LongBeachReport.com News
With Audio: Councilwoman Schipske Holds Town Hall On Proposed Parcel Tax / Budget; Mayor & City Mgm't Face Q & A; Hear Pointed Portions

City Att'y Office Confirms Single Family Owner/Occupied Residential Property Owners Over Age 65 Can Exempt Themselves From Paying Proposed Parcel Property Tax If They Apply Annually; Fiscal & Political Implications Emerging
Subsequent development above Mayor Foster To Propose Some Type Of City Hall-Chosen Citizen Advisory Group On Projects For Parcel Tax/Infrastructure Debt Bond
Guest Opinion: Jensen: Parcel Tax Not Ready For Ballot
Without dissent, the LB School voted on July 21 (Ellis absent) to put a $1.2 billion debt bond on the November 2008 ballot. If 55% of District voters approve the measure, the additional property tax levy will be $60 per year per $100,000 of assessed valuation. The measure would fund new facilities and improvements and repairs to existing schools.
Updated with readers' responses New Developer of 2nd St./PCH Site (Seaport Marina Hotel) Launches Stunning, Elegant Website  Home page screen shot: www.secondandpch.com
New: School District Mailer On Eve Of Board Debt Bond Vote Rankles Some LBUSD Voters A mass mailing in a format resembling a political mailer that says the LB Unified School District needs new facilities (without mentioning a pending ballot measure) was sent by the District administration just days before the LB Board of Education is set to vote on whether to put a $1.2 billion debt bond on the November 2008 ballot. Childrens' faces are shown in original, pixeled by LBReport.com
Congresswoman Laura Richardson, Part of House Delegation (w/ Speaker Pelosi) to New Orleans re Katrina Aftermath; Read Her Quotes, Hear Her On New Orleans TV
Screen save courtesy WWL-TV.com
LB SCE Home Electric Bills Could Increase Approx 30% (Businesses Roughly 25%) In Requested Rate Increase; Utility Cites Its Increased Energy Cost On Top Of Need To Upgrade Infrastructure
Subsequent development above: School District Mgm't Says Taxpayer Cost On Proposed $1.2 Billion Debt Bond Limited To $5 Per Month Per Year Per $100,000 of Assessed Valuation (Residential & Comm'l), Notes Extensive Community Input In Developing LBUSD's Master Plan Citing Needed Projects
Three of Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal's Staffers Injured In 3rd/Atlantic Car Crash
 Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal, visible in photo, arrived on scene shortly after the accident. Photo credit: Daniel DeBoom, www.stealmysoul.com
 Photo credit: Diana Lejins
With your replies Pets & Their People / Perspective: Not Merely Birth Control: The Other Side of Spay & Neuter by C. Miriam Yarden, B.Sc., MS
Contributing Editor, LBReport.com
Photo Perspective: Acres of Books City Hall-Decreed Demise Begins...With Anti-Lowenthal Graffiti Visible, Then Whitewashed
 July 15, 2008. (Bicyclist unrelated to graffiti) Photo credit: Daniel DeBoom
Mayor/City Mgm't Will Change Proposed Property Parcel Tax To Special Tax Specifying Infrastructure Uses; Will Seek Council Approval July 22 For Nov. Ballot Measure; Needs 2/3 Council Approval (Not Unanimous) To Put On Ballot...And 2/3 Voter Approval (Not 50%+1) To Enact
LB School District Mgm't Proposes November Ballot Debt Bond -- $1.2 Billion -- For Property Owners To Repay With Interest; We Cite Specified Uses
Dems Richardson & Feinstein Sought Fed'l Funding For City Hall-Sought Breakwater Reconfiguration Study; Repub Rohrabacher Didn't; Dem Led Congressional Committees Said "No"; City Mgm't Says It'll Renew Earmark Request in 09

Alamitos Bay Area Beach Waters Reopened To Swimmers After Sunday Sewage Spill BUT New Advisory, Prompted By New Wednesday Sewage Spill Affects Colorado Lagoon
Former Vice Mayor/Councilman Doug Drummond Among Members of CA Board of Parole Hearings Denying Release To Dying Manson Family Murderess Susan Atkins
LBFD & LBPD Team Apprehend Two Suspects In String of WLB Arsons
July 15: Councilwoman Tonia Reyes Uranga nominated Councilman Val Lerch to serve as Vice Mayor. The nomination was seconded by outgoing Vice Mayor Bonnie Lowenthal...and Lerch was named Vice Mayor by acclamation.
 Murder Victim Found Deceased In Downtown LB Residence Was Well-Known English Professor, Ex-Director of UCI's African-American Studies Pgm, Moved To Teach At UC Riverside Last Year
Above story information via OC Register staff writer Marla Jo Fisher
AND
Murder Victim Discovered, Area 5th St/Pine Ave.; LBPD Arrests Suspect
Photo right: Professor Barret from UC Riverside faculty profile website
SB 974 ("Port Investment/container fee") by Sen. Alan Lowenthal Passes Assembly, Heads To Senate For Concurrence, Then To Governor
Perspective: "Never Mind" 
LBReport.com Learns Calling Special Nov. 08 Citywide Election For Parcel Property Tax Would Cost Over $400,000...And Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Ass'n Says Proposed Measure Is Unconstitutional & Will Sue If It's Enacted
LB Chamber Urges Defeat of Sen. Lowenthal "Port Investment"/Container Fee Bill (SB 974) And Assemblywoman Ma Employee Sick Leave Bill (AB 2716); Two LB City Agencies (Harbor & Water Depts) Continue Spending Public Money To Support Privately-Run Chamber
Video: See/Hear Fueled-Up Fired-Up Flame-Throwing Dragsters At 2008 Bixby Knolls Dragster Expo YouTube.com screen save
Subsequent development above Sen. Alan Lowenthal Has Added Dozens Of Amendments To Proposed "Port Investment/container fee" Bill (SB 974), Some Substantive...And Assembly Vote On Measure Could Come As Early As Today
Preview dispatch by Keith Higginbotham, West Coast Associate Editor AmericanShipper.com/California-Pacific Connection
New / Guest Opinion by Kathy Ryan, Co-Founder LB Taxpayers Ass'n: Financial Responsibility First, Not New Taxes
Further On Downtown Residential Burglary Suspect Who Died In Police Custody
Monday July 14: Line at failed now fed-run IndyMac Bank, 6620 E. PCH. FDIC insurance covers deposits up to $100k but photog Daniel DeBoom's image speaks volumes. Reuters coverage, click here.  Photo credit: Daniel DeBoom, www.stealmysoul.com
Welcome! LBReport.com Welcomes Contributing Editor Miriam Yarden...Who'll Write On Pets and Their People, Click For Info.

Former LB Harbor Comm'nr/Former Dem Nat'l Committee Vice Chair Carmen Perez: "I'm Not Going To Be Satisifed Until I Call [Sen. Jenny Oropeza] Congresswoman"; Coverage of July 12 Re-election Fundraiser

Sewage Spill Near Mothers Beach Closes Alamitos Bay Area Waters To Swimmers From Colorado Lagoon To Peninsula
Subsequent development above Demonstrators Protest CSULB Plan To Oust Feral Cats For Coyote-Abatement; Say Trap Coyotes, Don't Kill Cats

Coverage coming: LBReport.com asks incoming Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D., Sacramento) whether current budget discussions should "put on the table" eliminating tax break letting ships using high polluting ship bunker fuel without paying state sales/use tax on their entire purchase in CA (partial exemption enacted at industry urging in 2003) and he tells us...(details coming, exclusively on LBReport.com)
Extended Photo Coverage: Big Crowds In Bixby Knolls: 3rd Annual BK Dragster Expo & Car Show Breaks Attendance & Exhibitor Records 
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