I’m proud to announce that [Tuesday] night, the City Council adopted the FY15 budget for Long Beach. The Council adopted a responsible and thoughtful budget, which will put additional funds into our reserves, create a new economic development department and provide added support to our libraries. It also includes significant support for infrastructure and public safety.
Despite the lean economic times we’ve been experiencing, this budget puts us in a strong position to manage our liabilities and provide essential services to residents.
The City Council worked hard to pass this balanced budget on time, and they deserve our thanks. Over the course of the coming year, we will continue to work hard so that our next budget will put us in an even stronger position.
I want to thank all the residents who participated in the budget process, whether at community meetings, at City Council, or by communicating directly with your elected representatives. Your input and ideas were an essential part of this process, and I speak for everyone at City Hall when I say that your participation is welcomed, important and appreciated.
Our best days are ahead of us.
Go, Long Beach!
Robert Garcia
Mayor
Long Beach
There are no cuts to City services in the budget. And, while many of us would like to see the restoration of services in police, fire, libraries and parks that were cut during the past eight years, the Council decided to reserve the projected surplus of $3.1 million in a CalPERS Rate Stabilization Fund to help offset projected budget deficits within the next two years. Among the changes made last night to the City Manager’s proposed budget, the City Council:
• Allocated an additional $1,850,000 for infrastructure improvements throughout the City
• Approved a request by the city prosecutor to utilize $58,000 from his budget savings FY 2014 for a truancy intervention program and office efficiencies • Budgeted approximately $250,000 to fund the City’s language access policy that will improve access to local government services for thousands of residents
• Shifted oversight of the park rangers to the police department
• Approved the mayor’s recommendations to allocate an additional $200,000 to Library Services for additional materials and supplies, and $50,000 to the Arts Council
• The City Council also requested the city manager to return to the City Council during the coming year with an additional $350,000 in oil revenues for the police department to be utilized towards combatting residential burglaries
Among other highlights included in this year’s City budget:
• $2,100,000 to complete the funding for the new North Library, which should be breaking ground on construction next month at the corner of Atlantic and South
• $2,200,000 in one-time funding to provide additional overtime for the police department to respond to, investigate and prosecute violent crimes including those involving gangs, human trafficking and homicide
• $4,925,000 citywide for residential street repair
• $3,000,000 citywide for sidewalk repairs
• Funding for design work to be completed on repaving Market Street between Long Beach Blvd. and Atlantic Ave.
For a complete look at the FY15 budget, you can visit the City’s budget website at longbeach.gov/finance/budget/documents/default.asp .
Thank you for the comments and input I received from residents at our community budget meeting, through emails and phone calls and in conversations I had throughout the district.
I look forward to continuing to work with you on investing in the 8th District.
Al Austin
Councilmember
Eighth District
Long Beach
