Long Beach Inside: June 2015

Sunday, June 21, 2015

So why is Long Beach Charging Its Own Water Department $10.2 million?

Read my latest column on page 4 in Long Beach Business Journal about the City of Long Beach charging a pipeline fee on its own water department to the tune of $10.2 million.

Tracking Murder in Long Beach

The Los Angeles Times has a website that tracks murders in the Los Angeles County Area.

Filtering for Long Beach, you are able to see that currently the City if 84th most "deadliest"of the 270 cities in the county. Most of the murders are confined to the poorest areas of the City, but nonetheless severely impact the residents who live here.

Check the site out: http://homicide.latimes.com/neighborhood/long-beach

Friday, June 5, 2015

Hula Hoops, Martinis and Freeways

Read my latest column in this edition of the Long Beach Business Journal: Inside Long Beach on page 4 and get my take on the details of two ideas being floated around City Hall in reaction to the continued problems with fully funding Fire Services: contracting out Fire Services with LA County or setting up a Fire Protection Assessment District.

What are your thoughts on this issue?

Welcome to Long Beach Inside

For 8 years, I wrote a blog on the issues facing the City of Long Beach -- trying to give readers an "inside look" at their local government.

My blog became very popular because it filled the need for someone to watch what is going on and to provide insight and information.

So am continuing Long Beach Inside. We will examine city government, the Long Beach Unified School District, Long Beach City College and local labor. We will also try to keep a watch on our local healthcare system and provide a space for local neighborhood groups to post their meetings and opinions.

Your support is most welcomed and necessary. Pass the word along that we are here. Let us know what we can do better to make Long Beach the most transparent, open and accountable city in the U.S.

Regards,

Gerrie Schipske