Sales Tax Topic Taboo, Untouched By Mayor, Police Chief And Councilwoman Mungo Who Discuss Multiple Other Matters At El Dorado Park South Neighborhood Ass'n Meeting

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Measure A opponents attend, ready to rock, but city speakers provide no target

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(May 23, 2016, 11:35 p.m.) -- Tonight's (May 23) El Dorado Park South Neighborhood Association meeting, initially announced on Facebook in early May as featuring a discussion of City Hall's sales tax increase Measure A by Mayor Robert Garcia and Councilwoman Stacy Mungo with no opposing speaker, did include the Mayor, the Councilwoman and added LB's Police Chief...who discussed multiple topics but didn't discuss the upcoming ballot measure.

A subsequent May 18 Facebook dispatch by the neighborhood group dropped any mention of Measure A (with no explanation for the change)...and at the meeting, the silence of city officials on the sale tax ballot measure left its opponents with no pro-tax statements to rebut or attack..

After Mayor Garcia, Councilwoman Mungo and Police Chief Luna delivered their remarks, City Manager Pat West, Assistant City Manager Tom Modica and LB Fire Chief Mike DuRee joined them at the front of the room to answer audience questions ("Town Hall" style, audible to the entire audience.)

Audience members asked mainly about detailed neighborhood issues; Councilwoman Mungo and city staff noted them and indicated they'd pursue them...and no one in the audience asked about the sales tax increase ballot measure.

Among those who came to the meeting was Tom Stout, co-founder of the LB Taxpayers Association, who brought lawn signs and handed out copies of his ballot argument in opposition to Measure A. Also present were individuals associated with the "Long Beach Rebellion" which separately opposes the measure.

LBREPORT.com provides extended audio of the entire meeting from start to finish:

Mayor Garcia: Start to 16:00
Chief Luna: 16:00 to 29:45
Councilwoman Mungo: 29:45 to 40:25
Q & A: 40:30 to 58:55

Mayor Garcia's remarks paralleled presentations he's delivered at "meet the Mayor" meetings across the city over the past several months. The Mayor cited items in three areas -- the economy, education and livability -- in which he said the City has had positive developments. He cited a drop in unemployment, CSULB's popularity (fifth highest number of university applications nationally) and said its students indicate they like Long Beach and want to remain here after graduation, a free year first year at LBCC for LBUSD graduates, an expanded school age job internship program, Port traffic increases, and new, brighter and more economical LED street lighting coming to all LB neighborhoods (including "smart" software enabling LBPD to increase brightness during police responses.)

Police Chief Luna acknowledged challenges facing LBPD, including a recent sharp increase in crime that he said is unprecedented in his experience. Chief Luna said other cities are experiencing similar crime increases and police departments nationally are analyzing the data in search of explanations. The Chief said the country is seeing multiple measures similar to Prop 47 in CA that result in fewer incarcerations had both positive and negative aspects that deserve study and, in some respects, possible modifications He said Prop 47 was supposed to produce savings that would fund programs locally to address matters such as substance abuse common among inmates, but to date, none of that funding has reached Long Beach.

Councilwoman Mungo said the 5th district had seen a sizable growth in businesses, including 240 new 5th district business licenses over the past year. She also indicated that LB Airport will be marking its 95th anniversary in November with a re-branded and re-tooled "Fly In" event that will salute veterans and include transportation to and from ELB neighborhoods to the Airport and back. She also indicated that the Mayor would join her as part of a citywide day of service on this year's 9/11 anniversary.