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Politics & Government

Long Beach City Council Moves to Guard Redevelopment Funds

Members call a special meeting to prevent Sacramento from seizing revenue of over $1 billion.

In a wide-ranging meeting on Tuesday, Long Beach City Council members overwhelmingly approved five redevelopment items designed to protect funds from being taken by the state. They also amended a contentious medical marijuana ordinance, voted for more transparency in city contracts and salaries,  and heard from family members of a man slain by police in Belmont Shore.

In response to Gov. Jerry Brown's announcement last week of a proposal that would eliminate municipal redevelopment agencies and send the money to school districts and counties, the council voted unanimously in 9-0 votes to safeguard the funds for local projects instead. (Meanwhile, at the  its members heard emotional pleas to keep two of its K-5 schools from being closed on account of state funding shortfalls.)

City officials scheduled a special meeting at 7 p.m. following the regular 5 p.m. meeting. The special meeting was called with 24 hours notice on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, a holiday for which City Hall was closed.

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The special meeting was called and signed by Vice Mayor and Second District Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal.

"It's legal," said Tom Modica, director of the city's Government Affairs and Strategic Initiatives, when asked by Patch about the rush of events at City Hall. "The Brown Act requires 24-hours notice. We feel there's a rush for action.

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"Our position is it's Long Beach taxpayer money," he said. "These projects are commitments we made to the Long Beach residents. We believe the money should stay locally. It protects our commitment. It allows our programs to continue."

Redevelopment agencies are a government subdivision created to improve blighted or depressed neighborhoods, to assist property owners displaced by redevelopment, and to issue bonds or other instruments necessary to fund the programs.

The items that the City Council approved Tuesday night still need to be approved by the Redevelopment Agency and will appear on the Thursday, Jan. 20 meeting agenda, according to city officials.

"The city stands to lose over 150 million," said Long Beach City Manager Patrick West. "We have to take necessary action."

The council voted on five items, allocating over $1 billion in redevelopment money including committing $830,000 for the downtown City Place parking structure through the 2017 fiscal year.

City officials also voted to commit $138.5 million to spend on affordable housing projects through the 2016 fiscal year.

The third item discussed would support revitalization of neighborhoods throughout seven redevelopment project areas, committing $886,000,000.

The fourth item would update loan provisions with the Redevelopment Agency and the City of Long Beach and commit $10.3 million.

The fifth item approved implemented money, for redevelopment purposes, of graffiti abatement services for 10 years, and committed $16.9 million.

Gerrie Schipske, Fifth District councilwoman said of  the redevelopment items on the agenda: "I'm supporting these ordinances. I think it's wrong the state wants to steal our money."

Long Beach isn't the only city to move to protect its redevelopment funds. Los Angeles, Fremont and Citrus Heights are among the California cities that also approved projects in special meetings Friday and Monday. If a redevelopment agency already has signed a contract or issued a bond, the city project is expected to keep the funding.

Previously in the regular City Council meeting, the council approved an amendment of the city's medical marijuana ordinance. The amendment prevents medical marijuana collectives from being within 1,000 feet of parks. This will be a new addition to an earlier law that prevents collectives from being near schools or in residential areas. Beaches are not among the areas defined as parks. The council voted 5-4. (Approval: Garcia, Lowenthal, DeLong, O'Donnell, Schipske; no vote: Andrews, Johnson, Gabelich, Neal) 

Councilwoman Rae Gabelich opposed the change, she said, "because it doesn't make it a level playing field." Gabelich said that she would rather see a focus put on shutting down the collectives that are operating without licenses and operating illegally.

Councilman Patrick O'Donnell of the Fourth District said, "We need to get very aggressive to create a law to shut them down overnight."

Ninth District Councilman Steven Neal said, "I'm not in favor of the ordinance. I think we should go back to the original ordinance."

Other changes in the ordinance will:

  • allow a 45-day public comment period on collection locations before they are approved
  • require that video surveillance is installed
  • limit hours of operation to from 9 a.m to 7 p.m.
  • require an audited financial statement so the city can evaluate how much product is selling

The council members also approved sending a proposal to the city's Charter Amendment Committee that would require City Hall to disclose contract offers to city employee unions and require disclosure of salaries for funded positions in the annual budget.

The family of shooting victim Douglas Zerby, along with supporters and members from the Answer Coalition, attended a rally in front of the City Council chambers and later attended the 5 p.m. meeting.

In December, LBPD officers, responding to a 9-1-1 call about an intoxicated man who appeared to have a gun, fired on Zerby when they mistook a pistol-grip hose nozzle that he was holding for a firearm, the police department said. Officers reacted, the Long Beach Police Department said, when Zerby lifted and pointed it toward an officer with arms extended.

Protestors demonstrated in front of the building with signs and could be heard inside City Hall as council members listened to member of the public during the public comment session.

Pam Amici, mother of Douglas Zerby, appeared in front of members and said, "I'm here to  speak about the out of control Long Beach Police Department. They killed my son in cold blood. My son was a quiet, peaceful person. They opened fire on him. People need to know if there are prior incidents with these officers. We're not going away so please don't ignore us."

Eden Marie Biele, sister of Douglas Zerby, spoke next, saying, "four words would have saved his life: Long Beach Police Department."

She asked the council, "Did police officers follow procedure?" And added, "Please do what you can. Long Beach residents fear the Long Beach Police Department." 

As the Zerby family members and supporters spoke before the council, about 25 supporters of the family peacefully walked into the council meeting and sat down holding signs that read, "Stop LBPD Killer Cops."

Vice Mayor Suja Lowenthal, said to the family and supporters, "I want to thank you for coming forward. We all feel deeply about this. We truly feel the legitimacy of your pain."

Mayor Bob Foster was not at the meeting and was traveling on personal business, according to his office.

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