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| (May 6, 2020, 9:00 a.m.) -- During a lengthy May 5 city staff presentation on City Hall's response to COVID-19, a number of City Councilmembers signaled resistance after City Manager Tom Modica briefly mentioned that city staff was considering eliminating planned firefighter and police academy classes that would replenish retiring firefighters and police officers.
The pushback came after City Manager Modica noted that prior to COVID-19, City Hall's upcoming FY21 budget already faced a multi-million-dollar revenue gap [current spending exceeding expected revenue] that COVID-19 will worsen. He noted that the City has received several million in federal reimbursement covering some COVID-19 expenses but said federal discussions of additional reimbursements focus on cities of over 500,000 residents (and LB falls short with roughly 475,000 residents.) City Manager Modica mentioned that city staff was considering a number of budget responses that could include canceling or deferring previously planned spending items (that he didn't enumerate in detail.) He cited a number of other items. And he mentioned cutting planned academy classes (that would replenish firefighter and police levels as personnel regularly retire.) Following city staff's presentation, Councilwoman Suzie Price stated without specifics that her priority is to preserve core services that the public expects and deserves. Councilman Rex Richardson (with whom Price has previously sparred on other issues) didn't mention the first responder academy classes, citing other items and noting their equity impacts. Councilwoman Stacy Mungo (Mayor Garcia's choice to chair the Council's "Budget Oversight Committee") likewise didn't mention the first responder academy item. Mungo (who prior to COVID-19 supported spending $1,5 million in "surplus" FY19 Measure A funds to install an artificial turf soccer field in El Dorado Park).focused on reopening parks and park-parking lots to enable recreational activities. . It took Councilman Daryl Supernaw to squarely raise management's suggestion of canceling the summer's police and firefighter replenishment academy classes. [Scroll down for further.] |
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| In an unusually blunt response, Supernaw (whose father was a LB firefighter) said wouldn't support deferring summer police or firefighter academy classes; it was a non-starter for him. "I think I kind of take a hard line on this,"he said. "This would be off limits for me," calling it the epitome of kicking the can down the road with impacts would be felt for a long time as it's "very difficult to recover from a missed [replenishment] academy class.
His statement got the attention of others.
Councilwoman Mary Zendejas [whose 2019 election was backed by LB police and firefighter unions] urged continuation of firefighter academy classes [but didn't mention police academy classes, although her 1st Council district has had disproportionate numbers of shootings.) 6th dist. Councilman/Vice Mayor Dee Andrews (now backed by LB's firefighter and police unions in a Nov. 2020 runoff) mentioned first responder academy classes So did Councilman Al Austin (likewise backed by the first responder unions in his upcoming Nov. runoff.)
In a second round of Council comments, Councilmembers Price and Mungo joined in urging continuation of a firefighter academy class. Councilmembers were less explicit (and some didn't mention at all) continuing a FY21 police academy class. Councilwoman Jeannine Pearce (who isn't seeking re-election in Nov. 2020) said she's focusing on redefining what public safety is. Councilman Rex Richardson didn't oppose maintaining the firefighter or police academy classes but reiterated his concern for a number of other items. And Mayor Robert Garcia -- who under the City Charter recommends changes to city management proposed budgets -- didn't mention retaining firefighter and police academy classes.
LB taxpayers no longer have roughly 180 police officers they previously had (including LBPD's field anti-gang unit) as a result of "proportional budget reductions" recommended by then-Mayor Bob Foster and implemented by Councilmembers under him in response to the "Great Recession." (Other cities didn't eliminate 20% of their police strength during the "Great Recession.") During his Council tenure (2009-2014), Garcia (with Andrews) joined in supporting Foster's recommended budgets and erased the largest number of police officers for LB taxpayers within a five year period in the city's more than 100 year history. LB's current Council has restored 22 officers out of 208 erased but hasn't restored the remaining 186 officers despite the 2016 Measure A sales tax increase, which produced roughly $60 million each year for City Hall...until COVID-19. May 8, 11:50 p.m. Added text quoting Councilman Supernaw in his opposition to deferring police and firefighter replenishment academy clsses.
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