Long Beach City Council to Consider Three Ballot Measures for Placement on the November 2024 Election Ballot

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PRESS RELEASE

During the Aug. 6, 2024, meeting, the Long Beach City Council will consider placing two potential City Charter amendments and one Tax Measure on the Nov. 5, 2024, ballot for consideration by Long Beach voters.

The two proposed Charter amendments include:

Amending the City's Charter to combine the Civil Service and Human Resources Departments into one unified department to manage all employee recruitment, hiring, and certifications; and establish an independent Civil Service Employee Rights and Appeals Commission to resolve complaints regarding Civil Service rules, to adjudicate classified employee disciplinary appeals; and to implement classified hiring preferences for Long Beach residents, students from local colleges and universities, current employees, and certain internships/apprenticeships; and

Amending the Charter to reduce Harbor and Public Utilities Commissioner terms to four years, transfer authority over Harbor Department employment and personnel matters from the Board of Harbor Commissioners to the Department's Chief Executive Officer, excepting a Board-appointed Chief Operating Officer, Executive Officer to the Board, and Board staff, and increasing penalties for violations of Harbor Department rules from $500 to $1000, and changing the Harbor budget approval date.

The proposed Tax Measure include:

To maintain general city services, including 911 response; firefighter/paramedic; pothole/street repairs; improve storm drains; afterschool programs; senior services; parks; libraries; public health; and homeless services, by eliminating the exemption for electrical corporations/government agencies using gas to make electricity and applying Long Beach's existing 5% gas utility user tax to said corporations/agencies, generating approximately $15,000,000 annually until ended by voters, requiring audits, spending disclosure, and all funds used locally.

If the ballot measures are selected for ballot placement on Aug. 6, the City will call for argument writers interested in writing arguments both for or against the approved measures.

Beginning Aug. 7, those interested in writing arguments for the approved measures may submit an interest form for consideration to the Office of the City Clerk. Interest forms will be available on the City Clerk webpage on Aug. 7 and must be submitted by 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 8. A separate form must be submitted for each ballot measure. More information regarding the argument writer interest form will be shared next week.

Proposed language for the Charter amendments may be found on the June 11, 2024, agenda for the joint meeting between the Charter Amendment Committee and the City Council. The language for the approved Tax Measure may be found on the Aug. 6, 2024, agenda for the meeting of the City Council. The official list of Charter amendments and ballot measures to be placed on the Nov. 5 ballot will be announced at the Aug. 6 City Council meeting with additional information to follow.

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