11:00am | The Long Beach City Council will examine and discuss Mayor Bob Foster’s recent decision to override the Council-approved 2011 City Budget and implement additional cuts that saved an estimated $2.7 million from expenditures.
The City Council has the ability to veto the Mayor’s veto, if six of the nine councilmembers vote to do so. They’ll discuss the item during a special meeting tomorrow at 3:30pm.
Four councilmembers submitted the item request, which calls for “a complete review of why the additional cuts are being made and how the cuts will impact services and jobs.”
The budget faced an $18.5 million deficit that was balanced after months of discussion by cutting some services and reducing city employee pensions. The cuts would reduce the Police Department by 64 positions, the Fire Department by 18 positions and would also institute rolling brownouts of Long Beach fire stations.
Just days after the balanced budget was passed, Foster used his veto power to add new cuts to the Police and Fire departments. The item request states that Foster never expressed these ideas, or any opposition, to the Council during the budget-making process. Councilmembers Rae Gabelich, Patrick O’Donnell, Gerrie Schipske and Steven Neal signed onto the request for the special meeting this Tuesday.
“For the discussion at the September 28 Council meeting,” the item request reads, “We request the Mayor and/or the City Manager provide the City Council with specific information on what additional cuts in programs, services and/or positions will be required as a result of the veto.”
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