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(Feb. 2, 2016, 6:40 a.m.) -- Later today (Feb. 2), Long Beach City Councilmembers will likely have their last chance to save LB taxpayers -- and themselves -- from what we consider a very bad long-term deal.
Councilmembers have one last chance tonight to avoid permanently tying themselves and their constituents to over 40+ years of avoidable annual escalating taxpayer payments, using a base sum more than management originally represented and calculations we believe demonstrably increased costs more than justifiable, diverted from their Council districts to a few downtown blocks and imposed without a vote of the people. All along, the Council has had the choice of pursuing more affordable and prudent fixed annual payments that could make City Hall seismically safe at likely less cost over less time with vote of the people. [Scroll down for further.] |
The Council's options tonight are as follows:
In effect, the Exclusive Negotiation Agreement provides for an annulment (before final contract is signed) or a divorce (after it's signed.) Like other annulments/divorces, this one is costlier than it might have been (in this case totally attributable to previous Council actions) but in our opinion, this transaction is so bad for taxpayers that it's not "cheaper to keep her." Among other things, the City refused to seek bids -- and the Council failed even to invite presentations -- from experts who could have provided information and data on fixing LB's less than 40 year old City Hall, getting credible independent information instead of accepting basically internally hypothesized figures offered by hostile city management. [Note the double standard: six Council incumbents who didn't want independent information/data on a City Hall seismic retrofit simultaneously claim they want data/information in supporting a "feasibility study" on LGB international flights.] Later tonight, taxpayers citywide will see what choice their Councilmembers make. LBREPORT.com will (as always) carry the Council proceedings LIVE on our front page: www.LBREPORT.com, starting at 5 p.m. 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.
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Contact us: mail@LBReport.com |
Hardwood Floor Specialists Call (562) 422-2800 or (714) 836-7050 |