Their vote, which was executed as an emergency ordinance, was an attempt to protect the future of their redevelopment program from Governor Brown’s proposed budget cuts.
In voting for the spending, the city council granted the city manager broad powers in executing contracts, some worth hundreds of millions of dollars. On the list of projects is graffiti clean-up, affordable housing development, and tax increments for redevelopment in seven specific areas.
From the Long Beach Post:
The Long Beach City Council voted unanimously last night on a series of motions to obligate over $1.2 billion in redevelopment funding in an effort to prevent the state from abolishing redevelopment agencies and taking the funds. The motions will now go to the Long Beach Redevelopment Agency board for their approval which is expected before the end of the month.
Governor Brown’s plan to close a $25 billion deficit includes the elimination of redevelopment agencies which will provide an addition $1.7 billion in revenue to the state $83.5 million of which will come from the elimination of the Long Beach Redevelopment Agency. The Governor has imposed a deadline of March for the legislature to act on his overall plan.
Read the full article here.