Fire Station 24 opened this week near the Port of Long Beach. It is the first fire station built in Long Beach in over 20 years.
It is modern and most importantly has the needed sleeping quarters that provide privacy for male and female firefighters.
I wish it had been built to LEED specifications so that it […]

Tonight, City Council voted to approve an agreement with the Firefighters Association and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) which are non-public safety employees, to increase their salaries over a 5 year period.
There was heated debate by Council members and the public — some of whom argued we should not be increasing […]

There are two capable, qualified candidates in the 54th Assembly race that happen to be my colleagues on the City Council.
I won’t endorse in this race because I respect both candidates and quite frankly, one of them (or God forbid the Republican Registered Nurse wins) or both of them will continue to serve with me […]

In response to the City Council’s request of March 4, the City Manager has provided a breakdown of current and historical expenditures of the City on advertisements placed in the Press Telegram.
Current Fiscal year: $116,207 (6 months)
Fiscal year 2007: $241,911
Fiscal year 2006: $283,773
Fiscal year 2005: $270,874
The ads placed by the City are related to Community […]

Kudos to my colleagues on the Council Budget Committee to finally start talking about the $3 million debt of the LB Art Museum.
But before we go off selling the inventory of art that was donated or purchased by the Museum…I understand that with the proper management at the Museum we could lease out those pieces […]

I am presenting my Second Annual State of the 5th Council District on Monday, February 4th at 7pm in the Senior Center at El Dorado Park at 2800 Studebaker.
I will be discussing what the 5th Council District has done this past year and what we hope to accomplish in 2008.
The Mayor and City Council, City […]

New to Long Beach City government is the recent practice of agenda items popping up in Council Committees sans the Council referring the matter to the Committe for discussion.
Consider my recent proposal to limit management salary increases to no more than the Consumer Price Index (CPI) — cost of living. I brought it to the […]

Over the 7 years I taught at CSULB, I always stressed to my students — “check your facts before you go off on somebody and tell them they are wrong.” That’s usually a good rule in life and especially if you practice law.
That’s why I was shocked at the treatment I received at City Council […]

I promise not to go on about the outrage that has been visited upon me by one of the local press outlets because I dared bring to a open City Council meeting the idea that the Council owed it to our residents to discuss the possibility of transferring a higher percentage of profits from the Harbor […]

I am placing several items on the January 22nd Council agenda aimed at dealing with some of the serious financial and environmental problems facing the City of Long Beach, including a proposal to increase the transfer of Port of Long Beach funds and allow use of a portion of the transferred funds for non-tidelands area […]