2:00am | Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster announced Sunday evening that he has vetoed two items, reducing $2.7 million of General Fund spending and canceling the Harbor Department’s plan to construct a $60 million administration building.
Foster cut 1% of expenses from city departments in order to adhere to recommendations made by City Manager Pat West. The Police and Fire departments will see 1% reductions to non-sworn staff and 0.5% reductions to overtime costs, cutting totals of $1,260,710 from Police and $392,617 from Fire.
The veto also puts a stop to Harbor Department plans to build a $60,432,000 administration building. Foster noted in a press release that the department “committed to seek out less costly office space” and that the vetoed amount includes money that will be needed to relocate the Port of Long Beach maintenance yard as the Gerald Desmond Bridge is renovated. When that money is needed it can be appropriated through a first quarter budget adjustment.
“I also want to thank the Harbor Department for its continued support of its mission as a Trustee for the State Tidelands, specifically the acceleration of the tidelands fund transfer and the Aquarium dept repayment,” Foster wrote.
The City Charter allows the Mayor power to veto items but the City Council may override his decisions with a two-thirds vote on Tuesday. The Council last week approved a Fiscal Year 2011 budget that balanced an $18.5 million deficit but Foster repeatedly warned that more cuts may be necessary.
The lbpost.com first reported last week that Foster is exploring the possibility of running for the office of California State Treasurer in 2014 after he opened a campaign finance committee. His political counsel firm says Foster has not yet made up his mind and could possibly seek a third term as Mayor in 2014.
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