In no particular order, here are eleven things that we’ll be keeping an eye on in 2011.
11 Things To Watch In 2011
1) Pension Reform
With another looming budget deficit and fewer core services that officials will be willing to cut, the talk will certainly turn to pension costs as a way to help Long Beach tighten its belt on the way to a balanced budget. Current pension levels are simply unsustainable, you’ll hear elected and appointed City officials alike say throughout the year, but it doesn’t mean much without action. They’ve tried again and again to bring City unions to the table to ease the taxpayers’ financial burden, and there were some successes last year. But there will need to be major concessions in 2011 if Long Beach is going to return to solid ground not just next year but for years to come.
2) State cuts to LBUSD, LBCC & CSULB
The recession has not been kind to public education, as all levels of schooling have seen funding levels drop like my 8th grade Algebra test scores. The LBUSD responded by instituting furlough days and firing more than 350 teachers last year. The CSU system raised tuition across all campuses. Community colleges are thriving but becoming crowded. The state has hinted that 2011 may see a return to improved levels of funding but students of any age should start expecting to pay more or get used to larger class sizes and fewer class days.
3) Candidates Emerge for 4th & 8th District Open Seats
Both Patrick O’Donnell and Rae Gabelich enjoy supportive bases in their respective City Council districts, but with their second terms coming to an end in 2012 we may see challengers begin to step into the picture. That puts O’Donnell and Gabelich in an interesting position: Do they attempt a write-in campaign similar to the ones used by Val Lerch and Tonia Reyes Uranga last year, or do they attempt to seek higher office in the State Assembly or Senate? Or is there a third option that hasn’t made itself clear yet?
4) Construction on Courthouse, Airport & Gerald Desmond Bridge
Is it just us, or is Long Beach in the midst of an important makeover? The planning process to reconstruct the Gerald Desmond Bridge will be in full swing next year, while construction should be kicking into high gear on both a new Long Beach Courthouse and upgraded facilities and parking lots at the Long Beach Airport. Each is a multi-year, multi-million dollar project to bring the city into a new era.
5) Future of second+pch Development
The little development that could started 2010 by kicking up a lot of dust with lofty goals and loud opposition. As the year moved on, however, the fast pace slowed down as developers are still awaiting the results of several studies and building approvals. Chief among residents’ concerns are the height of some planned buildings and increases in traffic, but supporters say the project will take full advantage of an underused property with the potential for greatness. We should know plenty more about the future of the project as 2011 rolls on.
6) Doug Zerby and Melody Ross cases
It was a surprise to most people when the family of slain teenager Melody Ross decided to file wrongful death lawsuits against the Long Beach Unified School District and the City itself, but there were no doubts that litigation was on the way when officers shot and killed 35-year old Doug Zerby in a Belmont Shore courtyard in December 2010. Two high-profile deaths could leave Long Beach taxpayers on the hook for the grief and sorrow of two families.
7) The Press-Telegram’s next move
The city’s oldest newspaper is still the main source of information for most Long Beach residents, but there’s no question its influence has dwindled as layoffs piled up (and so did the AP wire stories). With longtime Managing Editor Rich Archbold taking a step back from the editorial side of things, and new management coming in from other papers owned by parent company MediaNews, it will be interesting to see the steps taken next year – especially after a small but significant resurgence from near-bankruptcy. Will they open an online system to charge readers per article? Will they continue to blend operations with the Torrance Daily Breeze?
8) Police Academy 2011?
Most would agree that one of the greatest losses from the past year’s budget debacle was the cancelation of the following year’s police academy, without which the Long Beach Police Department cannot train and hire new recruits. Mayor Bob Foster has had to step back from his original campaign promise in 2006 to add 100 new officers because the money simply isn’t there. In fact, the force has shrunk through attrition to less than 900 current officers. Restoring the academy, even in a minimized fashion, is a top priority for officials and if the money is there in 2011, you can be that it’ll happen. Of course, the department says that violent crime declined pretty significantly in 2010, so you never know.
9) Redistricting
Current district boundaries at the local, state and national level were drawn years ago by politicians who certainly stood to gain from – ahem – creative interpretation. Who thought that would be a good idea? Voters corrected this in 2010 by calling for redistricting to be conducted by an independent commission, and the process will begin in 2011. Long a Democratic stronghold, could Long Beach see a shift in its political opinion if the lines are redrawn?
10) Local Jobs & the Economy
The citywide unemployment rose to levels as high as 14.5% in 2010, significantly higher than both the state and national rate. Officials spent most of 2010 trying to retain businesses and hopefully attract some new ones. But with Boeing moving out 800 jobs, high turnover rates at places like the downtown Pike shopping center and an uncertain economy, no one is quite sure if 2011 will bring better news for the jobless.
11) Port Growth & Changes
The Port of Long Beach is going to get bigger. Much bigger. It won’t happen next year, and probably not in 2012, either. But plans have been approved to double the Middle Harbor handling facility and local railroads are working to double their facilities as well. What this means for air quality is unclear, because most believe that the port’s efforts to enforce their Clean Trucks Program and update the Clean Air Action Plan have been successful. What is clear is that the port is handling massive quantities of cargo and those numbers should continue to increase in 2011, bringing new ships and new job opportunities to the city. One of the most surefire ways to examine the economic health of a region is to monitor its trade, so maybe good luck will be one of the city’s imports in the new year.