Redevelopment and Neighborhoods

By Douglas "Doug" Drummond

It's time to refocus city government on our neighborhoods.

Redevelopment used money that traditionally had been spent in local communities to make neighborhoods safe, keep streets and sidewalks in good condition, trim trees, and open libraries. In the last seven years since I left office, lost revenues and changed spending priorities have siphoned the funds away from those purposes. It is time to correct that and to put the money back into maintaining neighborhoods.

I believe it is no longer necessary to take money away from city services for residents and use it to sweeten deals with developers and retailers. Long Beach is now well known as a great city in which to build. Private developers should come to us, instead of us going to them. They can now take over the risks and responsibilities of new projects since they are the ones who will reap the rewards. The city can then focus on bringing our neighborhoods and infrastructure back to good repair.

We must reprioritize our city's expenditures. Let's take the millions we have been using to support downtown development and reinvest it back into our neighborhoods. Let's repave streets, fix sidewalks, bolster our Police and Fire departments, expand library hours and make this city + the entire city + a great place in which to live and raise our children.

It's time to refocus city government on our neighborhoods. For example, many communities in Long Beach have severly impacted parking conditions. I propose we take parking ticket money that now goes to the city's General Fund and redirect it to parking-impacted areas.

Also as Mayor, I will set aside part of my time and that of my staff to visit the districts and inspect streets, gutters, curbs, and sidewalks and invite recommendations concerning maintenance. I will encourage Council members to make similar inspections.

I also propose the creation of a Public Works Commission, which would oversee the repair, maintenance and construction of our city's infrastructure. Our Harbor and Water commissions have proven that this type of local control is accountable and achieves positive results. A Public Works Commission would eliminate budget game playing, ensure the most efficient use of funds and give the public greater access to the decision process.

I also encourage development of more middle-income housing. Middle-income families support local businesses, are active in their communities and provide a well-educated workforce that helps us attract corporate businesses to the city.

I also believe that Council members need to be directly involved in the decisions that shape the future of their district's neighborhoods. As Councilman in the Third District, I continued a practice of holding district-wide meetings for representatives of neighborhood groups. These meetings were an invaluable means of sharing ideas. As Mayor, I would encourage all council members to adopt a similar policy.