Below is the full text as prepared for delivery, provided by Mayor Garcia's office: To view VIDEO of the event, click embed below:
Thank you, thank you. Good evening, and welcome. Thank you all for being here. Thank you Vice Mayor Lowenthal for the kind introduction, and for your friendship.
I also want to acknowledge a few special guests tonight: Our Citywide elected officials; our Councilmembers; our City commission members, particularly our 81 newly appointed commissioners; our City Manager, and Assistant City Manager, our many city Department heads, and all our hard-working city employees.
And, my partner Matt, as well as my mother and family. Thank you all for being here. I also want to welcome everyone watching at home
I am deeply honored to fulfill one of the key requirements outlined in the City Charter -- to report on the state of affairs of the City of Long Beach -- a city I love and am proud to call home.
I am pleased to report the state of the city is strong, and getting stronger. As we enter the 15th year of this new century, Long Beach is poised to live up to its full potential as a great, international city. We will create a City of the Future–Long Beach will take its rightful place as a leading city in the US and around the world. And while we have much work to do—which I'll talk about tonight—it's important to recognize what we've already accomplished.
Long Beach has come incredibly far in the past decade. First, Long Beach is a safer city than it's been in two generations. Violent crime has dropped to its lowest level in more than 40 years. And progress in public safety can be seen in every neighborhood in Long Beach, including our downtown. So let's thank the hard working men and women of the Long Beach Police and Long Beach Fire Departments, as well as their Chiefs, Police Chief Robert Luna and our Fire Chief Mike Duree.
In 2008, the global economy crashed, and we began facing major budget deficits. We cut more than 700 positions, and trimmed our budget by $134 million. Today, Long Beach is in a better place, having balanced our revenues and expenditures, and implemented pension reform, which will save $250 million over the next 10 years. We've also established a pension stabilization fund, which has $8.5 million in funds set aside and will continue to grow. The pension challenge is far from over, but thanks to the hard work and tough choices of my predecessor, Bob Foster, and previous City Councils, we are in a position to meet the challenge.
We've also seen positive trends in development. In the past decade we've built almost 2,000 residential units downtown, including affordable housing for seniors, and more than 500 additional units throughout the city. And we've seen more than 2 million square feet of retail and restaurant space built or modernized.
Average household income in Long Beach has jumped by 33% citywide and 75% in downtown since 2000. And unemployment, after peaking at 14.6% in July of 2010, is back down to 8.8%.
We adopted our sustainable city plan in 2010 and have made great progress on its goals. In the last 15 years, we've built 37 new parks, increasing park space by 225 acres citywide, including more than 45 acres west of Long Beach Blvd. We've installed more than 2,000 solar panels around the city and planted more than 4,000 trees.
Our beaches consistently earn A and B ratings from Heal the Bay where improvements have won the City recognition for having the most improved beaches in California. Our airport provides direct employment to more than 11,000 jobs and a regional economic boost of more than $8 billion. The Port of Long Beach continues to drive economic growth, with a 3% increase in trade for 2014, supporting $180 billion in economic activity and more than 300 thousand jobs throughout the region.
Despite these improvements, significant challenges remain. Looming pension liabilities will strain our budget in the years ahead unless we take action now. We are currently in negotiations with our largest public employee union and will soon enter negotiations with all our employee groups. I am committed to fair agreements with our employees, but they must be fiscally responsible contracts. The days of overspending are over.
Congestion and escalating tensions due to the prolonged negotiations between the Pacific Maritime Association and the ILWU pose real risks unless resolved quickly. I am confident the management team and the Harbor Commission are addressing the systematic challenges that contributed to congestion. And I urge both sides to work with the federal mediator to reach an agreement that protects the jobs and goods that flow through our Port.
The recent drop in the price of oil presents immediate challenges to our capital improvement budget and operating revenues in coming years. Thankfully, we have been conservative in our price estimates, so we have time to develop a plan for the future. This is critical because our city is almost 120 years old, and we must address its aging infrastructure. And we need to combat poverty. Too many Long Beach residents struggle financially, especially our city's youth and seniors.
So, how do we meet these challenges and continue our progress? We will do this by focusing on three critical areas: One: we will drive economic growth and development through innovation, Two: we will expand educational opportunity for all, And, three, we will create a 21st century city through sustainability, technology, and civic engagement.
In 2014 alone, we made incredible progress. Long Beach won awards for leadership in technology, equality, and transportation. City staff filled 35,000 potholes, trimmed more than 23,000 trees, and cleaned up 75,000 graffiti tags. And we achieved a budget surplus of more than $3 million. We're in a good position to continue this progress. To do so, we need to commit to real economic development.
Our residents need secure, good paying jobs. I've already begun reaching out to industry leaders and trading partners across the world, to encourage investment. We are seeing positive signs already. The Douglas Park development by the airport moving forward. Mercedes and Hooman Toyota are opening new facilities, and more potential investors are in discussions with the City every day. The Douglas Park project alone is adding 1.4 million square feet of new commercial and industrial space which has brought more than 3,000 new jobs to our city.
We've also seen an increase in tourism, with convention center bookings 12% ahead of last year. The brand new Pacific Ballroom at the Arena is already booked 345 days this year, and has led to $58 million in new business. And the Aquarium of the Pacific had more than 1.5 million visits in 2014. And I want to highlight one of the main reasons we attract so many people to Long Beach. I'm talking about an icon of downtown. It gets better with age. And it brings millions of visitors to Long Beach every year. No, I'm not talking about the Queen Mary; I'm talking about Steve Goodling. Steve, thanks to you and your team at the Convention and Visitors Bureau for all you do for the City.
While we have had successes in 2014, we must do more. Long Beach must develop new companies and industries moving forward. I know this City has the expertise and the capacity to innovate and strengthen our economy. That's why we applied for, and won, a Bloomberg Innovation Grant. Being selected not only brings international attention and prestige, it means that Bloomberg Philanthropies will invest $3 million in Long Beach over the next three years to bring the best economic development team to our city. The Innovation Team includes economic development experts, technologists, social scientists, and 3 fellows to help develop new approaches to grow business and jobs here. I am committed to putting this team to work immediately to help Long Beach achieve our full economic potential.
We've also created a new Economic and Property Development Department, which will include a new business ombudsman, who will be charged with helping recruit new businesses.
But the City will not do this work alone -- we have important partners that also encourage economic development. LBCC hosts a number of programs to support local businesses including: the Small Business Development Centers, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses and Innovation Fund SoCal. Each provide important support to business and help create and retain jobs. CSULB helps drive innovation and produce new technologies and skilled workers that grow new companies and jobs. Our City has a rich community of arts organizations that help spur tourism and economic activity as well as improve the quality of life in Long Beach. And finally, Long Beach has 9 business improvement districts that provide on the ground assistance to businesses throughout our city. Our City's success in economic development depends on the collaboration of all of these partners.
And for our entire city to prosper, downtown must succeed. The jobs and tax base created downtown enable us to fund citywide infrastructure and services. Creating density is one way to stimulate the city's economy. So tonight I want to announce a major new drive to build at least 4,000 new residential units in our downtown over the next ten years. These units will bring more than 8,000 new residents and boost our tax base. We are already making great strides. 2,500 units either under construction or slated for construction downtown in the next five years -- and another 375 units in the rest of the city.
And we are seeing commercial growth as well. Work has begun on an expansion at the Pike that will mean $68 million of new private investment. This project includes opening a new H&M store, the expansion of Restoration Hardware, and other high profile retail outlets that we will be announcing in the coming weeks. I am personally reaching out to major retailers and inviting them to open in Long Beach.
And I want to announce tonight that, in collaboration with the Downtown Long Beach Associates, I will be hosting a Development Conference in downtown Long Beach this March 31st, to encourage investment, density, and retail development in Long Beach.
You've also heard a great deal about our new civic center which was recently approved by the City Council. It includes a new modernized main library, expanded Lincoln Park, a seismically sound city hall, Port headquarters, a hotel, and residences. The project will generate more than $2 million a year in new revenue for our city. And I want to thank our Harbor Department for joining this project. For the first time, we will have our Port headquartered at our civic center. Locating together provides a lasting reminder that the city and our harbor department are strongest when we partner. We truly are "better together."
Economic growth, however, does not automatically bring benefits to every neighborhood in Long Beach. While most of our City has seen greater prosperity and growth over the past decade, one area has struggled to keep up with these gains -- and that is central Long Beach, especially the neighborhoods west of Cherry, between Anaheim and PCH, all the way to the City's western boundary.
In these neighborhoods, the poverty rate is more than 40%, and unemployment exceeds 16% -- twice the rate of the rest of the City. And the crime rate continues to be a major challenge in central Long Beach. This is unacceptable. The residents of central Long Beach need access to healthcare, education, and good jobs. That's why we are working closely with nonprofit organizations, including Building Healthy Communities, The California Endowment, Centro Cha, and many others.
One way we've done that is to apply for Promise Zone designation for central Long Beach. Promise Zone status is a Federal designation that could direct millions of federal dollars to improve economic activity, expand educational opportunities, and reduce violent crime. Only a small number of cities will be selected this year. But whether or not our application is successful, the process of applying for Promise Zone status has strengthened relationships between city departments and community groups. This will enhance our efforts to lift central Long Beach families out of poverty.
I also continue to believe the number one tool to support economic development is education. That's why I've made education my top priority as Mayor. This City is blessed with 3 of the best public education institutions in the nation. The Long Beach Unified School District, Long Beach City College and California State University, Long Beach are each remarkable institutions. Long Beach Unified is clearly one of the best urban school districts in the US -- having won the Broad Prize once, and being named a finalist 4 times. Long Beach City College is consistently recognized as one of the best Community Colleges in the nation for programs like Promise Pathways, which is closing achievement gaps so every student can succeed. CSULB is ranked one of the best universities in the west by the Princeton Review and US News and World report. And it now ranks 5th in the nation for the number of undergraduate applications, and first among all 23 CSU campuses.
While each institution is impressive on its own, they are even more impressive as partners. The Long Beach College Promise is a great example. In December all three institutions were invited to a White House Completion Summit which highlighted the College Promise partnership as a national model. The accomplishments to date are incredible -- and here are just a few: First, a nearly 50% increase in direct enrollment to CSULB by Long Beach Unified students; Second, more than 4,000 College Promise Scholarships to local graduates who enrolled at LBCC; And third, increased degree completions and reduced remediation for students across all ethnic groups.
But the best is yet to come. I am proud the City has now become a full partner in the College Promise. Through collaboration, we can take the Long Beach College Promise to another level. And tonight, I would like to share just a few recent developments: as part of the White House Commitment to College Opportunity, the College Promise has committed to achieving the following goals by 2025: One, we will increase graduation rates by an additional 10%. Two, we will graduate more than 4,000 additional students with B.A. degrees, and three, we will increase college success for students and access for underrepresented students. These are impressive goals that will ensure a well prepared local workforce.
I have pledged to double the number of internships available to students in my first term and I am happy to report we are well on our way to achieving this goal. As we know, our city's one stop career and business development center is the Pacific Gateway Workforce Investment Network. They have made a commitment to double the number of paid student internships from 4 hundred to more than 8 hundred this year. The City, including the Port, has also pledged to double its student internships this year. And our educational institutions are also expanding opportunities for student internships.
Now, we need your help. Today, I am issuing a call to every employer in greater Long Beach -- to partner with us and support our students by providing internships. Tonight, we will begin enrolling employers in this initiative, and I'm asking all interested parties to sign up at HireLB.com. There will also be Pacific Gateway representatives at tonight's reception in the lobby to meet with you. And this spring, we will host a kick-off event for employers who join this call to help our students get internships.
And as an example, I want to tell you about a young woman named Brenda Martinez. While at Cabrillo High School, Brenda worked closely with the Pacific Gateway Network to land a paid internship at a law firm in Bixby Knolls. Brenda is now a senior at Cabrillo High with plans to attend Drexel University and eventually become a patent attorney. She's grown more confident, developed clear career goals, and built important relationships. And Brenda attributes her success in large part to that internship opportunity. Brenda, please stand up. Let's give Brenda a round of applause. This is what we can do for our young people when we provide the opportunities for them to shine.
In October, the Long Beach College Promise was also extended to include expansion of pre-school and early childhood education. This is a logical extension of the College Promise. The research is clear: A high quality early education will mean more high school graduates and college success down the road. In other cities across the country, like Seattle and San Antonio, high-quality pre-school has led to long-term reductions in such costly areas as crime, social services, and healthcare.
And I'm pleased to announce we are already making progress on this goal. LBUSD has embarked on an ambitious plan to expand early childhood education for our neediest students. Today, 81% of qualified students are participating in pre-school programs through the District. Long Beach Unified set a goal to enroll 100% of low-income students in pre-school by 2018. I also am pleased to announce I am partnering with LBUSD to build a major new Educare Center at Barton elementary in north Long Beach. Long Beach Unified was selected to host a new Educare center -- the first of its kind in Southern California. I will partner with Superintendent Steinhauser and LBUSD Board member Megan Kerr to help raise the funds needed to bring this spectacular new program to Long Beach. This new center will provide year-round, high-quality early childhood education to children in north Long Beach. In addition, we are working with members of the Early Childhood Education Committee to expand access and participation throughout Long Beach so every student who enrolls in kindergarten is ready for success.
And at this time, I want to thank our partners, who have enthusiastically welcomed the City into the College Promise: LBUSD Superintendent Chris Steinhauser, President of Long Beach City College, Eloy Oakley, and President of Cal State Long Beach, Jane Close Conoley. My thanks to all three of you, and I look forward to a continued collaboration. I also want to thank the members of our City Council for their enthusiastic support of this effort.
That same collaborative approach must also guide our City to ensure growth and development create a sustainable and livable city. We now face what President Obama has called the defining challenge of our generation: climate change. And let me be clear: Climate change is real. And climate change is not something that is coming in the future -- it is already here. 2014 was the hottest year on record. We have come to the point where climate change is inevitable. We can mitigate it, slow it down, but, the reality is, we must adapt to a changing climate. That means changing the way we produce and use energy, supporting transportation that is not reliant on fossil fuels, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, creating green space, and looking at every way we can to reduce our carbon footprint.
We've already begun, but we have much more work to do. That's why tonight I'm calling on the City Council to review the progress of our Sustainable City Plan and to update its goals. And I've already had a commitment from the Aquarium of the Pacific, whose programs are world renowned, to work with scientific experts and develop a Climate Change Action Plan to present to the Council.
The Port will also continue to provide leadership in adapting to climate change. This year we mark the 10th anniversary of the Green Port Policy. Since 2005, diesel pollution from ships, trucks and trains has been reduced by 82% even as cargo activity has increased. And the Port has invested 200 million dollars in electric power for ships, and more than $17 million in community grants.
As we adapt to a changing climate, one of the most vital efforts is water conservation. California is experiencing its worst drought in many generations. With the leadership of our Water Department, Long Beach has cut our water use significantly. In fact, we use the same amount of water today that was used in 1958 -- when our population was much smaller. But it's important to remember the drought continues, and even with the recent rains, we must conserve. I want to implore everyone to continue thinking about every drop of water we use and to keep water conservation in mind every day.
I am also committed to expanding green space in the city, especially in the areas that are lacking in it. The State water Bond, which passed in November, includes $30 million for the River and Mountains Conservancy that will help restore the lower LA River. I've already been in talks with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti about ways our cities can work together to make the LA River a place for residents and visitors to enjoy. Several projects along the River are beginning this transformation including the Deforest Wetlands, Wrigley Greenbelt, and the Drake and Chavez Park expansions. These projects will add many acres of green space and create a natural barrier between the 710 and our neighborhoods.
We must also continue to explore options for the breakwater. I've long advocated we study the reconfiguration of the breakwater, not just as a means of keeping our beaches and water clean, but for economic development along our shore. And I am committed to ensuring that any change to the breakwater leaves our coastal homes and properties, as well as the Port, completely protected. Completing the study process will be high on my agenda when I travel to Washington DC to meet with our congressional delegation and other leaders in Congress in a couple of weeks.
We will also continue to expand the use of solar power around Long Beach. Just last month the city entered into an agreement to place solar generators at four more sites around Long Beach. And we'll continue conversions to LED lighting for street lights. LED lights are not only more attractive, and more sustainable == they will save the city money.
We will continue our leadership on other green issues as well. Our bicycle infrastructure has already won national acclaim and that's one reason we are going to host our own version of Ciclavia -- called Beachstreets -- for the first time this year in Bixby Knolls and north Long Beach.
And I want to announce that I've asked the Environmental Committee of our City Council to explore ways to strengthen our Urban Agriculture Ordinance. Not only does urban agriculture provide healthy food for residents, and combat blight, it reduces our carbon footprint by adding additional green space to our urban environment. The Long Beach of the future will be sustainable and livable—but it will also have a high level of civic engagement and it will use technology to support openness, efficiency, and accountability.
To support the use of technology and innovation, we've restructured the Technology Services Department as the Technology and Innovation Department. We have also created a new commission -- the Technology and Innovation Commission -- or, as I like to call them, "the Geek Squad." This commission will be charged with generating ideas and policies that will continue to make Long Beach a national leader in the use of technology and accountable government. One of the ways we'll do that this year is to launch a brand new city website, a 24/7 on-line city hall. This year we'll also launch an open data initiative, and put as much city information on line as possible, to engage the expertise of the private sector and the public, on issues from health care, to trade, to environmental sustainability. This is the wave of the future, and Long Beach is taking the lead.
The world is rapidly changing, and Long Beach must adapt, and adapt quickly. I know we are up to the task -- because we are not afraid to dream. As John and Robert Kennedy were both fond of saying, "There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why... I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?"
We have a smart, forward-thinking council, capable and committed city management, and most of all, an optimistic and diverse population, ready for positive change. I'm honored and humbled to be the Mayor of this incredible and unique city, and I look forward to working with all of you to make Long Beach the best city it can be, a true 21st century city.
Thank you for being here, thank you for loving Long Beach. Good night and Go Long Beach!
