Council Votes 8-0 (Andrews Absent) To Give Money From 6th District Infrastructure Funds Allocable In Councilman's Discretion To Private Owner of Iconic "VIP Records" Sign For Its Historic Preservation
No Councilmembers or the Mayor mention using "officeholder accounts" (kept by Mayor and 7 other Councilmembers) to avoid tapping taxpayer funds
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(May 10, 2017, 5:45 a.m.) -- As seen LIVE on LBREPORT.com, the City Council voted 8-0 (Andrews absent) on May 9 (motion by Richardson, seconded by Price) to approve an item co-agendized by Councilman Dee Andrews and Mayor Robert Garcia that will take $80,000 from sums budgeted for Councilmembers to allocate in their discretion for their district's infrastructure needs to give to the private owner of the iconic "World Famous VIP Records" sign for its historic preservation.
In Councilman Andrews' absence, Vice Mayor Richardson made the motion to approve the expenditure, seconded by Councilwoman Price who said she "wholeheartedly supports" the action. Councilmembers Pearce, Austin and Mayor Garcia also spoke in support, variously calling the iconic sign (currently atop the now-closed record store's vacated location at 1030 E. PCH) historically significant for Long Beach. Multiple public speakers, including the now-former record store's owner, Kelvin Anderson -- who'll retain private ownership of the sign -- thanked Councilman Andrews and Mayor Garcia for bringing the agenda item.
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Neither Mayor Garcia nor any of LB's seven of nine Councilmembers who maintain "officeholder accounts" -- sums collected from contributors, not budgeted from taxpayer funds -- offered to use their sums for the preservation effort, which would have spared Councilman Andrews from depleting funds budgeted for his discretionary use for infrastructure needs in his Council district. Councilman Andrews (like Councilman Supernaw) doesn't maintain an "officeholder" account...but Councilmembers Gonzalez, Pearce, Price, Mungo, Uranga, Austin, Vice Mayor Richardson and Mayor Garcia do...and city Clerk records show that most had either four or five figure cash balances in their "officeholder accounts" as of Dec. 31, 2016.
In 2007, City Auditor Laura Doud argued in favor of doubling the allowable size of "officeholder accounts" on grounds this would let Council incumbents avoid tapping taxpayer sums for district items they desired. In Jan-Feb. 2015, LB Councilmembers voted 5-3 (Austin, Price, Mungo dissenting, 4th dist vacant) to triple the size their doubled "officeholder accounts" and in April 2017, voted 5-3 (Supernaw, Price, Mungo dissenting, Richardson absent) to let themselves and the Mayor use their "officeholder accounts" to support candidates running for political offices.
No Councilmembers or the Mayor suggested seeking private funds for the private preservation effort, or publicly raised the possibility of seeking sums from several now-prominent recording industry figures who used a small recording studio at VIP Records to do some of their earliest work. [Somewhat similar issues were raised in an April 2017 LA Weekly> piece by Sarah Bennett.]
It's unclear where the recognizable sign currently atop 1030 E. PCH at MLK Ave. will ultimately be located; as of May 6, an online petition sought the public's help "to stop 7-11 from moving into the original VIP location."
Several public speakers called the "World Famous VIP Records" sign an important part of LB's history, some noting that the store had managed to survive in one of the highest crime areas in Long Beach. Mayor Garcia praised Mr. Anderson, who owned and operated the store for roughly 37 years, as a hard-working Long Beach small businessman and said the VIP Records sign had become internationally recognized.
One public speaker, Larry Goodhue, drew gasps and jeers in calling Snoop Dog, who did some of his early work in the store's small recording studio, a "degenerate" and said the sign belonged in LB's city jail.
[Andrews-Garcia agendizing memo for May 9, 2017] Recommendation: Approve the use of the Sixth Council District's one-time infrastructure funds transferred from the Capital Projects Fund (CP) in the Public Works Department (PW) into the
Economic and Property Development (EP) in the amount of $80,000 to support the preservation of a historical and cultural asset at the top of the building located at 1030 Pacific Coast Highway; and
Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute the necessary documents with World Famous VIP Records LLC, a private organization located in the City of Long Beach, in an amount of $80,000 to be used for the removal, restoration, historical landmark designation,
and temporary storage of the iconic World Famous VIP Records sign, until a permanent location can be determined within the City of Long Beach; and
Increase appropriations in the General Fund (GF) in the Economic and Property Development Department (EP) budget by $80,000.
DISCUSSION:
World Famous VIP Records LLC (VIP Records), is a locally-owned small business and long-time member of the Sixth District community. For the past 38 years, VIP Records has served as a record shop and recording studio for talented local musicians to build their musical careers. Notable artists that recorded music at VIP Records and went on to become international stars include Warren Griffin III known by his stage name Warren G, and Cordozar Calvin Broadus, Jr., known professionally as Snoop Dogg. The record store and its iconic World Famous VIP sign on Pacific Coast Highway have become an international tourist destination.
VIP Records is now in the process of restoring the iconic sign and applying for historical landmark preservation. The business owner of VIP Records is a life-long resident of Long Beach and has contributed to the community in numerous ways. The use of Sixth Council District's one-time infrastructure funds will kick-start the preservation of a historic asset, ensure that the sign stays in the City of Long Beach, and contributes to the long-term economic development of Central Long Beach.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total 'appropriation increase of $80,000 in the General Fund (GF) in the Economic and Property Development Department (EP) is offset by a transfer of one-time infrastructure funds from the Capital Projects Fund (CP) in the Public Works Department (PW).
