Garcia-Run Campaign Has Spent Over $380,000 Since Jan 1 For Gen'l Fund ("Blank Check") Tax Measures A & B...And Some LB Arts-Related Entities (That Could Receive Ongoing Sums If Voters Approve Measure B) Recently Contributed Nearly $20,000
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(Feb. 23, 2020, 10:40 a.m.) -- Continuing LBREPORT.com's "Follow the Money" coverage, newly filed campaign forms show that between Jan 1 and Feb. 15, 2020, the "Yes on A & B, Mayor Garcia Committee To Protect Police And Fire And Repair Infrastructure In Long Beach" has spent $382,413 in its campaign for the two General Fund ("blank check") tax measures. The 2020 version of Measure A would remove the current (2016 voter approved) Measure A required reduction/phase out dates (2023 and 2027) creating a de facto permanent tax; Measure B would increase the General Fund ("blank check") portion of LB's hotel room bed tax.
Mayor Garcia and the City Council have described the Measure B Gen'l Fund tax measure as offering an ongoing revenue source for LB arts-related organizations and enabling upgrades to LB's convention center. In recent days, a number of LB voters received at least one mailer focusing on Measure B.
Follow the money. In a four day period between Feb.11 and Feb. 15, contributors to the Garcia-run pro-Measure A & B committee included:
Feb. 13: Camerata Singers of Long Beach: $5,000
Feb. 14: Int'l City Theater: $4,000
Feb. 14: Musical Theater West: $9,990
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In addition, on February 19 the LB Firefighters Ass'n (union) PAC contributed $7,200 more to the committee. It previously gave $125,000 of its members' money [now a total of $132,200] to the Garcia-run campaign for A & B, second only to the LB police officers union's total of $230,000.
To date, Mayor Garcia and the Council have allocated Measure A sums mainly to infrastructure items and public safety (sworn and civilian) staffing but Measure A's $60+ million annual cash infusion has effectively freed up other General Fund sums that City Hall has tapped to help fund raises for LB's police and firefighter unions.
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As of Feb.15, 2020 the Garica-run campaign committee had taken in at least $541,690 since the Council voted in July 2019 to put Measure A on the ballot That includes $209,490 collected since Jan 1 [after the Council voted in Nov. 2019 to put a second General Fund measure, Measure B, on the ballot] plus the LBPOA/LBFFA 2019 contributions totaling $325,000 plus $7,200 added on Feb. 19 by the LB Firefighters union.
The Garcia committee is now deploying these sums against an opposition comprised of basically individual LB taxpayers relying mainly on social networks, lawn signs and hand distributed fliers. They've indicated their total spending to date is less than $1,000.
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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.
