At the Long Beach Business Journal, reporting on city council actions and city decisions was one of my responsibilities. This included covering the Port of Long Beach, a public sector. Motions that appeared on the November 2018 ballot included a tax on L.A. County property owners to fund an environmental project, an ordinance to instate employee protections at city hotels, (both of which passed) as well as several amendments to the city charter.
Joining the Long Beach College Promise Program formalizes the port’s current efforts to advance education and awareness of the maritime industry, which includes operating the Academy of Global Logistics at Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo High School. (Photograph by Business Journal Senior Writer Brandon Richardson)
The Port of Long Beach became the fifth partner in the Long Beach College Promise, joining Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD), Long Beach City College (LBCC), California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) and the city itself in providing more accessibility to higher education. The Promise program guarantees LBUSD graduates a tuition-free year at LBCC and a path to admission at CSULB if they meet certain academic requirements.
Parcel Tax to Fund Stormwater Capture Projects Elicits Mixed Responses
While environmental groups expressed strong support for the Safe, Clean Water Program (Measure W), a proposed parcel tax to fund projects to increase stormwater capture, organizations representing businesses and property owners oppose the initiative as it is set to appear on the November ballot. The proposal requires property owners to pay 2.5 cents for each square foot of impermeable space, which prevents stormwater from entering the earth.
Hotel Employee Safety And Workload Restriction Ordinance To Appear On November Ballot
The Long Beach City Council voted unanimously on August 7 to place an ordinance on the November ballot aiming to create safety provisions and workload restrictions for employees at area hotels. If passed, the ordinance would mandate that hotels with 50 or more rooms must provide panic buttons to workers who clean guest rooms alone. It would also limit the amount of floor space a worker is allowed to clean in an eight-hour workday. At its September 4 meeting, council members decided to create a separate ordinance requiring that all of the city’s hotels and motels provide their employees with panic buttons.
City Council Places Four Charter Amendments On The November Ballot
Long Beach voters can expect to see four proposed amendments to the city charter on the ballot in the November 2018 election. The amendments are: 1. reduce term limits for city councilmembers from three to two; 2. create a citizens’ redistricting commission to re-configure the council districts every 10 years; 3. allow the city auditor to conduct performance reviews of any city department; and 4. create an ethics commission of residents to make sure government officials are following the city’s ethics laws. The council voted to revisit a proposed charter amendment to consolidate the water and gas departments under a single utilities commission.
New Regs For Trucks: Port Service Trucks Must Be 2014 Or Later
Harbor commissioners at the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles have approved a policy that mandates new trucks registering for service at the ports must be model year 2014 or later. This ensures that they meet the clean engine standards set forth by the Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP) Update passed in November 2017. The regulation, expected to receive final approval in July, goes into effect October 1.
Putting The Past Behind Her, Pearce Looks To New Horizons
Pearce is pictured in front of her “integrity wall” at her home. (Photograph by Anne Artley)
After an unsuccessful recall effort, Long Beach’s 2nd District Councilmember Jeannine Pearce looks toward the future, with a plan to implement her priorities for the city. Some of these include improving the climate for small businesses, providing more resources for mental health and bettering the overall living conditions for her constituents.
Task Force Advocates For Continued Care At Community Medical Center Long Beach
Because Community Medical Center sits on an active seismic fault and requires retrofits to certain structures, MemorialCare, the hospital’s operator, announced its intention to renounce the lease on July 3. Earlier this year, a task force formed to advocate for the necessity of an emergency room on the east side of town, and has raised awareness through community meetings to keep the hospital open.