(May 7, 2015) -- It is a sad day indeed when the only Republicans on the state Senate Governance and Finance Committee throw-in with unions and Democrats in a unanimous vote to advance SB 562 to the full Senate. Their vote advanced a measure that will pave the way for Long Beach city officials to use a "Public Private Partnership" with an up to 50 year lease and a Project Labor Agreement to build City and Port office structures in a new Civic Center. It is almost beyond my comprehension that Senators John Moorlach (Central OC) and Janet Nguyen (SE Long Beach/Western OC) would stand shoulder to shoulder with the Committee's Democrats and enthusiastically vote to advance the bill. They should know better. [Scroll down for further] |
Evidently Senators Moorlach and Nguyen don't know or don't care that major proponents of the Civic Center project are unions and politicians supported by the unions. And Senators Moorlach and Nguyen don't know or don't care their vote lets the Mayor and Council avoid a vote of the people on what will be a very costly project. And it seems Senators Moorlach and Nguyen don't know or don't care that the project will include a union-backed Project Labor Agreement that will likely significantly increase the cost to taxpayers. And it is apparent they don't know or don't care that instead of using a fixed interest rate loan or bond, their vote will pave the way for the City to use a lease-lease back with payments that will go up (linked to the CPI) each and every year for 40 or (under the very bad bill they just advanced) up to 50 years. And last but not least, they don't seem to care that LB's Mayor and Council have been less than candid about what the project will cost the taxpayers of Long Beach. I expect this will be a fiscal train wreck and the City and its taxpayers cannot afford the added cost. Voters should remember who voted for this bill (which now heads to Senate floor and then the Assembly), and who on the City Council rubberstamped the agenda items that supported this project...and hold them all accountable. Opinions expressed by LBREPORT.com, our contributors and/or our readers are not necessary those of our advertisers. We welcome our readers' comments/opinions 24/7 via Disqus, Facebook and moderate length letters and longer-form op-ed pieces submitted to us at mail@LBReport.com.
Previously on LBReport.com: Common Sense by Terry Jensen (continuing series): blog comments powered by Disqus Recommend LBREPORT.com to your Facebook friends:
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Sac'to Senate Republicans Join Lemming Run Toward Costly New Long Beach Civic Center
