The Pacific Ballroom, where the Inauguration Celebration will be held. Photo by Brian Addison.

The transition into Mayor-Elect Robert Garcia’s upcoming inaugural term is already signaling a difference from that of Foster—and by that, we mean the way they party.

Garcia has, unlike past Mayors, opted to have a “people’s celebration” following his swearing-in in this upcoming Tuesday, with completely free, open to the public party at the Pacific Ballroom. By comparison, Foster (in classic old-school style) hosted a pricey cost per head formal ordeal after he was sworn in.

So how, in the world of nothing being free, is the party free?

Garcia and his team assembled an Inaugural Committee (a different group than his Transition Team) who would handle organizing the set of events Garcia has organized surrounding his, as well as the new councilmembers’, transition into office. The logic for the party was simple: turn it into a fundraiser for nonprofit Children Today, a Long Beach organization which helps homeless families transition out of their dire situation, in order to raise money to make the event free to the public. 

The Children Today Finance Committee—many committees/teams here—was then formed to head the fundraising process that will also fund the party itself. The result has been $270K raised thus far, which is being handed to the nonprofit. Children Today then acts as the host of the party, covering the cost—the CVB estimates that it will be somewhere between $50K to $60K—out of the donation received.

The financial committee was an impressive list of the powers-that-be in the Long Beach business world:

  • Steve Goodling, Chair
  • Claudette Baldemor
  • Theresa Bixby
  • Masy Bunnell
  • Lou Anne Bynum
  • Joanne Davis
  • Weston LaBar
  • Jan Miller
  • Heather Morris
  • Jane Netherton
  • Doug Otto
  • Freda Hinsche Otto
  • Diane Ripley
  • Bill Rouse
  • John Thomas

The swearing in, which has and always will be open and free to the public, will be using one of the handful of “City use days” that the City has contracted with SMG, the operators of the Terrace Theatre. The City is permitted to use the space for events such as the State of the City free-of-charge; the swearing-in is one such event. Other costs, such as staff hours in preparing and overseeing the event, have not been disclosed.

In a further difference between Garcia’s approach to celebrating, he opted to include the newly-elected councilmembers in his own swearing in. Typically, councilmembers are sworn in at the Chamber and Foster, upon his election, opted to be sworn in at Cabrillo High School.