Dec 05, 2023 City Council - Revised

I AM HERE.

WE HAVE A

[00:00:01]

THANK YOU.

WE'LL START WITH, UH, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, LED BY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERTO YANGA.

[ROLL CALL]

WE HAVE A LONG MEETING, A LOT OF DISCUSSION TO BE HAD, SO LET'S HAVE MY MOMENT OF SILENCE TO PLEASE GIVE US A STRENGTH TO SURVIVE TODAY.

[PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]

PLEASE SNAP YOUR AMO AND JOIN ME IN THE FLEX ROOM.

HANDLE YOUR HEART.

READY? BEGIN.

I LEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO FLAG, UNITED STATES AMERICAN AND POLL FOR WHICH YOU STANDS.

ONE NATION AND THE GUIDE INDIVIDUAL.

MR. CROSS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR INDULGENCE.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

SO TWO MEMBERS OF OUR BODY COUNCIL MEMBERS RICK OTI AND COUNCILMAN AUSTIN WILL BE ABSENT TONIGHT.

UH, LET'S START OFF, IS THERE A REPORT OUT FROM CLOSED SESSION? UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH MAYOR.

WE HAVE NO REPORT FROM CLOSED SESSION.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

SO WE HAVE ONE PRESENTATION, THEN WE'LL HANDLE CONSENT, UH, AND THEN WE HAVE OUR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.

THEN WE GO INTO OUR HEARINGS.

I BELIEVE WE HAVE, LET'S SEE, UH, TWO HEARINGS AND THEN WE'LL GO ON WITH THE REST OF THE AGENDA.

UH, SO LET'S START WITH THE PRESENTATION ON UTILITY DEPARTMENT UPDATE ON WINTER GAS PRICING.

THANK YOU.

CAN WE GET THE PRESENTATION UP PLEASE?

[ UTILITIES DEPARTMENT UPDATE ON CUSTOMER GAS PRICING]

THIS IS GONNA BE GOOD NEWS.

I APOLOGIZE FOR THIS.

OKAY, WE WILL JUST GIVE ANOTHER MINUTE OR SO WHILE THEY QUEUE UP THE PRESENTATION.

I MEAN YOU CAN, UH, SO THEY'RE HAVING SOME DIFFICULTY PULLING IT UP IN THE BACK.

UM, THEY NEED A LITTLE BIT OF TIME IF WE CAN MOVE ON TO SO, AND COME BACK TO THIS.

OKAY.

ALRIGHT, SO WE'LL COME BACK TO THE PRESENTATION.

UH, LET'S MOVE THROUGH A FEW ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.

LET'S START WITH, UH, CONSENT CALENDAR.

THERE'S A REQUEST.

THEY GOT IT UP.

OH, WE GOT IT.

ALL RIGHT, FANTASTIC.

LET'S HAVE OUR PRESENTATION.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, MAYOR AND, AND CITY COUNCIL.

AS YOU RECALL, UH, LAST WINTER WE HAD VERY EXTREME HIGH GAS PRICES AND UM, SO WHAT WE WANTED TO DO TONIGHT WAS TALK TO YOU ABOUT WHAT WE'VE BEEN BEEN DOING SINCE JANUARY TO CORRECT THIS.

SO, IF YOU REMEMBER THE PAST FEW YEARS WE'VE HAD VERY LOW GAS PRICES, VERY LOW GAS BILLS, AND, UH, HAPPY TIMES.

BUT, UH, THEN LAST WINTER STARTED IN NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, THE PRICES STARTED CREEPING UP AND THEN IN JANUARY, 2023, UH, THE PRICE OF GAS SKYROCKETED.

UM, WE TOOK OVER AS THE COMBINED UTILITY DEPARTMENT ON JANUARY 3RD, THE FIRST BUSINESS DAY OF THE NEW YEAR.

AND THAT IS JUST BY COINCIDENCE, THAT'S WHEN THE PRICES SKYROCKETED.

SO WHAT HAPPENED WAS IN, FOR THE AVERAGE CUSTOMER IN LONG BEACH, UM, YOU HAD IN JANUARY, 2022, THE COST OF GAS, WHICH HAS PASSED THROUGH TO THE CUSTOMER WAS ONLY $61.

AND THEN IN JANUARY 23 IT QUADRUPLED UP TO $244 FOR THAT ONE LIGHT ITEM ON THE BILL.

SO SINCE JANUARY, WHAT THE LONG BEACH UTILITIES DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN DOING IS WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO TAKE AGGRESSIVE ACTIONS TO CORRECT THAT AND PROTECT OUR CUSTOMERS.

SO, OH, JUST DISAPPEARED.

I'LL KEEP GOING.

LEMME LOOK AT MY NOTES BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THE SLIDE PRESENTATION.

SO ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT WE DID WAS WE STARTED AGGRESSIVELY, UH, TACKLING OUR STORAGE.

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WE BUY THE GAS WHEN IT'S LESS EXPENSIVE DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS WHEN DEMAND IS LOW, STORE IT IN UNDERGROUND STORAGE FIELDS, AND THEN IN THE WINTER WHEN PRICES ARE HIGH, 'CAUSE THE DEMAND IS INCREASED, WE WITHDRAW THAT AND SAVE MONEY FOR OUR CUSTOMERS.

THEN ON TOP OF THAT, WE HAVE TO IMPORT ABOUT 90% OF OUR GAS SUPPLY FROM OUT OF STATE.

AND SO WE USED INTERSTATE PIPELINE.

AND SO WHAT WE DID WAS WE NEGOTIATED NEW RECEIPT POINTS ON THOSE PIPELINES TO BRING GAS INTO CALIFORNIA.

AND SO WHAT WE DID WAS WE GOT THE MOST FAVORABLE GAS, UH, RECEIPT POINTS ON THOSE PIPELINES AND THAT ALLOWS US ACCESS TO THE CHEAPEST GAS SUPPLIES AND WITH THE FIRM'S RELIABILITY.

THEN, UH, IN JANUARY WHEN WE TOOK OVER, THE FIRST THING WE DID WAS WE, UH, CONTACTED THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA 'CAUSE WE BUY NATURAL GAS, UH, FROM THEM.

AND UNDER THE CONTRACT THERE'S A LITTLE KNOWN CLAUSE ALLOWS US TO REJECT THEIR GAS IF IT'S TOO EXPENSIVE.

AND SO WE NOTIFIED THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA THAT WE WOULD NOT BE BUYING THEIR GAS IN, UH, JANUARY OF LAST YEAR.

'CAUSE THE PRICE WAS AROUND $47 A UNIT AND WE HAD GAS AND STORAGE AT $7 A UNIT.

AND THAT ACTION ALONE SAVED OUR CUSTOMERS ABOUT $10 MILLION JUST IN THE MONTH OF JANUARY ALONE.

WE, UM, ALSO WE NEGOTIATED, UH, CONTRACTS TO BRING GAS TO CALIFORNIA AND WE'RE SAVING OUR CUSTOMERS ABOUT $2 MILLION A YEAR FROM THAT ACTION.

AND THEN THE LAST ONE IS ONE I REALLY WANNA POINT OUT IS WE REINSTITUTED THE, THE PRACTICE OF HEDGING THE PRICE OF NATURAL GAS.

SO WITH PRICE HEDGING, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS PROTECT OUR CUSTOMERS BY TRANSFERRING THE MARKET RISK FOR HIGH PRICES TO A THIRD PARTY.

AND THAT PROTECTS OUR CUSTOMERS AND, UH, PREVENTS THEM FROM THE VULNERABILITY THAT WE HAD EXPERIENCED IN JANUARY OF LAST YEAR.

AND THE COST OF GAS WE'VE HEDGED IS FOR THE NEXT THREE WINTERS.

SO, AS YOU KNOW, WINTERS WHEN IT'S COLD AND THAT'S WHEN NATURAL GAS BILLS ARE THE HIGHEST.

AND THOSE ARE THE MONTHS THAT WE HEDGE THE PRICE OF NATURAL GAS TO PROTECT OUR CUSTOMERS.

AND WITH THIS ACTION, OUR CUSTOMERS IN LONG BEACH ARE BETTER PROTECTED WITH PRICE PROTECTION, PRICE STABILITY THAN ANY OTHER GAS, UH, CUSTOMERS IN THIS WHOLE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

AND SO HOW DID WE DO THAT FIRST MONTH? THE FIRST MONTH WAS THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER LAST MONTH.

AND THE FIRST MONTH WHAT HAPPENED WAS WE HAD THE LOWEST GAS BILLS IN CALIFORNIA.

WE WERE 16% LESS THAN THE, UH, WHAT WAS PAID BY CUSTOMERS OF SOCAL GAS, 35% LESS THAN PAID BY CUSTOMERS OF SAN DIEGO, 32% LESS THAN PAID BY CUSTOMERS IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA TO PG E AND 13% LESS THAN PAID BY LONG BEACH RESIDENTS A YEAR AGO.

SO IT WAS A HUGE SUCCESS AND WE WERE VERY PROUD OF THAT.

UH, WHAT I WANNA DO IS, UH, TAKE A MOMENT AND THANK, UH, THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL FOR THE ACTIONS THEY TOOK LAST WINTER TO TO FOR THE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND ALSO THE CITY MANAGER.

UM, WE PROVIDE OUR CUSTOMERS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO SOFTEN THE BLOW OF THE HIGH GAS PRICES.

I ALSO WANNA THANK MY BOARD OF UTILITY COMMISSIONERS FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DID ON THIS AND ALLOWED US THE FLEXIBILITY TO DO THESE CONTRACTS.

AND I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE A COUPLE MEMBERS OF MY TEAM, TONY FOSTER AND DENNIS BURKE.

THEY'VE WORKED ON THIS SINCE LAST JANUARY TO MAKE THIS WORK.

SO WHAT CAN CUSTOMERS EXPECT THIS COMING WINTER FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY? UM, LAST YEAR THE AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL PRICE WAS $313.

UH, THIS COMING JANUARY, WE EXPECT WITH THIS PRICE HEDGING THE AVERAGE BILL TO THE LONG BEACH RESIDENT WILL BE $108, WHICH IS DOWN 65% AND A COST SAVINGS OF OVER $200 FOR THE AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER.

AND IT'S NOT WORKING STILL.

SO, UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT, UH, WITH THIS ACTION OUR CUSTOMERS CAN SLEEP WITH A SMILE THIS WINTER AND, UH, BE, UH, CONFIDENT THAT THEY WILL NOT FACE WHAT THEY FACED LAST WINTER.

AND THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT.

THANK YOU.

ALRIGHT.

IT'S OKAY.

GAS BILL, 65% LOWER THAN LAST YEAR IS SOMETHING WORTH, WORTH APPLAUSE.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, FOR YOUR INCREDIBLE, UH, WORK IN GETTING THAT DONE.

AND I'LL, I'LL TELL YOU, UH, YOU KNOW, I WAS JUST TALKING WITH COUNCIL MEMBER KERR AND, UM, TALKING WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY ABOUT JUST LIKE THE DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, THINGS WE HAD TO ADDRESS, LIKE COMING RIGHT RIGHT OFF OF THE INAUGURATION IN STATE OF THE CITY LAST YEAR, THIS WAS THE FIRST THING WE GOT HIT WITH.

IT WAS LIKE, TRIPLE GAS PRICES, WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO? SO IT FEELS GOOD GOING INTO THE SEASON, HAVING LEARNED AND PREPARED LAST YEAR FOR THIS SEASON.

I THINK OUR RATE PAYERS AND OUR RESIDENTS ARE GONNA THINK, ARE GONNA BE, UM, GLAD THAT WE HAD THAT FORESIGHT TO, TO ENGAGE EARLY ON.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

UM, AND THE SCREEN IS ALL WORKING NOW, SO THANK YOU.

THAT'S OUR PRESENTATION WE HAVE.

OKAY.

YEAH, PLEASE.

SORRY, I DON'T HAVE THE SPEAKERS KEEP TEED UP.

IT'S NOT QUEUED UP.

OKAY.

JUST A, A QUICK QUESTION.

THANK YOU SO MUCH TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR ALL THE WORK YOU'VE DONE OVER THE LAST 12 MONTHS.

UH, WE KNOW THAT THERE

[00:10:01]

WONDERING IF YOU COULD JUST REMIND EVERYONE KIND OF HOW THAT IS WORKING IN TERMS OF SHUTOFFS OR LACK OF SHUTOFFS AND PAYMENTS AND, AND JUST WHAT THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS WILL LOOK LIKE AND, AND WHAT THEY CAN EXPECT, UH, MOVING FORWARD TO CONTINUE TO REST EASY.

WELL, I HAVE GOOD NEWS ON THAT STANDPOINT ALSO.

UH, TODAY WE LEARNED THAT THE BILLING SYSTEM IS BACK UP AND THE PAYMENT SYSTEM IS THAT BACKUP ALSO.

SO WE'RE BACK TO NORMAL IN TERMS GOING FORWARD.

UM, CUSTOMERS THAT, UH, DID NOT RECEIVE A BILL, THEY SHOULD RECEIVE A BILL IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS.

UM, AND, UH, THEY DO NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT LATE FEES.

WE HAVE SUSPENDED LATE FEES, WE'VE SUSPENDED, UH, UTILITY SHUTOFF SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT.

SO WE WILL WORK WITH ANY CUSTOMER THAT, UH, FACES ANY PROBLEMS WITH THAT.

GREAT.

THANKS FOR THE CLARIFICATION.

SORRY THIS THING ISN'T WORKING.

UH, ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM THE COUNCIL? ALRIGHT, SEEING NONE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT.

AND WE'RE GONNA GET THIS WORD OUT TO OUR RATE PAYERS, RIGHT? YES.

FANTASTIC.

THEY NEED TO KNOW.

THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS 21 THROUGH 26, PLEASE.

OKAY.

AND THERE'S A REQUEST TO PULL ITEM MINUS ITEM 13.

WE'RE GONNA HOLD THAT OVER.

HANDLE THAT NEXT.

OKAY.

IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCILMAN URANGA.

SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER KERR.

UH, IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON CONSENT? YES.

I SEE ONE ALYSSA GUTIERREZ GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE.

OH, IS THAT ALYSSA OVER THERE? OKAY, MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.

MOTION IS CARRIED.

THANK YOU.

WE'LL NOW HEAR ITEM 13, PLEASE REPORT FROM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RECOMMENDATION TO AUTHORIZE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY TO AMEND THE CONTRACT FOR THE LONG BEACH PLEDGE PROGRAM WITH THE FUND FOR GUARANTEED INCOME FOR A TOTAL OF 612,915 AND CONTRACT WITH CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY OF LONG BEACH RESEARCH FOUNDATION OF LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA FOR THE LONG BEACH PLEDGE PROGRAM FOR A TOTAL REVISED CONTRACT AMOUNT OF 657,308 CITYWIDE.

THANK YOU.

UH, THIS IS, THIS IS, UH, GOOD NEWS AND WE'LL, WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT IT PUBLICLY TOMORROW, BUT WE'RE EXPANDING THE GUARANTEED INCOME PILOT TO 200 ADDITIONAL FAMILIES EXPANDING FROM JUST CENTRAL INTO WEST AND INTO NORTH LONG BEACH.

UH, LET'S HAVE A RESTAFF REPORT THEN WE'LL HEAR FROM THE COUNCIL.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. MAYOR.

UH, BEAU MARTINEZ, WE GET THE STAFF REPORT.

THANK YOU.

CITY MANAGER MOCA BEAU MARTINEZ, DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.

WE'RE EXCITED TO EXTEND, EXPAND THE LONG BEACH PLEDGE PROGRAM AND AS THE MAYOR SAID, YOU KNOW, WE'RE EXPANDING IT TO 200 FAMILIES OVER, WHICH WE'LL RECEIVE 500 MONTHLY FOR ONE YEAR.

AND THE PROGRAM WILL, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO BE ADMINISTERED BY F FOUR GI.

AND THEN WE'LL ALSO BE, UH, CA PARTNERSHIP WITH C-S-U-L-B.

HAVE HAS OUR STRONG PARTNERS FOR THE PROGRAM AND THEY'LL BE DESIGNING CONDUCT RESEARCH STUDY TO ILLUMINATE THE NEEDS OF THE, SOME OF THE RESIDENTS IN THE MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES AND HOW THIS PROGRAM IS ABLE TO IMPACT OUR, UH, THE PARTICIPANTS' LIVES.

UM, AS WE'VE DONE OUR INITIAL, UH, LOOK AND RESEARCH WITH CCO SHELBY BE ON THE PROGRAM, WE SAW THAT A LOT OF THE, UH, UH, UH, BUSINESSES, I MEAN, UH, RESIDENTS THAT WERE PART OF THIS PROGRAM ARE REALLY HOW HAVING HOUSING AND SECURE CHALLENGES.

AND WE REALLY FEEL THAT THE EXPANSION OF THIS PROGRAM WILL CONTINUE TO HELP THOSE, THOSE PARTICIPANTS AS WELL AS NEW FAMILIES THAT COME INTO THE PROGRAM, TO HOPEFULLY GET THEM MORE IN A BETTER POSITION TO HAVE SECURE HOUSING AND REALLY PROVIDE THEM MORE INCOME OPPORTUNITY AS

[CONSENT CALENDAR (1. – 26.)]

AND

[13. 23-26493 Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute all documents necessary to amend the Contract 36398 for the Long Beach Pledge Program with the Fund for Guaranteed Income, of El Segundo, CA, increasing the contract amount by $152,000 for a total of $612,915 and extend the contract term to June, 30, 2025; and  Authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute all documents necessary to amend Contract No. 36689 with California State University, Long Beach Research Foundation, of Long Beach, CA, for the Long Beach Pledge Program, increasing the contract amount by $207,308 for a total revised contract amount of $657,308, and extending the contract term to September 30, 2025. (Citywide)       Office or Department: Economic Development         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER SORROW.

YES, THANKS MAYOR.

AND THANK YOU TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM, UM, FOR YOUR HARD WORK ON THIS.

I'M JUST SO THRILLED TO THAT.

THE CITY OF LONG BEACH IS PILOTING THIS PROGRAM.

UM, YOU, UM, LARGELY IT FALLS IN THE 9 0 8 1 3, WHICH IS IN, UH, IN MY DISTRICT AS WELL AS DISTRICT ONE AND A FEW OTHERS AS WELL.

AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO RAISE THIS, UM, AND PULL IT OUT BECAUSE OF HOW IMPORTANT IT IS, HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO FIND ADDITIONAL FUNDING, UH, TO SUPPORT MORE FAMILIES.

COULD YOU SHARE A TOTAL NUMBER IN ADDITION TO THIS 200, HOW MANY IT'S GOING TO SUPPORT? SO WITH THIS, UH, NEW ADDITIONAL OF 1.2 MILLION, UH,

[00:15:01]

YES.

BUT IN TOTAL, UH, IN THE WHOLE PROGRAM.

UM, HOW MANY, WELL WITH THIS 200, SO A TOTAL OF 450 FAMILIES.

OKAY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU.

VICE MAYOR ALLEN? YEAH, I JUST EXTENDING THIS TO, UH, 200, UH, MORE FAMILIES, WHICH ARE, UH, TYPICALLY OUR MOST VULNERABLE FAMILIES IN THE CITY IS JUST INCREDIBLE.

SO, UH, UH, SUPPORT THIS COMPLETELY.

THANK YOU.

UH, AGAIN, THIS IS, THIS IS ALL GOOD NEWS.

WE'RE ABLE TO EXPAND, UM, BEYOND 9 0 8 1 3 INTO WEST, INTO NORTH LONG BEACH.

UH, SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO SEE THIS PILOT AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT THE DATA, UH, COMES BACK AND, AND TELLS US.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT HERE? SEEING NO PUBLIC COMMENT? MEMBERS PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.

MOTION IS CARRIED.

THANK YOU.

WE'LL NOW GO TO GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.

SO I'LL QUEUE UP THE, OKAY, I SEE IT NOW.

ALRIGHT.

WE HAVE 10 MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.

ALANA POWELL, FAT FATIMA SISE, KATRINA KING, MICHAEL EDELMAN, CARLOS AYA, LILY MONTERO, AL ACAI, UH, SHANNON DOKY, MARSHALL BOFSKI, AND FARRAH

[ PUBLIC COMMENT: OBTAIN SPEAKER CARD FROM THE CITY CLERK Opportunity to address the City Council (on non-agenda items) is given to the first 10 persons who submit Speaker Cards to the City Clerk beginning at 15 minutes prior to 5:00 p.m. Each speaker is allowed three minutes to make their comments. ]

IF YOU HEARD YOUR NAME, PLEASE COME TO THE FRONT.

IS ALANA HERE? ALANA, GOING ONCE.

WAVE A HAND IF YOU HEAR ALANA.

ALL RIGHT.

IF YOU HEARD YOUR NAME, PLEASE COME TO THE FRONT AGAIN.

ALANA IS FIRST, THEN FATIMA, THEN KATRINA.

THANK YOU.

YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.

HELLO, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.

THANK YOU.

MY NAME IS ALANA AND I AM A LOCAL HERE IN DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH.

UM, I MOVED HERE RIGHT OFF OF PINE AVENUE LAST JANUARY AND AFTER MOVING HERE I WAS SEARCHING FOR A SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND AT ANNA'S JOINT I FOUND IT.

THEY'RE ONE OF THE ONLY LOCAL RESTAURANTS THAT I PERSONALLY FEEL IS CONTINUOUSLY ACTIVE AND INVOLVED WITH OUR COMMUNITY.

FROM ORGANIZING COMMUNITY EVENTS TO HOSTING LOCAL POP-UP MARKETS.

ANNA'S JOINT INVOLVES THE LOCAL COMMUNITY WHENEVER IT'S POSSIBLE TO THOSE WHO FREQUENT.

THEY BRING A SENSE OF FAMILY AND COMFORTABILITY THAT IS UNLIKE ANYTHING I'VE EVER FELT IN ANOTHER RESTAURANT.

ANNA'S HAS BEEN A SAFE SPACE FOR ME PERSONALLY.

I AM A BUSINESS OWNER MYSELF, SO I LIKE TO TAKE MY LAPTOP AND WORK FROM ANNA'S JOINT TO GET OUT OF MY LITTLE APARTMENT.

AS A WOMAN, THERE ARE NO OTHER LOCATIONS OFF PINE AVENUE.

I PERSONALLY FEEL COMFORTABLE WORKING AT OR FREQUENTING, ESPECIALLY WITH MY LAPTOP AND OTHER EXPENSIVE EQUIPMENT IN HAND.

WITH THIS BEING SAID, I WOULD BE ABSOLUTELY DEVASTATED IF ANNA'S JOINT WAS TO MOVE LOCATIONS AND CLOSE THE PINE AVENUE LOCATION.

THEY OFFER QUIET, SAFE, SPACE AND ENVIRONMENT, A SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY, AND I'M AFRAID IF THEY LEAVE PINE AVENUE WILL FEEL DESOLATE AND STAGNANT FOR US LOCALS.

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU AGAIN SO MUCH FOR LISTENING TO ALL OF US AND CONSIDERING OUR STORIES AND ABOUT HOW MUCH ANNA'S JOINT HAS BEEN A POSITIVE IMPACT FOR ME PERSONALLY AND FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

UH, NEXT WE HAVE FATIMA.

YES.

AFTER FATIMA IS KATRINA, THEN MICHAEL.

HELLO LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE CITY COUNCIL.

THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY.

I'M FATHI MAS LIS, A PROUD RESIDENT OF LONG BEACH FOR THE LAST SEVEN YEARS.

AFTER SPENDING SIX YEARS IN THE EAST VILLAGE, I MOVED TO DOWNTOWN IN LONG BEACH THIS JULY.

TODAY I'M HERE NOT JUST AS A RESIDENT, BUT A PASSIONATE SUPPORTER OF OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY, URGING YOU TO PRESERVE A CRUCIAL SPOT THAT HAS BECOME A HEARTBEAT OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND A JOINT.

I REPRESENT NUMEROUS RESIDENTS, YOUNG AND OLD, WHO HAVE FOUND SOLACE, COMRADERY, AND A TRUE SENSE OF COMMUNITY WITHIN THE WALLS OF ANNA'S.

A PLACE THAT HAS EVOLVED INTO MORE THAN JUST A PLACE TO EAT AND DRINK.

IT'S A, IT'S A SAFE HAVEN WHERE INDIVIDUALS FROM DIVERSE WALKS OF LIFE COME TOGETHER TO SHARE STORIES, BUILD CONNECTIONS, AND FORM LASTING FRIENDSHIPS.

ANNA'S HAS BECOME THE EPICENTER OF OUR DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY, A SPACE WHERE WE CAN ESCAPE THE HUSTLE OF DAILY LIFE AND UNITE AS NEIGHBORS.

IT'S NOT MERELY A BAR, IT STANDS AS A LIVING TESTAMENT TO THE RESILIENCE AND STRENGTH OF OUR COMMUNITY BONDS.

THE BARTENDERS AND STAFF WHOM WE'VE GROWN TO KNOW AND LOVE ARE MORE THAN MERE SERVERS AND SANDWICH MAKERS.

THEY'RE OUR EXTENDED FAMILY.

IN A WORLD THAT OFTEN FEELS DISCONNECTED, THE STAFF AT THIS ESTABLISHMENT HAS FOSTERED AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE EVERYONE IS WELCOME WITH

[00:20:01]

THEY CH THEY GENUINELY CARE ABOUT OUR EMOTIONAL WELLBEING.

THEY CHECK IN ON US DURING OUR BAD DAYS, CELEBRATE US DURING GOOD TIMES, AND OFFER A LISTENING EAR WHEN LIFE THROWS CHALLENGES OUR WAY.

JUST LAST WEEK, A HOMELESS WOMAN WALKED IN NEED OF A DRINK WITHOUT HESITATION.

THE BARTENDER MICHAEL JUDE, TREATED HER WITH THE SAME KINDNESS AND RESPECT AFFORDED TO ANY OTHER PATRON, PROVIDING HER WITH A REFRESHING BEVERAGE BEFORE SHE CONTINUED ON HER WAY.

MY BEST FRIEND NATALIE, WHO JUST MOVED TO LONG BEACH AFTER BEING IN CHICAGO FOR TWO YEARS, SHARED THAT AFTER ATTENDING ANNA'S FOR THE FIRST TIME, NERVOUS TO MEET NEW PEOPLE AND START A NEW LIFE, SHE MET SO MANY PEOPLE AND FELT INSTANTLY PART OF THE COMMUNITY.

THESE INCIDENTS ARE A TESTAMENT TO THE INCLUSIVE AND CARING AT ATMOSPHERE FOSTERED BY THE STAFF, A QUALITY THAT SETS ANNA'S APART FROM THE REST.

I'M STANDING BEFORE YOU, NOT ONLY TO CELEBRATE THE MEMORIES CREATED WITHIN THESE WALLS, BUT TO EARNESTLY REQUEST YOUR SUPPORT IN PRESERVING THIS ESSENTIAL COMMUNITY HUB.

I UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF REGULATIONS AND COMPLIANCE, BUT I BELIEVE THERE MUST MUST BE A WAY TO FIND COMMON GROUND, ALLOWING ANNAS TO CON CONTINUE SERVING AS A PILLAR OF OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER.

I'D LIKE TO WORK TOWARDS A RESOLUTION THAT NOT ONLY SUPPORTS LOCAL BUSINESSES, BUT ALSO RECOGNIZES THE INVALUABLE ROLE ANNAS PLAYS IN FOSTERING A TRUE SENSE OF COMMUNITY.

BY DOING SO, WE CAN ENSURE THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN CONTINUES TO BE STRONG, SUSTAINING THE VI VITALITY OF RELATIONSHIPS AND CONNECTIONS NURTURED WITHIN THE WALLS OF THIS CHERISHED BAR.

ANNA'S IS A COMMUNITY BUILDER FIRST AND BUSINESS SECOND.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU.

NEXT SPEAKER IS KATRINA, AFTER KATRINA IS SHANNON, WAIT, NO, EXCUSE ME.

AFTER, IT'S MICHAEL, THEN CARLOS KATRINA.

MICHAEL CARLOS.

I'M HERE TODAY AS A DEEPLY CONCERNED HOMEOWNER, NOT ONLY IN THE CREST BUILDING, BUT ALSO RESIDENT OF DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE, I'VE BROUGHT SOME FRIENDS WITH ME FROM ANNA'S JOINT AS WELL.

WE'RE HERE TO REQUEST YOUR CLEMENCY AND SUPPORT TO BROKER SOME FORM OF A COMPROMISE TO KEEP ANNA'S OPEN AT THE CORNER AND FIFTH OF PINE.

AND TO START ACTING AS AN ALLY RATHER THAN AN ADVERSARY TO THE SMALL BUSINESS THAT IS SO CRITICAL TO THE REVITALIZATION OF THE NORTH PINE DISTRICT.

THERE'S CLEAR OPPORTUNITY HERE FOR COOLER HEADS TO PREVAIL ON ALL SIDES, BECAUSE LET ME BE CLEAR HERE, THE REAL LOSERS OF THE COMMUNITY.

AND WE'RE YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND RANDALL'S LOYAL CUSTOMERS.

IF A QUARTER OF WHAT I'VE HEARD IS TRUE, THEN IT'S CLEAR THAT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN GIVEN A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD AND OPENING THEIR BUSINESS.

ANNA HAS JOINED US BECOME THE ARCHSTONE OF BOTH THE REVITALIZATION OF DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH AND SPECIFICALLY THE NORTH PINE DISTRICT, AS WELL AS THE EPICENTER OF OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY DOWNTOWN.

THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME HERE TODAY TO SUPPORT ANNA'S AND NOT A BUNCH OF HOOLIGANS.

WE'RE PROFESSIONALS, WE'RE LAWYERS, WE'RE DOCTORS.

I'M A TECH EXECUTIVE, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE'RE A LOT OF US ARE HOMEOWNERS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA OF LONG BEACH.

WE'VE MADE INVESTMENTS IN DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH.

ANNA'S JOINED US, PROBABLY THE QUAINT, QUIETEST, AND CLEANEST, SAFEST BAR IN DOWNTOWN.

I INVITE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU TO VISIT.

I WILL PERSONALLY BUY YOU A DRINK IN THE SANDWICH IF YOU'RE WILLING TO COME DOWN AND SEE WHAT, WHAT IS AT RISK HERE.

IF ANNA'S IS TO CLOSE, I FEAR AS A PROPERTY OWNER OF DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH, THAT THERE WILL BE A DOMINO EFFECT ON NORTH PINE.

MANY OF THE NEW BUSINESSES THAT HAVE RECENTLY OPENED HAVE BROUGHT, HAVE BEEN BROUGHT THERE BY THE VIBRANCE THAT ANNA'S HAS CREATED, AND THEY WILL BE LIKELY TO FAIL REVERTING THE DOWNTOWN AREA TO A HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT AND A GHOST TOWN.

THIS WILL HAVE A DISASTROUS EFFECT ON ALL OF OUR PROPERTY VALUES.

IF ANNAS IS TO CLOSE, IT WILL DEPRIVE US ALL OF A SAFE SPACE TO GATHER.

IT WILL DEPRIVE A GROUP OF KIND AND CARING PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE TODAY OF THEIR EMPLOYMENT.

AND IT WILL DEPRIVE THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, OF AN EFFECTIVE DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION ONE THAT IS FINALLY BEGINNING TO WORK.

WE'RE YOUR CONSTITUENTS.

THE FACT THAT SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE GATHERED HERE TODAY TO VOICE THEIR SUPPORT FOR ANNA'S AND TO BEG FOR YOUR ACTION, SHOULD ACT AS A TESTAMENT TO HOW MANY LIVES THIS WONDERFUL ESTABLISHMENT HAS TOUCHED.

BUT IT SHOULD ALSO ACT AS WARNING.

'CAUSE ALL OF YOU ARE UP FOR REELECTION IN THREE MONTHS.

IF ANNA'S IS TO FAIL, WE WILL.

IF ANNA'S IS TO FAIL, WE'LL CONSIDER THIS COUNCIL HOSTILE TO THE IMPROVEMENT OF OUR CITY, HOSTILE TO OUR PROPERTY INVESTMENTS AND HOSTILE TO OUR DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY.

WE'LL WORK TIRELESSLY TO ENGINEER WHOLESALE TURNOVER OF THIS COUNCIL, EVEN IF IT MEANS CANVASSING DOOR TO DOOR ON, ON THE BEHALF OF EACH AND ONE, EVERY ONE OF YOUR LEADING CONTENDERS IN THE POLLS.

AND WE WILL UNSEAT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU.

OR YOU CAN TAKE ACTION.

STAND UP FOR DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH AND HELP US SAVE ANNAS.

WE'RE NOT MESSING AROUND.

THIS IS NOT A DRILL.

THANK YOU.

NEXT IS MICHAEL.

AFTER MICHAEL IS CARLOS AFTER CARLOS IS LILY.

GOOD EVENING CITY COUNCIL MAYOR.

I'M MICHAEL DELMAN.

I LIVE IN LONG BEACH.

I'VE BEEN HERE 15, 20 YEARS.

I FORGET WHAT I AM A BARTENDER AT ANNA'S JOINT.

AND, UM, I'M, YOU ALREADY HAVE PEOPLE HERE TELLING YOU WHAT GREAT COMMUNITY WE'VE BUILT THERE AND, UM, IT, IT, IT'S REALLY PART OF MY JOB TO, YOU KNOW,

[00:25:01]

I LIKE PEOPLE WALKING BY TO, TO SEE FRIENDLY FACES IN THERE AND, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT A CUSTOMER, EVERYONE WALKING BY SEES WHAT WE'VE BUILT AND THAT IT'S A COMFORTABLE, SAFE PLACE.

AND SO YOU'VE HEARD PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE COMMUNITY ALREADY AND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE JOBS, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU'RE EMPLOYING A DOZEN OR SO PEOPLE AT N IS JOINT, BUT NOT JUST THAT INDIRECTLY, WE, WE LO WE SPECIALIZE IN LOCAL BEER.

THE AMOUNT OF BEER I SELL FROM LONG BEACH BEER LAB, UM, AMBITIOUS UP IN BIXBY KNOLL'S, UH, TRADEMARK ON ANAHEIM AND, AND OTHER ONES.

IF, IF WE ARE A ALLOWED TO GET SWEPT UNDER IN THIS.

I I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND THE STRUGGLE BETWEEN THE CITY AND OWNERSHIP AND THE ALCOHOL BEVERAGE CONTROL, BUT I'M IMPLORING YOU TO STEP IN TO INTERVENE IN SOME WAY, ANY WAY YOU CAN TO SAVE REALLY WHAT IS ONE OF THE ONLY THINGS GOING, LIKE ONCE YOU GET NORTH OF, OF, UH, HAMBURGER MARY'S.

THERE'S NOTHING GOING ON.

AND WE'RE ALSO LIKE THE ONLY KNOT, INSANE, LOUD PLACE GOING ON.

YEAH, WE HAVE MUSIC SOME NIGHTS, BUT, UM, I'M ALWAYS TALKING TO MY MUSICIANS, MAKING SURE WE COULD STILL HAVE A CONVERSATION LEVEL.

WE'VE NEVER HAD THE POLICE CALLED FOR ANY SORT OF FIGHT OR DISTURBANCE.

WE'RE JUST A PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO GET SOME FOOD AND A DRINK AND TALK TO THEIR NEIGHBORS AND MEET THEIR NEIGHBORS.

THE NUMBER OF TIMES I'VE INTRODUCED PEOPLE IN FRONT OF MY BAR WHO HAD NEVER MET, BUT LIVE ON THE SAME FLOOR IN THE SAME BUILDING.

AND NOW OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST YEAR, THEY'VE BECOME A COMMUNITY, NOT JUST NEIGHBORS, BUT A COMMUNITY.

AND I JUST REALLY FEAR WITHOUT ANNA'S JOINT THERE, WHAT'S GONNA BE THERE.

ANOTHER, ANOTHER EMPTY STOREFRONT ON PINE STREET.

I MEAN, WE JUST HAVE SO MANY, SO MANY OF THOSE.

ANYWAY, I'M JUST ASKING FOR YOUR HELP SOMEHOW IN WHATEVER YOU CAN DO TO INTERVENE ON BEHALF OF ANNA'S JOINT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.

NEXT IS CARLOS AVA, FREE PALESTINE.

YEAH, I AM HERE AS A LONGTIME LONG BEACH RESIDENT, BUT I AM ALSO HERE, UH, AS, UH, UH, NATIVE OF CENTRAL AMERICA, A VICTIM OF US IMPERIALISM ABROAD.

UM, AND HENCE MY SOLIDARITY WITH THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE.

MANY OF YOU HAVE SAID THAT YOU WON'T, UM, SIGN A CEASEFIRE PROCLAMATION BECAUSE GENOCIDE AND ETHNIC CLEANSING ARE A FEDERAL ISSUE.

I FIND THAT, FIND THAT INCREDIBLY DISINGENUOUS AND HYPOCRITICAL.

LONG BEACH HAS, UH, TAKEN ACTION AND ISSUED STATEMENTS ON MANY FEDERAL ISSUES.

DIDN'T YOU TAKE A VALIANT STANCE ON THE RIGHTS TO ABORTION? YES.

DIDN'T, DIDN'T YOU BUDGET FUNDS FOR THE DEFENSE OF UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS? DIDN'T YOU IRONICALLY, UH, CONVERT THE CONVENTION CENTER INTO A DETENTION CENTER FOR REFUGEE CHILDREN SEPARATED FROM THEIR PARENTS AT THE BORDER? DIDN'T THE LVPD UNDER YOUR WATCH ILLEGALLY SHARE DATA WITH ICE? DIDN'T YOU ILLUMINATE OUR CIVIC BUILDINGS, THE COLOR OF THE UKRAINIAN FLAG RIGHT AFTER THE RUSSIA INVADED? AND DIDN'T YOU ILLUMINATE THE BUILDINGS, THE COLOR OF THE ISRAELI FLAG RIGHT AFTER HAMAS INVADED? I'M GONNA GUESS THAT YOU DON'T WANNA P**S OFF THE FORMER, UH, FORMER MAYOR ROBERT GARCIA, CONGRESSMAN, WHO YOU, WHOM YOU ALL SUPPORT BECAUSE HE TAKES A PRO COLONIALIST ANTI PALESTINIAN STANCE BECAUSE A-I-P-A-C, UH, THE ISRAELI LOBBY INVESTED MORE IN HIS CAMPAIGN THAN THE NEXT FOUR INVESTORS PUT TOGETHER.

I'M GONNA GUESS YOU SUPPORT HIS CALL TO END THE TAX ATTACKS ON HAMAS ON, UM, UH, BY HAMAS ON ISRAEL, BUT NOT THE MORE NUMEROUS AND BLOODY ATTACKS ON PALESTINIANS BY ISRAEL FOR 80 YEARS.

I'M GONNA GUESS YOU SUPPORT HIS STATEMENT, IGNORANT AND FASCIST AS IT IS THAT ISRAEL HAS A RIGHT TO DEFEND ITSELF, BUT PALESTINIANS DO NOT.

UH, I I'M GONNA GUESS THAT YOU SUPPORT HIS CALL FOR THE RELEASE OF 200 AND SOMETHING, UH, ISRAELI, UH, HOSTAGES, BUT NOT THE 10,000 PALESTINIANS HELD IN ISRAELI UH, PRISONS, INCLUDING NON FIGHTERS, WOMEN AND CHILDREN, AND MANY WITHOUT TRIAL, UM, AND WITHOUT EVEN CHARGES.

UM, SO I WANNA KNOW, UM, WHAT KEEPS YOU FROM SUPPORTING THE IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE? WE'VE ALREADY ESTABLISHED THAT YOU'RE WILLING AND ABLE TO OPINE ON ISSUES THAT YOU CAN'T LEGISLATE.

WE KNOW YOU, I KNOW YOU WON'T ANSWER MY QUESTION.

CERTAINLY NOT IN PUBLIC, WHERE YOU'LL BE ON THE RECORD.

WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF?

[00:30:01]

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE STAND WITH US.

THANK YOU.

AND SUPPORT PALESTINIAN BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WOMEN AND CHILDREN WHO CALL FOR A DE CEASE FIGHT.

THANK YOU.

LILY.

PLEASE FIGHT NOW.

CEASE FIGHT NOW.

CEASE FIGHT NOW.

CEASE FIGHT NOW.

CEASE FIGHT NOW.

NOW FIRED NOW LILY, YOU'RE UP NEXT.

NOVEMBER.

NOVEMBER.

NOVEMBER.

WE VOTED IN NOVEMBER.

NOVEMBER.

VOTE.

NOVEMBER, DECEMBER.

REMEMBER WE VOTE IN NOVEMBER.

THE ELECTIONS IN MARCH.

ALL RIGHT, LILY, YOU'RE UP NEXT.

OKAY.

UM, IS THERE ANY, CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME OKAY? WE CAN HEAR YOU.

THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT.

UM, HELLO, MY NAME IS LILY MONTERO.

I'M A RESIDENT HERE IN LONG BEACH AND I'M HERE ASKING THAT CITY COUNCIL CALL FOR AN IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE IN GAZA.

YEAH, TALKING.

I MET MY BEST FRIEND, DELAL AL SAYED IN 2007 WHEN WE WERE BOTH IN THE THIRD GRADE.

IT WAS EARLY IN THE MORNING AND WE WERE LINING UP FOR CLASS.

WHEN SHE APPROACHED ME, SHE WAS KIND AND BRIGHT, AND IT WAS, WHEN IT WAS TIME FOR ME TO MOVE AGAIN, I WAS DEVASTATED.

AND THEN OF COURSE SHE CONVINCED HER MOM TO LET HER GET A FACEBOOK.

UM, LAU IS THE FIRST AND ONLY FRIEND I'VE BEEN ABLE TO KEEP FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.

WE'VE BEEN BEST FRIENDS NOW FOR 16 YEARS, AND YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT WE HAVE A PRETTY DISTINCT DYNAMIC.

WE HAVE ALWAYS THOUGHT OF OURSELVES AS THE SAME BUT DIFFERENT, AND WE EVEN HAVE A TATTOO.

UM, FOR THIS.

DELAL SAYS THINGS IN THE NICEST WAY POSSIBLE.

AND I SAY THINGS IN THE MOST BRUTALLY NICEST WAY POSSIBLE.

DELAL SAYS, I'M SORRY A LOT.

AND I SAY, WHY DO YOU KEEP APOLOGIZING? YOU HAVE NOTHING TO APOLOGIZE FOR.

PLEASE STOP APOLOGIZING.

ANYWAYS, WE HAVE A LOT IN COMMON.

ONE OF THE UNFORTUNATE THINGS THAT WE HAVE IN COMMON IS THAT STRUGGLE IS OUR BIRTHRIGHT.

IN 2020, I WAS SICK, NOT WITH COVID, BUT WITH GRIEF.

GEORGE FLOYD WAS KILLED AND THEY COULDN'T HELP BUT FEEL IT.

IN FLOYD AND BREONNA TAYLOR AND TAMIR RICE, I SAW MY FATHER, MY SISTER, MY NIECES, MY NEPHEWS.

I COULDN'T EAT AND I COULDN'T SLEEP.

AND I SUFFERED PANIC ATTACKS FREQUENTLY.

SINCE OCTOBER 7TH, I HAVE SEEN DELAL SUFFER A SIMILAR GRIEF AS HER PEOPLE IN GAZA ARE SLAUGHTERED BY THE ISRAELI OCCUPATION.

SHE FINDS IT HARD TO GET UP EVERY MORNING.

AND AT MEALS, SHE TELLS ME TO EXCUSE HER LACK OF APPETITE AND SHE DISSOCIATES IN THE MIDDLE OF CONVERSATION AS HER BEST FRIEND.

I CANNOT HELP BUT TO FEEL THE GRIEF TOO.

AND EVERY MAN, WOMAN, AND CHILD I HAVE SEEN BLOWN TO BITS IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS.

I SEE MY FATHER, MY SISTER, MY NIECES, MY NEPHEWS, MY GRANDPARENTS, MY GREAT-GRANDPARENTS TOO.

I SEE THEM IN EVERY SINGLE, EVERY SINGLE BODY PULLED FROM THE RUBBLE.

THAT'S RIGHT.

RE RICHARDSON.

AT THE LAST MEETING I WAS AT, YOU ASKED THAT WE ALL REMEMBER THAT WE ARE NEIGHBORS.

TODAY I ASK THAT YOU REMEMBER TO BE A FRIEND.

CALL FOR A SPECIAL SESSION AND CALL FOR A CEASEFIRE.

IT IS WELL WITHIN YOUR POWER TO DO SO.

THANK YOU.

NEXT IS THE LAW.

SEE FIRE NOW.

NOW SEE, FIRE NOW CEASE FIRE.

NOW, AS THE COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO MOBILIZE MORE AND MORE EACH DAY, WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN US AS OUR REPRESENTATIVES IN DEMANDING JUSTICE FOR PALESTINIANS AND OPPRESSED PEOPLE EVERYWHERE.

NOT ADDING THIS TO THE AGENDA WOULD BE AKIN TO NORMALIZING GENOCIDE AND CONDONING THE MURDER OF THOUSANDS MORE CIVILIANS.

MY NAME IS AL AND I'M PALESTINIAN.

MY DAD WAS BORN IN GAZA, BUT MY FAMILY WAS FROM A VILLAGE NEARBY CALLED ELMA MIA.

SEE, IN 1948, DURING THE NEBA, WHICH MEANS CATASTROPHE, MY GRANDPARENTS' VILLAGE WAS DESTROYED AND THEY WERE FORCEFULLY DISPLACED TO THE GAZA STRIP.

ABOUT HALF OF THE POPULATION IN GAZA ARE ALSO PALESTINIANS WHO WERE DISPLACED FROM OTHER PARTS OF PALESTINE.

AND I JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING IS NOT RECENT.

IT DID NOT START ON OCTOBER 7TH.

[00:35:01]

SINCE OCTOBER 7TH, WE HAVE WITNESSED THE MURDER OF OVER 20,000 PALESTINIANS, 8,000 PLUS OF THOSE BEING CHILDREN.

AND AS WE ARE EXPECTING, WE ARE EXPECTING THIS NUMBER TO RISE AS PEOPLE CONTINUE TO PULL THEIR LOVED ONES OUT FROM THE RUBBLE.

AN IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE IS NECESSARY TO THE END OF THE DAILY MASSACRES OF PALESTINIANS AND THE FURTHER DESTRUCTION OF CIVILIAN INFRASTRUCTURE, INCLUDING RESIL, RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS, HOSPITALS, SCHOOLS, MOSQUES, AND CHURCHES.

THIS IS NOT SELF-DEFENSE.

THIS IS AN ATTACK ON CIVILIANS.

AND THIS IS THE ACT OF TRYING TO WIPE OUT THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE.

AND WHAT WE ARE WITNESSING IS NOT A WAR ON GAZA ALONE.

IT IS A WAR ON ALL PALESTINIANS, AND AGAIN, HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR 75 YEARS.

REPRESENTATIVES.

WE KNOW THAT THE PUBLIC STANDS WITH THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE AND ARE DEMANDING A CEASEFIRE IN GAZA.

THIS IS EVIDENT BY THE MILLIONS, IF NOT BILLIONS WHO HAVE BEEN TAKING THE STREETS.

GO GLOBALLY IN MASS DEMONSTRATIONS, THE THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS WHO HAVE PARTICIPATED IN STUDENT WALKOUTS IN HIGH SCHOOLS, AND ON UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGE CAMPUSES.

I ALSO WANT TO STRESS THAT THIS RESOLUTION IS DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO LOCAL ISSUES SUCH AS US AND FEDERAL SPENDING ON MILITARISM AND POLICE TAKES DIRECTLY AWAY FROM OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS CAUSING MORE VIOLENCE AGAINST OUR PEOPLE HERE AND BACK HOME IN PALESTINE, LONG BEACH AND CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY CANNOT SOLVE THE PRESSING PROBLEMS OF HOMELESSNESS AND CRIME.

YET OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GIVES THREE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO ISRAEL EVERY YEAR OUT OF OUR TAX DOLLARS.

AND BIDEN HAS BEEN GIVING 14 BILLION MORE SINCE OCTOBER 7TH.

WE NEED TO ADD A PERMANENT CEASEFIRE TO THE AGENDA.

UM, WE NEED TO ADD A PERMANENT CEASEFIRE IN GAZA TO THE AGENDA, AND IT IS REALLY OVERDUE.

A FOUR DAY HUMANITARIAN PAUSE IS NOT HUMANITARIAN IN ANY WAY.

AND SPECIFICALLY THESE PAST 48 HOURS HAS BEEN MORE INTENSE AND WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO GO ON AS IF NOTHING IS HAPPENING.

IF YOU SUPPORT ANY MOVEMENT, WHETHER IT'S BLACK LIVES MATTER, WOMEN'S RIGHTS, L-G-B-T-Q RIGHTS, THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, IF YOU STAND FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, YOU NEED TO CARE ABOUT THE PALESTINIAN MOVEMENT.

AS REELECTION, AS REELECTION COMES IN THE UPCOMING MONTHS, WE WANT TO VOTE FOR PEOPLE WHO TRULY REPRESENT US.

SO YOU CONTINUING TO YOUR SHOWS WHO YOU ARE REPRESENTING AND JUST, JUST AS WE ARE HERE TODAY, YOU'LL BE COMING TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.

PERMANENT CEASEFIRE AND GAZA CEASE.

THANK YOU CEASE FIRE.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER CEASEFIRE.

NOW NEXT SPEAKER IS SHANNON.

HELLO, MY NAME IS SHANNON PASKY AND I'M A LONG BEACH RESIDENT, AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER, AN ACTIVE MEMBER IN MY UNION AND A CONCERNED VOTER.

MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE TWO CHILDREN WHO ATTENDED PRESCHOOL AT THE ALPERT JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER.

AND WE HAVE BEEN DUES PAYING MEMBERS FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS.

I AM HERE TODAY TO CALL ON THE LONG BEACH CITY COUNCIL TO TAKE A CLEAR STANCE AGAINST THE VIOLENCE THAT IS CURRENTLY HAPPENING IN GAZA.

THERE IS A SAYING NEVER AGAIN THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE GENOCIDE OF JEWISH PEOPLE BY THE NAZIS.

IT IS A SAYING THAT MEANS WE SHOULD LEARN THE LESSONS OF THE HOLOCAUST.

WE SHOULD NEVER ALLOW AN ENTIRE GROUP OF PEOPLE TO BE SCAPEGOATED, DEHUMANIZED, AND KILLED.

IT IS CLEAR TO ME AS A JEWISH PERSON AND AS A STUDENT OF HISTORY THAT WHAT IS HAPPENING TO PALESTINIAN CIVILIANS IS A GENOCIDE.

AMEN.

IT IS HORRIFYING TO KNOW THAT THE BOMBS AND MISSILES BEING DROPPED ON WOMEN AND CHILDREN ARE PAID FOR WITH MY TAX DOLLARS.

BECAUSE OF THIS, I BELIEVE THAT AMERICANS HAVE NOT ONLY A RIGHT BUT A DUTY TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST THIS SITUATION.

SOME PEOPLE THINK SUPPORT FOR PALESTINIANS AMOUNTS TO ANTISEMITISM, BUT I KNOW BETTER.

STANDING UP FOR THE PERSECUTED IS A JEWISH VALUE, ONE THAT I WAS RAISED WITH.

IN FACT, IT IS THE REASON I AM SPEAKING OUT TODAY.

ALTHOUGH AS CITY GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, YOU MAY BELIEVE YOU HAVE LITTLE TO SAY IN THIS MATTER.

I KNOW THAT THE ONLY WAY THINGS WILL CHANGE IS FOR LEADERS TO HAVE THE COURAGE TO SPEAK OUT.

MOST CITIZENS RECOGNIZE THAT WAR AND VIOLENCE WILL NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEMS IN ISRAEL AND WANT THE SUFFERING TO END.

THOSE WHO REPRESENT US SHOULD NOT SIT SILENTLY ON THE SIDELINES.

WHILE ATROCIOUS ACTS OF VIOLENCE ARE BEING COMMITTED IN THE COUNTRY THAT WAS FOUNDED ON THE IDEA OF BEING A SAFE HAVEN FOR THE OPPRESSED,

[00:40:01]

BUT IT IS NOT TOO LATE TO PREVENT FURTHER DEATH AND DESTRUCTION.

WE NEED LEADERS AT EVERY LEVEL TO SHOW WHAT RIGHTEOUSNESS AND INTEGRITY LOOK LIKE TO PUBLICLY CONDEMN THE VIOLENCE AND TO WORK TOWARD A PEACE IN ISRAEL.

I IMPLORE YOU TO BE THOSE LEADERS FOR YOUR LONG BEACH CONSTITUENTS.

AND CALL FOR A CEASEFIRE NOW.

PLEASE.

THANK YOU.

CEASE FIRE NOW.

CEASE FIRE NOW CEASE FIRE.

MARSHALL BEATING FIRE NOW.

CEASE FIRE NOW.

CEASEFIRE NOW.

YEAH.

HI, I'M MARSHALL BOFSKI AND UM, I'M A JEWISH AMERICAN.

UM, I LIVE IN THE SECOND DISTRICT.

I USED TO LIVE UP IN UH, MEGAN KERR'S DISTRICT, BUT, UH, I MOVED.

UM, AND I KNOW THAT SHE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE EQUITY AND HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION CALLING FOR A CEASEFIRE.

AND THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE WANT THE CITY COUNCIL TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AND ALSO ASK OUR CONGRESS PERSON ROBERT GARCIA TO TAKE A POSITION FOR A CEASEFIRE BECAUSE THAT IS REALLY WHAT WE ARE GOING TO NEED.

SO I'M JUST HERE TO JUST TALK ABOUT THAT.

I'VE, YOU KNOW, WELL, WHAT'S HAPPENING IN WHAT'S HAPPENED IN ISRAEL, THE, THE HORROR OF THE OCTOBER 7TH KILLING OF ISRAELIS HAS ALSO THIS ALSO ISRAELIS HAVE A, A RIGHT TO DEFEND THEIR COUNTRY, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, THEY'VE GONE WAY TOO FAR.

THIS IS DEFINITELY A CASE.

IF YOU LOOK ON THE INTERNET, YOU LOOK ON YOUTUBE, IT'S A CASE OF GENOCIDE, GEN.

IT'S GENOCIDE AGAINST THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE.

IT'S NOT GOING AFTER HAMAS.

YOU NEVER GOING TO GET YOU.

WE'VE LEARNED, I MEAN, HOW MANY GUERRILLA WARFARES HAVE WE BEEN INVOLVED IN? UH, YOU KNOW, AFGHANISTAN, VIETNAM, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE NEVER, BY KILLING THE POPULATION, YOU'RE NEVER GONNA KILL A REVOLUTION, A CHAIN.

YOU'VE GOTTA GIVE THE PEOPLE OF PALESTINE A PLACE TO LIVE.

YOU'VE GOTTA GIVE THEM EQUAL RIGHTS.

AND THEN ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE BEEN, UH, I'M RUNNING OUTTA TIME.

I'VE BEEN CALLED A SELF-HATING JEW BY SOME OF MY FRIENDS.

AND I JUST WANT TO READ SOMETHING FROM THIS IS FROM ARON LITMAN, A FATHER OF ORIA WHO WAS MURDERED AT THE MUSIC FESTIVAL AND BY THE, UH, BY THE, ON OCTOBER 17TH.

AND HE SAID THE HANDS OF THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT AND ITS LEADER ARE COVERED IN BLOOD.

YES, YES.

THE PRIME MINISTER INSISTS ON NOT TAKING ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS FAILURE.

THEREFORE, I HAVE NO, I CAN NO LONGER REMAIN SILENT.

LITMAN CONTINUED, HE ACCUSES THE GOVERNMENT AND ITS LEADER OF HARMING THE HIGHEST VALUES OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL EQUALITY AND DEMOCRACY IN ORDER TO PROMOTE DICTATORIAL MESSIANIC POLICY THAT LED TO REAL HARM TO THE LIVES AND SAFETY OF RESIDENTS OF ISRAEL.

EVERY DAY THE GOVERNMENT RELA REMAINS IN OFFICE, COSTS LIVES AND COSTS LIVES OF PALESTINIANS, AND IT ALSO COSTS LIVES OF ISRAELIS.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK PALESTINIANS.

THANK YOU MARSHALL.

ALRIGHT, OUR FINAL SPEAKER IS FARAH BARTLETT.

PEACE NOW PLEASE.

IS THERE A FARAH HERE? PEACE.

NOW.

IS THERE A FARRAH SEA FIRED NOW? SORRY.

SORRY, SORRY.

.

OKAY.

OKAY.

GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS FARAH.

MY NAME IS FARAH BUTLER AND I ADDRESS YOU TODAY AS A LONG BEACH RESIDENT, A CAL STATE LONG BEACH ALUMNI AND A PROUD MUSLIM QUEER WOMAN.

AND AS OF TODAY, ACTUALLY ABOUT TWO HOURS AGO, AFTER A DECADE IN THIS COUNTRY, I BECAME AN AMERICAN CITIZEN.

I RELOCATED TO LONG BEACH IN 2020, DRAWN BY THE CITY'S REPUTATION FOR INCLUSIVITY, DIVERSITY, AND ACCEPTANCE.

WHILE MY EXPERIENCE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY HAS LARGELY REFLECTED THESE VALUES, IT DEEPLY CONCERNS ME THAT A CITY COUNCIL HAS NOT BEEN RESPONSIVE TO THE IMPASSIONED PLEAS OF

[00:45:01]

COMMUNITY MEMBER AND FRIEND OF MINE, TANYA, HAVE BEEN ORGANIZING RALLIES, PROTESTS, AND COMMUNITY EVENTS IN LONG BEACH WITH INCREDIBLE TURNOUTS IN THE HUNDREDS PEOPLE OF ALL ETHNICITIES, RELIGIONS, WITH A SHARED PLEA CEASEFIRE.