Bits 'n' Pieces

Taxpayers’ Group Files Complaint with FPPC

Four taxpayer advocates filed a sworn complaint with the State Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) alleging that the City of Long Beach violated the Political Reform Act by spending public funds to campaign for the passage of Measure M on the June ballot.

The complainants, Tom Stout, Diana Lejins, Joe Weinstein and Gerrie Schipske today issued the following statement:

“Today, we have filed a sworn complaint with the FPPC alleging that the City of Long Beach, through the Mayor and City Council, have violated the Political Reform Act by using taxpayer money (government resources) to send out several direct mail pieces that were clearly not ‘informational’ but campaign materials. We also believe that the Mayor and several Councilmembers utilized their city-paid cellphones and computers to send out misleading messages urging constituents to vote for Measure M.

These messages told constituents that Measure M was “not a tax,” when in fact it is; that the transfers would be taken only from “surplus” which is false and that constituent utility rates would not be increased which is also false as they are being currently raised because of Measure M.

State law only allows the city to spend public money to provide ‘informational’ materials. Such materials must be in the ‘style, tone and timing’ that make them ‘informational’ and not advocacy.

Our complaint notes that the ‘style’ of the direct mail pieces were not the ‘regular’ way in which the City communicates information with voters. The City utilized a political consultant who targeted the mailers only to specific voters instead of all voters in the City. There are currently 259,839 registered voters or 147,579 households in Long Beach. The city-paid mail pieces were only sent to a targeted 63,741 households or 43%. If these mailers were truly ‘informational’, they would have been sent to all registered voters. These were campaign pieces.

We stressed in our complaint that the ‘tone and timing’ of these pieces also strongly underscore their campaign nature by pointing out that the direct mail pieces omitted crucial facts that Measure M is a ‘tax’ and that utility rates would be raised to pay for the transfer of funds from the utilities. The direct mail pieces also use inflammatory language threatening cuts to public safety and infrastructure if voters did not pass the measure, when in fact, no Council action had been taken to identify specific cuts related to the failure to pass Measure M.

Most egregious is the ‘timing’ of these materials to coincide with mailings from the Mayor’s Committee to Support the Utility Transfer: The City’s mailers omitted the fact that Measure M is a “tax” while the Mayor’s mailers stated: ‘Measure M is not a tax increase.’ The message to the voters was orchestrated to urge passage of Measure M.”

Short-Term Rentals Workshop

The City of Long Beach continues to host a series of community events, as part of the process of developing a proposed short-term rental (STR) ordinance. If adopted by the City Council, this ordinance will establish a framework for regulating STRs, or vacation rentals, within the city.

The next STR community workshop will now be held at the Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA), Balboa Studio, 628 Alamitos Ave., on Saturday, July 21, from 10 a.m. to noon. This meeting was previously scheduled to be held at the Bixby Park Community Center, but has been relocated to allow for more space.

The workshop will feature a presentation of the city’s findings from input provided by the public at the first community workshop, stakeholder interviews, results from the city’s STR online survey and extensive case study research.  The event will also include interactive stations located throughout the event space to offer opportunities for attendees to provide feedback on community priorities and concerns identified through the City’s outreach efforts.  Translation services in Spanish, Tagalog and Khmer, as well as light refreshments will be provided. 

Looking ahead, the final STR community workshop will be held on Wednesday, October 10, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at the Expo Arts Center, 4321 Atlantic Ave. 

The project team is expected to present its findings for a proposed STR ordinance to the City Council in fall 2018. The presentation will be based on community input received during the outreach events, a targeted case study of STR programs in other jurisdictions, and an evaluation of potential program costs and revenues.

In March 2017, the City Council approved an item brought forth by Councilmember Jeannine Pearce, and co-sponsored by Councilwoman Lena Gonzalez, Councilman Dee Andrews, and Vice Mayor Rex Richardson to direct City staff to review STR regulations following the growth of platforms such as Airbnb and HomeAway in recent years. Regulating STRs in Long Beach would require an update to the City’s Zoning Regulations, including safety and design guidelines and transient occupancy tax (TOT) provisions.

To learn more about STRs in Long Beach, sign up for notifications on LinkLB, and receive information about upcoming community meetings and events, visit: www.lbds.info/lbshorttermrental.

Downtown Reflects Continued Growth

Downtown continues to be a key component for driving growth within the Long Beach economy. To further support the growing entrepreneurial ecosystem, the Downtown Long Beach Alliance (DLBA) and community partners have launched several initiatives including 1 Million Cups, Kiva Loan Program and the Small Business Education Series. Similarly, with the emergence of more co-working spaces, Downtown’s office market is evolving to meet the demands of these entrepreneurs who desire flexible leases and collaborative environments.

In keeping with the DLBA’s mission to become a clearinghouse of information, this quarter’s Snapshot: Office Market covers the most recent activities and findings for Downtown’s office market. The report is now available digitally at www.dtlbbusiness.com.

“Downtown Long Beach continues to evolve its commercial office offerings to best serve contemporary needs and demands,” said Austin Metoyer, Research & Policy Manager for the DLBA. “It’s crucial for Downtown to amplify its focus on developing an ecosystem that supports flexibility and growth for businesses.”

Highlights include:

• Commercial Office Market Update
• Overall rates for the market have remained flat from this time last year hovering at $2.43 per sq. ft.
• Office vacancy rates have ticked up 2.7percent from the previous year in part due to increased vacancy in the Class C space

Pedestrian Counts

• In Q2, Downtown experienced approximately 1.3 million pedestrians throughout the core
• On average Downtown events have increased pedestrian foot traffic by 22percent

Co-Working Spaces

The entrepreneurial ecosystem is supported by a number of new and well-established co-working spaces including: CommonGrounds Workspace, P3 Office Lofts, Shaun Lumachi Innovation Center, Work Evolution, WeWork, and WTC Workspace

2018 Downtown Business Survey

2018 Downtown Business Survey results reflect a collective strong confidence in the local economy (81%)

Downtown businesses generally agreed they were able to find skilled/educated talent in the region (75%), particularly in public administration, healthcare, and educational services industries

However, businesses noted that the availability of housing was an issue in attracting or retaining skilled workforce (65%), particularly among educational services, utilities, and retail trade industries

“With the entrepreneurial spirit in Long Beach at an all-time high, Downtown continues to grow and meet the needs of a diverse workforce. And co-working spaces have become a viable part of the support structure emboldening small businesses and start-ups to locate here. Based on the concept of co-working spaces, our group was thrilled to open up P3 Office Lofts located at 120 E. 3rd Street. P3 is creating an optimal synergy of uses and professional service firms to complement each member’s business endeavors.” – Toliver Morris, past chair of DLBA Board of Directors

CSULB Ranked No. 3

Long Beach State University ranked third for best four-year university in California when compared with other public and private colleges and universities throughout the state, according to an analysis from Schools.com.

To determine the best colleges in the nation, Schools.com scored 1,383 schools on a 100-point scale with 12 points of data. Among the information considered in the analysis included how much debt graduates carried, the number of degrees and programs offered on campus, in-state tuition and fees, and the average amount of grant aid awarded to full-time students.

The campus joined five other universities in the California State University system that were included in the top 10.

Schools.com is a hub for educational tools and informative articles focused on higher education.

Point 27 Honors Fallen Long Beach Firefighter

Point 27, an Atlanta-based global nonprofit, has sent Thin Red Line scripture-inscribed dog tags called Shields of Strength to the Long Beach Fire Department to honor fallen firefighter Capt. Dave Rosa, who died June 25, shot responding to a fire call.

Point 27 https://point27.org/ also sent scripture-inscribed Folded Flag Pendant Necklaces for family members of the fallen firefighter.

US Army (Ret.) Col. David Dodd serves as director of Point 27, which honors fallen first responders and fallen soldiers.

Dodd commanded a battalion of the first troops deployed to Afghanistan following 911. He wore a Shield of Strength inscribed with Joshua 1:9 next to his government-issued dog tags; and equipped each of the soldiers in his command with a Shield of Strength before they deployed.

Dodd says he hopes the scripture on the Shields of Strength encourages these firefighters that fought alongside Loller and their families; and the family of the fallen firefighter, who are making and have made tremendous sacrifice.

“We will never forget the ultimate sacrifice that Capt. Rosa made and we will not forget his family. We are forever grateful for these firefighters,” Dodd said. “We are presenting Thin Red Line Dog Tags to thank the Long Beach firefighters for their putting their lives on the line fighting fires, responding to every situation imaginable and unimaginable, and stepping up to rescue others.

‘Unplug and Play’

The Long Beach Child Abuse and Neglect Network (LBCANN), in partnership with the City of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services (Health Department), has created a website for parents to quickly and easily access resources to help them improve family life. The website, www.LBUnplug.org, is the newest iteration of LBCANN’s “Unplug” campaign.

The website, designed in English, Spanish, Tagalog, and Khmer, includes a frequently asked questions (FAQs) section about children’s behavior and parenting challenges, and provides links to parenting resources for positive discipline, common issues like how to handle excessive crying and identifying healthy developmental milestones. Also, in an attempt to encourage families to “unplug” from screens and spend quality time with their children, the site includes a list of links to low- and no-cost activities in and around Long Beach.

“Parent education and support is essential in providing safe and nurturing homes for children. The Unplug website provides great resources for parents of young children, and is one way LBCANN and the Health Department are working to reduce the number of children exposed to abuse and neglect,” said Kelly Colopy, Director of the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services.

According to the Department of Child and Family Services South County Office, summer poses challenges that parents are not always prepared for. Incidents of reported child abuse tend to go up for families who do not have an established routine. For example, regular trips to the parks, museums, movies or the beach help ease tension in the household.

“Now is a great time to slow down and connect with your children,” said Julie Turvey, LBCANN Chair and Community Services Administrator with ChildNet Youth and Family Services. “This season can be a frustrating and challenging time for parents.  We want them to know that there are supportive agencies and activities happening this summer that can improve their relationship with their child.”

With funding from First 5 LA, LBCANN aims to strengthen systems and community responses to prevent child abuse, neglect, and other forms of violence in Long Beach homes, with an emphasis on children ages five and younger and other vulnerable youth.