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The Headlines
1994
• Battle Over Naval Shipyard Heads To Washington, D.C. • Bixby Knolls Members Clash – Fate Of Association Unclear • Cities Across The Country Face January Deadline For ADA Compliance; Long Beach Turns To Voters • Contracting With Private Firms For City-Held Jobs: Report Leaves Council Incredulous • Decision Time: The Mayoral Race, Act I, Scene II – O’Neill Or Grabinski? • Hanging By A Wing And A Prayer: Will Long Beach Airport Have Any Flights Left By End Of Year? • Harbor Makes Final $5 Million Payment To RDA For Convention Center; Contribution Reaches $91 Million • Lakewood Threatens Legal Action To Block 605 Power Center Development • Long Beach Proposal On Fast Track As ‘Aquarium Craze’ Sweeps The Country • Mum’s The Word For Many Diners, But City Hall Officials Have A Beef • Plans For Electric Trolley On Anaheim Street Stopped In Tracks By MTA • Smokers, Non-Smokers Butt Heads Over New City Law
The Quotes “I think what you can see is why things aren’t working down here. It’s not even the system; it’s got to do with this rancor coming from the mayor’s office. There’s no cooperation, there’s no coordination there’s no goodwill, and this kind of working against the council is why we’ve been split. I don’t think it’s just the system.” – 9th District Councilmember Warren Harwood about Mayor Ernie Kell during a discussion on whether the mayor should have a vote “The panoramas, the views, the convention center – this has it all. It’s an incredible natural gift, this shoreline. Disney saw that.” – Michael Lapin of Shoreline Village just prior to the city council approving the Queensway Bay Development Plan “They want us to bail them out of their spending binge. I think that at times the port has not displayed proper use of its money.” – Jay Winter, Steamship Association, about raising tariffs 10 percent across the board to fund the Alameda Corridor project and pay to purchase Union Pacific property
“The Westside is a gem. We have some fine entrepreneurs and business owners who are very informed. That project area committee doesn’t like government as a dictator, as a boss. When they’re not calling the shots on their own destiny, they bitch and moan the spit nails. I commend them on that.” – Don Westerland, chair, Long Beach Redevelopment Agency
“Quite frankly, the President has lacked credibility – especially among members of his own party. He’s probably brought more political groupies into the White House than any other president, and they’re not necessarily able to run the government.” – Congressman Stephen Horn about President Bill Clinton during an interview with the Business Journal
“This is the most difficult budget I’ve ever participated in, and I’ve been through nine. We’ve had to face the needs of the community and be cognizant of the fiscal reality and, for the most part, we’ve kept the doors open. But as bad as it is, this budget is merely a shadow of the things to come.” – Long Beach City Manager James C. Hankla on passing the Fiscal Year 1995-96 City Budget, which back then ran July 1 to June 30
“It seems ludicrous to us to impose an insurance premium on people for a short period of time or to start building on stilts. We just don’t agree with that. We want FEMA to review the information, but not impose the tax.” – Don Knabe, chief of staff to L.A. County Supervisor Deane Dana, regarding the Federal Emergency Management Agency imposing a mandatory fee on Long Beach homeowners for flood insurance
etcetera . . . During a presentation at the May 31 city council budget hearing, City Auditor Gary Burroughs said he thought the city could possibly save a substantial chunk of money, perhaps $6 million to $8 million after an independent audit of some of the healthcare benefits, pension and workers’ comp costs to the city. He asked councilmembers to approve $150,000 in order to audit certain employee benefits.
On April 12, voters approved by a 2-1 margin Proposition K to ban smoking in indoor restaurants, hotel lobbies and bowling alleys, and in twothirds of bars and outdoor restaurants. Voters also passed Prop M – the Campaign Reform Act.
Magnolia Industrial Group formed, encompassing 300plus businesses from Pacific Coast Highway, the L.A. Flood Control Channel, Anaheim and Magnolia to address issues such as crime, trash, unpaved alleys and homeless people. It became officially incorporated in October.
The first order of business is to say congratulations to Beverly O’Neill on her election to be the mayor of Long Beach. She assumes the position the middle of July. Long Beach needs O’Neill to do a good job – make that a great job – so everyone must be supportive.
Grand Prix Founder Chris Pook proposes the development of a 250-acre automotive R&D and motorsports center known as Transwest Research & Development Complex to be located in both Signal Hill and Long Beach. Boundaries: 405 to north, Gundry Avenue to east, Willow and 29th Streets to south and Atlantic Avenue to the west.
The Business Journal city employee salary list shows 23 people with an annual salary of $100,000 or more, topped by the city manager at $155,786. The Long Beach Redevelopment Agency heard a presentation on a “Market Study and Historic Preservation Feasibility Study” commissioned by the agency months ago. Bringing in anchor retail tenants for an area near Broadway and Pine on the Promenade was the focus of the presentation.
In order to move the proposed Pier J expansion forward and avoid a lawsuit by four cities (Vernon, Lynwood, Compton and South Gate), Long Beach Harbor Commissioners agreed to change some language in the environmental impact report. Eight words were all that were needed to cause the cities to drop the suit. It said the truck traffic to be generated by the Pier J expansion will “use the Alameda Corridor once it becomes operational.”