Long Beach residents, like many Californians have pretty well had it with their elected representatives. Even locally, the enthusiasm of just a few years ago has evolved to a level of resignation and distrust. Can anyone point to any particular project or initiative that appears to give our city any particular cause to celebrate? A wetlands deal has hit the wall over concerns of a lack to transparency, a promised new airport terminal can’t literally get off the ground, a new sports park has ground to a halt, and our city officials are puzzled as to how to make ends meet so they vote to furlough city employees and cut services.
The only neighborhoods in our city that look like something is happening are the redevelopment project areas. Hold on though, the hundreds of approved “decline in assessed value” applications will cause the city to receive a significantly lower-than-anticipated tax increment from the LA County Assessor coupled with the overall drop in property values from new home sales lurking just around the corner, making for the perfect storm.
Not too long ago, when the going was just as tough, a business red team was assembled, which included some of the best and brightest in our city from the private sector to re-inject some adrenalin into the challenges that we were faced with back then. The business and industry sectors were called to order with the then mayor’s business breakfasts to hear and learn what ideas our local business community had to offer. These valuable meetings heard the positive and negative of what had to change or needed to be done to get Long Beach moving again.
Once again, we need some of that bold leadership with the know how and business experience to transform the malaise that has permeated our community and look to new possibilities.
In future articles, I will forward some suggestions for a city turn-around, but first, does anyone care to step forward with some their own ideas?