No Councilmembers moved to specify police, fire, street repairs, infrastructure in the tax measure text itself, effectively leaving the measure a "general tax" that current and future Councils can spend on any general fund items they wish. No Coucilmembers moved to revise the ballot title and text that the City will show voters, listing increased police and fire/paramedic staffing and desirable infrastructure items that the actual tax measure text doesn't specify and the City wouldn't be legally required to fund using the tax on which voters will be voting. (LBREPORT.com in coverage at this link.)

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Councilmembers could have specified uses for the tax (including police, fire, certain infrastructure) in the tax measure text itself, which under Prop 13/Prop 218 (constitutional provisions added by CA voters) would require measure passage by a 2/3 vote of the people. The Council's action, as recommended by Mayor Garcia, leaves the proposed sales tax hike a "general tax" that current and future Councils could spend on any general fund items (regardless of statements by current Council of its current "intent") and can be enacted on a 50%+1 vote.

Speakers in support included the business manager/secretary-treasurer of the politically active Laborers Int'l Union Local 1309, who said his union represents 2,000 workers the "majority" of whom live in Long Beach "and surrounding areas." "We will be doing everything we can to encourage our membership to help this measure pass," he said.

LB Firefighters Ass'n rep Jake Atwood, whose union will soon be negotiating a new contract with City Hall, also spoke in support, citing statistics released by LBFD management a few hours earlier showing increased response times attributable to budget reductions recommended under Mayors Foster and Garcia and approved by the current and previous Councils. "We support this measure...Your firefighters are behind this 100% and we thank you." [The LB Firefighters PAC has also endorsed Council incumbents Andrews and Austin for re-election in April/June.]

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A speaker from LB's Central Area, Mr. Song [first name spelling unclear] spoke in support, citing his belief that the measure is a necessary response to crime in the area.

Speaking in opposition was Tom Stout, co-founder of LB Taxpayers Ass'n, who has consistently spoken against the measure. "This [tax measure] is not for the people; this is for you," he told the Council.

Resident Janet West said she's lived in LB continuously for over five decades and also testified in opposition. "Why should we believe you'd listen to a 'citizen advisory committee' when you're not currently listening to your citizens? Why would citizens of Long Beach make purchases, especially major purchases, in Long Beach when they could go to a local city and buy those items for one to two percent lower?"

Ms. West aimed part of her testimony at 4th dist. Councilman Daryl Supernaw, who a week earlier (Feb. 23) joined in voting to advance the measure to the ballot. [On Feb. 23, Supernaw stated "Politically, the easiest thing I could do is stand on a minority vote, go down in flames on a minority vote and grandstand on that [but] I don't sleep better at night if I'm on the wrong side of any one vote."] Ms. West told Councilman Supernaw (who said nothing on March 1): "Please save taxpayers money and businesses lower sales and just buy yourself a teddy bear [to sleep better.]"

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No representatives of any LB businesses or business associations spoke on March 1. No Councilmembers responded to public testimony.

Mayor Garcia, who has advocated the sales tax increase ballot measure for weeks and voiced no objections to the way it will be presented to voters, stated before the Council action: "This vote tonight is to have the voters make the decision in June."

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