Councilman Uranga To Make Motion To Adjourn Dec. 15 Council Meeting In Memory of LB Taxpayer Advocate (And CD 7 Resident) Tom Stout

+ Councilman Uranga To Make Motion To Adjourn Dec. 15 Council Meeting In Memory of LB Taxpayer Advocate (And CD 7 Resident) Tom Stout

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(December 10, 2020, 1:55 p.m.) -- LBREPORT.com has learned that Councilman Roberto Uranga plans to move to adjourn the Dec. 15 City Council meeting in memory of LB taxpayer advocate Tom Stout.

Mr. Stout, a longtime 7th Council district resident (who frequently boasted that he lived in "the hood") co-founded the LB Taxpayers Association. A retired public school teacher of auto mechanics, he passed away Dec. 5 after battling an especially deadly form of cancer.

"Selfie" image from Mr. Stout's Facebook page

Mr. Stout was an early advocate of Long Beach pension reform, that Councils under Mayors Beverly O'Neill and Bob Foster routinely ignored. Mayor Foster belatedly called for implementing some pension reforms when the economy slowed and made the status quo unsustainable...but rarely credited Mr. Stout for his prior advocacy.) For over a decade, Mr. Stout waged an often lonely effort in support of LB taxpayers, frequently visible handing out homemade fliers outside LB businesses and at public meetings.

Mr. Stout provided a check and balance frequently lacking in LB political and civic matters. LB's politically inept "LB Area Republicans" and sycophantic corporate and development interests commonly shrink from criticizing actions by LB's incumbent Council and Mayor. Regardless of whether one agreed or disagred with some or all of Mr. Stout's sometimes acidic views, his volunteer civic involvement provided a civic service by countering City Hall's echo chamber..

On June 12, 2018, Mr. Stout testified in opposition to a Mayor/Auditor proposed Charter Amendent that would let the Mayor and Council incumbents seek third terms without a write-in requirement. During his testimony (delivererd without notes), he raised the issue of money in Long Beach politics and received a smug response from Mayor Garcia [edited version below, full transript here.]:

Mr. Stout: You guys are the best government that money can buy -- and your supporters can continue to buy passage of most of the propositions you put forward. It’s pathetic.
Mayor Garcia: The voters haven’t approved almost all the propositions we’ve put forward, they’ve approved all of the propositions that we’ve put forward...
Mr. Stout: Yeah, you bought them all. (faintly in background

Carlos Ovalle has posted a full transcript (below) of Mr. Stout's words on the LB Politics Facebook page along with video. LBPolitics administrator (and Reform Coalition leader) Ian Patton added an obituary-tribute (also below.). .

[Scroll down for further.]

Tom Stout: Good evening. I have to agree and disagree with some of the things that were stated tonight.
One thing I’m really happy about is that you’re not holding a stealth meeting, like you did the last time for Measure M, where nobody knew it was even being conducted. Three people showed up for three meetings. Good job, you really got the word out. Now, what’s going on now, the majority of the proposals seem to benefit you, especially term limits.
Most of you can do enough damage in two terms, we don’t need you for three. And that’s been proven. So please, do not put this forward.
I know it’s gonna benefit you, you’ve a-lready increased your office holder accounts dramatically, 30 grand, you’ve changed how you could spend that money so you can benefit you and your cronies that wanna run for other offices, what else can you screw up? You know, it’s sad that you have to come to these meetings, time after time… we just got through measure A where you bought passage of that by using our money! I mean, that’s pathetic, you couldn’t even raise enough money to do it on your own, you mean police and fire only could fork over 200 grand? What happened, last time they raised 350! I guess they need to raise their union dues.
So, I don’t know, what can you say? Term limits? Yeah, why, if you combine the utilities, why? You’re still gonna have three department heads and now you’re gonna hire somebody to oversee those people. Why? You’ve already screwed it up by allowing yourselves to take money from them, 12% of the gross, it’s pathetic. It’s surprising how many people I met that work for the water department who thought this was a ripoff. And it was. It still is. But it passed. You guys are the best government that money can buy… and your supporters can continue to buy passage of most of the propositions you put forward. It’s pathetic. Hopefully some day the citizens that you’re supposed to be represented, are. Cause it sure isn’t happening with you.
Long Beach is turning into Bell south, we gotta figure out who Robert Rizzo is, I think he’s sitting in front of me, and his chief of staff, I mean, at least those people are in jail. Maybe there is hope that some of you will end up there also.
Mayor Garcia: Thank you, just one correction. The voters haven’t approved almost all the propositions we’ve put forward, they’ve approved all of the propositions that we’ve put forward, so we do appreciate that. Councilmember Supernaw?
Mr. Stout: (faintly in background) Yeah, you bought them all.

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Support really independent news in Long Beach. No one in LBREPORT.com's ownership, reporting or editorial decision-making has ties to 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.

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