The City of Long Beach has announced the community review process for the Long Beach Minimum-Wage Study to be conducted by the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC) and approved by the city council at its Sept. 15 meeting. The City will host a series of meetings for community input on the study.
“It is important that we move forward with a community process that is collaborative, open and balanced,” said Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia. “I encourage residents, workers, and employers to participate in these six meetings and roundtables over the next couple of months.”
In an effort to embrace a high level of transparency and provide additional opportunities for public education and comment, six public meetings for the study are being scheduled, according to city officials. The meetings are intended to further engage and educate the public, as well as provide input to the LAEDC and ultimately the mayor and city council.
“I am pleased to see the LAEDC has been engaged to fully study the impacts of changing the minimum wage and business incentives in the City,” said Vice Mayor Suja Lowenthal, who brought forth the agenda item with co-sponsors and councilmembers Lena Gonzalez, Dee Andrews and Rex Richardson. “It’s important for the community to have ample opportunity to receive information and offer their feedback.”
The sessions will be held in different locations to encourage broad participation by residents, workers and business owners, city officials said. The first meeting took place Tuesday, Sept.29 at the regularly scheduled Economic Development Commission meeting. The mayor’s roundtable will be Oct. 5, and the city council’s Economic Development and Finance Committee meeting will take place Oct. 29.
“I’m looking forward to addressing this important issue at our Economic Development and Finance (ED&F) Committee of the city council and to receiving input on all facets that will impact our communities,” said 5th District Councilmember Stacy Mungo, chair of the ED&F Committee.
The public-outreach schedule is:
Monday, Oct. 5: Mayor’s roundtable (5:30 pm Expo Arts Center, 4321 Atlantic Ave.)
Thursday, Oct. 29: Economic Development and Finance Committee meeting (7:30am, Long Beach City College)
Tuesday, Nov. 17: Mayor’s roundtable (Noon, Admiral Kidd Park, 2125 Santa Fe Ave.)
Friday, Nov. 20: Economic Development and Finance Committee meeting (4pm, Bay Shore Library, 195 Bay Shore Ave.)
Tuesday, Nov. 24: Economic Development Commission (6:30pm, city council chambers)
At the end of the preliminary public-outreach process, after the first three meetings have taken place, LAEDC will issue their report for public comment. That report will include a section that captures the feedback provided at each of the public meetings.
After the report is issued, three more public meetings will be conducted for the community to review and comment on. The city council is expected to review the report, the summary of public comments and other information on minimum wage in early December 2015.
