Long Beach Vote 2016

Who Do You Believe On Measures A and B?

The City of Long Beach has a shopping list of public safety and infrastructure needs, that they say, would be addressed by passage of Measures A and B. At a recent DeForest Park Neighborhood Association community meeting on Measures A and B, I didn’t hear many questioning that list. The bigger question was whether voters they could trust Long Beach elected officials to live up to their promises about Measures A and B. Would they spend the money the way they claim?

Mayor Robert Garcia was originally scheduled to speak for Measures A and B, according to Association President Dan Pressburg. Pressburg says the Mayor was called to Sacramento and wouldn’t be attending. Instead, Assistant City Manager Tom Modica, Police Chief Robert Luna and Fire Chief Mike Duree would be make an informational presentation but would not be engage in a debate about Measures A and B.

Assistant City Manager Tom Modica

Police Chief Robert Luna

Fire Chief Mike Duree

City Staff Make the Case for Measures A and B

Measures A and B were placed on the June 7 ballot after a vote by the Long Beach City Council.

According to the Long Beach City Clerk’s website, Measure A is a temporary 1% tax that, “….generates approximately $48 million per year for six years. When it drops to 0.5% in the remaining four years, it generates approximately $24 million per year. Long Beach total sales tax rate would be 10% for 6 years, then drops to 9.5% for the remaining four years, then drops to 9% after year 10. The new tax would be paid by everyone, including the City’s 6.5 million visitors. Additional tax on a $1 item would be 1 cent.”

The Gazette Newspapers described the second measure this way, “Measure B would create a “Rainy Day Fund” that would set aside the first 1% of all new revenue to go into a reserve fund to protect against future recessions. Measure B can only go into effect if Measure A passes.”

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At the DeForest Park Neighborhood Association community meeting, Assistant City Manager Tom Modica emphasized that this is a Sunset Tax.

The City has a PowerPoint presentation online about their Infrastructure Investment Plan. The plan outlines how they would spend $150 million from the general tax revenues collected as a result of passage of Measures A and B. Police Chief Luna and Fire Chief Duree presented their cases for public safety which included rebuilding police units and reopening closed firehouses. You can also view video of the presentation to the Long Beach City Council HERE.

Not Everyone is onboard with Measures A and B

Former Councilmember Gerrie Schipske

The Measure A and B presentation by city staff was met with skepticism by some in the DeForest Park Neighborhood Association meeting. Former Councilmember Gerrie Schipske rose to present the opposing view. The former 5th District representative began by calling the city staff reps her friends but…..

Rex Richardson’s Impassioned Argument for Measures A and B

9th District Councilmember Rex Richardson

At the end of her presentation, 9th District Councilmember Rex Richardson arrived with his former boss, former Councilmember Steven Neal. Richardson made a passionate defense of Measures A and B, which he repeated again in a one on one interview with PalacioMagazine.com.

However, former Councilperson Gerrie Schipske wasn’t buying the city staff or Councilmember Richardson’s arguments. She believes voters want more than assurances about Measures A and B.