OCRegister.com Editorial: The Corporate-Welfare Empire Strikes Back

(Jan. 23, 2011) -- OCRegister.com carries an editorial (Jan. 21, linked below) titled "The Corporate-Welfare Empire Strikes Back," supporting Governor Jerry Brown's budget proposal to abolish [phase out] 425 local Redevelopment Agencies and 42 Enterprise Zones.

OCRegister.com editorializes in part:

The governor has managed almost overnight to rally many local government officials against him with his proposal to abolish their pet projects that funnel taxpayer subsidies doled out by small cadres of local officials, essentially picking winners in local development and business. We strongly support Mr. Brown's plan to abolish 425 local redevelopment agencies that capture portions of local property taxes and 42 Enterprise Zones that award tax breaks and other incentives to favored recipients.

As previously reported by LBReport.com, Long Beach City Hall responded to the Governor's Jan. 10 budget proposal by agendizing five items for Jan. 18 action-- on 24 hours notice given on MLK Day -- that variously encumber or contractually obligate roughly $1 billion in current and anticipated LB Redevelopment-related property tax increment, some for as long as ten years, to keep Sacramento from taking it to pay for state items, including schools. City officials said they view their actions as basically fiduciary: preserving local tax revenues for use locally.

On the same night, the Council approved a state legislative agenda that, among other things, urges Sacramento lawmakers to preserve LB's Enterprise Zones (a position advocated by the interests running the LB Area Chamber of Commerce).

This occurs at the same time as other City Halls statewide and their statewide lobbying arm, the "League of CA Cities" (in which LB City Hall pays dues in the privately run group using public money) are working to continue Redevelopment and Enterprise Zones, which Governor Brown says are costing state taxpayers money that could otherwise be used to maintain current levels of funding for schools.

As separately reported by LBReport.com, Councilmembers Robert Garcia, James Johnson and Patrick O'Donnell, plus at least one presumed city staffer, will fly to Sacramento on Jan. 24 to urge lawmakers to maintain, not end, Redevelopment and Enterprise Zones.

Do you agree? Disagree? The City of Long Beach is spending your money to advocate these positions in your name. Is Long Beach City Hall speaking for you -- or not -- on these issues? We welcome your responses below.

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