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I'M GONNA CALL THE AUGUST 5TH, UH, BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
MEETING TO ORDER, UH, CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLE MEMBER? ALLEN PRESENT VICE CHAIR URANGA.
[CALL TO ORDER]
ALRIGHT, UM,[ROLL CALL]
LET'S GO TO THE FIRST ITEM.ITEM ONE IS A RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE MEETING OF TUESDAY, JULY 29TH, 2025.
UM, ANY, UM, ANYTHING FROM MY, UH, COMMITTEE COLLEAGUES?
[1. 25-55997 Recommendation to approve the minutes for the Budget Oversight Committee meeting of Tuesday, July 29, 2025. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
SEEING NONE, UH, CAN WE GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT? IF ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE COME TO THE PODIUM NOW.UH, HI, MEMBERS OF THE VEJA OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, UH, MY NAME IS CHRISTOPHER COVINGTON.
MY PRONOUNS ARE THEY, AND HE, UH, I'M HERE REPRESENTING THE ADVANCING PEACE STEERING COMMITTEE.
UH, I FORWARD OVER A LATE LAST NIGHT, UM, OUR ORIGINAL LETTER THAT WE SENT TO THE FULL, UM, CITY COUNCIL, MAYOR AND CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, AND AN UPDATED, UH, LETTER, UH, SPECIFICALLY TO YOU ALL, UH, OUTLINING THE NEED FOR VIOLENCE PREVENTION IN THE CITY.
UH, FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE WANT TO APPRECIATE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND ADVOCACY LAST YEAR IN, UM, SECURING $1.1 MILLION FOR VIOLENCE PREVENTION.
CAN I, CAN I ASK, CAN I, I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOU.
IS THIS RELATED TO THE MINUTES ONE, ITEM ONE, SORRY, I APOLOGIZE.
UH, ANY, UH, ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND VOTE.
ITEM TWO IS A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE KEY DRIVERS FOR THE FY 26 PROPOSED BUDGET.
ALL RIGHT, WE GOT A FIRST AND A SECOND.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM STAFF.
I WILL TURN IT OVER TO NADER KAMO, BUDGET MANAGEMENT, UH, OFFICER AND GERALDINE ALEJO
[2. 25-55998 Recommendation to receive and file key drivers for the FY 26 Proposed Budget. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
REVENUE MANAGEMENT OFFICER TO PROVIDE THE PRESENTATION.UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR, CHAIR RICK SODI AND MEMBERS OF THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
AS REBECCA MENTIONED, I'M NA CAMUS, BUDGET MANAGEMENT OFFICER.
I'M HERE WITH GERALDINE, AND TODAY WE ARE GOING TO PROVIDE A QUICK OVERVIEW IN THIS PRESENTATION THAT'LL GIVE YOU A BRIEF UPDATE ON THE FY 25 GENERAL FUND PROJECTION IN THE OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSED FY 26 GENERAL FUND BUDGET, ALONG WITH INFORMATION ON KEY DRIVERS AND END WITH A FISCAL OUTLOOK OF THE GENERAL FUND.
ON JULY 24TH, THE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT RELEASED A MEMO TO THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL PROVIDING AN UPDATED STATUS OF KEY FUNDS FOR FY 25, WHICH ENDS
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SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2025.THIS MEMO IS INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKAGE AND POSTED ALONGSIDE THIS PRESENTATION.
THE REPORT WAS BASED ON EARLY ESTIMATES FROM DEPARTMENTS AND CITYWIDE REVENUE ANALYSIS, WHICH CAN VARY SIGNIFICANTLY BY YEAR END, BUT PROVIDE PROVIDED THE KEY INSIGHTS TO KEY FISCAL YEAR, WHICH HELPED CALL FOR DIRECTIONS AND ACTIONS OF OPERATING DEPARTMENTS.
ACTUAL FY 25 YEAREND STATUS WILL BE REPORTED IN THE ANNUAL YEAREND PERFORMANCE REPORT REPORT THAT COMES TO THE CITY COUNCIL IN FEBRUARY, 2026.
THE FY 25 BUDGET FOR THE GENERAL FUND WAS ADOPTED IN SEPTEMBER, 2024, PROJECTING AT THE TIME A $20.3 MILLION STRUCTURAL SHORTFALL, WHICH WAS SLATED TO BE COVERED WITH ONE-TIME FUNDS MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE SECURING OUR CITY'S FUTURES FUNDS, WHICH WAS PART OF THE LBRA PROGRAM TO BOUNCE STRUCTURAL SHORTFALLS AND ALONG WITH OTHER RESERVES FOR THIS PURPOSE.
SINCE SEPTEMBER, 2024, THE LONG BEACH VOTERS APPROVED MEASURE LB IN NOVEMBER, 2024, WHICH HAS FORECASTED TO BRING IN NEW REVENUE, AN ANNUAL AMOUNT OF 15 MILLION, BEGINNING IN THE SPRING OF FY 25.
AND IN THIS FISCAL YEAR, FY 25 IS PROJECTED TO BRING IN 7.5 MILLION.
ALSO IN FY 25, THE, THE CITY RECEIVED A $2.1 MILLION SETTLEMENT CHECK FOR THE, UH, CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST THE MONSANTO TO RECOVER CO CITY COSTS INCURRED TO FILE AND SECURE THE SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME.
THE FORECAST HAS SLIGHTLY IMPROVED, BUT, UH, TRENDS STILL REFLECT MAJOR CHALLENGES AHEAD.
AT THE CITY COUNCIL BUDGET STUDY SESSION ON MARCH 18TH, 2025, STAFF OUTLINED THE BUDGET STRATEGY TO PREVENT PRESERVE AS MUCH SECURING OUR CITY'S FUTURE FUND RESERVES FROM THE FY 25 BUDGET TO CARRY OVER TO THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR FY 26 TO PRESERVE ACROSS THE BOARD REDUCTIONS AND ATTEMPT TO PRESERVE ESSENTIAL SERVICES.
ALTHOUGH THE FY 25 FACTORS STATED PREVIOUSLY HAVE RESULTED IN IMPROVEMENTS TO THE FY 25 FORECAST, WHICH ALIGNS WITH THE STRATEGY PRESENTED, REVENUE TRENDS SINCE MARCH HAVE REFLECTED SIGNIFICANT SHORTFALLS IN FRANCHISE FEES, SALES AND USE TAX, PROPERTY TAX AND INTEREST POOLED CASH.
THE CITY'S NAVIGATING A PERIOD OF FISCAL UNCERTAINTY DRIVEN BY NATIONAL ECONOMIC AND STABILITY, UH, INSTA STABILITY AND POTENTIAL, UH, SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN FEDERAL GRANT FUNDS AND SLOWER GROWTH IN LOCAL GENERAL FUND REVENUES.
IN RESPONSE TO THESE CHALLENGES, THE CITY MANAGER IF ISSUED A MEMO ON MAY 1ST TO ALL CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENTS DIRECTED THEM TO IDENTIFY AND IMPLEMENT GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURE REDUCTIONS IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR REQUIRE, UH, REQUESTING ALL OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO PARTICIPATE.
TO THE EXTENT FEASIBLE DEPARTMENTS WERE ENCOURAGED TO CONSIDER COST SAVING MEASURES TO AND PRESERVE ESSENTIAL PUBLIC SERVICES IN CORE FUNCTIONS.
THIS STRATEGY AIMED TO GENERATE AN ADDITIONAL 7 MILLION IN ONE-TIME SAVINGS IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.
ADDITIONALLY, AS MENTIONED EARLIER, THE STRATEGY FOR FY 26 PRESENTED IN MARCH AIMED TO PRESERVE AS MUCH SECURING CITY'S FUTURE FUNDS TO HELP BALANCE FY 26.
HOWEVER, WITH THE UPDATED PROJECTION, A MODEST DRAW DOWN OF 4.4 MILLION IS NOW WARRANTED TO ADDRESS THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS OF FY 25.
THE FY 25 MIDYEAR PERFORMANCE REPORT INCLUDED ADDITIONAL ONE-TIME SOLUTIONS SUCH AS BORROWING FROM SPECIFIC SET-ASIDES TO HELP COVER, UH, CITY PROPERTY DEMOLITION PROJECTS UNTIL THE LAND LAND PROCEEDS CAN COME IN FROM THE SALE.
ALSO, IT HAD OTHER, UH, OPTIONS SUCH AS DEFERRING INTER FUND LOAN PAYMENTS FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO THE CITY FLEET FUND, AS THE FUND REFLECTS A STRONG FINANCIAL CASH BALANCE.
THE PROJECTED FY 25 GENERAL FUND SOURCES AND USES SUMMARIZED IN THIS TABLE ON THIS SLIDE REFLECTS A BALANCED YEAR-END PROJECTION INCLUSIVE OF THE ONE-TIME SOLUTIONS DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY, ALONG WITH THE ABILITY TO PRESERVE 15.8 MILLION OF SECURING OUR CITY'S FUTURE FUND BALANCES TO SUPPORT FUTURE UNFUNDED LIABILITIES IN THE FY 26 BUDGET.
ADDITIONALLY, THE HEALTH FUND GROUP HAVING EXHAUSTED ITS BUDGETARY FUNDS AVAILABLE IN FY 24, THE GENERAL FUND IS NOW COVERING HEALTH FUND GROUP OPERATION DEFICITS, WHICH AN FY 25 MAY REQUIRE A TRANSFER OF CLOSE TO EIGHT TO 11 MILLION BEYOND WHAT'S OUTLINED IN IN THE TABLE.
THE FINAL SUBSIDY AMOUNT WILL BE DETERMINED AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR BASED OFF ACTUAL CHARGES AND THE YEAR END STATUS OF THE HEALTH FUND, AND MAY REQUIRE ONE-TIME FUNDS FROM OTHER RESERVES OR OTHER CRITICAL DESIGNATED PURPOSES AND PERHAPS MAY BE RESOLVED OVER MULTIPLE FISCAL YEARS.
THE TRENDS IN PROJECTIONS REPORTED IN THE FY 25 MIDYEAR PERFORMANCE REPORT MEMO WERE ALSO INCORPORATED
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INTO THE FY 26 PROPOSED BUDGET, WHICH WE'LL GO OVER IN THE NEXT FEW SLIDES.DURING MARCH'S OUTLOOK PRESENTATION, THE ESTIMATED STRUCTURAL SHORTFALL PROJECTED FOR FY 26 WAS 19.8 MILLION.
SINCE MARCH, UPDATES TO EXPENSE AND REVENUE PROJECTIONS WERE MADE BASED ON MORE RECENT DATA, WHICH GREW THE SHORTFALL BY 2.2 MILLION, MOST NOTABLY DUE TO INCREASES OF SHORTFALLS IN FRANCHISE FEES AND SALES TAX REVENUE, WHICH WERE PARTIALLY OFFSET BY STRUCTURAL BUDGET ALIGNMENTS IN THE CITY'S INDIRECT COST PLAN, AND TO THE CAPITAL IMPROVE TO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.
HOWEVER, THE BUDGET, THE PROPOSED BUDGET CHANGES HELPS THE STRUCTURAL SHORTFALL BY 5 MILLION, WHICH INCLUDES DEPARTMENT'S REVENUE INCREASES, SUCH AS 1.5 MILLION EMERGENCY AMBULANCE REVENUE ANTICIPATED FROM RATE INCREASES TO ALIGN WITH THE COUNTY RATES, AND 2.8 MILLION FROM INCREASING PARKING CITATIONS ALONG WITH REVENUE ADJUSTMENTS.
THE PROPOSED FY 26 BUDGET IS BALANCED USING 15.8 MILLION FROM SECURING OUR CITY'S FUTURE RESERVES PROJECTED TO BE PRESERVED OUT OF THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, ALONG WITH UTILIZING 1.5 MILLION ASSET FOR FIXTURE FUNDS, WHICH ARE FUNDS THAT COME FROM THE CITY, FROM PROPERTY AND CASH PROCEDURES DURING INVESTMENT MITIGATIONS, OFTEN RELATED TO CRIMES AND ORGANIZATION CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES THAT WILL BE REVIEWED FOR POSSIBLE USES FOR CRITICAL POLICE DEPARTMENT HELICOPTER CAMERA REPAIRS.
ALTHOUGH THE BUDGET IS BALANCED, IT'S ON A ONE-TIME BASIS AND STRUCTURAL SHORTFALLS CONTINUE IN THE OUT YEARS, WHICH WE'LL COVER IN SOME MAIN DRIVER SLIDES COMING UP NEXT AT WHICH I'LL HAND IT OVER TO GERALDINE TO COVER OVER THESE DRIVERS.
NADER FY 26 REVENUE PROJECTIONS ARE BASED ON FY 24 YEAR END PERFORMANCE AND THE MOST UP TO DATE INFORMATION AVAILABLE FOR FISCAL YEAR 25 FY 26 PROJECTIONS ASSUMES NO RECESSION OR IMPACT FROM FEDERAL POLICIES LIKE TARIFFS.
STAFF IS MONITORING THESE FACTORS AND WILL ADJUST WHEN NEW INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE.
THE FOLLOWING WILL HIGHLIGHT THE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES SINCE THE FISCAL YEAR 25 ADOPTED BUDGET FIRST UTILITY USERS TAX OR UUT.
THIS IS A 5% TAX ON UTILITY USAGE AND HEAVILY DEPENDENT ON CONSUMPTION AND RATES.
THE $14.4 MILLION GROWTH FROM FISCAL YEAR 25 INCLUDES 15 MILLION IN GAS, UT FROM VOTER APPROVED MEASURE LB EXCLUDING MEASURE LB REVENUE OVERALL, UUT REVENUE IS ANTICIPATED TO PERFORM RELATIVELY FLAT FROM FISCAL YEAR 25 BUDGET FIGURES.
THIS IS PRIMARILY IMPACTED BY SLOWED ACTUALS AND ELECTRIC UT REVENUE WHEN COMPARED TO PRIOR YEARS, AS WELL AS MORE STABILIZED REVENUE TRENDS FOR GAS UT FOLLOWING THE NATURAL GAS PRICE SPIKE IN FISCAL YEAR 23.
IN ADDITION TO U UT, THESE TRENDS ARE ALSO IMPACTING ELECTRIC AND GAS FRANCHISE FEE REVENUE TOTALING 16.3 MILLION IN FISCAL YEAR 26.
THIS IS A DECREASE FROM FY 25 BUDGET OF 23.1 MILLION OF THE TOTAL FRANCHISEE REVENUE DECLINE.
6.3 MILLION IS FROM GAS FRANCHISE FEES BASED ON ENERGY, PRICE AND CUS CUSTOMER USAGE SALES AND USE TAXES EXCLUDING MEASURE A PROJECTIONS REFLECT LOWER TAXABLE SALES, WHICH ARE OCCURRING THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
WHILE SOME CATEGORIES LIKE RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS CONTINUE TO PERFORM WELL, PROJECTIONS REFLECT A SLIGHT DECLINE IN OTHER CATEGORIES LIKE GENERAL CONSUMER GOODS AND AUTOS AND TRANSPORTATION, PRIMARILY DUE TO A SHIFT IN CUSTOMER BEHAVIOR LIKE SALES AND USE TAX.
MEASURE A IS ALSO ANTICIPATED TO EXPERIENCE LITTLE CHANGE FROM THE FY 25 ADOPTED BUDGET DUE TO THE SAME TRENDS.
PROPERTY TAX IS ANTICIPATING A 4% INCREASE FROM FISCAL YEAR 25, WHICH ALSO EXTENDS TO THE CITY'S PROPERTY TAX IN LIE REVENUE.
AS WITH MANY COMMUNITIES, THE CITY HAS EXPERIENCED THE IMPACTS OF A SLOWDOWN IN HOME SALES AND PRICES DUE TO HIGHER INTEREST RATES.
HOWEVER, PROJECTIONS ARE ASSUMING A LEVEL OF MAINTAINED PROPERTY SALES AND WE ARE SEEING A SLIGHT UPTICK, UM, IN THE FIRST TWO QUARTERS OF THIS FISCAL YEAR.
AND FINALLY, INTEREST POOLED CASH REVENUE.
THIS IS SUBJECT TO INTEREST RATES AND CASH BALANCES EARNING INTEREST FROM THE CITY'S INVESTMENT POOL.
WHILE THE CITY'S INVESTMENT POOL IS ANTICIPATED TO GROW IN FISCAL YEAR 26, THE GENERAL FUND SHARE OF THE TOTAL POOLED CASH REVENUE HAS REDUCED BASED ON FY 24 YEAR END PERFORMANCE AS WELL AS FISCAL YEAR 25 ESTIMATES
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FOR OIL PROCEEDS.THE FY 26 BUDGET CONTINUES TO INCLUDE THE CITY'S STRATEGY TO REDUCE ONGOING GENERAL FUND SUPPORT FROM OIL PROCEEDS AND OIL PRODUCTION TAX REVENUES DOWN TO ZERO BY FISCAL YEAR 30.
THIS SLIDE ILLUSTRATES THE OUT YEAR STRUCTURAL FORECAST FOR OIL PROCEEDS AT $55 PER BARREL EACH YEAR.
ANNUAL OIL REVENUE RECEIVE A B ABOVE BUDGETED LEVELS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR ONE-TIME USES AND OR FUTURE OIL WELL ABANDONMENT OIL REVENUES OF 1.25 MILLION, WHICH WERE STRUCTURALLY REMOVED AS PART OF THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND STRATEGY TO REDUCE ITS RELIANCE ON OIL REVENUES IS BEING RECOGNIZED ON A ONE-TIME BASIS FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 TO SUPPORT GENERAL FUND ACTIVITIES INCLUDING ONE-TIME YOUTH PROGRAMS. AS MENTIONED SINCE THE MARCH OUTLOOK PRESENTATION, ONE AREA OF SHORTFALL IMPROVEMENT WAS DUE TO A 7.8 MILLION ADJUSTMENT TO ALIGN THE GENERAL FUND BENEFIT FROM INDIRECT COST PLAN CHARGES TO ELIGIBLE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.
THE CITY'S INDIRECT COST PLAN RECOUP GENERAL FUND COSTS FOR CENTRAL SERVICES SUCH AS FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, CITY MANAGER AND CITY ATTORNEY BY CHARGING NON-GENERAL FUND GROUPS.
ADDITIONALLY, IN NOVEMBER, 2024, VOTERS APPROVE MEASURE JB, WHICH COMBINES THE CIVIL SERVICE AND HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENTS INTO ONE UNIFIED HIRING DEPARTMENT OPERATED WITHIN THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.
THE PROJECTED $2.5 MILLION BENEFIT IN FISCAL YEAR 25 RECOGNIZES A SHIFT OF THE CIVIL SERVICE GENERAL FUND BUDGET INTO THE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS FUND, AND THE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS FUND IS FUNDED BY COLLECTIONS FROM CITYWIDE FUNDS.
IN ADDITION TO THE BUDGET REALIGNMENT FOR THE CITY'S RECOUP OF GENERAL FUND COSTS FROM ELIGIBLE CAPITAL PROJECTS AND IMPACTS FROM MEASURE JB.
OTHER KEY EXPENSE DRIVERS INCLUDE CALPERS PENSION COSTS WHICH INCREASE MUCH HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED IN FISCAL YEAR 26.
THE INCREASE IN COSTS IS ATTRIBUTED TO HIGHER THAN EXPECTED EMPLOYER, EMPLOYER CON CONTRIBUTION RATES DRIVEN BY INFLATION AND AS A RESULT, HIGHER PAY FOR RETIREES.
ADDITIONALLY, RECENT CITY PAY INCREASE RAISES WERE GREATER THAN ACTUARILY ASSUMED BY CALPERS.
FURTHERMORE, THE 2022 TO 2023 CALPERS INVESTMENT RETURN OF 6.1% FELL SHORT OF THE EXPECTED RETURN OF 6.8%.
AS YOU WILL SEE IN ON THE NEXT SLIDE, CURRENT PROJECTIONS INDICATE THAT THE RATE OF COST GROWTH IS EXPECTED TO RAMP UP AND PEAK IN FISCAL YEAR 28 AND THEN BEGIN TO STABILIZE THEREAFTER.
LABOR COSTS ARE ALSO PROJECTED TO INCREASE BY APPROXIMATELY 10.8 MILLION DUE TO SEVERAL REASONS, INCLUDING PREVIOUSLY NEGOTIATED PAY RAISES AND BENEFIT CHANGES IN EMPLOYEE LABOR CONTRACTS AND STEP INCREASES FOR CURRENT EMPLOYEES.
THE FY 26 FORECAST ALSO ASSUMES A NORMAL LABOR MARKET AND LOWER VACANCY RATES THAN RECENTLY EXPERIENCED.
AND FINALLY, THE GENERAL FUND SHARE OF CITYWIDE INTERNAL SERVICES.
SO THIS IS OUR CIVIC CENTER TECHNOLOGY AND FLEET CONTINUE TO INCREASE PRIMARILY DUE TO LABOR INCREASES.
ALSO, THERE ARE NATURAL COST INCREASES TO CONTRACTS, MATERIALS, EQUIPMENT, AND RISING COSTS OF VEHICLE ACQUISITIONS.
TO SUMMARIZE THE REVENUE AND EXPENSE DRIVERS COVERED TODAY, THE GRAPH ILLUSTRATES A STRUCTURAL GAP WHERE OUR CURRENT REVENUE PROJECTION IS INSUFFICIENT TO KEEP PACE WITH EXPENSE INCREASES.
WHAT YOU CAN ALSO SEE ON THIS SLIDE ARE THE IMPACTS OF CALPERS LIABILITY PAYMENTS, WHICH REFERS TO THE REQUIRED CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY THE CITY TO COVER OUR SHARE OF PENSION OBLIGATIONS, WHICH PEAK AT IN FISCAL YEAR 28.
FOLLOWING FISCAL YEAR 28, WE START TO SEE PROJECTIONS OF REVENUE AND EXPENSE BECOME CLOSER ALIGNED.
THE CALPERS CONTRIBUTION RATE IS A VOLATILE ASSUMPTION IN THE FORECAST, WHICH IS CALCULATED BASED ON VARIOUS FACTORS.
ONE BEING INVESTMENT EARNING PERFORMANCE BY CALPERS.
CALPERS USES A RATE REFERRED TO AS A DISCOUNT RATE, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY THE SUM RATE OF WHAT INVESTMENT EARNINGS THEY EXPECT, WHICH IS CURRENTLY AT 6.8%.
IT IS WORTH NOTING CALPERS RECENTLY ANNOUNCED, UH, AN 11.6% PRELIMINARY INVESTMENT RETURN FOR FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30TH, 2025.
THIS IS A POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT FOR LONG-TERM PENSION FUNDING AS THEY ASSUME TO EARN
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6.8%.WHILE THESE EARNINGS DO NOT IMMEDIATELY IMPACT THE CITY'S CONTRIBUTION RATES, THEY WILL BE FACTORED INTO CALPERS ACTU ACTUARIAL VALUATIONS OVER TIME.
SPECIFICALLY, THE STRONG PERFORMANCE CAN HELP STABILIZE OR POTENTIALLY REDUCE THE CITY'S REQUIRED PENSION CONTRIBUTIONS BEGINNING IN FISCAL YEAR 28, DEPENDING ON OTHER ACTUARIAL AND DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS.
FINALLY, THIS TABLE SHOWS A CHANGE IN THE UPDATED OUT YEAR FORECAST FOLLOWING FISCAL YEAR 26.
THE OUT YEAR FORECAST ASSUMES NO RECESSION AND NORMAL REVENUE GROWTH.
FEDERAL POLICY UPDATES SUCH AS LOSS OF FEDERAL FUNDING AND TARIFF POLICY IMPACTS MAY RESULT IN A CHANGE IN THE FORECAST.
WHILE GENERAL COST OF LIVING WAGE INCREASES ARE ASSUMED FOR CONTRACTS THAT WILL EXPIRE, THE FORECAST WILL BE REVISED BASED ON ACTUAL NEGOTIATED CONTRACTS.
THE FINANCIAL CHALLENGES AHEAD CALL FOR STAFF TO BE PROACTIVE IN ITS BUDGET PLANNING, AND AS, AS IS ALWAYS A CASE WITH PROJECTIONS, THE OUTLOOK WILL CHANGE OVER TIME AS MORE INFORMATION BECOMES KNOWN.
THIS CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION AND WE ARE AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU STAFF, UH, VERY THOROUGH AS ALWAYS.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS FROM MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES? I GOT 'EM.
UH, JUST SOME CLARIFICATION I DO ON ITEMS. UH, ON PAGE FIVE, YOU MENTIONED THAT UTILITY USERS TAX, WHAT IS THAT CURRENTLY? WHAT IS THE PERCENTAGE THAT WE CHARGE OUR, OUR RESIDENTS FOR UTILITY USERS TAX? THE, UH, CURRENT UUT RATE IS 5%.
IS THERE ANY, UH, EFFORT TO, UH, EITHER RAISE
UH, IN PAGE, UH, NINE, THERE'S A REFERENCE TO FRANCHISE FEES.
ELECTRIC AND GAS IS THE ELECTRIC PORTION OF THIS FROM THE, UH, LONG BEACH LIGHT AND THE LIGHT AND FLOWER.
WHERE'S THAT, WHERE'S THAT LIGHT GONNA COME FROM FOR FRANCHISE FEE? UH, FOR FRANCHISE FEES, UH, THE GAS PAYMENT COMES FROM SOCAL GAS AND THAT IS VIA AGREEMENT.
UH, THE MEASURE LB REVENUES, WHICH REMOVE THE EXEMPTION FROM, UH, THE TWO, UH, POWER PLANTS OPERATING IN THE CITY, THAT'S REFLECTED IN, UH, UNDER UTILITY USERS TAX.
UT PART OF WHAT? I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T SAY THAT PART.
OH, THE, UH, MEASURE LB REVENUE, WHICH REMOVED THE EXEMPTION FOR THE TWO POWER PLANTS, INCLUDING, UH, LA DEPARTMENT WATER AND POWER THAT IS INCLUDED UNDER UUT, THE UTILITY USERS TAX, UH, BOX IN THE TOP LEFT, AND THEN FRANCHISE FEES FOR GAS THAT, UH, IS FROM SOCAL GAS.
UH, THE NEXT PAGE, UH, PAGE 10, UM, ON FOR OIL OF THE OIL PROCEEDS, YOU HAVE IT AT $55 PER BARREL.
IS THAT IN CURRENT PRICE TODAY? AND YOU ARE THERE PROJECTIONS FOR IT TO EITHER GO OR DOWN IN, IN, IN ALL NINE YEARS? UH, LONG BEACH'S ASSUMPTION HAS LONG BEEN CONSERVATIVELY ASSUME OIL PRICES AT $55 A BARREL, CURRENT PRICE, $70 A BARREL FOR THE FISCAL YEAR TO DATE.
IN OTHER WORDS, SINCE OCTOBER 1ST, 2024 ALL THE WAY THROUGH TODAY, UM, WILMINGTON CRUDE HAS AVERAGED $69 A BARREL.
SO ACTUALS HAVE COME IN HIGHER THAN THE DELIBERATELY CONSERVATIVE ASSUMPTION.
AND SO THAT WILL BE THE ONE TIME REVENUE AT THE END OF THE YEAR TO WHICH, UH, GERALDINE ALLUDED IN HER PRESENTATION.
AND HOW ARE WE PROGRESSING TO MEET OUR, UH, FISCAL YEAR 30 DEADLINE
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TWO ZERO.THIS IS OUR FIVE YEAR STRATEGY, SO WE'RE STRUCTURALLY WE'LL BE ZERO.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL GIVE YOU UP TO THAT.
AND THEN, UH, FINALLY, UH, ON PAGE 12, UM, MORE NUMBER THREE, YOU HAVE THING A BOY HERE TALKING ABOUT INTERNAL SERVICES, CIVIC CENTER TECHNOLOGY AND FLEET.
UM, AND THE FLEET PORTION OF THIS, I KNOW WE, WE MOVING TOWARDS ALL ELECTRIC VEHICLES, SO HOW DOES THAT BREAK DOWN WHERE, UH, WHERE WE'RE PAYING MORE THINK LIKE WHERE IT APPEARS HERE, WE'RE SPENDING A LOT MORE MONEY ON, UH, CONTRACTS, MATERIALS, AND EQUIPMENT.
IS THERE AN OFFSET THERE SOMEWHERE WITH, WITH A FUEL, WITH, WITH CONVERSION TO ALL THE ELECTRIC VEHICLES? UH, YES.
VICE MAYOR YANGA, IN THE LONG RUN AS, UM, DIESEL AND GASOLINE POWERED VEHICLES ARE REPLACED WITH ZERO EMISSION VEHICLES, THERE WILL BE SAVINGS ON FUEL.
ALTHOUGH IT, OBVIOUSLY IT COSTS ELECTRICITY TO CHARGE THOSE VEHICLES, BUT THE OFFSET ISN'T, THE OPERATIONAL SAVINGS OFFSET ISN'T NEARLY ENOUGH TO COMPENSATE FOR THE MORE EXPENSIVE PURCHASE PRICE, ESPECIALLY FOR HEAVY, UH, ZERO EMISSION VEHICLES LIKE REFUSE TRUCKS, THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS MORE THAN A DIESEL POWERED, UH, REFUSE TRUCK.
AND SO THE OPERATIONAL SAVINGS WILL NEVER MAKE UP FOR THE DIFFERENCE IN PURCHASE PRICE.
AND SO YOU'RE CORRECT, THE HIGHER PURCHASE PRICE, THE, THE INCREASED FLEET ACQUISITION COSTS THAT, UH, NADER REFERRED TO IN HIS PRESENTATION ARE BECAUSE WE'RE BUYING MORE ZERO EMISSION VEHICLES AT A HIGHER PRICE.
AND, UH, DIESEL AND GASOLINE POWERED VEHICLES, AS EVERYBODY KNOWS FROM THEIR PERSONAL LIVES, ARE ALSO GOING UP IN PRICE BECAUSE OF SUPPLY CHAIN CONSTRAINTS, BECAUSE OF TARIFFS ON IMPORTED STEEL, BECAUSE OF LABOR COST INCREASES IN THE AUTO MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER, UH, FACTORS.
SO ALL THOSE ADD UP TO EXACTLY WHAT YOU JUST POINTED OUT, INCREASES IN INTERNAL SERVICE FUND COSTS FOR THE FLEET, WHICH HIT THE GENERAL FUND, LIKE 60% OF THE FLEET IS PAID FOR BY THE GENERAL FUND.
SO IT HITS THE GENERAL FUND SUBSTANTIALLY.
UH, WHERE ARE WE PERCENTAGE WISE IN THAT CONVERSION TO ELECTRICAL VEHICLES? I WANNA SAY 55 TO 57% OF THE FLEET IS NOW ZERO EMISSION VEHICLE, BUT I HAVE TO DOUBLE CHECK THAT.
ANYWAY, I JUST WANT A GENERAL NUMBER ANYWAY.
YEAH, IT GETS HIGHER EVERY YEAR.
UH, NOTHING THAT I, UH, CHAIR.
VICE MAYOR RANGA, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER.
ALLEN, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING? UH, YES, MADAM CHAIR.
UM, CAN YOU, UH, CLARIFY HOW THE, UH, 7.8 IMPROVEMENT FROM THE INDIRECT COST PLAN AND THE 2.5 MILLION IMPROVEMENT FROM MEASURE JB, UH, IS IMPACTING OUR BUDGET IN LIGHT OF THE, UH, RISING COST ASSOCIATED WITH, UM, CALPERS AND THEIR INCREASES? ARE YOU REFERRING TO A SPECIFIC SLIDE OR JUST SEVERAL SLIDES ALL AT ONCE? JUST SO PEOPLE KNOW? JUST, JUST, IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST SEVERAL.
SO FIRST, STARTING WITH THE INDIRECT COST PLAN, UM, THIS IS A REALIGNMENT OF BUDGET TO EXPECTED ACTUALS.
AND SO, UM, BACKING UP A LITTLE BIT, UH, THE INDIRECT COST THAT THE GENERAL FUND WILL RECOUP FOR CENTRAL SERVICES WILL VARY EACH YEAR BASED ON THE CALCULATED RATE OF THE, UM, IN FROM THE INDIRECT COST PLAN, UM, APPLIED TO ACTUALS.
SO WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE WITH A $7.8 MILLION IMPROVEMENT, UH, THAT IS ALIGNED TO EXPECTED CIP SPENDING FOR ELIGIBLE PROJECTS ANTICIPATED FOR FISCAL YEAR 26.
HOWEVER, UM, AS PROJECTS CONCLUDE AND WIND DOWN, UH, THAT THE RECOUP, BECAUSE THE ACTUAL EXPENSES WILL REDUCE, UM, THAT'S ANTICIPATED TO REDUCE AS WELL.
AND SO IT IS A BENEFIT IN FISCAL YEAR 26 THAT WE'RE RECOGNIZING, BUT WE WILL BE ADJUSTING IT, UH, YEAR OVER YEAR BASED ON ANTICIPATED PERFORMANCE.
AND THEN, UM, SO I GOT A, UM, I'M, YOU KNOW, OB OBVIOUSLY, I THINK YOU GUYS KNOW I'M RETIRED BY, I GOT AN EMAIL TODAY FROM CALPERS SAYING,
[00:30:01]
UM, THAT THEY HAD A PRELIMINARY RETURN OF LIKE 11.6, UM, FOR 20 24, 25 FISCAL YEAR, WHICH, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY HELPED, UH, THEIR FUNDING, UM, STATUS AND THEN OFFSET SOME OF THOSE ECONOMIC, UH, IMPACTS, UM, FROM THE PANDEMIC.SO WHEN I LOOK AT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT PAGE IT IS, BUT WHEN IT, WHEN IT SAYS, UM, THAT WE HAVE OUR, OUR INTEREST RECRUIT TAX IS LIKE 4.7 MILLION, CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT TO ME? IS THAT, IS THAT, THAT'S NOT OBVIOUSLY, 'CAUSE I I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, CDS AND ANY ANYONE ON CASH IS, HAS DOING REALLY GOOD THE LAST COUPLE YEARS.
UM, SO THAT'S NOT WHAT, WHAT EXACTLY IS THIS AND HOW COME WE ARE NEGATIVE 4.7 WHEN I'M LOOKING AT OTHER PEOPLE PULLED CASH THAT HAVE DONE REALLY WELL? I'LL TAKE THIS ONE.
UM, THERE'S, THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CALPERS RATE OF RETURN AND THE CITY'S PENSION COSTS.
THAT'S SEPARATE AND APART FROM, UM, INTEREST POOLED, CASH INTEREST POOLED CASH IS INTEREST WE EARN ON CASH THAT'S SITTING IN THE BANK GETTING READY TO BE SPENT.
SO YEAH, YOU ARE CORRECT ON THE CALPERS SIDE, IT'S GREAT NEWS.
AS GERALDINE SAID, THE CALPERS EARN 4.8 PERCENTAGE POINTS MORE IN FY 25 THAN THEIR ASSUMPTION.
AND AS GERALDINE SAID IN HER PRESENTATION, THAT'LL START TO HELP US IN FY 28.
IT TAKES THREE YEARS FOR A, A IMPROVED RETURN TO HELP OUR GENERAL FUND AND OUR OTHER FUNDS IN CALPERS CONTRIBUTIONS OR, AND IT TAKES THREE YEARS IF THERE'S A BAD YEAR OF RETURNS AS WELL ON THE INTEREST POOLED CASH.
WHAT'S HAPPENING IS THAT, UM, THE, THE GENERAL FUNDS SHARE OF THE ENTIRE CITY TREASURER PORTFOLIO IS SMALLER THAN WE PROJECTED BECAUSE GENERAL FUND CASH BALANCES ARE SMALLER THAN WE PROJECTED.
AND, UM, SHORT AND MEDIUM TERM INTEREST RATES ARE NOT JUMPING UP VERY HIGH.
WE'RE EXPERIENCING LOWER INTEREST RATES, UM, COMPARED WITH WHAT WE HAD FORECASTED BACK WHEN THE BUDGET FORECAST WAS PUT TOGETHER.
SO IF YOU PUT TOGETHER LOWER CASH BALANCES, RIGHT, IF YOUR BANK BALANCE IS LOWER AND YOU'RE EARNING A LOWER INTEREST RATE, YOU PUT THOSE TWO TOGETHER, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE LOWER INTEREST EARNINGS.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING ON INTEREST POOLED CASH, UM, THAT, UH, GERALDINE EXPLAINED.
I I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THAT NOW.
UM, AND THAT'S, THAT'S ALL THAT I HAVE SHARE.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER ALLEN.
I HAD, UH, A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
I JUST WANTED TO RECONCILE SLIDE FIVE WITH SLIDE NINE.
SO THIS HAS TO DO WITH THE, UH, UTILITY USERS TAX AND THE UTILITY FRANCHISE FEES.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE REVENUE CHALLENGES ON SLIDE FIVE, UH, THE UTILITY USERS TAX HERE, UH, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EXCLUDING MEASURE LB, UH, BUT THEN ON SLIDE NINE, THE UTILITY USERS TAX HERE SAYS IT'S HIGHER, BUT THAT'S BECAUSE IT INCLUDES MEASURE, UM, IT INCLUDES MEASURE LB.
COULD YOU JUST KIND OF RECONCILE THAT AND SAY LIKE WHY ONE SLIDE IT'S SHOWING LIKE, HEY, IT'S A DECREASE, AND THEN ONE IS A SLIDE IS AN INCREASE.
SO, UH, THE FIRST SLIDE OR THE EARLIER SIZE SLIDE NUMBER FIVE, UH, THAT IS THE SHORTFALL FROM OUR 25 ADOPTED.
SO THOSE ARE A COMPARISON FOR FY 25 ESTIMATES.
AND THEN SLIDE NINE IS THE FISCAL YEAR 26 PROPOSED BUDGET CHANGE FROM 25 ADOPTED.
SO THEN, SO THE 12.3 THAT I'M SEEING HERE ON SLIDE FIVE IS THE ACTUAL REVENUE WE WERE GONNA BE AT THE TIME FOR FISCAL, WE WERE PROJECTING FOR FISCAL 25 FOR UTILITY USERS TAX AND UTILITY FRANCHISE FEES.
AND THEN WE GO TO SLIDE NINE HERE WE'RE SAYING, OKAY, THE UTILITY USERS TAX IS NOW WHEN WE INCLUDE MEASURE LB MM-HMM
IS 14.4 MILLIONS HIGHER, BUT THEN THE FRANCHISE FEES ARE $6.7 MILLION LESS.
BUT BECAUSE WE MADE SO MUCH INCLUDING MEASURE LB, IT THAT OFFSET NOW YES.
UM, AND THEN I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I WAS UNDERSTANDING THE MATH ON SLIDE SIX.
UH, SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SECURING OUR CITY FUTURE, AND THEN HERE WE HAVE THE FISCAL YEAR 25 ADOPTED WAS NINE 19.7 MILLION, AND THEN THE FISCAL 25 PROJECTION WAS THE 4.4.
WHAT'S THE DISCREPANCY THERE? IS THAT THE 15.8 MILLION? I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE, THE MATH THERE.
UH, YES, CHAIR, THE, UH, FY 25 ADOPTED BUDGET PLANNED TO USE 19.7 MILLION TO BALANCE THE FY 25 BUDGET FROM THE SECURING CITIES' FUTURE FUND, WHICH IS FUNDS SET ASIDE FROM THE LBRA PROGRAM, WE WERE HOPING TO PRESERVE ALL THOSE FUNDS TO BALANCE THE FY 26 BUDGET, BUT WITH THE UPDATED FORECAST IN FY 25, IT CALLED FOR A MODEST DRAW DOWN OF ABOUT 4.4 MILLION.
SO WE COULD BALANCE THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR BECAUSE IT NEEDS IT.
UH, THE REMAINING BALANCE OF THAT SECURING CITY'S
[00:35:01]
FUTURE FUND IS GOING TO BE, UH, PRESENTED TO BE USED FOR THE FY 26 BUDGET.IT'S 15.8 MILLION, WHICH IS HIGHER THAN THE 19.7, FIRST OF 4.4 BECAUSE AT THE CLOSE OF LBRA, THERE WAS A SMALL AMOUNT OF ADDITIONAL FUNDS THAT WERE ADDED TO THE RESERVE WHEN THEY CLOSED OUT THE PROGRAM.
SO THE, THE FULL BUCKET HAD ABOUT 20.3 MILLION OF WHICH 19.7 WAS PLANNED, BUT WE'RE ONLY USING 4.4 AND FY 25 BALANCE GOING TO FY 26.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE PART THAT I MISSED BECAUSE I WAS LIKE, WAIT, IT IS ABOUT A 500 K DIFFERENCE.
I WAS LIKE, WHAT AM I MISSING? OKAY, EXCELLENT.
AND THEN, UM, AND THEN GERALDINE, JUST REAL QUICK, ONE QUICK QUESTION ON SLIDE 10, YOU MENTIONED THAT THE ONE-TIME FUNDS FROM THE OIL REVENUE, I THINK IN THIS PARTICULAR FISCAL YEAR, YOU, I THINK YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT BEING USED FOR YOUTH PROGRAMMING? THAT'S CORRECT.
SO, UM, THE YOUTH PROGRAM IS SPECIFIC TO MEASURE US.
AND SO AS PART OF OUR STRUCTURAL STRATEGY, UH, WE DID REDUCE THE, UM, THE STRUCTURAL REVENUES IN OUR BUDGET BY A CERTAIN AMOUNT, BUT HOWEVER, IN 26 WE'RE RECOGNIZING IT ONLY ON A ONE TIME PURPOSE, STILL KEEPING AT, UM, FOR BOTH UPLANDS AND OIL PRODUCTION, TAX KEEPING WITH OUR SAME ASSUMPTIONS OF $55 PER BARREL.
SO THE, THE THE, SO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE 55 AND THE, WHAT'S 69 OR SO THAT WE HAVE NOW, THOSE FUNDS HAVE BEEN USED THEN TO, AS PART OF MEASURE WEST TO THEN FUND YOUTH PROGRAMMING, IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING THAT IS NOT INCLUDED AS PART OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET? SO THAT IS NOT CORRECT.
SO IT'S, IT'S IT'S, SO IT'S AVAILABLE AS ONE TIMES TO BE THEN USED FOR A PURPOSE IN THE COMING BUDGET? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? POTENTIALLY IF, UH, WE DO INCREASE, UH, THE ASSUMPTION, UM, THAT, BUT UH, TYPICALLY THAT'S EVALUATED AS PART OF YEAR END, BUT IF, UH, WE INCREASE THE ASSUMPTION BEFOREHAND THAT THAT MAY BE A POSSIBILITY.
UM, AND THEN I JUST HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION, AND THIS IS KIND OF PIGGYBACKING OFF OUR, UM, COUNCILWOMAN ALLEN'S QUESTION ABOUT THE INDIRECT COSTS.
SO I SAW THE NOTE IN HERE ON SLIDE 11 AROUND, UH, THAT THE INDIRECT COSTS WERE PREVIOUSLY SUSPENDED FOR SIX YEARS DUE TO NEW FINANCIAL SYSTEM AND DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW METHODOLOGY AND COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL RULES.
CAN YOU JUST GIMME A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON WHAT THAT'S REFERRING TO? THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
IT IS, UH, REFERRING TO THE CITY'S METHODOLOGY TO CALCULATE THE RATE AND ALSO, UM, WHEN WE CONVERTED FROM OUR FORMER FINANCIAL SYSTEM TO OUR NEW FINANCIAL SYSTEM, UH, EVALUATING OUR PROJECT LEDGER, UH, TO BE ABLE TO GET THE ACTUAL COST.
SO IT TOOK A LITTLE BIT OF, UH, TIME FOR THE CITY TO, UH, TO COME UP WITH A NEW METHODOLOGY.
AND SO WHILE WE WERE DOING THAT FOR THAT TIME, IT WAS SUSPENDED, UM, FOR THE FUND, THE INDIRECT FUNDS THAT WERE NOT RECOUPED, UM, WERE JUST ESSENTIALLY KIND OF ABSORBED BY THE GENERAL FUND? CORRECT.
AND THEN, UH, LAST QUESTION WOULD BE IN THE WAYS THAT WE CALCULATE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S JUST, UH, A CURIOSITY FOR ME 'CAUSE I DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS PART.
UM, I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE ALL OF THE FINANCIAL PLANNING BACKGROUND THAT YOU ALL HAVE.
UH, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT HOW WE CALCULATE OUR INDIRECTS, DOES THAT VARY FROM DEPARTMENT TO DEPARTMENT OR DO WE HAVE LIKE A STANDARD WAY OF DOING THAT ACROSS DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY? SO ONE OF THE KEY, UM, COMPONENTS OF THE CITY'S INDIRECT COST RATE IS CONSISTENCY ACROSS, UM, IN CALCULATION AND APPLICATION ACROSS ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS AND FUNDS.
SO, UH, THE PLAN ITSELF WILL CALCULATE, UH, THE AMOUNT ATTRIBUTED OR THE AMOUNT OF CENTRAL DEPARTMENT COST, UH, AT THE DEPARTMENT AND FUND LEVEL.
AND THEN, UH, IT WILL D CALCULATE A RATE, BUT IT IS CHARGED, UM, ON THE, ON THE FUND LEVEL, UM, FOR THE CITYWIDE INDIRECT AND THEN ALSO CHARGED TO GRANTS AS WELL.
SO IT ESTABLISHES THE, IT'S CONSISTENTLY APPLIED, CONSIST ACROSS ALL DEPARTMENTS AND FUNDS.
THAT WAS MY, THE REST OF MY QUESTIONS.
UM, ANYTHING ELSE FOR MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES? ALL GOOD.
UH, LET'S GO TO MOVE, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT.
IF ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE COME TO THE PODIUM NOW.
UM, SO ON THE TOPIC, ON THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC, I DO HAVE SOME ADDITIONS FOR YOU ALL.
UM, HELLO, MY NAME IS CHRIS, UH, AND ON THE TOPICS OF TAX AND REVENUE, UM, OUR EXPENSES VERSUS OUR REVENUES ARE ALWAYS FLUCTUATING IN TERMS OF WHAT WE CAN BALANCE THE CITY BUDGET.
[00:40:01]
THE UPCOMING MEASURE, US, UH, COMING TO A CLOSE BY 20 20 30, IT'S A REGRESSION TAX THAT GOES SPECIFICALLY TO YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND OTHER ESSENTIAL SERVICES IN THE CITY.IF THAT REGRESSION TAX CLOSES BY 2030 AND WE DON'T HAVE SOMETHING IN PLACE OF IT, THEN WE LOSE OUT IN MUCH NEEDED FINES FOR OUR YOUTH IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
UM, SO AS THE BUDGET, UH, OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S WITHIN YOUR PURVIEW TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE FULL CITY COUNCIL ON POTENTIAL TAX INITIATIVES TO CONSIDER, BUT I WANTED TO LIST A FEW FOR YOU ALL TO CONSIDER TO HELP, UM, IN FUTURE PLANNING, ESPECIALLY AS, UH, UPCOMING BALLOT MEASURES ARE COMING UP.
UM, SO, SO TAXING SODA AND UNHEALTHY FOODS IS ONE OPTION THAT WE'VE BEEN ASKING FOR SINCE LAST YEAR, AND WE'RE HOPING THAT A TASK FORCE CAN BE CREATED TO GET THE, THAT PLANNING UP AND UP AND RUNNING.
ADDITIONAL TAXES TO CONSIDER IS TAXING ON VAPING PRODUCTS, UH, VAPING PRODUCTS.
WE'RE SEEING AN INCREASED USE AMONGST OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, UH, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT COULD DETER THEM FROM USING THOSE, UM, MATERIALS IN THEIR FUTURE.
UH, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS HAVE WORKED IN DIFFERENT CITIES, UH, LIKE CHICAGO, WHERE THEY BRING IN PRI PRIVATE FUNDERS, BUSINESSES TO REALLY DEVELOP OUT FUNDING GOALS, UM, IN REGARDS TO VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND OTHER CITY INITIATIVES.
NOBODY WANTS TO TAX OUR BUSINESSES, AND THAT'S REAL, BUT THEY BRING IN A LOT OF REVENUE INTO THE CITY.
WE'VE MADE MANY INVESTMENTS INTO SPACE BEACH, AND I'M WONDERING IF IT'S TIME TO ASK IF THERE'S A POSSIBILITY TO GET THEIR SUPPORT IN FUNDING SOME OF OUR CITY SERVICES IN ADDITION TO WHAT THEY'RE ALREADY DOING, SPECIFICALLY TO YOUTH AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION.
WE CAN'T GO TO SPACE IF
UH, SO SOMETHING TO CONSIDER, UH, ADDITIONAL, WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE A PARKING PROBLEM IN THE CITY, UH, AND IN DOWNTOWN WE HAVE MANY TOURISTS WHO COME AND PARK IN OUR CITY.
UM, WHY NOT CONSIDER A PARKING TAX, UM, IN THOSE SPECIFIC TOURIST ZONES, UH, SO THAT WE CAN SEE HOW MUCH MONEY CAN BE GENERATED FROM THOSE FUNDS, UH, TO INCREASE, UH, THE SAFETY AND OTHER SERVICES.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, SOMETHING WE CAN'T DO IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA JUST YET, BUT I'M HOPING THAT YOU ALL CAN ADVOCATE ON THE STATEWIDE LEVEL IS TAXING ALCOHOL.
THERE IS A MORATORIUM ON TAXING ALCOHOL, UH, AND CALPER, OR EXCUSE ME, NOT CALPERS, CAL MATTERS, UH, PUBLISHED A, THIS ARTICLE, UH, TALKING ABOUT THE POTENTIAL OF INCREASING, UM, TAXES ON ALCOHOL IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
IT'S GONNA TAKE, UM, MANY CITIES TO JOIN THE FIGHT ON THAT, AND I THINK THE TIME IS NOW.
UM, SO THOSE ARE SOME CONSIDERATIONS THAT I MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO YOU ALL TO CONSIDER, AND WE HOPE TO, UH, SUPPORT THOSE INITIATIVES AS THEY GET, UH, AGENDIZED, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
MY NAME IS CINDY SA AND I AM THE COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERVENTIONS PROGRAMS MANAGER AT ROCHE.
AND I AM ALSO HERE ON BEHALF OF THE ONE LONG BEACH C-V-I-P-I COLLABORATIVE.
UM, A FEW MONTHS AGO IN APRIL, WE CAME TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT HOW, UH, THE FEDERAL LEVEL, UM, CBI FUNDING WAS CUT.
UM, TH HUNDREDS OF PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE NATION, UM, WERE CUT SHORT OF THEIR FUNDING PROGRAMS THAT SAVE LIVES.
THEY'RE EVIDENCE-BASED AND COMMUNITY DRIVEN.
UM, AS MENTIONED IN THE PAST, UM, CI, THE CITY OF LONG BEACH WAS GIFTED A $1.5 MILLION GRANT TO DO WORK HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
UH, CENTRO CHA BEING THE LEAD AGENCY, WE'VE BEEN CONVENING A COLLABORATIVE FOR ALMOST THREE YEARS, UM, MEETING ON A MONTH TO MONTH BASIS, UM, BASIS WORKING TOGETHER AND COLLABORATING, BUT MOST IS MOST IMPORTANTLY, BRINGING THAT COMMUNITY VOICE.
THROUGH OUR EFFORTS, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO, UH, FIVE LISTING SESSIONS IN THE HOTSPOTS AREAS OF, UM, NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH AND THE 9 0 8 0 5, UM, UP AT RON ARIA TO OUR WASHINGTON NEIGHBORHOOD, TO THE WEST SIDE AND OUR CENTRAL EAST NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, THROUGH THAT, WE HAD A COMMUNITY SURVEY WHERE COMMUNITY IS ASKING FOR OUR LEADERSHIPS TO OUR LEADERSHIP, OUR CITY LEADERSHIP TO BE CHAMPIONS IN CBI.
UM, WE DEF WE APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE SO FAR.
UM, LAST YEAR, THE 1.1, UH, WAS DEFINITELY HELPFUL.
THERE'S BEEN ACTIVATIONS YEAR ROUND TO SUPPORT OUR EFFORTS AND TO MAKE AN IMPACT TO GIVE OPPORTUNITIES TO YOUTH BECAUSE THERE YOU ARE OUR FUTURE LEADERS.
SO WHAT WE'RE HERE ASKING YOU IS THAT ON BEHALF OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO FULLY FUND THE REMAINING ONE POINT, UH, $5 MILLION FOR VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, AS SOMEONE WHO SUPPORTS
[00:45:01]
TO OVERSEE THE SAFE PASSAGE EFFORTS ON THE WEST SIDE, AND WORKING WITH YOUNG YOUTH AMBASSADORS DOING OUR SUMMER PROGRAM FOR OUR YEAR ROUND APPROACH, IT'S TESTIMONIALS WHERE I HEAR THE YOUTH SAY, I WISH I HAD THIS PROGRAM.I WISH I HAD A SAFE, UM, AND, UM, SAFE PASSAGES, CREDIBLE MESSENGER AND INTERVENTION LIST OUT IN MY SCHOOLS, MAKING SURE I WAS SAFE.
AND SO THOSE ARE THE TESTIMONIALS THAT WE HOPE TO BRING TO YOU.
UM, AND I, WE HOPE WE CAN MEET WITH YOU ON A ONE-ON-ONE BASIS TO SHOW THAT CBI EFFORTS ARE EVIDENCE-BASED, THEY'RE COMMUNITY DRIVEN, AND OUR COMMUNITIES HAVE THE ANSWERS.
WE JUST NEED TO SUPPORT AND SUSTAIN THE WORK TO CONTINUE TO HAVE OUR COMMUNITY SAFE AND INVEST IN OUR YOUTH.
UM, SO I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
UM, WE HOPE TO CONTINUE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION BECAUSE CVI WORKS AND WE NEED TO PROTECT IT HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
GOOD AFTERNOON, BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
MY NAME IS JOSH DE LEON, UH, AND I'M THE LEAD ORGANIZER WITH THE LONG BEACH FOR A JUST ECONOMY CAMPAIGN AT LANE.
UH, AND I'M JOINING YOU HERE BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WE'RE IN A MOMENT OF POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC CRISIS.
AND SO HERE AT LANE, UH, WE HAVE THREE DIFFERENT AREAS OF POLICY IMPROVEMENTS.
SO WE ARE SUGGESTING WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THIS BUDGET, NUMBER ONE, WE NEED TO MEET THE MOMENT AND PROTECT OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES BY ADEQUATELY FUNDING THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND AT $2.2 MILLION IN STRUCTURAL FUNDING, THE CASCADE OF ANTI-MIGRANT AND OFTEN ILLEGAL FEDERAL ACTIVITIES WILL NOT STOP AT THE END OF A FISCAL YEAR.
STRUCTURAL FUNDING PROTECTS AND ENABLES THE SUSTAINABILITY AND FORWARD PLANNING OF THESE PROGRAMS AND ALLOWS US TO MEET THAT MOMENT THAT IS SO UNPRECEDENTED TODAY.
SECOND, THAT WE GIVE OUR RENTERS A FAIR CHANCE TO EXERCISE THEIR OWN RIGHTS AGAINST EVICTION BY ENSURING THE TENANT RIGHT TO COUNSEL PROGRAM RECEIVES $2 MILLION IN FUNDING PROGRAMS LIKE RIGHT TO COUNSEL ARE ONE OF THE LAST LINES OF DEFENSE TO ENSURING THAT RENTERS AVOID DISPLACEMENT OR HOMELESSNESS.
AND THEN THIRD, THAT WE PROPERLY INVEST IN PEOPLE-CENTERED APPROACHES THAT ARE COMMUNITY INPUT, UH, TO THE HOUSING CRISIS BY INCREASING THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY LAND TRUST ALLOCATION FROM $200,000 TO $400,000.
WE CAN DO THAT BECAUSE LONG BEACH IS GETTING $5.2 MILLION IN MEASURE A FUNDING.
THE MONEY IS THERE, AND PROGRAMS LIKE COMMUNITY LAND TRUSTS ARE A WAY TO MEET THE HOUSING CRISIS, RIGHT? RIGHT NOW, THE AVERAGE HOME PRICE IS OVER $850,000 HERE IN LONG BEACH.
AND FOR SO MANY OF US HERE, WE WANT TO BE HOMEOWNERS AND ARE NOT, RIGHT, AND THERE MAY NOT BE A PATHWAY FOR IT.
CLTS ARE ONE WAY, ONE MORE TOOL IN THE TOOLBOX TO DO SO.
AND SO WE'RE CALLING FOR A $400,000 INVESTMENT IN LONG BEACH CLTS, SO WE CAN HAVE ONE MORE PATHWAY, UH, TOWARDS AFFORDABILITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
SO THOSE WHO LIVE HERE CAN STAY HERE.
REALLY, THE REASON WHY HERE AT LONG BEACH FOR JUST ECONOMY, WE BRING ALL THOSE TOGETHER, IS THE FACT THAT, UM, FOR US, OUR CONSTITUENTS ARE THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN AT THE POLITICAL MARGINS AND YET ARE STILL THE MORAL CENTER OF THE CITY, RIGHT? IDENTITIES THAT ARE SO OFTEN SHARED AS IMMIGRANTS, AS WORKERS, AS RENTERS.
THAT'S OUR CONSTITUENCY, AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES LONG BEACH WHAT IT IS.
UH, AND SO WE HAVE TO DO OUR PART IN THIS BUDGET TO REVERSE THE LONG TIE TO MARGINALIZATION THAT HAS EXISTED, THAT HAS TAKEN UP TOO MUCH OF A PAIN FOR FRONTLINE COMMUNITIES.
UH, AND SO AGAIN, $2.2 MILLION IN STRUCTURAL FUNDING FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND.
$2 MILLION TO THE TENANT, RIGHT TO COUNCIL PROGRAM, AND 400,000 TO LONG BEACH COMMUNITY LAND TRUST.
THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD THAT'S IN THIS BUDGET NOW.
I THINK WE CAN MAKE IT BETTER.
MY NAME IS NANDO VELO, COMMUNITY LAWYER WITH, OR, UM, I'M HERE BEFORE YOU ALL TODAY TO ADVOCATE FOR 2.2 MILLION IN NEW CITY DOLLARS FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND, AND THAT THE CITY COMMIT TO MAKING THIS STRUCTURAL FUNDING.
UM, INSTEAD OF ONE TIME ALLOCATIONS, UM, YEAR AFTER YEAR, WE COME TO CITY COUNCIL ADVOCATING FOR MORE FUNDS FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND.
UM, BUT IN ORDER TO HAVE A SUSTAINABLE PROGRAM, A PROGRAM THAT OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL AS LEGAL SERVICE PROVIDERS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN SERVING OUR COMMUNITY, UM, THEY NEED TO HAVE SOLID FUNDING THERE, UM, THAT THEY CAN RELY UPON, RIGHT? UM, BECAUSE OTHERWISE, IF IT'S DEPENDING ON ONE TIME ALLOCATIONS, UH, THERE'S A LACK OF CERTAINTY FROM ONE PERSPECTIVE, FROM THE LEGAL SERVICE PROVIDERS WONDERING, HOW MUCH MONEY AM I GONNA GET THIS FOLLOWING YEAR? IS THIS WORK GONNA BE SUSTAINABLE? AM I GONNA BE ABLE TO TAKE ON THE WORK OF SUPPORTING, UM, THE FOLKS IN LONG BEACH WHO NEED THE SUPPORT? ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING WE ARE IN A LEGAL DESERT, WE DON'T HAVE THE LEGAL SERVICES AVAILABLE FOR OUR FOLKS, AND SO IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT THEY HAVE SOMETHING THEY CAN RELY ON, BUT ALSO FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, RIGHT? THEY NEED TO KNOW THAT NOT ONLY IS THE CITY THERE TO BACK THEM, TO BE THERE FOR THEM TO SUPPORT THEM, BUT THAT THEY KNOW THAT THERE IS STRUCTURAL FUNDING IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS, UM, SUPPORT FROM THE CITY TO ENSURE THAT THEY GET THE LEGAL SERVICE SERVICES THAT THEY DESERVE.
UM, WE REALLY CAN'T RELY ON, UM, FUNDS THAT ARE ROLLING OVER FROM
[00:50:01]
PREVIOUS PERIODS.UM, OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY DESERVES A STRONG COMMITMENT FROM THE CITY, A CITY THAT NEEDS TO STAND UP AGAINST A HOSTILE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT IS TARGETING OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES.
UM, AND WE'VE ALREADY SEEN ENFORCEMENT, UM, HERE IN LONG BEACH.
AND ALSO IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE, UM, OUR FOLKS AREN'T JUST IN LONG BEACH, RIGHT? OUR FOLKS WORK OUTSIDE, UM, AND OTHER LOCATIONS, UM, THAT ARE NEIGHBORING LIKE LAKEWOOD, UM, WHICH HAS BEEN TARGETED.
AND SO IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT WE PROVIDE SERVICES FOR ALL OUR FOLKS, UM, IN LONG BEACH, REGARDLESS OF HOW MUCH ENFORCEMENT WE'VE BEEN SEEING IN LONG BEACH, BECAUSE ONE, WE HAVE SEEN ENFORCEMENT HERE, AND TWO, OUR FOLKS OFTENTIMES LEAVE LONG BEACH, RIGHT? AND SO THAT'S ESSENTIAL.
UM, AS THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, WE URGE A RECOMMENDATION TO HAVE A TOTAL OF 2.2 MILLION IN NEW CITY DOLLARS FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND, AND THAT THIS FUNDING BE STRUCTURAL.
AND ALSO, WITH THE TIME I HAVE REMAINING, I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO SHARE MY SUPPORT FOR AN ALLOCATION OF 2 MILLION FOR THE TENANT RIGHT TO COUNCIL PROGRAM AND 400,000 FOR THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY LAND TRUST.
MY NAME IS SABA, AND I'M A STUDENT AT CAL STATE LONG BEACH AND A RESIDENT IN DISTRICT THREE.
TODAY, I'M ALSO REPRESENTING CLUE CLERGY AND LA UNITED FOR ECONOMIC JUSTICE.
I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN BY THANKING YOU FOR YOUR ONGOING SUPPORT OF THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND, COMMUNITY LAND TRUST, AND THE RIGHT TO COUNCIL PROGRAMS. YOUR COMMITMENT TO THESE INITIATIVES DEMONSTRATE A COMMITMENT TO THE DIGNITY AND WELLBEING OF OUR COMMUNITIES.
WITH THE ATTACKS OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ON IMMIGRANTS AND FAMILIES.
THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND AND THE RIGHT TO COUNCIL PROGRAMS ARE MORE CRUCIAL THAN EVER BEFORE.
WE ASK YOU TO INCREASE THE CITY INVESTMENT IN THESE THREE PROGRAMS TO MEET THE $2.2 MILLION FOR THE RIGHT TO COUNSEL THE $400,000 FOR COMMUNITY LAND TRUST AND THE 2 MILLION FOR LONG BEACH JUST, UH, JUSTICE FUND.
THESE PROGRAMS HAVE PROVEN THEMSELVES TO BE EFFECTIVE IN PROTECTING IMMIGRANTS FROM DEPORTATION AND TENANTS FROM DISPLACEMENT.
THIS IS WHY SUSTAINED AND ADEQUATE FUNDING FOR THESE PROGRAMS WILL IMPACT GENERATIONS TO COME.
A HOME IS NOT SIMPLY A ROOF OVER ONE'S HEAD.
IT IS THE FOUNDATION FOR HUMAN FLOURISHING.
IF WE DO, IF WE BELIEVE THAT EVERYONE DESERVES THAT SANCTUARY, THEN WE MUST ENSURE THAT NO ONE IS DENIED THE PROTECTIONS AND SUPPORT THEY NEED TO REMAIN IN THEIR HOME.
I URGE YOU TO PRIORITIZE AND FULLY FUND ALL THREE OF THESE PROGRAMS. IN DOING SO, YOU AFFIRM THAT OUR CITY STANDS FOR JUSTICE, COMPASSION, AND THE RIGHT FOR EVERY PERSON TO LIVE IN SAFETY AND DIGNITY.
I'M A MEMBER OF LONG BEACH RESIDENTS IN POWER.
I'M HERE TODAY TO SUPPORT THE ALLOCATION OF 2 MILLION FOR THE TENANT RIGHT TO COUNCIL PROGRAM, 400,000 FOR THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY COMMUNITY LAND TRUST, BOTH WHICH PLAY A ROLE IN PREVENTING DISPLACEMENT AND CREATING LONG-TERM AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
I ALSO WANT TO VOICE SUPPORT FOR THE 2.2 MILLION FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND.
NOW IS THE TIME FOR MEASURE A TO FULFILL ITS PROMISES TO VOTERS AND DIRECT NEW FUNDS TO REAL SOLUTIONS LIKE EVICTION DEFENSE AND INNOVATIVE HOUSING MODELS.
LIKE THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST, WE NEED TO PAIR STRONG TENANT PROTECTIONS WITH PERMANENTLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO KEEP LONG BEACH RESIDENTS HOUSED FOR GOOD.
I AM A SUPERVISING ATTORNEY WITH THE LEGAL AID FOUNDATION OF LOS ANGELES, UM, HERE TODAY TO CLARIFY, UH, SOME BUDGETS, UM, UH, OR TO TESTIFY RATHER, UH, TO, TO SOME BUDGET ALLOCATIONS.
I BELIEVE THAT, UM, THERE WERE PREVIOUS REPORTS PROVIDED TO THE COUNCIL REGARDING, UM, UH, EXPENDED, UH, EXPECTED ROLLOVER OF $400,000, UM, TO THE, TO THE BUDGET.
UM, I REVIEWED THE NUMBERS THIS MORNING, UM, WITH THE MOST UP-TO-DATE FACTORS, AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE A $400,000 ROLLOVER FOR YOU GUYS TO TAKE IN CON CONSIDERATION TO, UM, THE BUDGET FOR RIGHT TO COUNSEL.
UM, WE ARE VERY, VERY CLOSE AS OF, UM, OUR PROJECTIONS IN SEPTEMBER TO EXPEND DOWN THE MAJORITY OF THE MONEY THAT WAS ALLOCATED FOR RIGHT TO COUNSEL.
UM, AS AN ATTORNEY WORKING IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH SPECIFIC, OR CITY OF LONG BEACH RESIDENTS, UM, WHO ARE FACING EVICTION, UM, I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR, UH, FUNDING TO BE ALLOCATED TO, UM, THIS PARTICULAR, UM,
[00:55:01]
UM, THIS PARTICULAR USE.UM, MYSELF AND MY TEAM WORK DILIGENTLY EVERY DAY IN THE, IN THE COURTHOUSE TO, UM, PROTECT THE CITY OF LONG BEACH RESIDENTS FROM BEING DISPLACED.
UM, WE ALSO WORK WITH OUR COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, EDUCATION IS, IS PROVIDED TO THE GREATER COMMUNITY.
UM, AND WE DEFINITELY NEED MORE RESOURCES, UH, TO FUND MORE ATTORNEYS TO ASSIST, UM, WITH US, UH, KEEPING PEOPLE HOUSED IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, UH, IN, IN MY PAST YEARS AS AN ATTORNEY, WE HAVE, UM, SOMEWHAT RELIED ON THE, UH, RESOURCES PROVIDED BY THE COURTS, UM, INCLUDING, UM, THE SELF-HELP CENTER, WHICH IS STAFFED BY STAFF ATTORNEYS, UM, BY MY ORGANIZATION, UH, STAFF ATTORNEYS FROM THE COURTHOUSE, AS WELL AS, UH, AMERICORPS VOLUNTEERS WHO ARE, UM, KNOWN AS JUSTICE CORPS VOLUNTEERS WHO HAVE BEEN SPECIFICALLY TRAINED TO ASSIST PEOPLE, UM, WITH EVICTIONS AND DIVORCES.
UH, BUT DUE TO FEDERAL BUDGET CUTS, UM, THOSE PROGRAMS ARE IN, UM, THOSE PROGRAMS ARE SET TO GO AWAY.
AND THE IMPACT, UM, FOR THE GREATER COMMUNITY IS, IS HUGE AS THERE WILL BE LESS RESOURCES, UM, UNLESS WE FUND PROGRAMS LIKE THE RIGHT TO COUNCIL.
I'M ANDRENA, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF LONG BEACH RESIDENT EMPOWER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HOLDING THESE HEARINGS AND LISTENING TO ME.
I FEEL LIKE I HAVE PTSD ALREADY, ALREADY.
THIS AGAIN, UM, I, UH, AND I SENT YOU ALL, UH, A LETTER.
THE RIGHT TO COUNCIL PROGRAM IS SET TO SPEND ALL ITS FUNDING THAT WAS ALLOCATED LAST YEAR BY SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR, WHICH IS WHEN THE CONTRACT ENDS.
UH, BARBARA UCH WITH THE LEGAL AID FOUNDATION SENT AN A LETTER TO THE MAYOR, UM, AND HIS STAFF EXPLAINING THAT WE WILL NOT HAVE THAT ROLLOVER.
IT IS EXTREMELY CONCERNING FOR ME THAT THE MAJOR IS COUNTING AND HIS PROPOSAL WITH NINE, ALMOST 900, I THINK IT'S WITH, TOGETHER WITH THE LEGAL AID, WITH THE 400, IT'S, UM, SAID LIKE AT ALMOST 900,000 THAT THE COMMUNITY IS NOT GONNA RECEIVE.
UM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, LAST YEAR, LIBRE LANE AND MANY OF THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS IN TOWN FOUGHT TIRELESSLY TO PASS MERE.
AND MANY OF US, WHEN WE WERE KNOCKING AT PEOPLE'S DOORS, WE WERE TELLING THEM HOW MEASURE A FUNDS WERE NOT JUST GONNA BE ANOTHER, IT WAS NOT JUST GONNA BE ANOTHER MEASURE TO, TO END HOMELESSNESS.
IT WAS GONNA BE A MEASURE THAT WILL PREVENT HOMELESSNESS.
RIGHT TO CANCEL IS THAT, IS HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION.
BY NOT FINDING IT FULLY, WE WILL NOT BE FULFILLING OUR PROMISE TO THE VOTERS, THE VOTERS OF LONG BEACH THAT PASSED MEASURE A FOR WITH OVER 60%, UM, OF APPROVAL.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, I WANT TO REMIND YOU ALL THAT THE RIGHT TO CANCEL PROGRAM HAS A PIECE THAT INCLUDES RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
IN PRIOR YEARS WITH THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT THE CITY WAS PROVIDING BACK IN 2020, THERE WAS A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH IT BECAUSE LANDLORDS WILL OFTEN TAKE THE MONEY AND THEN EVICT THE PEOPLE.
THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT IS INCLUDED IN THE STATE HOUSE LA PROGRAM WITH OUR RIGHT TO COUNSEL PREVENTS THAT BY HAVING AN ATTORNEY IN THE MIDDLE OF NE THE NEGOTIATION, AN ATTORNEY WOULD MAKE SURE THAT AN, AN JUDGE THAT THE LANDLORD GETS HIS MONEY OR ITS MONEY, AND THEN THE RENTER IS ABLE TO STAY HOUSED, THEREFORE PREVENTING HOMELESSNESS.
I'M HAPPY TO HAVE MORE DETAILED CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU ALL.
I HAVE SENT YOU SEVERAL, UM, DOCUMENTS OF THE BENEFITS OF THE RIDE TO COUNCIL PROGRAM.
I HAVE ALSO SENT YOU A LETTER EXPLAINING MY CONCERNS ABOUT THIS ROLLOVER.
SO I HOPE YOU HAVE THAT IN CONSIDERATION IN AGENT TO THAT.
WE ARE ALSO SUPPORTING, OF COURSE, THE $400,000 FOR THE COMMUNAL AND TRUST AND THE 2.2 MILLION FOR THE JUSTICE FUND.
MY NAME IS NARA BUNI, THE DIRECTOR WITH THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY LAND TRUST.
I FIRST WANT TO JUST EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE, UM, TO THE CITY OF LONG BEACH FOR SUPPORTING US AND, UM, SUPPORTING US IN LAUNCHING THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY LAND TRUST WITH THAT ADDITIONAL, UH, THAT INITIAL FUNDS, UM, TO SUPPORT THAT LAUNCH.
AND WE'RE ALSO GRATEFUL FOR THE ALLOCATION OF 200,000 IN TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO CLTS IN NEXT YEAR'S CITY BUDGET.
I'M HERE TODAY TO REQUEST THE CITY INCREASED SUPPORT FOR CLTS AND COMMUNITY OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.
SO THE TOTAL OF $400,000 IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, UM, VOTERS PASSED MEASURE A WITH AN INTENTION
[01:00:01]
TO SUPPORT NEW AND INNOVATIVE HOUSING MODELS LIKE CLTS.UH, THIS IS EVIDENT IN THE LANGUAGE OF THE MEASURE ITSELF, THE COALITION OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT DROVE MEASURE A FORWARD AND ALSO SUPPORTED, UH, AND, AND UM, CONTRIBUTED, UH, AND A LOT OF INTENSE CAPACITY FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF MEASURE A AND LA CASA.
UM, AND IT'S ALSO EVIDENT IN LA CASA'S PROGRAM GUIDELINES THAT OUTLINE CLTS IN SEVERAL LOCATIONS, INCLUDING UNDER THE PRODUCTION PRESERVATION AND OWNERSHIP, UM, UH, UH, PORTION OF FUNDS AS ELIGIBLE FOR DIRECT INVESTMENTS BY CITIES AND OTHER JURISDICTIONS.
AGAIN, THIS SHOWS THE EXTENSIVE LEADERSHIP THAT CLTS PLAYED IN OTHER, UM, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS ADVOCATING FOR CLTS AND THE CREATION OF LA CASA AND MEASURE A.
AND SO, AS WE MOVE INTO THIS NEW YEAR, WE ARE ENGAGING IN A NEW ROLE AND RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY AS A SERVICE PROVIDER, PROVIDING THE MUCH NEEDED OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERMANENTLY AFFORDABLE AND SOCIAL HOUSING, UM, THAT ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF LA CASA'S PROGRAMS. AND ALSO AN IMPORTANT AND STATED IMPORTANT GOAL OF THE CITY.
UH, AND THESE PROGRAMS ARE CURRENTLY OUT OF REACH FOR MOST, UM, MOST FOLKS.
UH, AND ALSO, UM, THE INCOME LEVELS THAT OUR CURRENT PROGRAMS ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, IN THE, IN THE OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, ESPECIALLY WITHIN THE CITY, ARE, ARE NOT ACCESSIBLE AT THIS TIME.
UM, SO WE'RE REQUESTING AN ADDITIONAL 200,000 FROM THE CASA PRODUCTION PRESERVATION AND OWNERSHIP FUNDS OF WHICH THE CITY IS SET TO RECEIVE 5.2 MILLION IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THE WORK OF CLTS IN PROVIDING THESE ESSENTIAL HOUSING SERVICES TO LONG BEACH RESIDENTS.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH THE CITY TO PROVIDE THESE CRITICAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THAT CONVERSATION.
I WOULD LOVE TO TO FURTHER THAT AND PROVIDE MORE DETAILS.
UM, I'D ALSO LIKE TO SPECIFY MY SUPPORT TODAY FOR 2.2 MILLION FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND AND 2 MILLION FOR THE RIGHT TO COUNSEL, UH, CRITICAL PROGRAMS, IMPORTANT PROGRAMS TO SECURE OUR COMMUNITIES AND KEEP THEM HOUSED AS WELL.
HI, MY NAME IS BRANDI DAVIDSON.
I'M A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER FOR LIBRE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BLM.
I'M HERE TODAY TO SUPPORT THE ALLOCATION OF $2 MILLION FOR LI TENANT RIGHTS COUNCIL PROGRAM AND $400,000 FOR THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY LAND TRUST.
I'M SOMEONE WHO HAS SUPPORTED MANY TENANTS FROM THE INTAKE PROCESS ALL THE WAY THROUGH TO THEIR EVICTION TRIAL, AND I'VE SAT IN EVICTION COURT NUMEROUS TIMES WATCHING FAMILIES WITHOUT REPRESENTATION AND THE PROPER KNOWLEDGE GET EVICTED AND ULTIMATELY ENDING UP DISPLACEMENT, DISPLACED, AND HAVING TO HELP THEM FIND HOMES OR SHELTERS.
ONCE A PERSON IS EVICTED, IT BECOMES HARDER FOR THEM TO SECURE HOUSING OR EXIT HOMELESSNESS.
A WELL-FUNDED RIGHTS COUNCIL PROGRAM PROVIDES RENTERS A FAIR CHANCE TO STAY HOUSED.
THE RIGHT TO COUNCIL PROGRAM HAS BEEN EFFECTIVE AND RENTERS HAVE ACCESS TO FREE LEGAL REPRESENTATION.
IT HELPS TO KEEP THEM HOUSED AND MOSTLY IT HELPS TO NEGOTIATE SETTLEMENTS SO THEY DON'T END UP DISPLACED AND PROVIDES THEM LEGAL COUNSELORS SO THAT RENTERS HAVE THE CHANCE TO ASK THESE HOUSING QUESTIONS BEFORE IT GETS TO THAT POINT.
ALTHOUGH THE PROPOSED, THE PROPOSED BUDGET STAYS, THE RIGHT TO COUNCIL PROGRAM WILL RECEIVE $1.5 MILLION IN FUNDING.
IT ALSO STATES SOMEWHERE THAN HALF OF THOSE FUNDS ARE ROLLOVER FUNDS FROM LAST YEAR, AND THAT WE ARE ON TRACK TO BE SPENT WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH.
THESE ARE NOT NEW INVESTMENTS.
I ALSO JUST WANNA SAY THAT WE ALSO MENTIONED THAT WE'RE PROUD THAT WE'RE WANTING THE MOST DIVERSE CITIES IN OUR NATION, AND I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO SHOW UP FOR OUR NEIGHBORS JUST AS WELL.
I WOULD LIKE TO VOICE SUPPORT OF $2.2 MILLION FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND.
MY NAME IS MARLA MARTINEZ, AND I AM A RESIDENT AND VOTER IN DISTRICT TWO AND AN EMPLOYEE OF THE LONG BEACH CLT.
I'M HERE TODAY TO SUPPORT THE ALLOCATION OF $2 MILLION FOR THE TENANTS RIGHTS AND COUNCIL PROGRAM, 400,000 FOR THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY LAND TRUST AND 2.2 MILLION FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND.
FUNDING THESE IS CRITICAL TO PREVENT DISPLACEMENT IN OUR COMMUNITIES, KEEP OUR COMMUNITIES SAFE, AND CREATE LONG-TERM AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WHILE WE DO APPRECIATE THE CITY'S INVESTMENTS OF THE $200,000 FOR THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY LAND TRUST, AND THE SHARED COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY OWNERSHIP AND SOCIAL HOUSING, IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO MEET THE SCALE OF THE NEED FOR INVESTMENT IN THE CREATION OF NEW HOME, HOME OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES OR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THE LONG BEACH CLT HAS BUILT A LOT.
A STRONG BASE OF RESIDENT BASED LEADERSHIP PARTNERED WITH THRIVING CLTS ACROSS THE STATE, AND IT HAS LAID THE GROUNDWORK TO LAUNCH NEW, PERMANENTLY AFFORDABLE HOME OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES IN LONG BEACH.
SO IT IS A VERY IMPORTANT TIME THAT WE TAKE, THAT YOU TAKE, UM, THIS MOVEMENT THAT WE'VE BUILT WITH THE RESIDENT BASED LEADERSHIP AND MAKE GOOD USE OF IT WITH THE FUNDS FOR MEASURE A, THE CLT WILL BE ABLE TO MOVE QUICKLY TO STABILIZE COMMUNITIES AND CREATE HOME, CREATE OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE ACCESSIBLE TO THOSE MOST IN NEED.
NOW IS THE TIME FOR MEASURE A TO FULFILL ITS PROMISES TO VOTERS AND DIRECT NEW FUNDS TO REAL SOLUTIONS LIKE EVICTION DEFENSE AND INNOVATIVE HOUSING MODELS LIKE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST.
WE NEED TO PAIR STRONG TENANT PROTECTIONS WITH PERMANENTLY AFFORDABLE
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HOUSING TO KEEP LONG BEACH RESIDENTS HOUSED AND SAFE FOR GOOD.MY NAME IS DIANA AND I'M A RESIDENT OF COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO AND A MEMBER EMPLOYEE OF THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY LAND TRUST.
FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR INVESTING $200,000 FOR THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY LAND TRUST.
WE TRULY APPRECIATE THE CITY'S FUNDING AND SHARED COMMITMENT OF COMMUNITY OWNERSHIP AND SOCIAL HOUSING, BUT AS SOME OF, BUT AS SOME OF, BUT AS SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE MENTIONED, IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO MEET THE SCALE OF THE NEED FOR INVESTMENT IN THE CREATION OF NEW HOME OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.
OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS, LONG BEACH RENTS HAVE RISEN.
20% CITYWIDE FAMILIES AND LONG-TERM RESIDENTS ARE BEING PRICED OUT OF THE CITY WITH THE AVERAGE HOME PRICE BEING OVER 850,850, A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
HOME OWNERSHIP IS OUT OF THE REACH FOR, FOR MOST RESIDENTS.
CLTS SUPPORT LOW INCOME FAMILIES OF COLOR BY CREATING LONG-TERM AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES AND PATHWAYS TOWARDS OWNERSHIP, HOME OWNERSHIP.
AND SO WE URGE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO INVEST AN ADDITIONAL $200,000 FROM THE 5.2 MILLION IN PPO FUNDS FOR THE L-B-C-L-T.
THIS INVESTMENT WILL CREATE ACCESS TO HOME OWNERSHIP FOR FAMILIES WHO HISTORICALLY FOUND OWNING PROPERTY DIFFICULT.
I'M ALSO HERE TODAY TO SUPPORT THE ALLOCATION OF $2 MILLION FOR THE TENANT RIGHT TO COUNCIL PROGRAM, WHICH ALSO PLAYS A ROLE IN PREVENTING DISPLACEMENT AND CREATING LONG-TERM AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND LASTLY, I WANT TO VOICE SUPPORT FOR THE 2.2 MILLION FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND.
MY NAME IS CYNTHIA TORRES, AND I AM A MEMBER OF THE OF LONG BEACH RESIDENTS EMPOWERED.
I AM HERE IN SUPPORT FOR THE ALLOCATION OF $2 MILLION FOR THE TENANT RIGHT TO COUNCIL PROGRAM AND 400,000 FOR THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY LAND TRUST.
I HAVE BEEN TO COUNTLESS COUNCIL MEETINGS, AND I ALWAYS HEAR THE SAME THING.
THERE IS A STRONG NEED FOR BETTER SOCIAL HOUSING.
THIS IS WHAT CAN BE ACHIEVED THROUGH A COMMUNITY LAND TRUST.
IF WE TRULY WANT TO TAKE STEPS TOWARDS FIXING A HOUSING CRISIS CRISIS, INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS MUST BE FUNDED.
IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE CURRENT HOUSING MODEL IS DEEPLY FLAWED.
SO IN ORDER TO HELP RESIDENTS, WE MUST TAKE STEPS TO SECURE, SAFE AND ACCESSIBLE FORMS OF HOUSING.
THIS TIES INTO THE RIGHT TO COUNSEL, WHICH ALLOWS US TO FIGHT FOR OUR HOUSING TO CONTINUE HAVING ACCESS TO OUR COMMUNITIES AND HOMES.
WE KNOW EVICTION, UPROOT ENTIRE LIVES.
I MEAN, JUST IMAGINE LOSING YOUR HOME OUT OF THE BLUE.
STRESSFUL SITUATIONS LIKE THESE CAN BE MITIGATED THROUGH THE RIGHT TO COUNSEL.
IT IS A SAFETY NET THAT EFFECTIVELY PREVENTS HOMELESSNESS.
I ALSO WANT TO VOICE MY SUPPORT FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND.
2.2 MILLION ALLOWS US TO BACK OUR COMMUNITIES.
THE IMMIGRATION ISSUE IS A HOUSING ISSUE.
HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT AND SO IS THE RIGHT TO BUILD OUR LIVES WHERE WE WANT TO AND NEED TO.
I AM A, UH, RESIDENT IN DISTRICT TWO, AND I'M COMMUNITY ORGANIZER WITH
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE TODAY, AND WE'LL CONTINUE SEEING THROUGHOUT BUDGET SEASON, UM, COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND VARIOUS ORGS ARE ALL HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR WHAT WE'VE SEEN COMMUNITY NEEDS.
UM, THESE ORGS ALL HAVE STRONG COMMUNITY TIES AND RELATIONSHIPS.
WE WORK WITH COMMUNITY EVERY DAY ARE PART OF, UH, THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY.
UM, SO WE HAVE A LOT OF KNOWLEDGE AND INSIGHT TO WHAT PEOPLE NEED.
UM, AND THAT'S A REALLY GREAT ASSET TO THE CITY.
UM, I KNOW WE SENT OUT A LOT OF SURVEYS.
THERE'S A LOT OF EFFORT THAT CAN GO INTO TRYING TO SEE WHAT PEOPLE ARE NEEDING, AND WE HAVE THAT DIRECT, UM, COMMUNICATION.
UM, SO WE SPEAK WITH, WE ARE IMMIGRANTS, WE ARE TENANTS, WE'RE WORKERS, UM, AND WE'RE ASKING FOR 2.2 MILLION FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND.
UM, WE'RE ASKING FOR 2 MILLION FOR THE RIGHT TO COUNSEL AND 400,000 FOR THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY LAND TRUST.
WE'LL HELP US DO OUR WORK, HELP US, UM, HELP THE, THE RESIDENTS OF LONG BEACH.
UM, AND THIS IS WHAT WE NEED, UH, FROM THE CITY TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY, UM, TO KEEP THEM WITH THEIR FAMILIES, UM, KEEP THEM HOUSED.
UM, AND I HOPE THIS COMMUNITY AND COUNCIL SEE THE NEED FOR THIS MONEY, UM, AND DECIDE TO ALLOCATE THE AMOUNT THAT WE'RE ALL ADVOCATING FOR.
I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR PUENTE LATINO ASSOCIATION, AND MY ORGANIZATION IS PART OF THE ONE LONG BEACH COLLABORATIVE AND THE ADVANCING PIECE STEERING COMMITTEE.
I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THE $1.1 MILLION THAT YOU, UM, LAST YEAR PUT IT FOR THE CRIME PREVENTION.
OUR PARKS NORMALLY OUR APPOINTED WORKS ON THE NORTH, AND WE NOTICE THE DIFFERENCE.
AND TOGETHER, UM, THE ORGANIZATIONS HAVE GET TOGETHER AND WE SEND A LETTER WITH THE ROADMAP OF WHAT THE MONEY WANTED TO USE THIS TIME.
AND WE INCREASED THIS BUDGET FOR $5.5 MILLION.
NOW I NOTICE IT, AND I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THE 3.6 MILLION THAT YOU ALREADY
[01:10:01]
ALLOCATE FOR CRIME PREVENTION.HOWEVER, I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE $1.5 MILLION THAT IS MISSING.
IT WILL MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE.
DEFINITELY WE NEED TO HAVE, UM, CRIME CRIME PREVENTION IS PART OF THE HEALTH AND THE WELLBEING OF THE COMMUNITY, AND SPECIFICALLY IN THE NORTH IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED.
AND I HOPE YOU GUYS CAN UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING THESE PROGRAMS TOGETHER.
AND, AND I HOPE YOU CAN FIND THE MONEY, UH, YEAH, FOR 1.5 MILLION.
GOOD AFTERNOON, BUDGET SIDE OVER COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK FOR YOU TODAY.
UM, DEFINITELY IN SUPPORT OF EVERYBODY THAT SPOKE HERE TODAY.
AND THEIR INITIATIVES VERY IMPORTANT FOR OUR CITY DURING THIS TIME.
SO I THINK WHAT PEOPLE ARE COMING FOR IS REALLY, UM, A SAFETY NET.
UM, THAT'S SUSTAINABLE IN, UH, TRYING TO CREATE SPACES FOR OUR FAMILIES TO, TO LIVE, WORK, AND THRIVE IN OUR GREAT CITY.
UM, I'M HERE, UM, TODAY ALSO IN REGARDS TO OUR PUBLIC SAFETY, OUR COMMUNITY SAFETY, UM, PART OF THE ONE LONG BEACH.
UM, MY NAME IS JESSICA ANA, AND I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CENTRO CHA.
BUT I'VE ALSO LIVED IN THIS GREAT CITY FOR OVER 60 YEARS.
UM, SO I COULD TELL YOU A THING OR TWO ABOUT THIS CITY, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE FIRST AND FOREMOST THAT THE POPULATION OF OUR YOUTH IS ALMOST 50% WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS IN OUR CITY.
AND WE HAVE EXPERIENCED AND CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE AN UPTICK IN OUR VIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND ESPECIALLY THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE MOST IMPACTED.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE CAN RECITE THOSE, UH, ZIP CODES BY, BY HEART, NORTH LONG BEACH, CENTRAL, EAST, WEST, UM, OF OUR CITY.
AND IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, ALSO, WE KNOW THAT THOSE SAME AREAS ARE, YOU KNOW, HIGHLY POPULATED BY OUR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, AFRICAN AMERICAN, LATINO, ASIAN PACIFIC ISLANDER.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S UPON US THAT WE, WE CREATE SAFE COMMUNITIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS FOR OUR MEMBERS, RIGHT? THAT WE HAVE CULTURALLY SAFE SPACES AND PLACES WHERE KIDS CAN GO ACTIVATE, BE AT THE PARKS, UH, HAVE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS, UM, BE IN COMMUNITY CENTERS WHERE THEY FEEL SAFE, WHERE THEY HAVE MENTORS, WHERE THEY'RE LEARNING.
BECAUSE WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW IS WE HAVE A LOT OF FEAR IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
A LOT OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE DON'T FEEL SAFE.
A LOT OF OUR CHILDREN DON'T FEEL SAFE, AND THEY'RE TERRIFIED OF THE VIOLENCE THAT HAPPENS IN OUR COMMUNITY, OF THE GUN VIOLENCE, WALKING IN THE COMMUNITIES, RIDING THE BUSES, GOING TO THE PARKS.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT CREATES TRAUMA FOR A LOT OF OUR, OUR YOUNG PEOPLE AND THEIR, THEIR LITTLE MINDS.
AND, UM, IT PARALYZES THEM WITH FEAR.
SO WE ARE JUST VERY THANKFUL THAT, UM, THERE HAS BEEN A PROPOSAL, UH, TO SUPPORT THE VIOLENCE INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION PROGRAMS. WE ASK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN THE ADDITIONAL ONE, UM, 1.54, UH, MILLION TO SUPPORT THAT, THOSE EFFORTS.
UM, IN ADDITION, I'M ALSO HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE, UM, EL MECADO DE LONG BEACH.
THIS IS AN INITIATIVE THAT HAS BEEN, UH, PROPOSED, UM, GOSH, PROBABLY FOR ALMOST GOING ON FOUR YEARS NOW.
UM, WE ARE EXCITED TO SEE THIS IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND FOR MANY REASONS.
ONE IS, YOU KNOW, OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS, UH, FOOD SECURITY.
WE NEED TO DEVELOP, UH, JOBS IN, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, WE NEED ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH SPACES AND PLACES WHERE PEOPLE CAN, UH, BECOME, UM, ENTREPRENEURS, UH, WHERE STREET VENDORS CAN FEEL SAFE TO GO TO AND SELL THEIR MERCHANDISE.
UM, AND DEFINITELY IT'S, IT'S A TAX REVENUE FOR A CITY.
SO WE DEFINITELY NEED YOUR SUPPORT.
THANK, DID I HAVE THREE MINUTES? OKAY.
THIS IS DEMI AND THIS IS, UH, MEDULLA.
AND WE'RE WITH THE ADVANCING PEACE STEERING COMMITTEE.
I WANT TO EX UH, I WANT TO BEGIN BY EXPRESSING OUR DEEP APPRECIATION FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN SECURING A HISTORIC 1.1 MILLION INVESTMENT IN THE COMMUNITY BA, YOUR COMMUNITY BASED VIOLENCE PREVENTION EFFORTS IN THE FISCAL YEAR OF 2025.
THIS MILESTONE WAS A DIRECT RESULT OF YOUR COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SAFETY, HEALING, AND COMMUNITY-BASED SOLUTIONS.
I'M HERE TODAY ON THE BEHALF OF COUNTLESS COM COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO ASK TO ASK YOU TO FULLY FIND THE REMAINING ONE POINT 54 MILLION FOR VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT IN THE FISCAL YEAR OF 2026 BUDGET.
WE ARE GRATEFUL THAT THE MAYOR INCLUDED MANY IN INVESTMENTS IN VIOLENCE PREVENTION
[01:15:01]
AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT.HE PROPOSED, OH, HE PROPOSED IN HIS 26 BUDGET.
THIS IS MEANINGFUL PROGRESS AND SHOWS THE GROWING SUPPORT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH CENTER SAFETY STRATEGIES.
HOWEVER, WE'RE STILL SHORT 1.5, ONE POINT 54 MILLION, AND THAT GAP PUTS LIVES AT RISK.
WE INCLUDED A TABLE WITH A BREAKDOWN OF WHAT WAS ASKED AND WHAT WAS PROPOSED, WHAT IS STILL UNFUNDED AND PROVIDED LETTERS, UM, SORRY, FROM MAY TO FROM LAST MAY TO THIS MAY LONG BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT REPORTED 237 SHOOTINGS THAT IS NEARLY TWICE AS MANY AS PREVIOUS YEARS.
A BREAKDOWN OF THESE REPORTS ARE IN THE LETTER.
EVERY ACT OF VIOLENCE HARMS MORE THAN JUST A PERSON WHO IS HIT.
IT AFFECTS ENTIRE FAMILIES, NEIGHBORHOODS, AND OUR CITY SENSE OF SAFETY.
PROGRAMS LIKE YEAR-ROUND ACTIVATIONS, SAFE PASSAGES AND HEALING RESPONSE ARE NOT EXTRAS.
THEY'RE ESSENTIAL PROVEN INTERVENTIONS THAT REDUCE RETALIATION, SUPPORT, HEALING, AND PREVENT FURTHER HARM.
MANY PROGRAMS THAT REMAIN UNDERFUNDED INCLUDED YEAR-ROUND ACTIVATIONS, SAFE PASSAGES AND HEALING RESPONSE ARE KEY TO KEEPING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE AND NEIGHBORHOODS SAFE.
WE UNDERSTAND THE REALITIES OF THE CITY'S BUDGET DEFICIENT, AND WE ARE NOT BLIND TO THE CHALLENGES YOU FACE IN FUNDING ESSENTIAL SERVICES.
UM, WE ARE ASKING THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE TO AGENDIZE A DEEPER CONVERSATION ON VIOLENCE PREVENTION EFFORTS AND THEIR POSITIVE IMPACTS ON COMMUNITY SAFETY AND WELLBEING.
EXPLORE SUSTAINABLE LONG-TERM FUNDING, SUCH AS ATTACKS ON UNHEALTHY FOODS AND SUGARY BEVERAGES TO STRUCTURALLY SUPPORT THIS CRITICAL WORK AND IDENTIFY UNDERUTILIZED FUNDS, GENERAL FUNDS, SAVING TARGETS REQUESTED BY THE CITY MANAGER AND A PORTION OF THE RESERVE FUNDS TO CLOSE THE REMAINING 1.54 MILLION GAP IN THE FY 26 BUDGET TO ENSURE FULL FUNDING FOR VIOLENCE PROTECTION AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT.
MEET WITH US TO DISCUSS OUR ASKS IN GREATER DETAIL.
UM, THIS IS A MOMENT TO LEAD WITH COURAGE AND COMPASSION.
WE NEED TO PRIORITIZE PREVENTION OVER PUNISHMENT AND HEALING OVER HARM.
PLEASE PRIORITIZE YEAR ROUND ACTIVATIONS, UM, 600 K, UM, SAFE PASSAGE, SAFE PASSAGES WITH UM, TWO 15 K HEALING RESPONSE 1 66 K AND FUND THE REMAINING 1.54 MILLION TO PROTECT AND UPLIFT THE COMMUNITIES WHO NEED IT MOST.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, THAT BEING IT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM OUR COUNCIL COLLEAGUES? AND THEN WE CAN TAKE A VOTE.
MY SCREEN IS DOING ALL KINDS OF VERY STRANGE THINGS AT THE MOMENT.
ITEM THREE IS A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE AN UPDATE ON THE HUMAN RESOURCES SLASH CIVIL SERVICE CON CONSOLIDATION AND VACANCIES OVERVIEW.
ALRIGHT, SO WE GO FIRST AND A SECOND, AND I THINK WE HAVE A PRESENTATION.
[3. 25-55999 Recommendation to receive and file an update on the Human Resources/Civil Service consolidation and vacancies overview. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
YES.I'LL TURN IT OVER TO OUR HR DIRECTOR, BRYCE TYLER, TO GIVE THE PRESENTATION.
GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
OH, THE TEAM DID DECIDE TO JOIN ME UP HERE.
THEY'RE GONNA HAVE ME DO IT BY MYSELF, SO, ALL RIGHT.
UM, WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA START WITH A BRIEF, UH, RECAP AND, UH, STATUS UPDATE, UH, REGARDING, UH, MEASURE JB IMPLEMENTATION, AND THEN ALSO PROVIDE A STATUS ON CITYWIDE VACANCIES.
SO JUST AS A, UM, BRIEF BREAKDOWN AND OVERVIEW OF, UH, THE CITY'S, UH, HIRING PROCESS OR JUST BROKEN DOWN INTO FOUR MAIN PHASES, THIS IS MORE JUST AS A POINT OF REFERENCE, UM, FOR SOME OF THE DISCUSSION THAT WE'LL HAVE LATER.
UM, AGAIN, JUST TO TALK THROUGH A BRIEF RECAP AND OVERVIEW OF, UH, MEASURE JB CHARTER AMENDMENT, UH, IMPLEMENTATION.
UH, DURING, UH, EARLY, UH, 2024, UH, THE STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS
[01:20:01]
MAYOR, UH, PROPOSED A CHARTER AMENDMENT TO REFORM AND STREAMLINE OUR CIVIL SERVICE HIRING PROCESSES, UH, WITH THE GOAL OF REDUCING THE LENGTH OF TIME FROM APPLICATION TO OFFER, UH, TO 90 BUSINESS DAYS.UM, OFFERING ALSO TEMPORARY, UH, WORKERS MORE STABILITY BY GIVING THEM A GREATER PATH TOWARDS PERMANENT CITY JOBS, AND PLACING A GREATER FOCUS ON IMPLEMENTING LOCAL HIRING PREFERENCES FOR, UH, RESIDENTS, UH, INDIVIDUALS WHO ATTEND OUR LOCAL EDUCATIONAL, UH, INSTITUTIONS AND OR PARTICIPATED IN APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS, UH, TO HAVE BETTER OPPORTUNITIES, UM, TO HAVE A, A CAREER WITH THE CITY.
THE CITY'S RECRUITMENT AND HIRING PROCESS, UH, WAS ONE OF THE MAJOR ORGANIZATIONAL CHALLENGES THAT HAS IMPACTED OUR EXISTING WORKFORCE AND THE COMMUNITY WE SERVE.
PRIOR TO THE CHARTER AMENDMENT, THE CITYWIDE VACANCY, UM, RATE WAS APPROXIMATELY 22% WITH SPECIFIC DEPARTMENTS EXPERIENCING EVEN HIGHER VACANCY RATES.
THE CITY WAS UNIQUE ALSO IN, UH, THE REGION, UM, BY BEING ONE OF THE ONLY LARGE MUNICIPALITIES WITH A BIFURCATED HIRING STRUCTURE WITH THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT, UM, BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OVERSIGHT AND RECRUITMENT OF UNCLASSIFIED POSITIONS AND THE CIVIL SERVICE DEPARTMENT MANAGING THE HIRING OF, UH, CLASSIFIED POSITIONS.
THE OVERALL TIMELINES FOR CLASSIFIED RECRUITMENTS, UH, HAD NOT IMPROVED.
DESPITE SEVERAL YEARS OF INCREASED FUNDING AND ATTEMPTS AT IMPROVING THE PROCESS, THE PROPOSAL WAS PRESENTED, UM, TO EACH OF THE CHARTER COMMISSIONS, INCLUDING TWO PRESENTATIONS TO THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION, AND REVISED AND STRENGTHENED THROUGH THE MEET AND CONFER PROCESS WITH THE CITY'S 11, UH, RECOGNIZED LABOR, UH, ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT, UH, INITIATED THE REQUIRED MEET AND CONFER PROCESS, UH, WITH THE LABOR ASSOCIATIONS.
UM, THROUGH THAT PROCESS, UH, PROPOSED, UH, CHARTER AMENDMENT WAS REVISED AND STRENGTHENED, UM, DUE TO FEEDBACK, UH, FROM THOSE, UH, LABOR PARTNERS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS.
UH, THE CITY ALSO AGREED TO A SECOND ROUND OF MEET AND CONFER, UH, PROCESS, UH, SHOULD THE VOTERS, UH, APPROVE MALLET THE BALLOT MEASURE IN NOVEMBER OF 2024.
SO, JUST MOVING FORWARD, THE BALLOT MEASURE, UM, WAS APPROVED AND IT SET THE STAGE FOR THE MERGER OF THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT AND CIVIL SERVICE DEPARTMENT INTO ONE UNIFIED DEPARTMENT, WHICH WILL MANAGE ALL EMPLOYEE RECRUITMENT AND HIRING PROCESSES.
UM, ALSO, UH, REMOVE ADMINISTRATIVE REDUNDANCIES FROM THE HIRING PROCESS AND ESTABLISH A NEW CIVIL SERVICE AND EMPLOYEE RIGHTS AND APPEALS COMMISSION, UM, WHICH WILL ADJUDICATE, UH, CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEE DISCIPLINARY APPEALS AND RESOLVE COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE CIVIL SERVICE RULES AND HIRING PROCESS.
AFTER THE VOTE WAS CERTIFIED, UH, THE SECOND ROUND OF MEET AND CONFER, UH, TOOK PLACE, AND THE MERGER BECAME OFFICIAL ON MAY 6TH, 2025.
SO SOME OF THE, UH, HIGHLIGHTS NOW THAT THE MERGER HAS TAKEN PLACE AND THE, UH, THERE IS NOW A NEW UNIFIED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT, UM, WHICH WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING ALL CLASSIFIED AND UNCLASSIFIED, UH, EMPLOYEE RECRUITMENT AND HIRING PROCESSES.
UM, AGAIN, WITH THE GOAL OF HIRING MOST POSITIONS WITHIN 90 BUSINESS DAYS, THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL IN UNCLASSIFIED HIRING, AND IS WORKING TOWARDS, UM, ACHIEVING THE SAME GOAL, UH, OF 90 DAY HIRING WITH THE CLASSIFIED, UH, SERVICE, UM, BY ESTABLISHING A BRAND NEW TALENT MANAGEMENT BUREAU, UH, TO MANAGE CITYWIDE HIRING AND STRATEGICALLY COLLABORATE WITH DEPARTMENTS TO FILL THEIR VACANCIES.
MOST EMPLOYEES AND RESOURCES FROM THE CIVIL SERVICE DEPARTMENT WERE, UH, TRANSITION MERGED WITH THE, WITHIN THE TALENT MANAGEMENT BUREAU, UH, TO BEST SERVE OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS HIRING NEEDS AND BOLSTER OUR ABILITY TO DELIVER SERVICES FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UH, ALSO, UH, NOW WITH THE MERGER, THE CITY'S APPLICANT TRACKING SYSTEM, UH, NEO GOV, UM, WHICH WAS PREVIOUSLY ADMINISTERED AND MANAGED BY THE CIVIL SERVICE DEPARTMENT, IS NOW UNDER THE MANAGEMENT OF THE UNIFIED, UH, HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.
AND THIS WILL GIVE, UH, THE CITY THE ABILITY TO REVIEW ALL THE FEATURES AND FUNCTIONS WITHIN NEO GOV.
UH, RECRUIT AND IDENTIFY ANY GAPS OR AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT.
ALSO ASSESS CURRENT ACTIVE CLASSIFIED RECRUITMENT LIST AND PROCESSES.
UH, ASSESS HIRING TIMELINES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR STREAMLINING, UM, UH, ASSESS ANY EXISTING BARRIERS TO APPLICANTS APPLYING FOR JOBS WITHIN THE CITY.
UM, ASSESS HIRING DEPARTMENTS CHALLENGES, AND CREATE A TRAINING PLAN FOR CITYWIDE, UH, USERS OF THE SYSTEM, UH, AND THE FUNCTIONS OF NEO GOV
[01:25:03]
ONE BEHIND.SO, IN FRONT OF YOU IS A, UH, BREAKDOWN OF WHAT, UH, THE HUMAN RESOURCES, UH, TALENT, UH, MANAGEMENT BUREAU LOOKS BEFORE AND AFTER THE MERGER.
UH, THE POSITIONS THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW ARE ALL OF THE NEW POSITIONS, UM, THAT, UH, CAME ALONG WITH, UH, THE MERGER, UH, FROM CIVIL SERVICE, UM, WHICH WERE ABOUT APPROXIMATELY 15 POSITIONS, UM, CREATING THE NEW TALENT MANAGEMENT BUREAU.
UM, THIS HAS BROUGHT THE TOTAL, UH, UP TO 23 TOTAL POSITIONS.
UM, HOWEVER, UH, THE BUREAU IS STILL, UH, WORKING TO FILL ABOUT FIVE VACANCIES, UM, TO GET FULLY STAFFED.
UH, IN ADDITION TO THE STRUCTURALLY ADDED PERSONNEL, UH, UH, TWO DEPARTMENTS, UH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS ARE ALSO, UM, PROPOSING TO FUND, UH, TWO NEW, UH, UH, ANALYST POSITIONS WITHIN THE TELE MANAGEMENT BUREAU TO HELP, UH, THROUGH THE, UH, FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET PROCESS TO HELP, UH, WITH THE RECRUITMENT SPECIFIC TO THEIR DEPARTMENTS.
UH, THIS WILL GREATLY HELP, UH, IN ADDRESSING THE BACKLOG OF RECRUITMENTS, WHICH WERE APPROXIMATELY AT, UH, 102 PRIOR TO THE MERGER, AND ALLOW, UH, FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING TO COMPETITIVE COMPETITIVELY RECRUIT AND RETAIN TALENT.
UM, AND AS AN UPDATE AS OF, UH, AUGUST 4TH, 2025, UH, HERE'S A BRIEF BREAKDOWN OF THE CURRENT PROGRESS THAT'S BEEN MADE, UH, REDUCING THAT BACKLOG OF THE 102 CLASSIFIED RECRUITMENTS.
SO OF THE 102, UH, 24, UH, HAVE BEEN CLOSED, THAT MEANS RECRUITMENTS HAVE BEEN CONCLUDED AND FINAL ELIGIBLE LIST HAVE BEEN REFERRED TO DEPARTMENTS, UH, 24 ARE STILL ACTIVE, WHICH MEANS JOB BULLETINS HAVE BEEN POSTED, AND EXAM RESULTS ARE PENDING FIBER IN PROGRESS, UM, THAT IS THE PLANNING AND OR BULLETIN DEVELOPMENT IS UNDERWAY.
UM, ONE IS UNDER UNION REVIEW, UM, JUST AWAITING APPROVAL BY THE UNION TO LAUNCH THE RECRUITMENT.
UH, 24 ARE, UH, AS, UH, ASSIGNED AND AWAITING, UH, THE PLANNING, UH, TO BEGIN ON THE RECRUITMENTS AND 25 ARE PENDING ASSIGNMENT, SO ROUGHLY HALF OF THE 102, UH, A LITTLE MORE THAN HALF I'VE ALREADY SEEN, UH, SOME REDUCTION.
AND THIS IS WHILE ALSO MANAGING, UH, NEW RECRUITMENTS THAT ARE COMING THROUGH.
BRIEF OVERVIEW OF WHAT THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE LOOKS LIKE AFTER THE MERGER.
AGAIN, NOT ONLY WAS THE TALENT MANAGEMENT BUREAU, UH, FORMED AS PART OF THE MERGER, BUT ALSO, UH, IN THE PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR, UH, ORGAN, AN ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT DIVISION WAS CREATED, UM, ALONG IN THIS, UH, PAST OR CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, UH, THE CREATION OF A CLASS AND COMP
SO, JUST, UH, BRIEFLY, THERE ARE SOME, UH, DATA POINTS FOR 2024 RECRUITMENT OUTCOMES, AND ALSO RECRUITMENT AND STAFFING, UH, SUCCESSES.
A LOT OF THE DATA THAT IS, UM, PRESENTED WITHIN THIS, UH, PRESENTATION IS A REFLECTION OF A POINT IN TIME, UH, FROM APRIL 1ST, UH, 2025, REALLY LOOKING BACK, UH, ON, UH, RECRUITMENT OUTCOMES WITHIN 2024, UH, LATER THIS MONTH, UH, THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT WILL ALSO BE MAKING A PRESENTATION, UH, IN MORE DEPTH ON VACANCIES AS PART OF A NEWLY MANDATED, UH, AB 25 61.
SO THERE WILL BE MORE EMPHASIS ON NOT ONLY, UH, THE POINT IN TIME DATA, BUT ALSO SOME OF THE CURRENT, UH, DATA SETS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE.
UM, SOME OF THE, UH, RECRUITING AND STAFFING SUCCESSES, JUST AS A HIGHLIGHT, UM, OVER THE LAST 12 MONTHS, UM, UH, THE PUBLIC WORKS, UH, TEAM HAS IMPROVED ITS MAINTENANCE ASSISTANCE, UH, UH, VACANCY RATE FROM, UH, 58% TO 95%, UM, WITH 54 OF 57 POSITIONS NOW FILLED.
UH, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS ALSO ACHIEVED A 100%, UH, FIELD RATE FOR THE FIREFIGHTER POSITION.
UM, UH, LIBRARY ARTS AND CULTURE HAS REACHED 93%, UH, FILL RATE WITH ALL OF THEIR VACANT POSITIONS.
UM, FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT ALSO HAS A TOTAL OF 90% IN TERMS OF FILLING VACANCIES.
AND, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY DISPATCHERS HAS REACHED, UH, 88% FILL RATE.
SO SOME OF THE FACTORS IMPACTING VACANCY RATES.
UM, IN TERMS OF, UH, CHALLENGES, UH, WE SAW A GREAT RESIGNATION COMING OUT OF AND THROUGH THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.
UM, I'LL TOUCH ON THAT IN, UH, COUPLE OF FUTURE SLIDES.
UM, OUTDATED, UH, LENGTHY, UH, HIRING PROCESSES FOR
[01:30:01]
CLASSIFIED POSITIONS, UH, CONTINUED LABOR MARKET CHALLENGES AND COMPETITION WITH OTHER, UM, EMPLOYERS AND ATTRITION.AND SOME OF THE OPPORTUNITIES, UM, SPOKE, UH, ABOUT MEASURE JB AND THE INTEGRATION BETWEEN HUMAN RESOURCES AND CIVIL SERVICE.
AND ALSO, UH, THE ADDITION OF LOCAL HIRING PREFERENCES AND, AND PARTNERSHIPS WILL, UH, HOPEFULLY RECRUIT LOCAL AREA TALENT, UM, FOR THE VACANCIES THAT WE HAVE.
SO, AGAIN, AS A SNAPSHOT, UM, THIS IS A BREAKDOWN OF CITYWIDE VACANCIES, UM, FROM POINT IN TIME DATA OF APRIL OF 2025.
UM, AND DURING OUR AB 25 61 PRESENTATION, WE'LL ALSO BE FOCUSING IN ON, UH, VACANCY RATES THAT EXCEED 20% AND SOME OF THE STEPS THAT WE ARE TAKING TO ADDRESS THOSE NUMBERS.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE SEEN, UH, A REDUCTION IN THE CITYWIDE VACANCY, UH, RATE, UM, HAS DROPPED, UM, UH, SORRY, HAS DROPPED FROM THAT 22%, UM, TO ABOUT, UH, 18%.
AND AGAIN, THAT WAS FOR THE APRIL POINT IN TIME DATA AS AN UPDATE TO THAT.
UM, AS OF JULY, UH, THE CITYWIDE VACANCY RATE IS NOW DOWN TO 17.5%, AND THAT'S INCLUSIVE OF AN UNCLASSIFIED VACANCY RATE OF 16.2%, AND CITYWIDE CLASSIFIED VACANCY RATE AT 17.8%.
SO PRIOR TO LOOKING AT SOME OF THE TURNOVER RATES, UM, HISTORICALLY OVER TIME, UM, A COUPLE OF THE INITIATIVES THAT, UH, THE HR DEPARTMENT HAS CURRENTLY, UH, TAKEN IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, UM, I'LL TOUCH ON SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED THROUGH THE LABOR NEGOTIATION PROCESS WITH OUR LABOR PARTNERS.
UM, CURRENTLY WE ARE IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH, UH, THE SAFETY UNIONS, BUT THERE'S BEEN, UH, RECRUITMENT INCENTIVE PROGRAMS IMPLEMENTED FOR A FEW YEARS NOW FOR DIFFICULT OR HARD TO FILL, UH, POSITIONS, AND, UH, THAT DEPARTMENT'S GONNA UTILIZE WHEN, UH, FUNDING IS AVAILABLE.
ALSO, THERE HAS BEEN, UM, A FOCUS ON HISTORICAL LEVELS OF, UH, EQUITY ADJUSTMENTS, UH, BRINGING SALARIES OF SOME POSITIONS THAT WERE, UM, VERY BELOW MARKET VALUE, UP TO MARKET LEVEL, AND IN SOME CASES ABOVE THE MARKET LEVEL.
ALSO, THERE'S BEEN AN EMPHASIS ON STREAMLINING THE ONBOARDING PROCESS RELATED TO PRE-EMPLOYMENT PHYSICALS, DRUG SCREENINGS AND BACKGROUND SCREENINGS, UM, TO, UH, SPEED THE PROCESS UP, UH, FOR EMPLOYEES.
AND OUR PARTNER DEPARTMENTS, SUCH AS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, HAVE IMPLEMENTED HISTORIC INCENTIVES SUCH AS RETIREE HEALTHCARE SUBSIDIES, CHILDCARE SUBSIDIES, UM, AND, AND, AND MORE TO INCREASE, UH, RECRUITMENT EFFORTS AND RETENTION FOR POLICE OFFICERS.
SO, LOOKING HISTORICALLY, UM, AT OUR TURNOVER RATE, UM, OVER TIME, UH, THIS SLIDE ILLUSTRATES THE CITY'S RATE, UM, FROM THE YEAR 2018 TO APRIL OF 2025.
HISTORICALLY, THE CITY'S TURNOVER RATE, UM, HAS AVERAGED AROUND 10%.
HOWEVER, WE EXPERIENCED AN INCREASE UP TO 14% FOLLOWING, UH, 2020, UM, AND THE COVID, UH, 19 PANDEMIC.
NOW WE'RE SEEING TURNOVER RATES RAMPED DOWN AGAIN, UM, AFTER THE, THE EFFECTS OF COVID, WHICH IMPACTED THE YEARS OF 20 20, 20 21, AND 2022, UM, WHICH SAW SOME OF THE HIGHEST RATES, UM, EVER IN THE CITY.
UM, AND THIS WAS SEEN NOT ONLY WITHIN LONG BEACH, BUT THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND ALL OF THEIR EMPLOYMENT SECTORS.
OUR TURNOVER RATES HAVE NOW BEGUN TO STABILIZE AND RETURN TO, UH, THE AVERAGES THAT WERE IN EFFECT PRIOR TO COVID.
ALSO, UM, FOR AWARENESS, AND AGAIN, THIS WILL BE PROVIDED AS PART OF THE AB 25 61 PRESENTATION, LOOKING AT SOME OF THE EMPLOYEE SEPARATION, UH, STATISTICS AND SOME OF THE, THE BREAKDOWN IN TERMS OF RETENTION EFFORTS.
UH, THIS SLIDE SHOWS, UM, THAT THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY FOUR MAJOR REASONS EMPLOYEES HAVE SEPARATED FROM THE CITY OVER THE PAST SEVEN AND A HALF YEARS, UH, SINCE 2018, WITH THE HIGHEST BEING PERSONAL REASONS, 26%.
UM, THIS IS FOR A NUMBER OF FACTORS, INCLUDING THINGS SUCH AS, UH, LEAVING OR RELOCATING, UM, TO TAKE CARE OF FAMILY MEMBERS, UM, OUTSIDE OF THE CITY, UH, AND OR SEPARATING FOR MEDICAL REASONS.
UH, NEXT HIGHEST CATEGORY IS SERVICE RETIREMENT AT 20%, UH, WHICH REPRESENTS, UH, EMPLOYEES WHO ARE ELIGIBLE TO RETIRE FROM THE CITY.
UH, THIRD HIGHEST CATEGORY IS NON-CAREER TEMPORARY SEPARATIONS.
SO THESE ARE PART-TIME, UH, TEMPORARY POSITIONS KNOWN AS NON-CAREER, UH, AND THEY'RE TYPICALLY HIRED FOR SHORT DURATION AND ORDER TO ASSIST WITH ENHANCED WORKLOAD OR SPECIFIC PROJECTS,
[01:35:01]
UH, AND ARE CAPPED AND ARE LIMITED BY NUMBERS OF HOURS THAT COULD BE WORKED UNDER CURRENT CIVIL SERVICE RULES AND REGULATIONS.UH, THIS TYPE OF TURNOVER IS MORE NATURAL, UH, GIVEN THE WORK, UM, IS TEMPORARY IN NATURE.
UM, HOWEVER, ONE OF THE FOCUSES OF MEASURE JB IS TO IMPLEMENT LOCAL HIRING PREFERENCES.
AND THIS WILL BE AN EFFORT TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL, UH, POINTS DURING THE EXAMINATION PROCESS TO, UH, IN, UH, EMPLOYEES WHO ARE IN NON-CAREER ROLES, UM, UH, HOPEFULLY ALLOWING US TO BE MORE COMPETITIVE, UH, IN THE JOB MARKET.
ALSO, UM, UH, LASTLY, SOME OF THE, UH, OTHER EMPLOYMENT, UH, REASONS FOR SEPARATION AROUND 18%, UM, IS, UH, RELATED TO A VARIETY OF FACTORS, UH, THAT MAY CONTRIBUTE TO RETENTION EFFORTS, UM, FOR CURRENT EMPLOYEES, UH, UH, TRYING TO MAINTAIN, UH, COMPETITIVENESS AND SALARIES, UH, ACROSS THE MARKET.
SOME OF THE OTHER RETENTION INITIATIVES THAT THE CITY HAS FOCUSED ON, UM, AGAIN, OUTSIDE OF MENTIONING, UH, SOME OF THE NEW UNITS WITHIN HUMAN RESOURCES BY DEVELOPING A CLASSIFICATION AND COMPENSATION DIVISION, UH, THIS WILL ALLOW THE DEPARTMENT TO LOOK MORE AT INTERNAL EQUITY, UH, MARKET COMPETITIVENESS, UH, AND TRANSPARENCY AND PAY STRUCTURES, UH, ACROSS ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS.
UH, THIS DIVISION ALSO SUPPORTS, UH, EMPLOYEE RETENTION BY ADDRESSING SALARY COMP, UH, COMPRESSION ISSUES, UPDATING OUTDATED CLASSIFICATIONS, UM, AND MAKING CAREER PATHS CLEARER AND MORE EQUITABLE FOR ALL EMPLOYEES.
ALSO, WITH THE CREATION OF THE ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT DIVISION, UM, THIS WILL HELP THE CITY EXPAND CITYWIDE TRAINING, UH, LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND CAREER ADVANCEMENT PROGRAMS. ALSO, THE DEPARTMENT HAS IMPLEMENTED STRUCTURED ONBOARDING, UH, FEEDBACK TO, UH, ENSURE NEW EMPLOYEES, UH, FEEL WELCOME, SUPPORTED, AND ALIGNED WITH THE CITY VALUES FROM DAY ONE.
UM, AND I HAVE ALSO IMPLEMENTED AN EXIT SURVEY, UH, AND PROGRAM DESIGNED TO GATHER FEEDBACK FROM DEPARTING EMPLOYEES TO HELP THE CITY IDENTIFY ISSUES, UH, AND DEVELOP TARGET STRATEGIES TO ENHANCE EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION AND REDUCED TURNOVER.
SO, LOOKING FORWARD, UM, TO THE PATH AHEAD, UM, A NEW HIRING STRUCTURE, UH, ALIGNING POLICY SYSTEMS AND LEADERSHIP TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND REDUCE REDUNDANCIES.
UM, WITH TALENT ACQUISITION MODERNIZATION, INVEST INVESTING AND LEVERAGING TECHNOLOGY AND DATA ANALYTICS TO IDENTIFY TALENT POOLS, TRACK RECRUITMENT METRICS, AND OPTIMIZE HIRING TIMELINES.
EXPAND TARGETED COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND MARKETING CAMPAIGNS TO ATTRACT A BROADER, DIVERSE AND UNDERREPRESENTED CANDIDATE BASE.
UH, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF LOCAL HIRING AND, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
UH, IMPLEMENTATION OF LOCAL HIRING PREFERENCES TO PRIORITIZE QUALIFIED CANDIDATES WITHIN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, UH, FOSTERING STRONGER COM, UH, COMMUNITY INVESTMENT AND REPRESENTATION, AND STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS TO CREATE SUSTAINABLE PIPELINES INTO PUBLIC SERVICE ROLES.
THE RETENTION AND EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT.
UM, LOOKING TO STANDARDIZE ONBOARDING EXPERIENCES TO ENSURE CONSISTENT SUPPORT OF NEW HIRE EXPERIENCES AND BOOST EARLY RETENTION.
UH, EXPANDING LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND CURRENT GROWTH PATHWAYS TO PROMOTE EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT AND REDUCING TURNOVER.
LOOKING TO REGULARLY COLLECT AND ANALYZE EMPLOYEE FEEDBACK, UM, WITH EXIT SURVEYS TO GUIDE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENTS AND, UH, UH, AND IN RETURN, AND, UH, STRENGTHENING RETENTION EFFORTS, AND ALSO CONTINUING PROCESS IMPROVEMENT AND EFFICIENCIES.
LOOKING TO STREAMLINE RECRUITMENT WORKFLOWS TO SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE TIME TO HIRE, IDENTIFYING OPPORTUNITIES TO STREAMLINE OUTDATED, UH, PROCESSES AND POLICIES TO SUPPORT FASTER, MORE RESPONSIVE HIRING, UH, COLLABORATE, COLLABORATING WITH DEPARTMENTS TO IDENTIFY PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS AND ASSESSING FOR AND REMOVING BARRIERS THAT PREVIOUSLY EXIST IN THE HIRING PROCESS TO ENSURE ALL QUALIFIED APPLICANTS HAVE EQUAL OP, UH, OPPORTUNITIES TO APPLY AND COMPETE FOR JOBS WITHIN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
AND THAT CONCLUDES THIS PRESENTATION, AND WE ARE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS FROM MY COUNCIL? COLLEAGUES? UH, VICE MAYOR RANGA? OKAY.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I NOTICED, UH, PAGE, UH, 12, THAT CHART THAT YOU HAVE THERE OF CITYWIDE VACANCIES.
UH, MOVING TO THE, UH, HEALTH DEPARTMENT, THERE'S, UH, FTES, YOU KNOW, 137 VACANT.
AND, UH, JUST CURIOUS AS TO WHAT THOSE
[01:40:01]
FTES REPRESENT.ARE THEY FTES BASED ON GRANTS OR IDENTIFY REVENUE? THE, UH, THE YOUNG DEPARTMENT AGAINST, OR THEY MAKING BASED ON THE, UH, ON THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT ITSELF, HAVING SOME PROGRAMS THAT ARE CONTINUING, WHAT'S THE, UH, WHAT'S THE INFORMATION FOR, 'CAUSE THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT ARE GOING, WHAT I SEE HERE HAS THE, WELL BASED ON THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES, THE HIGHEST, UH, VACANCY RATE IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
WHERE DOES THAT COME FROM? YES.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION, VICE MAYOR.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS, UH, POINT IN TIME DATA FROM APRIL 1ST.
UM, SO THIS WAS IN, IN AND WITH VACANCIES.
UM, THE NUMBERS FLUCTUATE DEPENDING UPON SOME OF THE HIRING EFFORTS AT THE TIME.
UH, THIS WAS PRIOR TO, UM, SOME OF THE IMPACTS WITH LOSS OF FUNDING.
UM, SO THIS NUMBER WOULD NOT, UM, UH, POTENTIALLY INCLUDE SOME OF THE, THAT DATA IN TERMS OF SOME OF THE LOSS OF FUNDING, UH, GRANT FUNDING ISSUES.
WE WOULD HAVE THAT IN THE UPDATE WHEN WE PRESENT, UM, TO COUNCIL IN A FEW WEEKS.
UM, BUT AGAIN, THIS COULD BE A NUMBER OF ISSUES, UH, IN TERMS OF, UH, FULL-TIME OR PART-TIME POSITIONS.
UM, IT IS, IT DOESN'T EXCLUDE NON-CAREER POSITIONS, SO THIS IS LOOKING PRIMARILY AT THOSE FTES.
UM, BUT AGAIN, UH, INCLUDES ALL UNCLASSIFIED AND CLASSIFIED POSITIONS.
SO, UM, WE WILL LOOK INTO THAT AND MAKE SURE TO INCLUDE THAT UPDATE WHEN WE PRESENT TO COUNCIL.
SO THAT, THAT FTE INCLUDES NON-CAREER UNCLASSIFIED, UNCLASSIFIED? NO, IT JUST INCLUDES CLASSIFIED AND UNCLASSIFIED.
IT EXCLUDES NON-CAREER POSITIONS.
YEAH, BY THE WAY, I, UH, VERY HAPPY TO SEE THAT, UH, A B 25 61 FINALLY, AFTER SO MANY YEARS, UH, REQUIRES THAT WE, UH, REPORT OUR EMERGENCY RATES, RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION.
WHEN I FIRST BECAME A COUNCIL MEMBER, THAT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I ASKED, AND RIGHT AWAY IT WAS
SO NOW I ANOTHER SEE THAT IT'S, UH, INSTITUTIONALIZED.
AND WHEN WE GET A REPORT EVERY YEAR, CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
AND WE, WE AIM TO REPORT EARLIER IN THE YEAR, UH, PRIOR TO THE, PRIOR TO THE BUDGET PROCESS, LONG TIME NEEDED.
AND WE, WE, UH, UPDATE OUR, OUR FIRST.
NOW WHEN WE ARE, AFTER ALL, WE ARE A PEOPLE ORIENTED ORGANIZATION, THE CITY, WE SERVE PEOPLE AND WE SERVE PEOPLE.
SO IT'S GOOD THAT WE, UH, WE DO THAT.
THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD WAS, UH, ON PAGE 14, YEAH, PAGE 14, UM, YOU KNOW, 18%, UM, OTHER EMPLOYMENT.
UM, DID YOU EVALUATE WHAT THE FACTORS ARE FOR THAT OTHER EMPLOYMENT, BETTER JOB, MORE MONEY? WHAT IS BENEFITS? WHAT IS IT THAT IS THAT IS INCLUDED IN, IN THAT OTHER EMPLOYMENT? YEAH, SO THIS WAS AN AVERAGE OVER ABOUT SEVEN AND A HALF YEARS.
SO THAT IS, UH, SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
UM, USUALLY WITH THE OTHER EMPLOYMENT, IT IS FOR THOSE VARIOUS FACTORS, UH, HIGHER SALARY, UH, MAYBE, UH, UH, DIFFERENT LOCATION, DIFFERENT WORKING CONDITIONS.
UM, WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EXIT SURVEY, UM, WE HOPE TO LOOK AT BOTH OF THOSE DATA SETS TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY CORRELATIONS OR IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER ISSUES THAT STAND OUT, UM, WITH THAT.
BUT TYPICALLY, WHAT WE'VE SEEN JUST HISTORICALLY ARE, UM, OTHER SECTORS, UH, IN TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT OFFER VARIOUS ENHANCEMENTS TO SALARIES.
AND IT MAY NOT ALWAYS BE, UM, BETTER BENEFITS.
IT JUST COULD BE LIKE HIGHER SALARY.
SO SOMETIMES MAKING SURE THAT OUR EMPLOYEES ARE AWARE OF ALL OF THE BENEFITS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM, UM, COULD MAKE FOR A MORE COMPETITIVE, UH, RETENTION PROCESS.
WELL, WE, UH, CURRENTLY DO ANY COMPENSATION STUDIES FOR SOME OF THOSE POSITIONS.
UM, GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF RELEASING A FORMAL RFP THAT IS GONNA LOOK AT THAT, UH, THOSE AREAS, AND IT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE RELEASED AT THE
[01:45:01]
END OF THE YEAR, AND WE'LL HAVE THE RESULTS EARLY NEXT YEAR.WHAT I SWEAR OF SMIRK ON THAT, BECAUSE WE'VE HAD CONSULT CONSULTANTS BEFORE LOOKING AT CONVERSATION STUDIES, AND I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING POSITIVE COME COMING FROM THAT.
UH, IN FACT, IT WAS, THE NIGHT REPORT I SAW WAS MAYBE, WHAT, EIGHT, NINE YEARS AGO, 10 LONG TIME AGO.
I WAS STILL, I WAS STILL EMPLOYED.
SO I LOOK AT IT POSITIVE, NEGATIVE, POSITIVE, YES, YOU, YOU'RE DOING IT, YOU'RE CONTINUING IT.
NEGATIVE IS THAT, LET'S GET SOMETHING REAL.
LET'S, LET'S GET SOMETHING THAT WE CAN USE AND IMPLEMENT.
BECAUSE PRIOR STUDIES WERE LIKE A WASTE OF TIME, AND I DON'T WANNA SEE THAT AGAIN.
UM, AND FINALLY, CONGRATULATIONS FROM DIRECTOR.
WELCOME TO THE SENIOR LONG BEACH.
AND, UH, I'M A LITTLE BIT LARGE, SORRY, IT'S WHO I AM, BUT THANK YOU.
I HOPE, UH, I HOPE WE GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, HAVE A ONE-ON-ONE.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, ALLEN.
YEAH, I JUST WANNA SAY, UM, I'M ENCOURAGED BY THE VACANCY RATE DROP AND, UH, AND ALSO, UM, JUST, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING HOW THE, UH, FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF MEASURE JB ALSO, UH, AFFECTS THESE NUMBERS.
UH, I JUST HAVE TWO QUICK QUESTIONS.
UH, ONE IS, I KNOW YOU SAID THAT THE DATA WE HAD, THE VACANCY DATA WE HAVE IS FROM APRIL.
HOW OFTEN CAN WE GET THAT DATA? IS THERE A REASON WHY WE COULDN'T GET MORE UPDATED DATA FOR TODAY'S MEETING? YEAH, SO THIS IS, UH, WE ACTUALLY CAN GET UPDATED DATA, BUT IT IS TO BE ALIGNED WITH THE PRESENTATION THAT WE HAVE WITH AB 25 61.
SO BECAUSE WE ARE, UM, LOOKING TO HAVE CONSISTENCY IN THE REPORT OUT, UH, WE WILL PROVIDE UPDATES, BUT ALSO, UH, THE HARBOR DEPARTMENT HAS ALREADY PRESENTED ON ITS AB 25 61 DATA.
SO WE, UM, WE'RE WORKING IN ALIGNMENT WITH HARBOR TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT POINT IN TIME DATA WAS CONSISTENT.
SO WE WILL PROVIDE UPDATES IN THE AB 25 61 PRESENTATION, UM, IN TERMS OF NUMBERS AND THE STATISTICS.
UM, AND THEN LAST QUESTION IS, I KNOW YOU TALKED ABOUT THE TURNOVER RATE.
WHAT IS A HEALTHY TURNOVER RATE? I KNOW WE GET LIKE HOW MUCH IT IS, BUT WHAT, WHAT'S AN, LIKE, INDUSTRY Y? WHAT'S AN EXPECTATION ZERO? YEAH, I, I WOULD, I WOULD WANNA RESEARCH KIND OF WHAT THAT WOULD BE.
UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT, UH, I, I WOULD CONSIDER IT A HEALTHY RATE, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT KIND OF OUR POSITIONS AND WHAT WE'RE DOING TO TRY TO RETAIN TALENT, UM, OBVIOUSLY WE ARE LOOKING AT THE FACTORS AS TO WHY INDIVIDUALS ARE LEAVING.
I THINK YOU WOULD LOOK AT TURNOVER, YOU KNOW, BEING, UM, HIGHER IN THE CATEGORIES OF SERVICE RETIREMENT THAT TELLS YOU THAT INDIVIDUALS ARE WORKING LONGER CAREERS AND STAYING WITH THE CITY AND RETIRING WHEN YOU HAVE HIGHER NUMBERS WITH LIKE OTHER EMPLOYMENT REASONS.
SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE GOING FOR OTHER EMPLOYMENT THAT CAN TELL YOU THAT YOUR RETENTION PROGRAMS MAYBE AREN'T AS STRONG.
SO I'D WANT TO, YOU KNOW, DIG INTO THOSE NUMBERS AND KIND OF FIGURE OUT WHAT WOULD BE, UH, A TRUE ANSWER TO THAT HEALTHY, UH, KIND OF TURNOVER RATE.
BUT I WOULD SAY THE HIGHER THE RETIREMENT RATE IS BETTER FOR AN ORGANIZATION.
UM, WE ARE GOING TO MOVE TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN MAKING PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, PLEASE STAND UP, UH, AND LINE UP, UH, SO THAT WAY WE CAN DETERMINE, UH, WE'RE RUNNING A LITTLE BIT LOW ON TIME, SO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT WE NEED TO INVOKE THE, THE 92ND RULE.
OH, NO ONE WANTS TO, OH, WE ONLY GOT ONE.
WELL THEN WE HAVE ONE PUBLIC COMMENTER.
UM, THIS IS MY FIRST TIME DOING THIS, SO I HOPE I'M TALKING AT THE RIGHT TIME FOR THIS.
MY NAME IS NATASHA AND, UM, GOOD AFTERNOON COUNSEL.
UM, I'M A HOMEOWNER AT 86 WEST 49TH STREET NEAR THE LAMO IN LONG BEACH BOULEVARD.
AND I'M A FIRST GENERATION IMMIGRANT COLLEGE GRAD AND ALSO INVESTOR.
AND I WANTED TO GIVE YOU THAT CONTEXT BECAUSE I'M NOT JUST ANOTHER LANDLORD JUST CONCERNED ABOUT MAKING MONEY ON THIS HOME THAT I'M RENTING OUT.
UM, SO THE REASON WHY I'M HERE TODAY IS BECAUSE THERE WAS A SHOOTING THERE ON LONG BEACH AND DEL AMMO, UH, THAT HAPPENED ON JULY 7TH.
AND THE COPS WERE ASKING FOR, I THINK YOU MIGHT BE MEANING TO SPEAK ON GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT, BECAUSE THIS ONE IS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT HR VACANCIES.
SO WE'LL DO GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE END, BUT I THINK YOU MEAN TO SPEAK IN GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT, OR
[01:50:01]
JUST THIS ONE IS JUST ABOUT AT 3:00 PM HR VACANCY RATES.WE'LL DO A GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT ONCE WE FINISH THE AGENDA.
IT GIVES ME MORE TIME TO PRACTICE
WE, WE, WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO ENGAGE IN THIS AND BE CIVICALLY ENGAGED, SO THANK YOU.
UM, SEEING NO PUBLIC COMMENTS, UM, LET'S TAKE A VOTE.
IT DIDN'T DISPLAY, BUT MOTION CARRIES.
WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND GO TO ITEM FOUR, WHICH IS RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE COUNSEL DISTRICT CORRESPONDENCE.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY THIS TIME, CORRECT.
[4. 25-56000 Recommendation to receive and file Council District correspondence. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
FIRST AND A SECOND FOR THIS? I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T POP UP.OKAY, SO THE SECOND WAS, SO WE ALSO HAVE ALAN AND
UM, SINCE WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DISCUSS, ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD ALL LIKE TO DISCUSS,
UH, AS WE, UH, GET READY TO CONCLUDE OUR MEETING, WE'LL DO GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE LINE UP.
UM, UH, AGAIN, I'LL NEED TO SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE, UM, WOULD LIKE TO DO PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, CURRENTLY TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THERE ARE MORE THAN 10.
UH, AND THEN I WILL HAVE TO INVOKE THE, THE 92ND RULE.
SO AGAIN, IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN DOING PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE STAND NOW.
UM, OTHERWISE I WILL CLOSE THE LINE WITH JUST CHRISTOPHER.
ALRIGHT, JUST YOU CHRISTOPHER.
I WONDER IF I CAN GET SIX MINUTES, BECAUSE I WANNA TALK ABOUT TWO THINGS, BUT I'LL TRY TO KEEP IT IN THREE.
WE APPRECIATE IT,
UM, SO AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, UH, I'M REPRESENTING THE ADVANCING PEACE STEERING COMMITTEE.
I'M THE CO-CHAIR, UH, AND I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF THE ONE LONG BEACH, UM, COALITION.
SO BIG THANKS TO YOU ALL AND THE CITY COUNCIL FOR VOTING IN $1.1 MILLION FOR VIOLENCE PREVENTION.
UM, IN THE BEFORE THE BUDGET SEASON, OR MAYBE IN THE BEGINNING OF THE BUDGET SEASON, WE SENT OUT A LETTER, UM, TO EVERYONE, UM, OUTLINING THE NEED FOR $5 MILLION FOR VIOLENCE PREVENTION.
UH, WE APPRECIATE THE MAYOR'S LEADERSHIP IN RECEIVING OUR LETTER AND MAKING, UM, SOME SPECIFIC MOVES TOWARDS OUR $5 MILLION ASK.
UH, WE KNOW THAT, UM, THE MONEY THAT HAS BEEN PROPOSED WILL GO TO, UH, CONTINUING THE PROGRAMS AND MAKING SAFETY A PRIORITY IN OUR CITY.
UH, WITH THAT BEING SAID, UH, WE SENT OUT A FOLLOW UP EMAIL, UM, TO YOU ALL, AND YOU SHOULD HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED IT, UH, OUTLINING WHAT OUR INITIAL ASK WAS, UH, WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED AND THE REMAINDER OF WHAT'S UNFUNDED.
UH, MANY OF THE UNFUNDED ARE ACTUALLY PROGRAMS THAT,
[PUBLIC COMMENT Opportunity to address the Budget Oversight Committee on non-agenda items. Each speaker is limited to three minutes to make their comments unless extended by the Chair.]
UH, WE MAY NOT SEE AGAIN.UH, AND THAT IS ACTIVATIONS, COMMUNITY ACTIVATIONS.
UH, AND SO THAT'S AT THE AMOUNT OF 600.
THE LAST YEAR WE WERE ABLE TO GET, UH, A HUNDRED THOUSAND FOR ACTIVATIONS.
UH, BUT THIS YEAR THERE'S NO MONEY ALLOCATED TO ACTIVATIONS FOR VIOLENCE PREVENTION.
SO, UH, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CUT, UH, THE, THE GRANTS TOWARDS THE CITY, AND THEN NOW THE CITY IS NOT MAKING ANY FUNDS TOWARDS THAT EITHER.
SO WE'RE GONNA SEE A REDUCTION OF COMMUNITY ACTIVATIONS.
UM, THE NEXT ITEM IS SAFE PASSAGES.
UH, SAFE PASSAGES IS AN EXPENSIVE PROGRAM, UH, BUT IT'S A LIFESAVING PROGRAM.
UH, LAST YEAR, UM, Y'ALL WERE ABLE TO ALLOCATE 300,000 TOWARDS, UH, VIOLENCE PREVENTION TWO TIMES, ONE IN THE LAST FISCAL YEAR, AND ONE IN THIS YEAR TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A FULL PROGRAM FOR THE WHOLE YEAR.
THE PROGRAM ENDED IN JUNE, SO THERE'S NO SAFE PASSAGES ANYMORE.
UH, HOWEVER, IN THE MAYORS BUDGET, UH, PROPOSED BUDGET, THERE'S 285,285,000 IS NOT GONNA COVER THE TYPE OF, UH, SERVICES THAT WE CURRENTLY HAD LAST YEAR.
UM, SO WE'RE ASKING FOR YOU ALL TO MAKE IT RIGHT, UH, AND BE ABLE TO CLOSE THE GAP IN, UM, ON SAFE PASSAGES.
AND WE KNOW THAT THE SAFE PASSAGE, UM, IS GONNA COME AND PRESENT TO YOU ON SEPTEMBER 9TH, OR EXCUSE ME, SEPTEMBER 2ND.
UH, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO COMING IN AND SUPPORTING THAT EFFORT.
UM, SO, UH, MAIN THINGS, ALL OF OUR ASKS ARE IN THE LETTER.
UH, WE HOPE TO MEET WITH EVERY ONE OF YOU.
UH, WE'VE SENT A MEETING REQUEST THUS FAR, SO IF YOUR STAFF CAN, UH, CONNECT WITH MYSELF AND CINDY, WE APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH.
SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS IN GREATER DETAIL WITH EACH, EACH OF YOU.
ALRIGHT, I'M TAKING OFF MY, UH,
[01:55:01]
VIOLENCE PREVENTION HAT AND PUTTING ON MY COMMISSIONER HAT.UH, WE SENT A LETTER REQUESTING $22,000 FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR TO SUPPORT, UM, A SERIES OF COMMUNITY LISTENING SESSIONS.
UH, SO THAT HAS ALREADY, THAT SHOULD HAVE ALREADY BEEN TRANSPONDER THROUGH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE TO EACH OF YOU.
AND WE HOPE THAT THIS BODY CAN MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO HAVE THAT.
THOUSAND IN THIS YEAR'S, UM, BUDGET.
UH, AND WITH THAT, UH, I WILL ADJOURN THE MEETING.