Foster’s Plan Gets Support

By Karen Robes Meeks

LONG BEACH – Downtown business leaders are supporting a November bond measure that would fund various street, sidewalk and other repairs throughout the city.

The Downtown Long Beach Associates board voted Wednesday in favor of Mayor Bob Foster’s Measure I, which would impose a parcel tax on residential and commercial properties annually until 2044.

That tax, which would finance $571 million in bonds, would pay for 10 years worth of infrastructure projects, including the replacement or repair of 400 miles of streets, 163 miles of sidewalks, 75 miles of alleys and 3,000 storm drains, according to the city. The proposal also includes new fire stations and community buildings.

If passed by voters Nov. 4, property owners would be taxed $120 per single-family home or $120 per unit for apartments and other multi-unit buildings. Commercial property owners would pay based on a formula that includes the size of their properties.

Before the vote Wednesday, city officials pleaded their case to the board.

Second District City Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal said waiting to address these infrastructure issues will cost more in the long run. “We all talk about a great city (but) we’re not going to get there until we invest in it,” she said.

Randy Terrell, campaign manger for No on Measure I, said he’s opposed to the size and timing of the measure. He added that a better plan would be 40percent less than the current proposal, about $344 million.

“Let’s cut what I call the legacy items,” Terrell said. “We’re in a recession right now. Let’s hold off on the community buildings, push them forward in the future and let’s put something together that takes care of what we really need.”

The mayor’s measure has drawn support and opposition from many in the community in the last few months.

Long Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, the city’s police and firefighters associations, the California Business Roundtable and former Gov. George Deukmejian, a Long Beach resident, have endorsed the measure, while apartment owners, the Long Beach Taxpayers Association and the Long Beach Republican Party oppose it.

The Long Beach Apartment Owners Association and the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce will vote today on their position on Measure I, Terrell said.

Last week, the Press-Telegram reported that the Government Affairs Council, an advisory board to the Chamber, narrowly voted against recommending the initiative.

City Manager Pat West was pleased with the DLBA vote and said he plans to continue efforts to speak to the community about the measure and build a consensus of support.

“This is going to be a good thing for the city and the entire community,” he said.

In other news, DBLA board members also agreed to establish two subcommittees that will counsel the board on how to spend $700,000 in deferred revenue funding in partnership with the city and Redevelopment Agency. Approximately $500,000 is expected to go toward capital improvements and $200,000 toward marketing.

karen.robes@presstelegram.com, 562-499-1303

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