Photo by Daniel DeBoom
10:47am | In front of a crowd of around 900 guests at the downtown Center Theater on Tuesday night, Long Beach mayor Bob Foster continued his pledge to stay tough on employee unions and pension reform, promising that if they continue to refuse cutbacks that he will place a proposition on the ballot to forbidding future Mayors and City Councils from increasing union benefits and pensions.
This after a 2010 that saw financial improvement in some areas but continuing difficulties in negotiating with City unions such as Police, Fire and Machinists. Foster said that the City continues to manage its money well, but that unreasonable pension costs are causing deficits that will last “for the foreseeable future.” Pension costs will make up 45% of the public safety budget by 2014, he said. “These costs are the sword of Damocles hanging over our city,” Foster said.
Foster promised to engage the unions in collective bargaining with hopes of reaching a compromise, but said that he is not optimistic. If that holds true, he said, Foster will place his proposed initiative on the ballot.
“There is too much at stake to ignore this problem or pass it on to those who had no hand in its creation,” Foster said. “Our future demands that we stabilize our finances and put our house in order. If we can achieve stability, we have a great future ahead of us in Long Beach.”
Arts advocate Antonio Pedro Ruiz conducted a post-address interview with the Mayor that goes into further detail concerning his plans for the future. You can click here to listen to that podcast.
But 2010 was hardly all bad. Foster pointed to several infrastructure improvements and construction projects underway, such as the Gerald Desmond Bridge replacement, state of the art Superior Court House and new terminal groundbreaking at the airport. The City also repaired 19.3 miles of streets and 14.6 miles of sidewalks.
But for the third consecutive year and likely for many more to come, the tone of the evening came down to finances. Foster said that people are learning to adapt and live in a new economic world, and though “We should all feel some pride in navigating the past few years,” he acknowledged that there is plenty of work ahead. The City of Long Beach is no different.
Foster acknowledged that government had grown too large in past years, even going so far as to say that “we were all just a bit too complacent in the past.” But he criticized newly-elected Governor Jerry Brown’s budget proposal to eliminate local redevelopment agencies across California, in a cost-cutting effort. The agency is essential, Foster said, for investing in areas of the city entrenched by poverty and crime. “At-risk communities across California lose out and the winners will be happy only for a while,” Foster said.
The Mayor closed on an uplifiting note.
“We have weathered a great storm and been tested and tempered by hard times. We have a great place to live right on the Pacific Ocean. We have a vibrant and growing creative class whose energy will propel us into a new and robust economy. We have become a destination for travel from all over the county. We have a people willing to help one another and work cooperatively toward a better future. We have good public schools and ready access to institutions of higher learning. We have great climate, and the means to generate economic growth. I love this City; I love its people and admire its spirit.”