As previously reported (first again on June 11) by LBREPORT.com), Long Beach City Clerk Monique de la Garza has estimated the cost of a November special election as $470,000 for one Charter Amendment, and $45,000 each for each additional ballot item, making the taxpayer cost $650,000 for all five items if the Council were to approve a November special election.

[Scroll down for further.]

To our knowledge, no Councilmembers have mentioned the taxpayer cost during June or July hearings on the Mayor-desired measures. On May 31, City Auditor Laura Doud co-signed a letter with Mayor Garcia calling his five proposed Charter Amendments "good government measures" and said she looks forward to working with the Council to put them on the ballot...without mentioning their November special election taxpayer cost (arguably odd behavior for an Auditor elected to focus on taxpayer impacts.)

Sponsor

Sponsor

The Mayor's Fiscal Impact statements also fail to acknowledge the cost of a second future special election in the wake of the July 24 Council vote action seeking options for what proponents called a "dedicated local revenue source" (a possible debt bond or utility tax hike) to enable more "affordable" (low income/subsidized) housing and homeless related services. The Mayor's filed materials don't acknowledge the option of possible taxpayer savings by deferring action on his desired Charter Amendments to such a forthcoming special election.

Sponsor

Sponsor

Also unmentioned: as previously reported (first again on June 21) by LBREPORT.com, city management spent nearly $100,000 to hire a political consultant to prepare and mail three fliers (that the City labeled "informational") on a single item: the June 2018 Mayor/Council desired Measure M utility revenue transfer/diversion. (The content of the City-labeled "informational" materials has been challenged as alleged improper advocacy by four taxpayer/opponents of Measure M, the FPPC has responded by opening an investigation into the matter.) The LB Water Dept. has scheduled a hearing later this month on a roughly 7% rate increase as a result of voter approval of Measure M.

Developing.

Sponsor

Support really independent news in Long Beach. No one in LBREPORT.com's ownership, reporting or editorial decision-making has ties to incumbent Long Beach officials, development interests, advocacy groups or other special interests; or is seeking or receiving benefits of City development-related decisions; or holds a City Hall appointive position; or has contributed sums to political campaigns for Long Beach incumbents or challengers. LBREPORT.com isn't part of an out of town corporate cluster and no one its ownership, editorial or publishing decisionmaking has been part of the governing board of any City government body or other entity on whose policies we report. LBREPORT.com is reader and advertiser supported. You can help keep really independent news in LB similar to the way people support NPR and PBS stations. We're not non-profit so it's not tax deductible but $49.95 (less than an annual dollar a week) helps keep us online.