City Council rejects rules on lobbyists

So, Councilman Gary DeLong says the public doesn't care if a lobbyist is paid or unpaid. Well I do care...and Gary LeLong, you don't speak for me.

A paid lobbyist will always be more dangerous than an unpaid lobbyist.

The discussion before City Council’s decision to not require lobbyists to register displays exactly why this ordinance is required. Every city lobbyist was in attendance at the City Council session "working" the “power wall” where the council and city staff hangs out during council meetings. However, Mike Murchison was the only contract Lobbyist, to speak before City Council and he was only one of two people to speak in opposition to the ordinance. Yet, despite many people who spoke passionately in support of the ordinance, our City Council voted to bury it and not subject their lobbyist friends to the same procedures required by all state Commissions, boards and EVERY other major city in California. The other lobbyists did not need to speak before City Council. It was abundantly clear the lobbyists had already plied their influence upon Council members behind closed doors. That is exactly why this regulation is needed.

This ordinance is not about corruption. It is about the perception of corruption. The regulation is a necessary inconvenience for lobbyists because it provides transparency to the public on how city decisions are being influenced. The meager $100 per year lobbyist registration fee and the requirement that lobbyists report their contacts is invaluable if it helps to reduce the perceived corruption of our city. The lobbyist ordinance had no reporting requirement for our City Councilmembers. Yet, several Councilmembers vigorously argued that this regulation would inhibit necessary free flow of information from their lobbyist friends. By doing so, these Councilmembers did nothing but worsen the already existing poor perception.

According to the city staff report to the Election Oversight Committee, LONG BEACH IS THE ONLY LARGE CITY THAT DOESN’T REGULATE LOBBYISTS. Yet, somehow, our esteemed City Council believes that every other major city is wrong and they are the only ones correct to not regulate lobbyists. Several Councilmmebers claimed it is a trust issue that must be resolved individually, as if each Councilperson was their own island responsible for only their district and independent of their responsibility to the entire city. I totally agree. THIS IS A TRUST ISSUE. The residents of Long Beach don’t trust all of their city leaders. Was the vote on the measure I infrastructure bond not evidence enough of how little we trust our city leaders? Though most people want infrastructure repaired, the voters were unwilling to TRUST their Councilpeople to be the ones determining what should be repaired first. Yes this is a trust issue and City Council again failed our trust to do what is right.

So the Long Beach City Council thinks the public will trust them? They have not been paying attention to the public, apparently. Too bad this bunch decided that the public was not deserving of this sunshine in government law. And shame on Councilman O'Donnell, a government teacher himself, for not recognizing the benefits to his constituents or maybe just not caring. Maybe those tickets, trips, and gifts are just too tempting for the councilmembers to give up right now.(trips for Gabelich/Uranga, courtesy of Lobbyist Murchison; tickets and gifts: all, courtesy of Murchison....get the idea here???) Well Councilmembers, you have not stymied the public, just made it more difficult for us to fine out who is paying whom for talking to you about mega projects in our city.

and they don't understand why measure I didn't pass??

i agree with Mike Ruehle completely on this.

when i started watching this on t.v. last night i thought for sure it was a no-brainer to pass..
as it continued and i realized it was going down i felt like all hope is being lost down there. they really DON'T care if they have the public's trust or not!

It's pretty simple. Certain people/businesses bribe city officials for votes. That's just wrong.

The Council has once again failed it's constituents. Miserable, unadulterated failure. The only way to build the trust they speak of is to provide transparency, to make it crystal clear that no corruption is involved in Council decisions or behavior. The only way to do that is to make Council discussions with lobbyists into public knowledge, to refuse any and all gifts. These elected public officers are held to higher standards than members of the public, precisely because of that need for the public trust. The City Governmental officials at all levels need to start living up to those higher standards. Check with "Duke" Cunningham or Senator Stevens among many others, if you don't think the public will eventually come and find you. Times have changed. So must City Government. The people demand it.

Citizen Journalist Regarding:“City Council rejects rules on lobbyists.”(Press-Telegram, Nov. 19, 2008)

"It's incumbent upon me to show constituents that I am trustworthy." -- Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal

"Our citizens have a right to know who is attempting to influence city decisions. Millions and millions of public dollars are moving through our city government." --Councilwoman Bonnie Lowenthal.

Past performance is a good indicator of future performance.

The Long Beach City Council, according to LBReport.com (Dec. 13, 2006), voted 5-3 to give final approval to a Labor Peace ordinance requiring hotels operating on city-owned land to sign an agreement with labor organizations seeking to represent the hotel's hospitality workers.

“The motion to approve the measure at the Dec. 12 Council meeting was made by Vice Mayor Bonnie Lowenthal, and seconded by 2nd district Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal,” reported LBReport.com .

“Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal's June election to the City Council was supported by a nearly $35,000 independent expenditure [money not controlled by candidate or her campaign] by "Vota 100%" a sponsored political committee of "UNITE HERE!" a union whose local affiliate (LB-OC) sought to enact a Labor Peace agreement in LB.”

A bribe by any other name is still a bribe.

Dwight K Snider wrote:

Citizen Journalist Regarding:“City Council rejects rules on lobbyists.”(Press-Telegram, Nov. 19, 2008)
"It's incumbent upon me to show constituents that I am trustworthy." -- Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal
"Our citizens have a right to know who is attempting to influence city decisions. Millions and millions of public dollars are moving through our city government." --Councilwoman Bonnie Lowenthal.
Past performance is a good indicator of future performance.
The Long Beach City Council, according to LBReport.com (Dec. 13, 2006), voted 5-3 to give final approval to a Labor Peace ordinance requiring hotels operating on city-owned land to sign an agreement with labor organizations seeking to represent the hotel's hospitality workers.
“The motion to approve the measure at the Dec. 12 Council meeting was made by Vice Mayor Bonnie Lowenthal, and seconded by 2nd district Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal,” reported LBReport.com .
“Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal's June election to the City Council was supported by a nearly $35,000 independent expenditure [money not controlled by candidate or her campaign] by "Vota 100%" a sponsored political committee of "UNITE HERE!" a union whose local affiliate (LB-OC) sought to enact a Labor Peace agreement in LB.”
A bribe by any other name is still a bribe.

All true but how would this new law stop the support of organizations like Unite Now? They are out in the public eye doing what they do and it does not effect the reputation of the council person among the voters. Do bad things but get elected again! The voters blindly elect people without even looking at who is giving or spending money in support of the candidate. Watch what Obama does on the national level against who supported him!

In response to Dwight above:

Councilmember Bonnie Lowenthal SPONSORED the lobbyist ordinance and was one of only two votes in favor of it

Councilmember Suja Lowenthal voted AGAINST it.

Your logic does not make sense in that context.

In my opinion, Gary DeLong is a sociopath.

As an ordinary resident, have you ever tried to make an appointment to see your City Councilperson or one of the city’s Bureau Managers? It is virtually impossible to be granted an appointment. A resident is lucky to meet with one of the Council staff people. Meanwhile, I urge everyone to visit the top floors of city hall. It is likely you will see lobbyists coming and going at will. They are so well known that they are waved in to see Councilmembers and staff without an appointment.

When lobbyists claim regulation is a freedom of speech issue. I agree. Currently, lobbyists representing developers and special interest groups have much greater freedom than residents and voters of this city. Even though we don't have gifts to offer, this regulation is necessary to ensure resident voters have the same opportunities to express their opinions as lobbyists.

Don't worry. One of the features of having a single Party rule the City is the complete lack of concern the polticians show for the best interests of the citizens.

We are the first generation in Long Beach to be unworthy of a decent future for our families. Those we have sent to City Hall confirm our failure.

Mike Ruehle wrote:

As an ordinary resident, have you ever tried to make an appointment to see your City Councilperson or one of the city’s Bureau Managers? It is virtually impossible to be granted an appointment. A resident is lucky to meet with one of the Council staff people. Meanwhile, I urge everyone to visit the top floors of city hall. It is likely you will see lobbyists coming and going at will. They are so well known that they are waved in to see Councilmembers and staff without an appointment.
When lobbyists claim regulation is a freedom of speech issue. I agree. Currently, lobbyists representing developers and special interest groups have much greater freedom than residents and voters of this city. Even though we don't have gifts to offer, this regulation is necessary to ensure resident voters have the same opportunities to express their opinions as lobbyists.

Mike.

A few years back I spent several weeks driving throughout the city, from Carson to Hawaiian Gardens to Compton, removing the large plastic signs that had proliferated throughout the area advertising some "Make money" scam. They were being posted illegally on public property. No one could miss them because they were usually posted on heavily traveled streets. Little note was being made of these annoying obvious illegalities by our city potentates because no action was being taken by the city to remove them.

After removing many hundreds of them, often driving into dangerous parts of town late at night, I composed letters to all the council people, giving examples of locations in each district of where I had removed signs, hoping it would shame them into beginning to address the issue within their own district. Such "free advertising" postings was becoming a serious problem and it was an obvious blight throughout the area.

I took the letters to every field office of every council person who maintained one. No one was at any of those locations. I either gave the letters to the building watchman or slipped them through or under the doors at each field office.

I then went to city hall where the remainder of the council people have offices. I told the receptionist I wanted to give the letters personally to either a council person or an aide, and to say a few words regarding the matter. The response was one of "Who are YOU?" I was informed I would not be able to see anyone. I politely but insistently asked someone to be called out.(In retrospect, its likely no one was in any of those offices either)

Then, the elevator arrived and two cops got off.
Thinking they intended to go into the area where the council offices were, I stepped aside and told them to "go ahead". They just stood there looking at me.

It was at that moment when it struck me just how much concern our "diversity celebrating" local rulers have for the concerns of ordinary Long Beach residents, and what they might do to anyone who might persist in expressing those concerns

Ronald

Lobbyists are a crucial to the extravagant "perks" our far left City Council enjoy. The Council has no fear of losing any election as long as they pander to the Unions so why would they do anything that shows respect or regard for the taxpaying citizens of Long Beach?

They don't show us any respect because we have proven to be unworthy of anyone's respect by blindly supporting Party Hacks who continue to devalue the City and the State.

Ronald wrote:

<quoted text>
Mike.
A few years back I spent several weeks driving throughout the city, from Carson to Hawaiian Gardens to Compton, removing the large plastic signs that had proliferated throughout the area advertising some "Make money" scam. They were being posted illegally on public property. No one could miss them because they were usually posted on heavily traveled streets. Little note was being made of these annoying obvious illegalities by our city potentates because no action was being taken by the city to remove them.
After removing many hundreds of them, often driving into dangerous parts of town late at night, I composed letters to all the council people, giving examples of locations in each district of where I had removed signs, hoping it would shame them into beginning to address the issue within their own district. Such "free advertising" postings was becoming a serious problem and it was an obvious blight throughout the area.
I took the letters to every field office of every council person who maintained one. No one was at any of those locations. I either gave the letters to the building watchman or slipped them through or under the doors at each field office.
I then went to city hall where the remainder of the council people have offices. I told the receptionist I wanted to give the letters personally to either a council person or an aide, and to say a few words regarding the matter. The response was one of "Who are YOU?" I was informed I would not be able to see anyone. I politely but insistently asked someone to be called out.(In retrospect, its likely no one was in any of those offices either)
Then, the elevator arrived and two cops got off.
Thinking they intended to go into the area where the council offices were, I stepped aside and told them to "go ahead". They just stood there looking at me.
It was at that moment when it struck me just how much concern our "diversity celebrating" local rulers have for the concerns of ordinary Long Beach residents, and what they might do to anyone who might persist in expressing those concerns
Ronald

Hi Ronald,

You probably didn't know that gifts are one of the necessary requirements to be granted an audience with some of our Councilpeople. During her November 18th arguments against lobbyist regulation, Councilwoman Gablich made it infinitely clear how much she likes gifts. Vice Mayor Lerch also said he uses gifts he receives to influence others below him. One can only imagine the access granted for lobbyist friends bearing gifts from developers or maybe, a few thousand dollars in campaign contributions used to influence a Councilperson's vote.

This situation is analogous to a famous JFK quote. ASK NOT WHAT YOUR COUNCILPERSON CAN DO FOR YOU. ASK WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR COUNCILPERSON. These seven Councilmembers who voted down the lobbyist regulation did nothing to improve Long Beach’s worsening perception of corruption. They are supposed to be the solution. Unfortunately, they are the problem.

Voting Democrat in today's California continues to be an act of civic suicide. I was a Democrat until I realized that it was an admission of being unworthy of my citizenship. We have slugs in City Hall because the voters are idiots.

What makes Long Beach voters so stupid???????? Is it self loathing that motivates us to elect publicly anti citizen trash to rule the City?