Long Beach leaders unveiled a proposed $3.2 billion budget Tuesday that would add police officers, speed up the repair of city streets and invest in other city infrastructure, while also patching together one-time funds to fill a significant projected deficit.
The annual budget dictates how the city will spend hundreds of millions of dollars on city services like street repairs, and park maintenance and how many police officers and firefighters will be employed in the coming year.
Leaders this week discussed ideas for increasing the ranks of police Tuesday night, but whether Long Beach can add personnel will likely arrive after the city budget is publicly released in a few weeks.
More money coming in from soaring oil revenue, a hot housing market and controversial utility fees has put Long Beach’s budget in better shape than expected.
Tuesday’s meeting was the first opportunity residents had to give input on the city’s budget before it’s released.
You have an early opportunity to weigh in on Long Beach’s budget, but city officials have scaled back the meetings since omicron hit.
Long Beach budget analysts had projected a $36 million deficit for the 2023 fiscal year but increases in tax revenue could make that deficit smaller.
