Dec 12, 2024 City Council Special Meeting

TO EFFECTUATED THE LANGUAGE FROM COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES.

WE HAVE ONE ITEM ON THE AGENDA.

PLEASE READ THE, THE, UH, SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA ITEM PLEASE.

ITEM ONE'S REPORT FROM FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATION TO DECLARE ORDINANCE AMENDING THE LONG BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING TO THE CITY TRANSACTION AND USE TAX TO THE, TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF TAX AND FEE ADMINISTRATION

[1. 24-55908 Recommendation to declare ordinance amending chapter 3.62 of the Long Beach Municipal Code Subsections 3.62.030.A, 3.62.030.B, 3.62.030.C, 3.62.050.A, 3.62.050.B, 3.62.050.C, 3.62.140.B, 3.62.140.C, and 3.62.140.D relating to the City’s transactions and use tax to be administered by the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration to effectuate the language from County of Los Angeles Measure “A”, read the first time and laid over to the next regular meeting of the City Council for final reading; declaring the urgency thereof, and declaring that this ordinance shall take effect immediately. (Citywide) Office or Department: Financial Management Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

MEASURE A READ THE FIRST TIME AND LAID OVER TO THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL FOR FINAL READING, DECLARING THE URGENCY THEREOF AND DECLARING THAT THIS ORDINANCE SHALL TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY.

CDY.

UM, APPROVE THE AMENDMENTS TO THE, THE CHANGES TO THE ORDINANCE TODAY SO THAT IT'S IN EFFECT IN TIME FOR US TO, UM, START COLLECTING THE TAX AT APRIL 1ST.

SO WE HAVE A STAFF REPORT.

UH, WE ARE HERE.

UH, THERE ARE SOME VERY SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS WE NEED TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, AS WE DISCUSSED DURING, UH, THE BUDGET SEASON AND AS WE SHAPED, UH, OUR, OUR, OUR MEASURES AND TALKED ABOUT THE MEASURES ACROSS THE REGION, THERE'S A POTENTIAL, UH, BENEFIT, UM, TO, UH, GETTING BACK TO OUR FULL 1 CENT OF OUR LOCAL MEASURE A SHOULD PROP HB REPEALED.

IN ORDER FOR THAT TO TAKE PLACE, THERE ARE SOME STEPS THAT WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO, UH, TO ENACT HERE AT CITY COUNCIL.

SO WE'RE GONNA HEAR A PRESENTATION FROM CITY STAFF, UH, WHO'LL TALK OVER, TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THIS MEANS, WHY THE URGENCY OF TODAY, AND, UH, AND WHAT THE, WHAT OUR SORT OF THINKING AND METHODOLOGY IS HERE.

SO, TOM, PLEASE TAKE US AWAY.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

YES, THAT'S CORRECT.

SO, I WILL BE TURNING IT OVER TO KEVIN RIPER, OUR DIRECTOR OF FINANCE, WHO'S BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY, UH, WITH OUR CITY TEAM AND CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ALL THE NECESSARY STEPS AND HE'LL GIVE THE STAFF REPORT.

THANK YOU, MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, UH, ESPECIALLY FOR MEETING ON SHORT NOTICE BECAUSE OF THE URGENCY THAT THE MAYOR DESCRIBED.

UH, WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

UM, AS THE MAYOR SAID, THE TOPIC OF THE MEETING IS THE INTERRELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE, THE LONGSTANDING INTERRELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY'S 2020 MEASURE, A 1 CENT SPECIAL SALES TAX, AND LA COUNTY'S NEW MEASURE A AND THIS IS SO CONFUSING 'CAUSE THERE'S NOW TWO MEASURE A'S FLOATING AROUND.

THAT'S RIGHT.

UM, OUR OWN MEASURE A FROM 2020 AND LA COUNTY'S MEASURE A APPROVED LAST MONTH THAT ESTABLISHES A NEW COUNTYWIDE HALF CENT SALES TAX, UH, TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS.

THE REASON WHY WE'RE HAVING THE MEETING TODAY IS THAT AN ORDINANCE RELATING TO OUR MEASURE A SALES TAX NEEDS TO REACH THE STATE 110 DAYS BEFORE THE START OF THE FIRST CALENDAR QUARTER, WHEN THE SALES TAX CAN BE COLLECTED AT THE FULL 1% RATE.

AND THAT, THAT DAY IS APRIL 1ST, 2025, AND TODAY IS EXACTLY 110 DAYS BEFORE APRIL 1ST, 2025.

SO WE'RE HOPING THAT YOU WILL,

[00:10:01]

UM, THE MAYOR SUMMARIZED THE ISSUE, THE LONGSTANDING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY'S OWN MEASURE, A 1 CENT SALES TAX AND LA COUNTY'S NEW MEASURE A HALF CENT SALES TAX IS THAT LA COUNTY'S 2017 MEASURE H, WHICH WAS JUST A QUARTER PERCENT, UM, CAUSED A TEMPORARY REDUCTION IN OUR OWN MEASURE, A SALES TAX RATE FROM THE 1% IT HAD BEEN IN FOR SIX YEARS UNTIL THE EXPIRATION OR REPEAL OR SUNSET OF LA COUNTY MEASURE H.

SO WE DROPPED ON JANUARY 1ST, 2023 FROM A FULL 1 CENT FOR OUR OWN MEASURE A SALES TAX TO THREE QUARTERS OF A CENT, BECAUSE LA COUNTY'S 0.25% FOR HOMELESSNESS HAS BEEN IN EFFECT SINCE, UM, WELL SINCE BEFORE JANUARY 1ST, 2023.

BUT THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT LONG BEACH TAXPAYERS COULD PAY THE LA COUNTY MEASURE H QUARTER PERCENT SALES TAX.

THAT ALL CHANGED ON IN NOVEMBER WHEN LA COUNTY VOTERS APPROVED THEIR OWN MEASURE A AND THAT REPEALS LA COUNTY MEASURE H THAT QUARTER PERCENT SALES TAX GOES AWAY EFFECTIVE APRIL 1ST.

AND THAT MEANS OUR MEASURE A SALES TAX FROM 2020 BOUNCES BACK FROM 0.75% TO 1.0%.

AND THAT, THAT WAS ALWAYS THE INTENT OF THE ORIGINAL VOTE AND THE INTENT OF THE ORDINANCE AT THAT TIME.

AND NOW THAT COUNTY MEASURE A HAS BEEN PASSED, ALLOWING OUR OWN MEASURE A TO BOUNCE BACK FROM 0.75% TO 1% ON APRIL 1ST.

WE NEED THESE OR THESE, UM, THIS ORDINANCE TO, UH, AMEND THE LANGUAGE AND SEND IT ON TO THE STATE.

IT'S COMPLICATED.

I'LL STOP THERE AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

ABSOLUTELY.

SO, UH, SO AGAIN, IN SHORT, YOU HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAD OUR, OUR PREVIOUS MEASURE A WAS THAT 1 CENT, UH, WHEN IT WAS RENEWED IN 20 20, 20 17, IT ALREADY CAPTURED 25% OF THAT 1 CENT SPACE THAT WE HAD THROUGH PROP H.

SO THE EXPECTATION IS WHEN A, WHEN A, WHEN H SUNSETS, WE'D GET BACK TO WHAT WE ORIGINALLY, UH, AUTHORIZED, WHICH IS CONSISTENT WITH OUR COMMUNICATIONS, YOU KNOW, PRIOR TO 20 17, 20 20, AND OUR COMMUNICATIONS PUBLICLY HERE.

AND WE DISCUSSED THIS AT THE DAAS, WHAT THAT IMPACT IS TO OUR GENERAL FUND AND, AND WHAT THAT, WHAT THAT MEANS FOR US.

IN ORDER FOR THAT TO TAKE PLACE, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR ORDINANCES REFLECT THAT INTENT, UH, AND THAT WE MEET THAT, THAT DEADLINE.

SO I THINK THAT SUMS IT UP.

UH, IS THERE ANY QUE LEMME GO TO THE MAKERS OF THE MOTION IN CASE THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS.

UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ZENDEJAS.

I THINK WE CAN GUESS THAT.

UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DR.

COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN.

UM, YES, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.

UM, I THINK THIS WAS SOMEWHAT OF A RUSHED MEETING BECAUSE, SO I JUST WANNA ASK SOME QUESTIONS TO CLARIFY THIS.

I THINK PEOPLE KNOW I WASN'T IN SUPPORT OF THIS TAX TO START FOR COUNTY MEASURE A, BECAUSE IT IMPACTS SO MANY AREAS.

UM, BUSINESSES IN DISTRICT THREE WILL BE AT A 3% DISADVANTAGE, A HALF OF A MILE AWAY IN ORANGE COUNTY.

AND OUR RESIDENTS ARE BEING GOING TO BE PAYING 3% MORE FOR ALL ITEMS COMPARED TO RESIDENTS JUST ACROSS COUNTY LINE.

I UNDERSTAND THAT WE NEED THIS MONEY.

THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF 2020 MEASURE A FROM THE CITY.

UM, AND WE HAVE SO MANY, WE HAVE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF IN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT THIS, UM, FUNDING THIS REVENUE COULD HELP.

AND IT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CITY TO FIX.

LET'S TAKE FOR INSTANCE, WE JUST HAD A MEETING THIS WEEK ABOUT THE NAPLES SEA WALLS.

THE NAPLES SEA WALLS REPORT CAME OUT AND WE HAVE $125 MILLION.

THE CITY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR JUST LIKE OUR SIDEWALKS AND STREETS.

AND THIS NEW FUNDING WOULD HELP.

I THINK THERE WERE MANY PEOPLE WHO VOTED BACK IN 2020 FOR MEASURE A, UM, WANTING TO HAVE THAT FULL 1% SALES TAX.

WE, THEY WANTED IT IMPLEMENTED FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, FOR INFRASTRUCTURE.

BUT I CAN'T SAY FOR SURE THAT WOULD PASS WITH A MAJORITY IF THEY KNEW IT WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED SOONER THAN THE SUNSET OF SEPTEMBER 30, 20, 27.

[00:15:03]

I THINK THAT WE KNOW THAT VOTERS VOTED ON SPECIFIC LANGUAGE.

FIRST OF ALL, I DON'T LIKE THAT WE ARE AT THE VERY LAST DAY TO MAKE THIS VOTE.

I'M INTERESTED IN WHEN WE KNEW THIS WAS GOING TO AN ISSUE FRIDAY.

FRIDAY, AND WE'VE HAD THIS ON THE TABLE FOR SIX MONTHS, BUT WE, WE DIDN'T KNOW UNTIL THEN.

THAT'S CORRECT.

SO THE WAY THIS CAME UP IS OUR TEAM, UH, ONCE MERE PASSED, STARTED DOING ALL THAT WORK WITH THE STATE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD ALL THE DOCUMENTATION TO IMPLEMENT IT.

THAT WAS ALWAYS THE PLAN.

THE TEAM HAD BEEN DOING THAT WORK, AND THE STATE HAD BEEN REQUESTING DOCUMENTS AND WE PROVIDED THAT AND THEN FOUND OUT ON FRIDAY, UH, THAT THEY, UH, NEEDED THIS ORDINANCE, UH, TO BE UPDATED.

AND SO, UH, WE HAD LOOKED, IT WAS, UH, THE, AS YOU KNOW, THE, THE, UM, AGENDA COMES OUT ON FRIDAY AT NOON, UM, FOR THE REGULAR AGENDA HERE, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THIS WAS CORRECT AS WELL, AND TO MAKE SURE YOU HAD ALL THE RIGHT DOCUMENTS.

AND SO THAT WAS PART OF THE REASON, UH, TO, TO MAKE SURE WE HAD THE TIME TO DO IT, GET IT TOGETHER AND CALL A SPECIAL MEETING.

UM, I CAN APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE WE HAD TO VERIFY THAT.

BUT AFTER HEARING FROM MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE RESIDENTS, I HAVE SOME CONCERNS THAT THIS VOTE IS ACTUALLY OVERRIDING THE LANGUAGE THAT WAS APPROVED IN 2020 BY VOTERS.

SO I JUST WANNA, DAWN, I I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU.

FIRST OF ALL, UM, WELL, DO WE HAVE THE ABILITY RIGHT NOW, DAWN, TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION TO SEE, UM, WHAT THE POTENTIAL LEGAL RAMIFICATIONS ARE OF THIS? IF WE PASS IT, UM, NO COUNCIL MEMBER.

WE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION BECAUSE THERE'S NO LITIGATION, WHICH IS THE CLOSED SESSION PRIVILEGE.

UM, SO THIS HAS GOTTA BE AN OPEN SESSION DISCUSSION, UM, WHICH IS WHY WE CALLED THIS MEETING HERE TODAY.

AND, UM, THIS IS AN ORDINANCE, WHICH IS BEFORE YOU ALL TO UPDATE THE CITY'S CODE AND THE PRIOR ORDINANCE TO REFLECT THE CHANGES FROM MEASURE A.

UM, WE HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING.

WE HAVE FIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND AN ORDINANCE NEEDS FIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO PASS.

SO WE HAVE A QUORUM AND, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE BEFORE YOU.

GREAT.

UM, WHAT AGAIN, TO DON, WHAT LANGUAGE IN THE CITY'S MEASURE A THAT VOTERS APPROVE APPROVED IN 2020 GIVES THE CITY COUNCIL THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE DETAILS OF THE MEASURE? I'LL REFER THIS, I WILL REFER THIS QUESTION TO ASHLEY STONE, WHO'S MY ATTORNEY WORKING ON THIS MATTER.

GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN.

AS YOU CAN SEE FROM OUR 2020 OF MEASURE A, THERE IS LANGUAGE ON THE FACE THAT REFLECTS THE FACT THAT IT WAS THE INTENT AND THE STRUCTURE OF OUR MEASURE A, THAT IT'S SUNSET.

THAT AT THE, THAT THE RATE CHANGE AT THE SUNSET OF MEASURE H.

NOW THERE'S AN INTERPLAY HERE.

YOU'RE ASKING FOR THE LITERAL LANGUAGE, AND, AND WE HAVE THAT BAKED IN.

SO THE, THE SUNSET DATE IS IN THE LANGUAGE.

AND HERE, COUNTY MEASURE A HAS CHANGED THAT SUNSET DATE.

AND THAT'S WHY WE ARE NEEDING TO UPDATE THAT LANGUAGE.

UH, CITY ATTORNEY.

DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THIS VOTE COULD END UP IN LITIGATION AND THE CITY COULD LOSE A COUNCIL MEMBER? ANY VOTE THAT THIS COUNCIL TAKES COULD END UP IN LITIGATION.

THERE'S ALWAYS A RISK THE CITY LOSES.

SO THIS IS PRETTY MUCH THE SAME AS EVERY OTHER VOTE THAT'S BEFORE THE COUNCIL.

IF WE COLLECTED THE ADDITIONAL QUARTER PERCENT TAX AND A COURT DECIDES THAT THE COUNCIL DIDN'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE THIS CHANGE, WHAT WOULD BE THE POTENTIAL PENALTIES? HOW COULD WE REFUND POTENTIALLY ILLEGAL TAX THAT WASN'T VOTED IN, IN THE MEASURE A FROM 2020? WELL, LET ME SPEAK FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.

UH, I'VE WORKED FOR FIVE CALIFORNIA CITIES STARTING 34 YEARS AGO AND DEALT WITH DOZENS OF OTHER CITIES.

AND I'VE NEVER HEARD OF A CASE WHERE A SALES TAX WAS RULED POST FACTO TO BE ILLEGALLY IMPOSED.

AND I'VE CERTAINLY NEVER HEARD OF AN INSTANCE WHERE A CITY HAD TO REFUND SALES TAX.

THAT'S NOT TO SAY IT HASN'T HAPPENED IN CALIFORNIA, BUT I'VE NEVER HEARD OF IT, AND I'VE BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME.

I UNDERSTAND THE, AND, AND I BELIEVE THAT THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF VOTERS WAS FOR THE

[00:20:01]

1%.

I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE LANGUAGE AND WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH THIS.

AND I THINK THERE ARE SO MANY GRAY AREAS OUTSTANDING LEGAL QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE.

UM, AND WE DIDN'T, I MEAN, WE DIDN'T HAVE THE TIME OR THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK THROUGH THEM.

I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.

THAT'S, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.

UM, SO I JUST WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, WHAT TAKES PLACE TODAY.

SO, UM, SHOULD THIS MEASURE PASS AND GET FIVE VOTES? UM, THIS WOULD, UH, SATISFY THE DOCUMENTATION AS REQUESTED BY THE STATE TO DO WHAT WE PUBLICLY DISCUSSED, UH, WITH A 1 CENT SALES TAX FOR MANY YEARS, WHICH IS DEDICATED, UM, YOU KNOW, THROUGH RESOLUTION TO PUBLIC SAFETY, YOU KNOW, ENHANCING PUBLIC SAFETY IN OUR COMMUNITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE.

WE CERTAINLY KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF NEED FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND PUBLIC SAFETY IS A TOP PRIORITY FOR ME AS MAYOR.

AND FOR, I, I WOULD, I, I WOULD IMAGINE MOST OF THE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY, UM, IF WE, IF WE DO NOT DO THIS TODAY, THEN WE ESSENTIALLY FORFEIT UP TO $60 MILLION OF REVENUE DIRECTLY TO SERVICES IN OUR COMMUNITY IF WE DON'T ADOPT THIS TODAY WITH FIVE VOTES.

SO WE UNDERSTAND WHAT IS AT STAKE IF WE DO ENACT THIS TODAY.

THERE ARE STILL LEGAL PROCESSES, AND IF SOMEONE THINKS THIS IS UNLAWFUL, THERE ARE WAYS THAT WE CAN HAVE A STRATEGY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROTECT OURSELVES FINANCIALLY, SHOULD THAT TAKE PLACE.

SO, MADAM CITY ATTORNEY, IT IS YOUR RE IS IT YOUR RECOMMENDATION, UH, THAT WE TAKE THIS ACTION TODAY? THANK YOU, MARY.

IT, IT IS OUR RECOMMENDATION AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DOUG, AND I JUST WANNA ASSURE YOU THAT, UM, THIS ACT TODAY IS NOT IN ANY WAY CHANGING OUR LEGAL STATUS.

THIS IS SIMPLY AN ACT THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN TO IMPLEMENT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MEASURE A IN A TIMELY MANNER FOR THE STATE AGENCY THAT WOULD BE COLLECTING THE TAXES.

UM, BUT ANY LEGAL ANALYSIS WE WANNA BE LOOKING INTO DOESN'T STOP TODAY.

THAT CAN CONTINUE.

UM, BUT IN ADDITION, MY TEAM HAS SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THIS WITH THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE REALLY LOOKING INTO THE LEGAL ISSUES HERE.

UM, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO SO.

UH, WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF COMMENTS.

WE'RE HAPPY TO, UH, SPEAK TO PEOPLE ABOUT THAT AND, AND HAVE MORE CONVERSATION.

BUT THE ISSUE TODAY, UM, IS ABOUT REVISING THE ORDINANCE SO THAT IT'S IN EFFECT, TIMELY FOR THE STATE AGENCY TO BE ABLE TO COLLECT.

AND THAT'S CRITICAL THAT HAPPENED TODAY.

RIGHT.

I HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS.

YOU JUST GO AHEAD AND QUEUE UP A COUPLE MEMBERS HERE.

UH, WE'LL GO TO VICE MAYOR ALLEN.

UM, SO JUST SO I UNDERSTAND TOO, UM, SO THE, THE 60 MILLION, IF, IF THAT DOESN'T GO TO US, THEN DOES THAT 60 MILLION YOU STILL GET COLLECTED AND GO TO THE COUNTY? NO.

UNCLEAR.

WELL, I JUST WANNA SAY, I MEAN, I KNOW, UM, THIS, THIS HAPPENED QUICKLY, YOU JUST FOUND OUT ON FRIDAY.

SO I DO APPRECIATE, UM, THE, THE WORK FROM THE TEAM TO GET IT, GET THIS IN FRONT OF US BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, ACCORDING TO YOUR STAFF REPORT, UH, 12 MILLION REVENUE AND FY 25 AND 24 MILLION IN BOTH 26 AND 27, I MEAN THIS, THIS IS A LOT OF MONEY, UM, THAT WOULD REALLY IMPACT, UM, OUR, OUR GENERAL FUND.

SO I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS.

NEXT IS COUNCIL MEMBER CARR.

UM, YES.

UH, THANK YOU TO THE TEAM FOR WORKING QUICKLY.

UM, I WE'RE NOT, WHAT I KNOW ISN'T UP FOR DEBATE TODAY ARE THE TWO MEASURE A'S BOTH OF THOSE HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY THE VOTERS, UH, MEASURE A TWICE BY OUR MEASURE A LONG BEACH MEASURE, A TWICE BY OUR VOTERS, UM, AS RECENTLY AS 2016.

SO I APPRECIATE TALKING ABOUT THE INTENT OF WHAT THE VOTERS EXPECTED TO HAPPEN WITH MEASURE A.

UM, WE KNOW THAT THERE IS A LONG LIST OF PROJECTS, UM, AND NEEDS IN THE CITY.

UH, MADAM CITY ATTORNEY, YOU ALREADY SAID THIS, UH, BEFORE, BUT I WANTED TO ASK, THAT WAS THE, LIKE, THE ONLY QUESTION I HAD, BUT IF YOU COULD REITERATE AGAIN, YOUR RECOMMENDATION, UM, AND THE WORK THAT YOUR TEAM, AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE WORK THAT YOUR TEAM HAS DONE WITH FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS AS WE'VE TRIED TO FIGURE OUT THE RAMIFICATIONS OF THE CHANGE FROM MEASURE H TO THE NEW COUNTY MEASURE A, UM, I'LL GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW AND THEN I'LL TURN IT OVER TO ASHLEY, WHO'S BEEN REALLY IN THE WEEDS ON THIS.

UM, BASICALLY THE REVIEW HAS BEEN WHAT WAS ADOPTED BY THE VOTERS IN MEASURE A CITY, MEASURE A, WHAT WAS THE INTENT OF THAT AND HOW WAS THAT AFFECTED BY THE RECENT COUNTY MEASURE A AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO ASHLEY FOR MORE.

PROCESS, THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY, UM, TIRELESSLY TO READ ALL OF THE MEASURES THAT ARE IN PLACE, PULL TOGETHER ALL OF THE SUPPORT OF OUR CITY'S LEGISLATIVE INTENT.

COUNCIL MEMBER KERR.

IN TERMS OF THE

[00:25:01]

WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT TRANSCRIPTS OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS RELATED TO THE, UM, THE LEAD UP TO THE VOTE ON THE 2020 MEASURE A.

SO WE, UM, HAVE PULLED TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, THE DOCUMENTS THAT WERE ISSUED BY THE CITY IN ADVANCE OF THE MARCH 3RD, 2020 VOTE TO SEE WHAT WAS THE INTENT, WHAT WAS THE COMMUNICATION FROM THE CITY TO THE VOTERS, WHAT WAS THE LANGUAGE, UM, WITHIN THE MUNICIPAL CODE AND ON ITS FACE OF THE, UH, THE DIFFERENT MEASURES HERE.

MEASURE COUNTY, MEASURE A AND COUNTY MEASURE A, WHAT, WHAT ARE THE MECHANICS AND THE STRUCTURE AND THE INTENT THERE.

SO JUST IN TERMS OF TOUCHING ON THE PROCESS THAT I'M VERY HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.

SO THAT'S 1230 6 MILLION FROM APRIL 1ST, 2025 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2027.

ALRIGHT, ALL THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN, IN THE FISCAL IMPACT OF THE ITEM STATED APPROXIMATELY $12 MILLION, UM, PER YEAR.

IS THAT CORRECT? I THINK THE FISCAL IMPACT SAYS $12 MILLION FOR THE SECOND HALF OF FY 25, WHICH IS, UH, APRIL THROUGH SEPTEMBER OF 2025 MM-HMM .

AND THEN IT SAYS 24 MILLION FOR FY 26 AND ANOTHER 24 MILLION FOR FY 27.

SO OUR 24 PLUS 24 PLUS 12 IS THE $60 MILLION THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT.

SO IT'S $60 MILLION OVER TWO AND A HALF YEARS.

10, 10 CALENDAR QUARTERS, TWO AND A HALF YEARS.

WHAT WAS OUR NUMBERS FOR 2023 ON THE QUARTER PERCENT? UM, WELL, IT, IT, UH, IT WAS, UH, ACTUALS FOR FY 23 AT THREE QUARTERS OF A PERCENT, MAYBE 69 MILLION, 70 GERALDINE, SOMEWHERE AROUND THERE ARE, ARE YOU, SO IT WAS PROBABLY ABOUT, ARE YOU MEANING THE MEASURE H QUARTER PERCENT OR OUR, OR OUR HALF? OH, THE THREE QUARTER.

YEAH, THE THREE QUARTERS.

UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, DOUG, I THINK YOU'RE ASKING HOW MUCH WOULD WE HAVE COLLECTED IN FY 23 IF WE'D BEEN AT THE FULL 1% INSTEAD OF THE CORRECT.

THREE QUARTERS.

WE WERE AT PROBABLY ANOTHER 22 OR 23 MILLION, BECAUSE THAT'S BASED ON THE THREE QUARTER PERCENT.

SO YEAH, THAT, YEAH, WE COLLECTED AT THREE QUARTERS PERCENT AND IT WAS LIKE 69 OR $70 MILLION.

WE NEED TO UPDATE AN ORDINANCE AND SUBMIT IT TO THE STATE AS REQUESTED.

SO ANOTHER THIRD OF THAT, WHICH WOULD GET YOU TO 1.0 WOULD BE 22 OR 23 MILLION MORE.

WHAT IF THIS TURNS OUT TO BE SOMETHING WHERE WE ARE, UH, WE NEED TO PULL BACK LEGALLY ON IT.

CAN WE HOLD THIS, HOLD THIS QUARTER PERCENT IN AN ACCOUNT UNTIL WE GET CLARIFICATION ON THIS? WE'VE BEEN PUT UP AGAINST A WALL HERE.

WE FIND OUT FRIDAY, WE'RE SEVEN DAYS, SIX DAYS LATER.

I SAY WE PUT THIS IN ACCOUNT TO SEE WHERE WE, WHERE WE'RE AT.

YEAH.

SO I DO WANNA, UH, ADDRESS THAT.

SO WHAT, UM, THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT DEADLINES.

ONE IS THE 110 DAY DEADLINE THAT WE'RE UP TO AGAINST TODAY.

UH, NONE OF THIS GOES INTO EFFECT UNTIL APRIL ONE.

SO WE'RE STILL 110 DAYS AWAY FROM ANYTHING GOING INTO EFFECT, AT WHICH POINT WE'LL HAVE TIME TO CONTINUE DISCUSSION ON THAT.

AND THEN YES, THAT CERTAINLY COULD BE SOMETHING IF THERE IS AMBIGUITY, WE ALWAYS DO HAVE THAT ABILITY TO DECIDE WHAT WE WOULD DO WITH THAT MONEY IF, IF WE NEEDED TO.

AND THE CITY HAS TO, HAS TO PASS THIS ORDINANCE CHANGE TODAY TO MAKE THIS GO INTO EFFECT.

WE COULDN'T WAIT UNTIL WE HAVE FULL COUNSEL WITH MORE DISCUSSION AND MORE LEGAL BACKGROUND TO MAKE THIS GO INTO EFFECT.

COULD IT GO INTO EFFECT SIX MONTHS LATER? AND I KNOW WE NEED THESE FUNDS.

I, I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO THINK THAT.

I DON'T KNOW THIS QUARTER PERCENT.

IT'S PART OF THE FULL 1% MM-HMM .

INTENT OF THE VOTERS.

SO IF I COULD JUST JUMP IN AND TALK STRATEGY HERE, YOU STILL HAVE THE ABILITY AS A COUNCIL TO PULL BACK AT ANY POINT ON ANYTHING YOU WANT TO DO, BUT YOUR OPTIONS ARE LIMITED IF YOU DON'T TAKE THIS ACTION TODAY.

RIGHT? SO I THINK AN ACTION OF SAYING WE DON'T WANT TO CLAIM WHAT WE'RE ENTITLED TO IS A BIG DECISION TO SAY WE DON'T WANT TO, BUT IF WE WANT TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION, WE NEED TO SUBMIT THE DOCUMENT TO THE STATE.

THAT'S WHAT TODAY IS ABOUT.

SO HOW YOU SPEND IT, HOW YOU ALLOCATE IT, DO YOU HOLD IT IN A TRUST? DOES THE COUNTY HOLD IT? ALL THOSE DECISIONS, YOU HAVE A LONG RUNWAY ON THAT DECISION.

SO, AND THESE ARE BIG DISCUSSIONS.

I KNOW THAT THERE MAY BE PEOPLE WHO HAVE QUESTIONS.

SO I WOULD SAY NARROW THE FOCUS ON WHAT THIS IS TODAY.

[00:30:01]

THAT'S WHAT'S IN FRONT OF US.

WE STILL HAVE OPPORTUNITY AND THE BUDGET PROCESS ACTUALLY BEGINS IN THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.

THIS COULD BE AN AREA OF FOCUS TO TALK ABOUT IS THERE LEGAL JEOPARDY? HOW SHOULD WE TREAT THIS? DO YOU USE THIS ON PENSIONS AND BODIES THAT YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO COVER? OR ARE YOU MORE STRATEGIC ABOUT BEING A, A BIT MORE CAREFUL ON HOW YOU USE THIS PORTION OF FUNDS AS YOU MOVE FORWARD? SO I, SO I KIND OF WANNA NARROW IT A BIT.

THIS IS ABOUT DO WE WANT TO CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT CAPTIONING THOSE REVENUES? I CERTAINLY KNOW THAT WE COULD USE INFRASTRUCTURE, WE COULD USE FUNDING ON PUBLIC SAFETY, BUT IF WE DON'T TAKE THIS ACTION TODAY, AND IT'S ONLY FIVE MEMBERS HERE, SO IF YOU ALL DON'T AGREE TO MOVE FORWARD TODAY, YOU CLOSE OFF THAT CONVERSATION.

THAT'S REALLY, THAT'S ESSENTIALLY WHAT'S IN FRONT OF US.

I THINK WHAT YOU'RE ASKING, THESE QUESTIONS ARE FAIR AND THERE'S LEGAL RECOURSE AND THERE'S A LOT OF DUE PROCESS STILL TO COME.

BUT IN ORDER TO KEEP THE CONVERSATION OPEN, YOU HAVE TO TAKE ACTION TODAY.

BUT LET'S BE CLEAR THAT BY MAKING THE DECISION TODAY, IT BASICALLY MOVES IT FORWARD.

THERE DOESN'T NEED TO BE ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION.

WELL, WE ACTUALLY COULD HAVE, I MEAN, WE, WE, WE DON'T, I UNDERSTAND WE COULD, THIS DOESN'T ALLOCATE ANY, ANY MONEY.

I UNDERSTAND, RIGHT? IT'S BEEN, WE WERE REQUESTED TO UPDATE OUR DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED TO THE STATE AND, AND DUE TO THE URGENCY IS WHY WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION.

YOU HAVE A, YOU HAVE A MAJORITY OF CONSENSUS WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE, RIGHT? ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE NOTIFIED OF THIS DISCUSSION.

I THANK YOU ALL FOR SHOWING UP BECAUSE IT'S AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION.

UM, SO REALLY IT JUST COMES DOWN TO DO YOU KEEP, DO YOU KEEP THE CONVERSATION ALIVE OR DO YOU END THE CONVERSATION TODAY? I WAS, I REMEMBER MEASURE A AND I ALSO REMEMBER OUR STUDY SESSIONS HERE AT COUNCIL WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT, UH, WHAT, UH, WHAT MEASURE A LA COUNTY MEANS IF IT PASSES AND IT FAILS.

IT WASN'T JUST HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS.

THERE'S ALSO THE BENEFIT TO OUR LOCAL GENERAL FUND SHOULD THAT TAKE PLACE.

AND THAT CONVERSATION WAS IN THE CONTEXT OF POTENTIALLY LOCAL MEASURES, WHICH WE LANDED ON MEASURE LB AND THE CONTEXT OF, YOU KNOW, A CERTAIN STRUCTURAL DEFICIT, HOW THESE COULD IMPROVE THAT ABILITY SO WE DON'T HAVE TO CUT PUBLIC SAFETY, UM, MOVING FORWARD.

RIGHT? SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATION IN THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE BENEFIT, UM, BECAUSE WE, WE BROUGHT FORWARD MEASURE A IN 2020.

THE SUNSET DATE HAS CHANGED.

SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE OUR DOCUMENTS REFLECT THAT THAT'S WHAT THIS NARROW QUESTION IS ABOUT.

SO IF YOU HAVE A FURTHER QUESTION, FEEL FREE TO, TO ENGAGE DAWN, UH, CITY ATTORNEY.

UM, CAN YOU EXPLAIN AGAIN WHY WE HAVE A QUORUM HERE, BUT IT NEED, IT REQUIRES ALL FIVE VOTES.

WHEN WE SPOKE EARLIER, WE, WE TALKED ABOUT SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

UM, YES.

SO UNDER SECTION TWO 11 OF OUR CHARTER FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO ENACT AN ORDINANCE, IT NEEDS FIVE VOTES OF THE COUNCIL.

ALRIGHT? EVERY ORDINANCE REQUIRES FIVE VOTES, RIGHT? SO IT'S BECAUSE IT'S AN ORDINANCE.

IF IT WAS JUST AN ACTION OF THE COUNCIL, IT WOULD NEED A MAJORITY OF THE COUNCIL BECAUSE IT'S AN ORDINANCE, IT NEEDS FIVE VOTES RIGHT UNDER THE CHARTER.

GOOD.

SO I JUST WANNA REVIEW THIS AGAIN TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR.

RIGHT NOW, IF THIS DOES NOT PASS FIVE VOTES TODAY, WE WOULD NOT REALIZE THE QUARTER PERCENT THAT WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED ON APRIL 1ST, 2025.

AND WE WOULD REALIZE THE FULL 1% OF THE 2020 MEASURE A ON OCTOBER 1ST, 2027, WHICH WE COULD POTENTIALLY LOSE 12 MILLION FOR THIS YEAR.

ALRIGHT, THERE'S A COUPLE, COUPLE MORE.

COUNCIL MEMBERS.

COUNCIL MEMBER RICK SOTE.

UM, I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF TAKE IT BACK, JUST REMIND, UH, ALL OF US AROUND THE, THE URGENCY OF WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY.

COULD STAFF JUST REITERATE AGAIN, THE 110 DAY MARKER AND WHY THAT'S IMPORTANT? YES.

UM, APRIL 1ST IS THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY MEASURE A PASSED LAST MONTH.

AND OUR MEASURE A PASSED BY OUR VOTERS IN 2020 IS INEXTRICABLY LINKED WITH LA COUNTY MEASURE A, BECAUSE NOW LA COUNTY'S OLD MEASURE A H HAS BEEN REPEALED.

AND FOR A START DATE OF OCTOBER 1ST, THE STATE REQUIRES, UM, UH, ORDINANCE SUBMITTED

[00:35:01]

ONE, UH, SORRY, DID I SAY APRIL 1ST? APRIL 1ST TO MAKE AN EFFECTIVE DATE OF APRIL 1ST, 2025.

UM, WE HAVE TO SUBMIT AN ORDINANCE ADOPTED 110 DAYS BEFORE APRIL 1ST, 2025.

AND TODAY, DECEMBER 12TH IS 110 DAYS BEFORE APRIL 1ST, 2025.

HENCE THE URGENCY THAT YOU HAVE BEEN RIGHTLY COMMENTING UPON.

UNDERSTOOD.

SO THAT MAKES US ELIGIBLE THEN TO RECEIVE THE DOLLARS.

UH, AND THEN, UH, A FOLLOW UP QUESTION TO THAT WOULD BE, UM, I IMAGINE WHEN WE ORIGINALLY ADOPTED OUR ORDINANCE FOR OUR MEASURE A, UM, WE COLLECTIVELY AS A CITY DID NOT CONTEMPLATE THAT MEASURE H WOULD THEN BE REPLACED LATER ON BY A NEW COUNTY MEASURE A SUCH THAT WE'RE NOW IN A PLACE WHERE WE NEED TO UPDATE OUR OWN LANGUAGE IN ORDER TO MIRROR AND MAKE US ELIGIBLE FOR THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING.

UH, I'LL SPEAK TO THAT.

WHEN 2020 MEASURE A WAS ADOPTED, UM, WITH MEASURE H ALREADY IN PLACE, UH, THE ONLY CONTEMPLATION WAS THAT MEASURE H MIGHT BE EXTENDED, NOT THAT IT WOULD EVER BE ENDED EARLY.

SO EVERYTHING WAS DISCUSSED AROUND MAKING SURE THAT THERE WASN'T ANY IMPACT ON THE CITY'S BUDGET FROM PERHAPS H BEING EXTENDED.

BUT THERE WAS NO CONTEMPLATION THAT H MIGHT BE TERMINATED EARLY.

SO EVERYTHING WAS LINKED TO THE SUNSET OF MEASURE H, WHICH WAS ANTICIPATED TO BE IN 27, BUT NOBODY ENVISIONED THAT COULD END EARLIER.

BUT THE CRUX OF MEASURE A WAS GOING TO VOTERS AND SAYING, DO YOU WANT TO HAVE A 1% SALES TAX? UM, KNOWING THAT IN THE VERY BEGINNING IT WAS 1% THAT WENT DOWN TO HALF.

AND THEN THE WHOLE POINT OF MEASURE OF THAT GOING FORWARD IS SAYING, DO YOU, WOULD YOU LIKE THIS TO GO BACK UP TO ONE TO THE FULL 1%? RIGHT? AND THEN THERE WAS THE TECHNICAL ISSUE OF MEASURE H, UM, YOU KNOW, BEING IN THAT WE WERE FIRST IN FIRST POSITION AND THEN WE WENT INTO SECOND POSITION KNOWING WE WOULD BE EVENTUALLY BACK IN, IN FIRST POSITION, WHICH IS WE, WHERE WE ARE AGAIN TODAY.

I WOULD, I WOULD, I WOULD ADD, I BELIEVE THE ORIGINAL MEASURE A WAS, UM, SIX YEARS.

IT WAS FIVE YEARS, SIX YEARS AT A FULL SCENT.

IT STARTED AT A FULL SCENT AND, AND WAS GONNA STEP DOWN TO 60%.

OR WAS IT 50%? 50% IT WAS GONNA STEP DOWN.

SO MEASURE A IN 2020 TOOK PLACE BEFORE THAT SIXTH YEAR MM-HMM .

SO YOU WOULDN'T LOSE SERVICES BY REDUCING YOUR, YOUR REVENUE FROM A FULL CENT TO 1 CENT.

SO THE MESSAGE WAS CONTINUE YOUR SERVICES AT THIS FULL AMOUNT.

SO THE INTENTION WAS ALWAYS THIS AMOUNT, HOWEVER, SINCE MEASURE A PART ONE IN LONG BEACH AND MEASURE A PART TWO IN LONG BEACH, PROP H PASSED MM-HMM .

IN 2017.

AND THAT WAS HIGHER IN Q.

SO THERE'S A Q FOR HOW MUCH OF THE SALES TAX YOU CAN CAPTURE, BECAUSE THAT WENT INTO Q THAT WOULD TAKE THAT ADDITION, THAT THAT WOULD TAKE THAT PORTION.

RIGHT.

BUT NOW MEASURE A IS NO LONGER THERE.

SO THE INTENTION WAS CONTINUE THE 1 CENT SALES TAX, THAT'S WHAT WE CAMPAIGNED ON, RIGHT? CONTINUE THESE SERVICES.

AND NOW SINCE PROP H IS SUNSET EARLY AS AS A RESULT OF THE VOTERS, AND I'LL REMIND FOLKS, UH, WE'RE NOT DEBATING WHAT THE MERITS OF LA COUNTY MEASURE A RIGHT NOW.

MM-HMM.

IT PASSED WITH, YOU KNOW, 50 SOME ODD PERCENT IN THE COUNTY, BUT IN LONG BEACH IT ACTUALLY OVERPERFORMED 60 40.

SO IT, IT WAS NORTH OF 60% IN LONG BEACH.

SO LONG BEACH VOTED OVERWHELMINGLY IN SUPPORT OF THIS AND OUR LOCAL, OUR LOCAL COMMUNICATIONS PUBLICLY, WAS THAT THERE WAS A DUAL BENEFIT TO LONG BEACH.

ONE, WE GET TO FULLY REALIZE THE INTENT OF OUR LOCAL MEASURE A AND TWO, WE FINALLY HAVE DEDICATED SUPPORT FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING PRODUCTION AND CONTINUED SUPPORT ON HOMELESSNESS WAS A KEY PRIORITY.

SO THAT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THAT CONTEXT THERE.

NO, EXCELLENT.

UM, AND SO AGAIN, UH, I WANTED TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION JUST TO KIND OF REITERATE IN MY MIND THAT THESE ARE IN MY MIND TECHNICAL MODIFICATIONS TO THE LANGUAGE, UM, THAT I WOULD NOT THINK THAT WOULD IMPLICATE ANY TYPE OF LEGAL LIABILITY.

UM, BUT AGAIN, I THINK AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED, UM, I THINK THAT WE DO OURSELVES A DISSERVICE BY NOT ALLOWING OURSELVES THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALIZE THOSE DOLLARS.

UM, AND IF THERE ARE FURTHER DISCUSSIONS LEGALLY, OR THINGS THAT WE CAN HAVE AS PART OF BUDGET TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE COULD PROTECT OURSELVES AGAINST POTENTIAL, UM, LITIGATION, I THINK WE CAN HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.

BUT I THINK THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE SHOULD HAVE AFTER, UH, AFTER THIS VOTE.

THE SUNSET OF MEASURE H, CORRECT? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.

COUNCIL MEMBER CARR? SURE.

AND JUST TO, TO WRAP UP WHAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RICKS ODI.

SO TODAY OUR VOTE IS TO UPDATE OUR ORDINANCE BASED ON THE UNAN UNANTICIPATED CHANGE TO COUNTY MEASURE H'S CHANGING ITS SUNSET DATE THAT WE REFERENCED IN OUR ORDINANCE.

SO WE HAVE THE SUNSET DATE FROM LA COUNTY, MEASURE H IN OUR ORDINANCE.

THEY CHANGED THE DATE, OUR ACTION TODAY, THEY SUNSETTED IT EARLY, WHICH WAS UNANTICIPATED ON OUR PART.

SO WHAT THIS DOES IS ALIGNS IT WITH

[00:40:01]

UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN.

I DO AGREE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER REX OTI THAT THE TECHNICAL, UH, THE TECHNICALITY OF THIS, WE GET THE INTENT.

I THINK IN THE FUTURE WE HOPE TO LOOK AT THIS.

SO THIS CAN NEVER BE A GRAY AREA IN FUTURE MEASURES.

THIS IS NOT CLEAR.

AN INTENT IS NOT BLACK AND WHITE ON THE OTHER HAND, I DO UNDERSTAND THE VOTERS HAD THE INTENT OF THIS.

SO I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE QUESTION.

UH, I DO HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION I'LL ASK.

UM, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE IN 2020 MEASURE A THAT WE MAY HAVE TO CIRCLE BACK AGAIN AND MAKE UPDATED CHANGES TO HONOR, UH, BRINGING IN COUNTY MEASURE A AND MAKING IT ALL ALIGN AT THIS POINT? NO, WE DO NOT.

UNLESS THERE IS, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE UN A NO, NO, WE DO NOT.

IT, IT COUNTS FOR ALL CHANGES THAT, UH, YEAH, THAT NEED TO BE MADE.

NEED TO BE MADE.

AND THEN I WILL SAY INTERNALLY, NEXT YEAR, WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO MAKE SOME VERY TOUGH DECISIONS ABOUT HOW, UH, IF WE EITHER HAVE MEASURE A OR DON'T HAVE MEASURE A, WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO, UH, WE ARE FACING A $30 MILLION DEFICIT NEXT YEAR.

UM, UH, THAT MEASURE A PLUS SOME OF THE OTHERS WOULD HAVE PART OF OUR STRATEGY.

UM, THAT WOULD MEAN SOME PRETTY SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC SAFETY CUTS, FOR EXAMPLE, AT THAT LEVEL.

UH, YOU'RE ALSO GONNA HAVE TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS ON, UM, IF MEASURE A IS SUCCESSFUL AND OR IF, IF THIS, IF THIS HAPPENS AND WE GO FORWARD, UM, HOW MUCH OF THAT DO WE WANNA SPEND ON INFRASTRUCTURE VERSUS PUBLIC SAFETY? AND SO THERE'S GONNA BE SOME KEY COUNCIL QUESTIONS, UH, THAT WE WOULD START GETTING INTO IN MARCH.

AND SO, UH, THE FIRST ONE WOULD BE IS THIS IS, IS THIS AVAILABLE OR NOT? UM, SO IS THIS SOMETHING THE COUNCIL MOVES FORWARD AND, AND GETS COLLECTED? THAT WOULD BE ONE.

AND THEN EVEN IF IT DOES COME IN, UM, THEN WE HAVE TO DECIDE HOW MUCH GOES TOWARDS INFRASTRUCTURE AND HOW MUCH WOULD GO TOWARDS PUBLIC SAFETY.

'CAUSE REMEMBER, THIS IS MONEY THAT WE HAVE DEDICATED, UH, AS A COUNCIL, YOU HAVE DECLARED YOUR INTENT TO, UH, ONLY SPEND ON THOSE TWO AREAS.

UM, SO YOU TOUCHED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT DECISIONS WE'D HAVE TO MAKE NEXT YEAR.

SO WHERE WILL THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS? I KNOW, UM, TYPICALLY WE START OUR BUDGET CYCLE, UM, FAIRLY EARLY BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.

UM, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT IF THIS, FOR SOME REASON THIS ISN'T ON THE TABLE, THESE DOLLARS, UM, WHERE CAN THE PUBLIC, UM, LOOK TO BEGIN TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT, UM, THE IMPACTS OF A DECISION MADE TODAY, UH, THAT MAY HAVE IMPACTS ON OUR BUDGET LIKE THAT? SURE, ABSOLUTELY.

THIS IS A GOOD CHANCE TO KIND OF GO OVER THAT.

SO, UH, TYPICALLY, UH, MARCH IS WHEN WE START AND WE, UH, REALLY GET INTO A STUDY SESSION WITH THE COUNCIL.

UH, IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, WE'VE BEEN BACKING THAT UP, WHERE WE START GOING OUT EARLY TO THE COMMUNITY, UH, IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY PRIOR TO US EVEN GETTING INTO WHAT THOSE PROJECTIONS ARE.

AND SO WE'RE PLANNING TO DO THAT AGAIN.

UH, WE GO OUT AND AT THAT POINT WE'RE, WE TALK LESS NUMBERS, WE TALK MORE, UM, CONCEPTS, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MAJOR THINGS THAT WE HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY.

UH, THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT THIS YEAR IS ALSO WANTED US TO LOOK AT ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND HOW WE GET MORE PEOPLE IN THOSE MEETINGS.

AND SO THAT CAN BE A PART OF THAT DISCUSSION AS WELL.

AND THEN AFTER THAT, WE COME TO YOU IN, UH, MARCH, AND THOSE ARE KIND OF THE, THAT'S WHERE WE GET THE UPDATED NUMBERS.

THAT'S WHERE WE START GETTING BETTER, UM, ACTUAL PROJECTIONS ABOUT WHAT THAT, UH, WILL LOOK LIKE.

AND THEN WE WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO UPDATE THAT $30 MILLION FIGURE COULD GO UP, COULD GO DOWN.

UH, AND AT THAT POINT TOO, WE NEED TO START ENGAGING THE COUNCIL WITH SOME STRATEGY ON, YOU KNOW, THE MEASURE A, HOW THAT GETS INCORPORATED.

THEN ALSO, UH, WE NEED TO GET A SENSE OF HOW MUCH OF THE NEW MEASURE LB IS GONNA BE COMING IN AS WELL.

THAT'S AN UNKNOWN, THAT REVENUE SOURCE HASN'T, UM, HASN'T EVER BEEN IMPLEMENTED BEFORE.

AND SO THAT'S A KEY PART OF IT.

AND THEN WE START LOOKING AT OUR, OUR PROJECTIONS.

SO, UH, FROM THERE, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE GET COUNCIL INITIAL FEEDBACK, THEN WE MOVE INTO, UH, THE CITY MANAGER DEVELOPING THE BUDGET AND GETTING ALL THE SCENARIOS, UM, FROM THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND ALL THE DIFFERENT COMMUNITY FEEDBACK.

AND THEN WE BUILD THAT INTO, YOU KNOW, PRESENTING TO THE MAYOR, MAYOR RECOMMENDATIONS, AND THEN COUNCIL, UH, MAKING THOSE CHOICES IN, IN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER.

AND IF I RECALL, AND I THINK THE MAYOR ALLUDED TO IT IN OUR CONVERSATIONS IN STUDY SESSIONS THIS YEAR, WE DID TALK ABOUT THE IMPLICATIONS OF IF, UH, MEASURE H SUNSETTED AND MEASURE A WAS PROPOSED, CORRECT? OH, YES.

SO THIS HAS BEEN, UH, AS, UH, AS OUR ATTORNEYS MENTIONED BEFORE, AS ACTUALLY DID, THIS IS VERY MUCH IN

[00:45:01]

THE LEGISLATIVE RECORD.

THIS WAS TALKED ABOUT IN 2020, ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN MEASURE H GOES AWAY AND MEASURE A COMES BACK IN.

THAT WAS A KEY PART OF THE MESSAGE.

BUT WE'VE REALLY TALKED A LOT ABOUT IT IN THE LAST, UH, YEAR AND A HALF, UM, ESPECIALLY AS MERE CAME.

SO WE'VE PRESENTED ALL OF THIS TO YOU PUBLICLY, UM, AND IT'S BEEN NEWSPAPER ARTICLES WRITTEN ABOUT IT, ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS.

'CAUSE WE WERE IN A VERY UNIQUE SITUATION THAN OTHER CITIES OF WHEN MERE PASSES.

SO IF MERE PASSES THE, THE COUNTY MEASURE A THEN, UH, THERE WAS THAT $24 MILLION BENEFIT TO THE CITY.

AND SO THAT WAS ACTUALLY TALKED ABOUT WITH THIS COUNCIL THIS LAST MARCH.

IT WAS THEN TALKED ABOUT AGAIN AS WE, UH, CONTEMPLATED SUPPORTING MEASURE A, UM, AND WHICH WE DID AS A COUNCIL.

AND, UH, AND THEN, UM, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT, UH, AFTER THE FACT AS WELL.

SO, UM, THIS IS, THIS HAS BEEN VERY MUCH OUT THERE IN FRONT OF, UH, VOTERS COMMUNITY.

UM, THANK YOU.

AND, UH, AS A FEW MORE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, QUEUED UP.

BUT BEFORE WE GET, BEFORE WE GET THERE, I THINK, I MEAN, WE DIDN'T ANTICIPATE THIS DISCUSSION WAS GONNA GET A LITTLE BIT MORE INTO THE, THE BUDGET, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR FOLKS TO UNDERSTAND ALSO, UM, WHAT DRIVES SINCE THE PANDEMIC, WHAT HAS REALLY DRIVEN, UH, THE, THE, THE DEFICIT.

I MEAN, WHEN I ASSUMED OFFICE AS MAYOR, UH, I THINK THE NUMBER WAS $87 MILLION STRUCTURAL DEFICIT BETWEEN N NOW AND I THINK 2030.

THOSE ARE BIG NUMBERS, BUT THEY COULD BE MANAGEABLE, UH, BASED ON, YOU KNOW, IF WE TAKE CERTAIN ACTIONS, UH, DON'T GROW WHERE YOU LIKE, LIMIT YOUR GROWTH, WHERE YOU NEED TO LIMIT YOUR GROWTH, IDENTIFY WHERE WE'RE NOT CAPTURING WHAT WE SHOULD CAPTURE, LIKE WHAT TOOK PLACE WITH MEASURE LB UH, OPPORTUNITIES LIKE SHOULD LA COUNTY MEASURE A PASS.

BUT ALSO THERE'S A BIT OF A RUNWAY BETWEEN NOW AND 2030 TO FOCUS ON NEW REVENUE OPPORTUNITIES BY WAY OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

WHAT ARE SOME STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO GROW IN THE AREAS THAT WE CAPTURE REVENUE, LIKE TRANSIT, OCCUPANCY TAX, SALES TAX, THE INVESTMENTS THAT WE'RE MAKING IN GROW LONG BEACH AND ATTRACTING COMPANIES HERE.

SOME OF THAT BRING, SOME OF THOSE FOLKS BRING NEW SALES TAX OPPORTUNITIES OR EVEN, UH, PROPERTY, UH, YOU KNOW, HIGH TECH EQUIPMENT WITH HIGH VALUE THAT ACTUALLY OVER TIME INCREASES PROPERTY VALUES AS WELL, JUST TO HAVE A MORE SUSTAINABLE, UM, UH, GENERAL FUND AND PROPERTY TAX BASE.

BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD IF YOU TOOK A LITTLE BIT OF TIME AND JUST EXPLAINED WHAT DRIVES, UH, THAT $87 MILLION AND HOW THAT, WHAT'S UNIQUELY HAPPENING IN LONG BEACH RELATED TO OIL, UH, THAT, UM, HELPS TO SORT OF IMPACT SOME OF THOSE CHALLENGES.

UH, GIVEN THAT UPLANDS IS, DOES CONTRIBUTE TO THE GENERAL FUND, AND WE KNOW IT HAS AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE, MAYBE WE CAN ELABORATE ON THAT A LITTLE BIT.

SURE.

MAYOR, UM, THE $87 MILLION WAS BEFORE MY TIME, SO I'LL JUST TALK ABOUT THE GENERAL CHANGES IN THE LAST THREE YEARS FOR THE CITY.

UM, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S DRIVEN BY, UM, A, A SLIGHT SLOWDOWN IN PROPERTY TAX REVENUE.

UM, NOT TOO MUCH OF A SLOWDOWN.

SALES TAX HAS CONTINUED TO PRODUCE.

UM, TRANSIENT OCCUPANCY TAX TOOK A LITTLE LONGER TO BOUNCE BACK FROM THE PANDEMIC INDUCED RECESSION.

UM, AND THEN WE LOST A REVENUE SOURCE FROM, UH, TRANSFER FROM THE WATER FUND.

THAT WAS $8 MILLION A YEAR.

UH, AND THEN OF COURSE, UH, IN ORDER TO GET THE, IN ORDER TO PROVIDE ALL THE SERVICES THAT THE CITY PROMISES TO ITS RESIDENTS, UM, AND TO GET THE VACANCY RATE DOWN, UM, LABOR NEGOTIATIONS CAME IN AT A HIGHER COST THAN PROBABLY WAS ANTICIPATED WHEN THAT $87 MILLION, UM, DEFICIT PROJECTION WAS MADE.

AND I'M ASSUMING THAT NUMBER WAS ALSO FIVE YEARS OUT.

AND AS YOU JUST SAID, MAYOR, THERE'S, THERE'S RUNWAY BETWEEN TODAY AND THE END OF ANY FIVE YEAR FORECAST, SO WE'RE NOT DONE.

WE KNOW THE CONVENTION BUSINESS HAS MADE A STRONG RESURGENCE SINCE THE PANDEMIC, BUT IT HA IT CAN'T DO IT ALL.

THAT'S RIGHT.

AND, AND I'LL ADD THAT EVEN WITH THAT, THAT 87, YOU KNOW, COMING DOWN A LITTLE BIT, UM, WE'VE GOTTEN SOME, SOME BETTER PROJECTIONS THERE.

THE, UH, THE 24 MILLION FROM MEASURE A PLUS THE $15 MILLION FROM MEASURE LB MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE, BUT DOESN'T GET US ALL THE WAY THERE.

SO, RIGHT.

UH, WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO, UM, AND WE, UH, ARE, UM, INVESTING IN, IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT STRATEGIES.

EVERYTHING FROM, YOU KNOW, ADVERTISING AND MARKETING AND SEEING IF WE CAN CREATE REVENUE SOURCES THERE, UH, TO BRINGING IN MORE PEOPLE INTO THE CITY WHO, UH, THEN THEY'RE SPENDING THEIR DOLLARS HERE INSTEAD OF IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, WHICH HELPS US.

UH, AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THROUGH OUR ENTERTAINMENT STRATEGIC PLAN AND, AND, UH, THE, YOU KNOW, THE WORK THAT'S GOING DOWN IN, IN THE, IN THE DOWNTOWN, BRINGING PEOPLE, UH, IN, UH, WE CONTINUE OUR CONVENTION WORK AND TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BRINGING IN PEOPLE IN AND, AND BRINGING IN MILLIONS OF PEOPLE INTO LONG BEACH WHO THEN SPEND THEIR DOLLARS HERE THAT, UH, THAT HELP US.

AND THAT ALSO HELPS RAISE OUR, OUR PROPERTY TAX VALUES AND, AND, UH, EMPLOYEES, PEOPLE AND JOBS.

YEAH.

I, I AGREE.

ENTERTAINMENT WON'T SOLVE THE OIL PROBLEM IN ALL OF OUR DEFICIT, BUT I MEAN, IT'S SUSTAINABLE REVENUE WHEN FOLKS COME INTO TOWN, SHOP AT A, YOU KNOW, EAT AT A RESTAURANT, GENERATE SALES TAX, STAY IN A HOTEL.

[00:50:01]

WE'RE ALREADY AT PRE PANDEMIC LEVELS, BUT YOU'RE LIMITED IN TERMS OF YOUR CAPACITY, LARGELY BECAUSE OF THE CAPACITY AND THEN HOTELS.

BUT SOME OF THE WORK AROUND, UH, ENTERTAINMENT CONCERTS, UM, THE QUEEN MARY AREA REALLY TURNED INTO A FESTIVAL GROUND AND THEY'VE GENERATE SOME REAL POSITIVE ECONOMIC BENEFIT.

THE CONVERSATIONS AROUND THE AMPHITHEATER, ALL THOSE THINGS, THEY HAVE MULTIPLE BENEFITS.

IT MAXIMIZES TOT AND SALES TAX.

BUT ALSO, UH, THOSE RESTAURANTS WHO HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING THE LAST FEW YEARS TO LIKE JUST GET BACK TO THEIR NUMBERS, IT SORT OF OFF, IT CREATES A NEW REVENUE SOURCE TO OFFSET SOME OF THEIR LOSSES AT THE LUNCHTIME CROWD BASED ON JUST THE CHANGES IN, IN RETURN TO WORK.

SOME OF THOSE WILL TAKE SOME TIME TO REALIZE, BUT THEY ARE STRATEGIES TO HELP PROACTIVELY BOOST REVENUE WHILE SOME OF YOUR LONGER TERM PLAYS, UH, INVESTING IN SORT OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE THINGS THAT BRING GOOD JOBS AND PROPERTY TAX BOOSTS, THEY, UH, THEY NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME, UH, TO MATERIALIZE.

I'M GONNA GO TO VICE MAYOR ALLEN.

UH, YES.

UH, THANK YOU.

UM, CITY MANAGER, I HAVE A QUESTION, AND I KNOW I SEE THE, THE POLICE CHIEF IS HERE.

UM, BUT I WANNA KNOW, LIKE SPECIFICALLY WHEN WE LOOK AT THAT $60 MILLION, LIKE IF, IF WE WEREN'T TO APPROVE THAT TODAY, WHAT WOULD BE AT JEOPARDY? INSTEAD OF JUST SAYING POLICE, LIKE WHAT SERVICES AND WITH POLICE AND FIRE SPECIFICALLY WOULD BE, WOULD BE AT JEOPARDY? YEAH.

THAT, THAT'S A HARD QUESTION TO ANSWER, BUT I, I'LL DO MY BEST AND, AND WE CAN ASK THE POLICE CHIEF IF THERE'S ANY VERY SPECIFICS, BUT I'LL USE SOME PAST EXAMPLES.

'CAUSE AGAIN, THIS WILL BE, THIS WILL BE UP TO THE COUNCIL.

THESE ARE THE TOUGH DECISIONS WE HAVE TO MAKE WHEN WE GO INTO THAT.

WE HAVEN'T HAD TO DO THAT FOR THREE OR FOUR YEARS BECAUSE OF THE RECOVERY ACT DOLLARS.

THOSE WERE ONCE IN A LIFETIME DOLLARS.

WE USED A LOT OF THEM TO HELP ALL THIS RECOVERY THAT WE'RE SEEING, ALL THE SALES TAX GROWTH AND PROPERTY TAX GROWTH IS BECAUSE WE INVESTED, UH, BACK INTO OUR COMMUNITY.

BUT WE USED SOME OF IT FOR, UM, TO PLUG DEFICITS IN THE PAST.

UM, BECAUSE THE, UM, WHEN, WHEN DEFICITS GET THAT BIG 30 MILLION AND, AND NORTH, UH, YOU REALLY AREN'T GETTING THERE BY LITTLE TINY TRIMS, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE HAVE GONE THROUGH SO MUCH OVER THE PAST 15 YEARS, UH, OF REDUCTIONS.

AND SO, UH, WE THEN, UH, AS CITY MANAGER ALL, UM, HELP WITH FINANCE, GET A MODEL WHERE WE SAY, THIS IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO SPREAD IT.

UH, WE DON'T DO ACROSS THE BOARD CUTS, BUT WE ASK EVERY DEPARTMENT TO COME UP WITH WHAT THEIR SCENARIO IS.

THEY'LL GET A TARGET FROM US THAT WE ARE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT.

AND THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, HAS TRADITIONALLY IN THE PAST INCLUDED POLICE, IT'S INCLUDED FIRE, UH, IT'S INCLUDED EVERYBODY.

AND THEN THEY PROVIDE THOSE SCENARIOS AND THEN WE LOOK AT EACH AND EVERY ONE AND BUILD THE BUDGET.

AND SO, UH, POLICE, UH, WOULD LIKELY GET A, A PRETTY LARGE CUT BECAUSE, UM, UH, THEY ARE, UH, THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE GENERAL FUND, THEY'RE THE LARGEST GENERAL FUND BUDGET, OVER 50% FIRE IS ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, 20 SOMETHING PERCENT.

SO THEY GET A LARGE ONE AS WELL.

UH, PRIOR TO ANY OF THIS, UM, THE REASON WE PUT MEASURE A IN PLACE WAS BECAUSE WE WENT THROUGH THE GREAT RECESSION FROM 2008 TO 2011 12.

UH, THAT RESULTED IN US, UH, CUTTING ABOUT 200 POSITIONS IN THE, IN THE, UH, POLICE DEPARTMENT OR 200, UH, OFFICER POSITIONS IN ADDITION TO OTHERS.

WE HAD FIVE FIRE STATIONS THAT LOST A RESOURCE.

WE NEVER CLOSED A FIRE STATION, BUT WE LOST A RESOURCE.

THOSE WERE THE DECISIONS WE HAD TO MAKE BECAUSE PRIOR TO THAT, WE WERE CUTTING ALL THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS SO MUCH THAT, UM, AND, AND PRESERVING PUBLIC SAFETY THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT THINGS LIKE HAVING TO CLOSE EVERY LIBRARY OR, OR COMPLETELY NOT DO, YOU KNOW, BASIC FUNCTIONS OF PUBLIC WORKS.

AND SO, UH, AS, AS PAINFUL AS THAT WAS, WE HAD TO PUT THAT PLAN IN PLACE THAT POLICE AND FIRE HAD TO BE A PART OF THAT SOLUTION.

AND WE'RE STILL AT THAT, AT THAT MODEL TODAY IN MY MIND WHERE, UM, IF WE WERE TO TAKE $30 MILLION OUT OF ALL THE REST OF THE DEPARTMENTS, YOU WOULD SEE INCREDIBLE PAIN FOR THINGS THAT WE KNOW OUR COMMUNITY WANTS.

NOT TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WOULDN'T HAVE PAINFUL CUTS IN POLICE AND FIRE, WE WOULD, UM, BUT THOSE, THOSE WOULD BE THE TOUGH CHOICES WE'D HAVE TO PRESENT YOU AS A COUNCIL, UM, AND, UH, AND ABSENT ANY OTHER, UH, SOLUTIONS.

RIGHT.

OUTSIDE OF JUST THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

AND I DON'T WANNA PUT THE CHIEF ON THE SPOT.

DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANNA ADD, CHIEF? GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR.

I'M CERTAINLY HAPPY TO ADD ANYTHING THE COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM ME TODAY.

SO IF YOU GUYS WOULD LIKE ME TO SPEAK TO THE IMPACTS, I'M HAPPY TO DO SO.

I THINK I, YEAH, I THINK THAT WAS THE REQUEST.

UH, YEAH.

SO, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, TRADITIONALLY, AS THE CITY MANAGER MENTIONED, THE LARGEST PART OF THE GENERAL FUND IS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

AND THAT IS, UH, THE ANSWER TO, TO CUTS.

I WOULD SAY TODAY, THINKING ABOUT THE VISION OF THE CITY AND THE FUTURE OF THE CITY, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT ANY REDUCTION TO STAFFING WOULD NOT ONLY IMPACT OUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE CURRENT, UH, SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITY AT THE LEVEL WE EXPECT TO PROVIDE THEM, BUT IT ALSO IMPACT THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES AS WE MOVE TOWARD 2028, THE OLYMPICS, THE DESIRE TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN MORE OFFICERS, THE DESIRE TO INVEST IN CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT WILL HELP US, UH, MAINTAIN THAT FOUNDATION TO KEEP THE CITY SAFE AND LAUNCH THE OTHER DIRECTIVES WE HAVE

[00:55:01]

I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO CONTRIBUTE TO ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS, UH, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, BUT, UM, I, I, I'M COMPELLED TO SAY THAT THAT WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT HIT TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, SHOULD WE HAVE TO TAKE FURTHER BUDGET CUTS AND IT WOULD, UH, IMPACT OUR ABILITY TO LAUNCH, UH, REALLY WHAT WE'RE CALLING THE GEM OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS OUR NEW TRAINING FACILITY.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I WOULD SAY THAT, UM, AND CHIEF, WHILE YOU'RE THERE, I MEAN, YOU'VE DONE AN INCREDIBLE JOB AT, AT FOCUSING ON STAFFING THESE PAST TWO YEARS.

UH, THREE ACADEMIES IN 18 MONTHS WHERE IT NORMALLY WOULD TAKE US 18 MONTHS ON ONE ACADEMY.

IT'S BEEN A REAL, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN A REAL AREA OF FOCUS FOR YOU.

AND I THINK, UH, THE ADMINISTRATIVE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO AND WITH RECENTLY ADOPTED, UH, MEASURE JB THAT ACTUALLY WILL HELP US HAVE A MORE EFFICIENT PROCESS.

AND WITH THE ADDITIONAL CAPACITY OF THE NEW POLICE ACADEMY FACILITY, WE WILL ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO RECRUIT POTENTIALLY LARGER AND TRAIN POTENTIALLY A LARGER GROUP OF, UH, OF, UM, OF OFFICERS.

SO, SO THAT CERTAINLY SORT OF ALIGNS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER OTTI.

UH, YEAH, I ACTUALLY WANTED TO ASK A QUESTION OF, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN.

I WANTED TO GET INTO A BETTER IDEA OF, I DUNNO IF I FULLY WRAPPED MY HEAD AROUND YOUR CONCERN.

SO MAYBE IF YOU COULD RESTATE IT, UM, IS, 'CAUSE IT IS A CONCERN THAT THERE ARE LEGAL RAMIFICATIONS TO THE, LIKE THE, LIKE US COLLECTING THE QUARTER SALES TAX THE WAY THAT WE'RE DOING IT.

LIKE I'M, I'M, I'M, THE MORE I SIT HERE, THE MORE I'M, I'M UNCLEAR EXACTLY WHAT THE, UM, THE CONCERN IS IN THE BALLOT MEASURE.

DOES IT STATE THAT WE HA YOU KNOW, I'LL ASK CITY ATTORNEY, BUT IT SHOULD HELP CLARIFY MY CONCERN IN THE BALLOT MEASURE.

DOES IT SPECIFICALLY STATE THAT IF MEASURE H IS RETIRED PRIOR TO ITS SUNSET, WE ARE ABLE TO TAKE THAT QUARTER PERCENT? AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR.

THE BLACK AND WHITE, I UNDERSTAND THE INTENT, BUT AS WE HAVE ALL SEEN AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE SEE THAT LEGALLY WE GET CAUGHT IN A TRAP IF THINGS AREN'T ABSOLUTELY BLACK AND WHITE.

CLEARLY STATED THAT COUNCIL MEMBER IS MY CONCERN.

SO THAT'S A, A GREAT QUESTION COUNCIL MEMBER.

'CAUSE THIS IS AN AREA THAT'S CONFUSING FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.

A LOT OF PEOPLE LOOK AT JUST THE LANGUAGE OF THE BALLOT MEASURE ITSELF AND THINK THAT THAT IS THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS.

BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE UNDER THE LAW IN THIS SITUATION.

IT'S THE ORDINANCE THAT WAS THE INTENT OF THE VOTERS.

THE ORDINANCE IS THE OPERATIVE DOCUMENT, AND THE ORDINANCE DOES INDICATE THAT MEASURE H SUN IS THE TRIGGER FOR THIS CHANGE IN THE TAX.

SO BALLOT MEASURES ARE LIMITED IN THE NUMBER OF WORDS.

THEY CAN HAVE 75 WORDS.

AND SO THE COURTS HAVE ROUTINELY RECOGNIZED THAT YOU CAN'T FIT ALL THE WORDS THAT YOU WOULD NEED INTO THE ACTUAL BALLOT LANGUAGE.

SO THOSE WORDS ARE NOT IN THE ACTUAL TEXT OF THE BALLOT, BUT THAT'S NOT THE ONLY THING THE COURT LOOKS AT TO DETERMINE IF IT'S LEGALLY THE WILL OF THE VOTERS.

UH, SIR, SORRY SIR.

WE'LL OPEN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT THIS DISCUSSION IS BEHIND THE DICE RIGHT NOW.

ALRIGHT, UH, NEXT WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBERS IN DEJAS.

THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.

UM, CITY ATTORNEY, UM, SO FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, AND, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'M, I'M GRASPING RIGHT NOW, UM, IS THAT THE INTENT OF THIS ORDINANCE WHEN IT WAS, UM, CREATED IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ALIGN RIGHT NOW.

UM, MY QUESTION, ONE OF MY QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE IS, CAN YOU, UM, CITY STAFF SHARE WHAT THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS WILL BE FOR OUR HOUSING AND OUR HOMELESS SERVICES IF THIS DOES NOT PASS TODAY? SO, UM, THERE'S A NUMBER OF, OF FUNDING SOURCES THAT WE DO HAVE FOR, UM, FOR, FOR SERVICES FOR, UM, HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS.

SO THE MEASURE H OR A MONEY THAT COMES IN THAT IS GOING TO COME IN, SO THAT WILL COME IN AND FUND LA CASA, UM, ON THE HOUSING SIDE AND IT'LL FUND, UM, THE COUNTY, UH, AND REPLACE MEASURE H UM, UH, FOR THE, FOR THE HOMELESS SIDE.

SO THAT MONEY WOULD STILL BE AVAILABLE.

UH, TRI UH, TRADITIONALLY WE HAVE USED, UM, PART OF MEASURE EIGHT OR MEASURE A TO SUPPORT THINGS LIKE OUR QUALITY OF LIFE OFFICERS.

UM, THERE'S A WHOLE LIST IN THE BUDGET DOCUMENT THAT SHOWS LIKE WHERE WE'RE PUTTING THAT.

AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE DONE LIKE THE NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY BIKE TEAM, FOR EXAMPLE, OUT OF MEASURE A, UM, THEY ARE ALSO, YOU KNOW, FUNDED THROUGH MEASURE A AND THEY DO A NUMBER OF THINGS WITH OUR HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS.

SO, UH, WHILE WE HAVE, UM, MEASURE A DEDICATED TOWARDS INFRASTRUCTURE AND PUBLIC SAFETY, THERE ARE CERTAIN POSITIONS THAT ARE THEN CALLED OUT FOR IN

[01:00:01]

MEASURE A.

MEASURE A ALSO HAS BEEN A HUGE, UH, AND THIS WAS VERY CLEAR WITH THE VOTERS IN PREVENTING CUTS TO THE, UH, POLICE AND FIRE.

UH, AND SO WE ADDED THINGS WHERE WE COULD, UM, FIT THAT IN.

WE COULD STRATEGICALLY ADD IN, IN UNDER MEASURE A.

WE ALSO, UH, THE VAST MAJORITY HAS GONE TO PRESERVING, UH, CUTS.

SO IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT, THAT MONEY, UH, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE LESS ABILITY TO, TO DO THAT, UM, IN THE FUTURE TO BE ABLE TO PRESERVE, UM, THE SUPPORT THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.

DID THE MEETINGS AND ALSO THEN PROPOSED THAT MEASURE H BE A TEMPORARY TAX.

UM, ALSO BACK IN 2020 FOR MEASURE A, UM, CAN YOU SHARE MORE IN DETAIL WHAT WAS THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WERE HAD? MAYBE GIVE SOME EXAMPLES OF WHAT THE COMMUNICATION WAS BACK THEN, UM, WITH, FROM THE CITY, INCLUDING THE PUBLIC HEARINGS, MORE OR LESS, IF YOU CAN RECALL.

UM, UH, THANK YOU COUNCIL, UH, MEMBERS IN DEJAS.

YES.

THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.

SO, JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, ON JULY 2ND, 2019, UM, UH, CITY MANAGER GAVE HIS STAFF REPORT, UM, IN THE LEAD UP TO, UH, IT WAS THE FIRST READING OF THE 2020 MEASURE A BALLOT LANGUAGE.

UM, AND HE SAID, ANY EXTENSION OF MEASURE A NEEDS TO TAKE THAT CAP INTO ACCOUNT.

STAFF WOULD RECOMMEND THAT ANY EXTENSION WOULD WORK IN CONCERT WITH MEASURE H WOULD CUR, WHICH CURRENTLY HAS A SUNSET PROVISION.

THE PROPOSED EXTENSION WOULD LEVY A 0.75 TAX FROM 2023 TO 2027.

THEN WHEN MEASURE H EXPIRES IN 2027, THE RATE WOULD BE 1%, THE SAME AMOUNT LEVIED FROM 2017 TO 2023.

AND THAT IS A DIRECT QUOTE FROM, UM, THE, UH, COUNCIL, UH, FROM THE CITY CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

AND SO THE QUESTION, THE, THE ITEM, WELL, THE INTENT IN QUESTION IS CLEAR THERE, UM, THAT SAYS THAT WHEN IT SUNSETS, IT DOES SAY A DATE, BUT IT'S ASKING WHEN IT'S, IT'S NOT ASKING TELL ME WHEN IT'S SUNSETS, WHEN MEASURE H SUNSETS.

UM, THANK YOU FOR THAT.

AND THEN I WOULD ADD, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS FROM 2020 AND THEN THIS LAST YEAR WE'VE BEEN VERY CLEAR, UH, ONCE THE, YOU KNOW, THIS POSSIBILITY CAME FORWARD THAT MEASURE A WAS GOING TO REPLACE MEASURE H UH, AND WE HAVE, UH, A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT DOCUMENTS.

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT HERE AT THE COUNCIL AS WELL, THAT THAT WOULD HAPPEN.

THAT, UM, AND BECAUSE WE HAD TO GO DOWN IN OUR MEASURE A AND, UH, BECAUSE MEASURE H CAME IN AND THEN THAT THE OPPOSITE WOULD BE TRUE AS WELL, THAT MEASURE H ONCE IT IS, UH, REPEALED, WE WOULD GO UP AS WELL.

UM, THANK YOU FOR THAT.

ALSO, THIS IS A VERY COMPLEX, UM, ISSUE FOR OUR RESIDENTS TO UNDERSTAND AND RELATE TO IT.

SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE TIME THAT YOU ARE TAKING TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER OUR QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR OUR RESIDENTS TO BE ABLE TO GET AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE, ESPECIALLY IN THE SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME THAT WE WERE GIVEN TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS.

UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK CITY STAFF THAT I, UM, MAY, THAT HAS BEEN TOUCHED UPON, BUT THAT I THINK, UM, DESERVES A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME IS THE ACTUAL HISTORY OF MEASURE H.

IF YOU COULD GO OVER THE ACTUAL HISTORY, UM, MAYBE IN BULLET POINTS, MAYBE IN, UM, WHATEVER IT IS THAT IS NEEDED TO ACTUALLY GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE OF UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT MEASURE H IS AND WHY IT IS SUNSETTING.

SURE.

I'LL GIVE, UH, I'LL DO THAT, UH, TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY.

SO MEASURE H UH, CAME OUT OF, UH, A LARGE REQUEST FROM THE ENTIRE JURISDICTION, OR I'M SORRY, THE ENTIRE COUNTY THAT WAS, UH, SEEING A HOMELESSNESS CRISIS.

UH, AND SO THAT WAS RESPONDED TO BY THE, UH, LA COUNTY, UH, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

UH, THEY HELD A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT HEARINGS AND PROPOSED THAT WE HAVE AN ACTUAL DEDICATED FUNDING SOURCE FOR HOMELESSNESS, UH, PRIOR TO MEASURE H THAT DID NOT EXIST IN LA COUNTY.

AND SO WE WERE ALWAYS, AND WE AS A CITY TOO, WERE PIECING TOGETHER DOLLARS FOR HOMELESSNESS, A LITTLE BIT OF OUR GENERAL FUND, BUT MOST OF IT CAME FROM THE FEDERAL CONTINUUM OF CARE.

UH, THAT REALLY STARTED A HUGE INVESTMENT.

UH, AND AT THE SAME TIME, THE STATE STARTED GETTING MORE INVOLVED AS WELL.

AND WE PRESENTED TO THE COUNCIL IN THE PAST KIND OF HOW MUCH OUR HOMELESSNESS BUDGET HAS GROWN AND MEASURE H IS A PART OF THAT.

AND SO THE COUNTY, UH, WENT OUT AND, UH, AND

[01:05:01]

UH, IT WAS 10 YEARS.

UH, AND THEY KNEW THAT IT WOULD, UH, THAT IT WOULD GO AWAY AT SOME POINT.

AND SO THAT WAS VERY CLEAR WITH VOTERS IN 2016, UM, THAT IT WOULD, UM, OR I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER, NO, IT CAME LATER THAN 2016.

I'M GETTING CONFUSED.

2017, RIGHT? IT CAME AFTER OUR ORIGINAL MEASURE A, UH, AND THEN, UH, THAT IT WOULD AT, AT SOME POINT EITHER NEED TO BE EXTENDED OR IN THIS CASE, UH, A DIFFERENT PLAN CAME FORWARD THAT IT NEEDED TO BE REPEALED AND REPLACED WITH A DIFFERENT ONE.

AND THEN OF COURSE, THE, THERE'S THE, UH, THE CHANGES THAT HAPPENED WITH THE, UM, UH, WITH THE CAPS AND THE CAP HAS CHANGED AS WELL IN ORDER TO ALLOW THE NEW MEASURE A TO GO INTO EFFECT, THE COUNTY CAP WAS CHANGED IN ORDER TO ALLOW FOR THAT.

AND, AND I'LL, I'LL JUST ADD, EVEN IF THE COUNTY HAD EXTENDED PROP H IT WOULD'VE WENT DOWN IN Q THE SAME WAY WHEN WE EXTENDED MEASURE A, IT WENT DOWN IN Q.

SO THAT'S JUST THE SYSTEM THAT'S BEEN ESTABLISHED FOR A LONG TIME.

I KNOW THAT THIS SYSTEM MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR TO MANY PEOPLE.

WE ARE WAY INTO THE WEEDS.

THAT'S OKAY.

THAT'S WHAT THIS PROCESS IS FOR.

AND IF ANYONE QUESTIONS IT, THERE IS A LEGAL PROCESS FOR PEOPLE TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES, UH, THROUGH THAT PROCESS.

AND MR. MAYOR, IF I CAN SHARE A PERSONAL ANECDOTE, IS WE GOT READY FOR THIS.

AND AS I TALKED TO, YOU KNOW, MY FAMILY AND NEIGHBORS OR OTHERS, UM, AND SAY, HEY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A MEETING AND THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING.

UM, I WAS SURPRISED AT THE LEVEL OF PEOPLE WHO REMEMBERED THIS ISSUE, RIGHT? WHO SAID, OH YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

MEASURE H IS GOING AWAY.

MEASURE A COMES IN.

UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHILE THIS IS TECHNICAL, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT.

UH RIGHT.

AND THIS IS SOMETHING I THINK ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS REMEMBERED RIGHT AWAY AS WELL.

FRANKLY, WE WERE DISAPPOINTED WE WOULDN'T GET OUR FULL 1 CENT WHEN WE RENEWED PROP PROP A MEASURE A, UH, THAT PROP H WENT IN, WENT INTO EFFECT IN ADVANCE.

AND PROP H WAS AN IMPORTANT MEASURE.

AND SO IS LA COUNTY MEASURE A? BUT WE, YOU KNOW, OUR PRIORITY IS OUR LONG BEACH, OUR LONG BEACH COMMUNITIES, AND MAKING SURE WE HAVE THE RESOURCES TO PROVIDE QUALITY CITY SERVICES LIKE PUBLIC SAFETY, WHICH IS A NUMBER PRIORITY FOR ME.

I CAN'T SPEAK FOR EVERYONE, BUT IT'S A NUMBER PRIORITY FOR MAYORS MAYOR.

UM, OKAY, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF THREE MORE PEOPLE QUEUED.

WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN, COUNCIL MEMBER RICKS OTI, COUNCIL MEMBER KERR AND COUNCIL MEMBER SORROW.

ABOUT THE 110 DAY DEADLINE OR ELSE THIS WOULD'VE BEEN ON A REGULARLY NOTICED MEETING.

UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN.

SO I ASKED IF THE BALLOT MEASURE ITSELF HAD AN END DATE.

THE TECHNICAL LANGUAGE DOES HAVE A SUNSET DATE OF MEASURE H.

SO TECHNICALLY IT, IT'S BLACK AND WHITE ISN'T A DATE BLACK AND WHITE.

TALK AGAIN, CITY ATTORNEY ABOUT, UM, THE INTENT SHOULD MOVE THIS FORWARD MORE VERSUS, UM, IT'S NOT BLACK AND WHITE TALK TO TALK TO US ABOUT THAT MORE.

SO I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND YOUR EXACT QUESTION.

MY QUESTION IS MM-HMM .

I WANNA UNDERST UNDERSTAND HOW THIS IS LEGAL WHEN THERE IS A SPECIFIC SUNSET DATE MM-HMM .

IN THE ORDINANCE.

OKAY, SO THE ORDINANCE SAYS THAT MEASURE H IS SUNSETTING ON THE, IN 2027, IT, SO IT SAYS THE 1% TAX FOR THE CITY IS IN EFFECT THROUGH 22, AND THEN THE CITY'S THREE QUARTER PERCENT TAX IS IN EFFECT THROUGH 27.

AND THEN IT GOES BACK TO THE 1% TAX UPON THE SUNSET OF MEASURE H.

SO WHERE PEOPLE MAY GET CONFUSED IS THAT IT SAYS THROUGH 27 AND THEN SAYS THAT THE 1% BOUNCES BACK IN UPON THE SUNSET OF MEASURE H.

AND SO IT'S VERY CLEAR IN THE DOCUMENTS THAT THE INTENTION WAS ALWAYS FOR IT TO GO BACK TO 1% UPON THE SUNSET OF MEASURE H, BUT IT, IT WAS NOT NECESSARILY ENVISIONED THAT MEASURE H COULD SUNSET EARLY.

SO THAT LANGUAGE WASN'T INCLUDED IF IT SUNSETS EARLY BECAUSE YOU DON'T NECESSARILY PUT LANGUAGE INTO LEGAL DOCUMENTS THAT HAVE NO NEED TO BE THERE.

BUT IT DOES SAY THAT IT WILL GO BACK UP UPON THE SUNSET OF MEASURE AGE.

SO YOU DON'T HAVE A CONCERN THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE LEGAL ISSUES WITH THIS COUNCIL MEMBER? I CAN NEVER SAY THAT THERE COULD ALWAYS BE LEGAL ISSUES WITH ANYTHING THIS COUNCIL DOES.

ANYBODY CAN SUE ON ANYTHING IN THE WORLD.

THAT'S RIGHT.

UM, SO ALL WE CAN DO IS SIT HERE AND TELL YOU WHY WE BELIEVE THAT THIS IS EXPRESSING THE WILL AND THE INTENT OF THE VOTERS, WHICH WE DO.

THAT'S WHAT WE THINK IT IS DOING.

OR WE WOULDN'T BE HERE TODAY.

AND SO IN ORDER TO EFFECTUATE WHAT WE BELIEVE IS THE WILL AND INTENT OF THE VOTERS, THIS MEASURE HAS TO BE TAKEN BECAUSE THERE WAS SOME, UH, LACK OF UNDERSTANDING

[01:10:01]

RIGHT? BUT BECAUSE THAT INFORMATION WAS FOUND OUT ON FRIDAY, WE HAD TO BRING IT TO YOU TODAY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY'S NOT LOSING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN REVENUE FROM THAT MEASURE.

AND PLEASE UNDERSTAND, I I QUARTER PERCENT, $60 MILLION IT, THAT IS IMPORTANT TO THE CITY IN THE STATE THAT WE ARE.

I DO UNDERSTAND THAT.

I ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE FOLLOWING OUR ORDINANCES AND NOT CHANGING THEM AFTER THE FACT FOR SOMETHING THAT WAS LEFT OUT THAT COULD HAVE BEEN PUT INTO THE ORDINANCE TO START VICE MAYOR ALLEN.

MY QUESTION WAS ANSWERED.

UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, RICK SOTE.

OH, MY QUESTION ACTUALLY WAS ALREADY JUST ANSWERED AS WELL.

UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SORROW.

YES.

I APOLOGIZE FOR BEING LATE.

UM, I WAS COMING FROM A WORK MEETING ON THE 6 0 5.

UNFORTUNATELY THERE'S JUST BEEN A LOT OF ACCIDENT.

I THINK PEOPLE ARE JUST IN THE HOLIDAY RUSH AND I'VE BEEN LISTENING ONLINE AND YOU KNOW, THESE DOLLARS, IT'S MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT ARE PUBLIC FUNDS AND, UM, THEY'RE REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME AND MY CONSTITUENT, WHICH IS WHY I, I MADE SURE WHILE LATE, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, TO BE HERE AND TO MAKE EVERY EFFORT THAT I REPRESENT MY CONSTITUENT, THAT THEY RECEIVED THE DOLLARS I TO ENSURE THAT WE MAKE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CITY.

SO, UM, AND THAT'S WHY I'M HERE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CONVERSATION AND UM, IN SUPPORT OF THIS ITEM.

COUNCIL MEMBER KERR.

UH, YEAH, MY QUESTION WAS ANSWERED.

I JUST WANNA THANK THE CITY ATTORNEY FOR THAT REALLY SUCCINCT WRAP UP THAT YOU FEEL CONFIDENT IN THIS RECOMMENDATION IN FRONT OF US BASED ON THE INTENT OF THE VOTERS, UM, BALLOT LANGUAGE, UM, THE ORDINANCE WRITTEN AND ALL THE THINGS THAT THE COURT USES TO MAKE DECISIONS IN THAT THIS CASE.

IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.

IT'S JANUARY 1ST, 2023 UNTIL OCTOBER, 2027.

AND THANK YOU TO THE TEAM FOR THEIR WORK ON THIS SO QUICKLY.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

WE'RE GONNA GO TO PUBLIC COMM THERE, A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC, UH, HERE TO SPEAK.

PLEASE COME FORWARD.

YOU GOT THREE MINUTES.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

MY NAME IS IAN PATTON, FIFTH DISTRICT RESIDENT AND, UH, WITH THE LONG BEACH REFORM COALITION.

AND, UM, I'M JUST HEARING SO MUCH NONSENSE, HOT AND HEAVY FROM THIS STAFF, WHICH IS CLEARLY UNDER MARCHING ORDERS JUST TO JAM THIS TAX HIKE THROUGH NO MATTER WHAT.

NO MATTER WHETHER IT'S HONEST, NO MATTER WHETHER IT'S LEGAL ETHICS DON'T SEEM TO APPLY, DO THEY? BECAUSE THE IMPERATIVE IS TO GET TENS OF MILLIONS OF MORE DOLLARS FOR THE REVENUE OF THIS CITY.

WE HAVE THE CITY MANAGER HERE TALKING ABOUT CUTS FOR SOMETHING THAT WAS NEVER, IT'S A TAX INCREASE.

IT WAS NEVER EVEN ON THE TABLE.

WHAT CUTS, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? IT DOESN'T EVEN MAKE SENSE.

THIS IS NOT A TECHNICAL CHANGE.

THIS IS A TAX INCREASE THAT WAS NOT VOTED ON BY THE PEOPLE OF THIS CITY.

AND YOU ARE ALL GOING TO BE TAGGED WITH JACKING UP THE SALES TAX OF THE PEOPLE OF THIS CITY WITHOUT THEIR APPROVAL IN A STEALTH MEETING IN THE DECEMBER HOLIDAYS THAT NOBODY IN THE COMMUNITY KNEW ABOUT.

STOP AND THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

IT'S BOTH WRONG AND IT'S ILLEGAL.

THIS ORDINANCE WAS PASSED BY THE PEOPLE OF THIS CITY BY A 16 VOTE MARGIN OUT OF A HUNDRED THOUSAND.

BUT IT'S LEGAL.

IT WAS PASSED BY THE PEOPLE.

AND WHAT THE CITY ATTORNEY SAID TO YOU IS FALSE.

ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS READ IT.

I SENT IT TO ALL OF YOU.

READ THE ORDINANCE.

THERE IS A SCHEDULE FOR THE TAX RATE IN THE ORDINANCE.

THERE IS NO LANGUAGE THAT IT AUTOMATICALLY GOES UP.

THE FINANCIAL MANAGER SAYS, OH, IT JUST AUTOMATICALLY GOES UP.

THAT'S MADE UP.

IT DOESN'T EXIST.

IT'S NOT IN THE ORDINANCE PASSED BY THE PEOPLE.

THE SCHEDULE IS VERY CLEAR THAT IT IS A THREE QUARTER PERCENT TAX STARTING ON AND SHE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THE YEAR.

NOW WE ALL KNOW WHAT THE INTENT WA OF THAT WAS.

AND BY THE WAY, IT'S BECAUSE THERE IS A, AND, AND WHEN THE PEOPLE VOTED ON THIS, THERE WAS, AND THERE STILL IS A, A CAP IN THE STATE TAX CODE, 10 AND A QUARTER PERCENT.

THAT'S THE CAP WHEN THEY VOTED ON THIS.

THE ONLY EXCEPTION TO THAT CAP IS THEY PASSED A LAW LAST YEAR, AB 1679, ALLOWING THE COUNTY, ONLY THE COUNTY AND ONLY THIS RECENT COUNTY MEASURE A IF IT PASSED TO GO ABOVE THIS, THAT THRESHOLD, THAT MAXIMUM CAP ONLY IF THE COUNTY PASSED A SALES TAX SPECIFICALLY DEVOTED TO HOMELESSNESS

[01:15:01]

AND HOUSING, IT IS JUST FOR THE COUNTY TO BUMP ABOVE THAT TAX.

YOU ARE VOTING A NEW ORDINANCE TO INCREASE THE TAX.

THINK ABOUT IT.

YOU WOULDN'T BE HERE IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO PASS A NEW ORDINANCE, BUT YOU, BUT YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO DO THAT.

YOUR TIME IS CONCLUDED.

'CAUSE ONLY THE PEOPLE CAN REPLACE AN ORDINANCE BY VOTING ON A NEW ORDINANCE AND ONLY THE PEOPLE CAN INCREASE THEIR OWN TAXES.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE.

GOOD AFTERNOON, HONORABLE MAYOR, HONORABLE COUNCIL MEMBERS, ESTEEMED, CITY MANAGER, CITY ATTORNEY, CITY CLERK.

I WEAR MANY HATS IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.

I'M A BUSINESS OWNER.

I'M A RESIDENT.

I HAVE TWO LITTLE KIDS IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM AND I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HERE FOR LOTS OF DIFFERENT REASONS AT LOTS OF DIFFERENT TIMES.

BUT THE, THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE SPOKE IN 20 20, 20 21.

AND IN THIS LAST ELECTION CYCLE, YOU HAVE A MANDATE.

YOU HAVE AUTHORIZATION BY THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE AND THE VOTERS OF THE PEOPLE.

AND I'LL ALSO JUST SAY THAT WE'RE DOING A TREMENDOUS JOB.

I VISITED SAN DIEGO RECENTLY, I'M CALLING IT OUT.

I VISITED LOS ANGELES ALL THE TIME AND WE'RE HANDLING THE PROBLEMS. WE'RE ACTUALLY HANDLING PROBLEMS OF OUR NEIGHBORING CITY, SEAL BEACH.

A LOT OF THESE CITIES THAT PROTESTED AGAINST THE SALES TAX DO THIS MUCH REGARDING THE ISSUE.

AND OUR CITY CARRIES THE BURDEN OF MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORING CITIES.

WE DO AN OUTSTANDING JOB.

AND SO WE ARE ENTRUSTED WITH TAXPAYERS TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT.

LONG BEACH VOTERS DID VOTE FOR THIS, SO DID LA COUNTY.

AND WE NEED TO DO WHAT'S CALLED AN ADMINISTRATIVE EFFORT TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE THOSE FUNDS.

THAT'S WHAT THIS IS HERE TODAY.

IT WAS PUBLICLY NOTED.

EVERYBODY WHO KNOWS ABOUT IT'S TRANSPARENT AND THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE SHOULD PREVAIL.

SO ANYWAY, I'M HERE JUST TO SAY THANK YOU.

I I WAS EATING LUNCH AND I WENT ONLINE LIKE, OH, THE COUNCIL MEETING'S ONLINE, LET'S TAKE A WATCH.

AND I'M HEARING A LOT OF CONCERNS THAT I JUST DON'T SHARE THOSE CONCERNS.

I THINK YOU HAVE A FIDUCIARY DUTY TO OUR CITY TO ACCEPT THESE FUNDS AND TO SPEND THEM WISELY AS WE HAVE DONE.

SO.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

THANK YOU FOR THE ADVICE AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO FOR OUR CITY.

THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT.

UH, THIS LOOK, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT VOTE AND I THINK I SHOULD JUST BE VERY CLEAR.

AS MAYOR, I'M RECOMMENDING AN I VOTE.

UH, AND I'VE BEEN PUBLIC ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF LA COUNTY MEASURE A FROM A HOMELESSNESS STANDPOINT, WHICH HAS BEEN A KEY PRIORITY, UH, FROM A HOUSING STANDPOINT THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE, WE HAVE THE FUNDS SINCE THE LOSS REDEVELOPMENT.

WE HAVEN'T HAD THAT IN ORDER TO PRODUCE AND PRESERVE HOUSING THAT'S AFFORDABLE FOR LONG BEACH RESIDENTS.

BUT ALSO THAT LONG BEACH IS UNIQUELY IN A POSITION BECAUSE WE PASSED MEASURE A IN 2020 TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE CHALLENGES FROM FISCAL CHALLENGES FROM THE PANDEMIC AND HAVE THE RESOURCES TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE THROUGH MEASURE A.

SO I AM CRYSTAL CLEAR ON WHAT WE ARE DOING HERE TODAY.

I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE MAY BE A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION AND THAT'S OKAY AND THERE IS RECOURSE TO TO, TO EXPLORE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.

BUT TO NOT SUPPORT THIS TODAY IS SURRENDERING THAT POSITION THAT I BELIEVE AND 60% OF VOTERS IN LONG BEACH ADOPTED MEASURE A.

AND WE'VE ADOPTED OUR LOCAL MEASURE A TWICE IN LONG BEACH.

I'M OF THE POSITION WE WERE VERY CLEAR WHAT OUR INTENT WAS.

OUR CITY ATTORNEY, WE HAVE AN ELECTED CITY ATTORNEY WHO I RESPECT, WHOSE JOB IS TO ADVISE THE CITY COUNCIL.

AND SHE TAKES THAT JOB VERY SERIOUSLY.

AND WHEN SHE HAS REITERATED NUMEROUS TIMES, THIS IS THE STEP THAT IS REQUIRED OF US IN ORDER TO, TO CAPTURE THESE RESOURCES, THEN I TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUSLY.

SO I BELIEVE WE HAVE RESPONSIBILITY TO CONTINUE DELIVERING QUALITY CITY SERVICES.

AND I AM MAKING A RECOMMENDATION THAT THIS COUNCIL TAKE THIS ACTION AND IT WOULD NOT BE PRUDENT FOR US FINANCIALLY TO NOT DO SO, UH, GIVEN WHAT WE ALL KNOW ARE KEY PRIORITIES AND NEEDS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

SO THAT SAID, MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.

ACTUALLY VOICE VOTE.

UH, COUNCILWOMAN ZENDEJAS.

VICE MAYOR ALLEN.

COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN AYE.

COUNCIL MEMBER RICK SODI.

THE MOTION IS CARRIED.

SIX ZERO.

UM, MADAM CLERK, WE HAVE TO TAKE TWO VOTES.

ONE ON THE URGENCY AND ONE ON THE ORDINANCE.

COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN AYE.

[01:20:01]

COUNCIL MEMBER RICK SODI.

THE MOTION IS CARRIED.

I THINK WE HAVE, DO WE HAVE TO DO FINAL PUBLIC COMMENT? OKAY.

IS THERE, UH, THAT WAS OUR LAST AGENDA ITEM.

IS THERE ANY ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENT? SEEING NUM, SEEING NONE.

THIS, UH, SPECIAL MEETING IS ADJOURNED.