had friends in Stockton call to tell me article was in their newspaper. This will certainly bring more visitors to this jewel in the Long Beach parks system.