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"Alternative Facts" In Long Beach


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(June 1, 2018, 12:45 p.m.) -- Two days after President Trump took office, his then-Press Secretary Sean Spicer claimed more people had attended the Trump inauguration than attended the Obama inauguration. News outlets that Trump despises showed photographs comparing the two crowds. The photos spoke for themselves. In response, Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway defended Mr. Spicer's claim, saying it wasn't a falsehood but "alternative facts."

Over the past roughly ten days, Long Beach's Mayor and some Councilmembers have claimed Measure M isn't a tax. Last month, LBREPORT.com, an independent news outlet now in our 18th year, showed our readers what the City Council-approved Resolution that put Measure M on the ballot says. It speaks for itself below:

[Scroll down for further.]

Text source: City Council voted Resolution No. RES-18-002S (red font added by us for clarity, full text here)

...WHEREAS, some have alleged that under California Propositions 218 and 26 (California Constitution, Article XIIIC, Section 1(e) and Article XIIID, Section 6), these revenue transfers from City utility accounts to the General Fund are general taxes requiring voter approval; and...

WHEREAS, Proposition 218 (California Constitution, Article XIIIC, Section 2) likewise requires that all general taxes which are imposed, extended or increased be approved by a majority of City voters voting at an election called for that purpose; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to Proposition 218 any general tax measure submitted to the voters must be held concurrently with a regularly scheduled general election for members of the City Council;

...NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Long Beach resolves as 28 follows:

Section 1. The foregoing recitals are true and correct and are hereby incorporated and made an operative part of this Resolution...

In addition, the City of Long Beach has chosen not to display the text of Measure M -- not just the Council-voted Resolution (above) but the actual text of Measure A on which voters will be voting -- in what should be obvious locations. It's not visible (a) on the City's Measure M "information" webpage; or (b) on LB taxpayer-paid and mailed "informational" fliers: or (c) in City Hall social network messages or (d) [very significant] in the official voter pamphlet sent to all LB registered voters.

Instead, Measure A's text is buried in an internal attachment to agenda attachments at three irregularly scheduled meetings of the "Joint Meeting of the Council's Charter Amendment Committee and City Council."

So what content in that attachment to an attachment do suppose LB City officials aren't eager for LB voters to see? Perhaps it's the following "blank check" enabling text visible at this link on pdf pages 8-9, section 1407 (7), which states "All proceeds from transfers authorized by subsection (5) above can be spent for unrestricted general revenue purposes," and section 1501 (f), which states: "All proceeds from transfers authorized by subsection (d) above can be spent for unrestricted general revenue purposes."

In June 2016, LB's Mayor/Council put a General Fund/blank check sales tax increase on the ballot (Measure A) that has left LB with the highest sales tax rate in CA (tied with only a few other cities.) In June 2018, LB's Mayor/Council is now asking voters to approve the Measure M General Fund/blank check utility revenue transfer/diversion that they say will "maintain" -- not restore -- any specific number of nearly 200 citywide deployable budgeted police officers and three fire engines that LB taxpayers previously had and no longer have despite the $40+ million annual revenue infusion from Measure A. (The Council restored 17 citywide deployable police officers, 1 Belmont Shore fire engine, 1 NLB paramedic rescue ambulance, and scheduled multiple street/sidewalk/infrastructure projects...and (among other things) used freed-up General Fund revenue to hand generous pay raises to multiple city employee groups including $100,000 and $200,000 city management.)

We leave it to LB readers to decide if they believe the City of Long Beach, Mayor Garcia and some incumbent Councilmembers have dispensed "alternative facts" in marketing Measure M. The ballot count on June 5 will show to what extent these actions proved effective in Long Beach.


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