Hotel Employee Safety Initiative To Go Before City Council
The proposed hotel employee safety initiative acquired the 27,462 signatures necessary to be considered for the November 2018 ballot, Long Beach City Clerk’s office confirmed today. The initiative, which has been dubbed “Stand with Women Against Abuse,” will be presented to the Long Beach City Council on August 7 to determine if it will be on the November ballot. The council could adopt the initiative as is, make alterations or request additional study, according to the city clerk’s office. If additional study is requested, the initiative would not be on the November ballot but would be placed on a future ballot – without requiring additional signature gathering – if the city council approves it. If passed, the initiative would require hotels with 50 or more rooms to provide employees with panic buttons and regulate housekeeper workloads, among other requirements. In September 2017, the city council voted against a similar initiative.

Mayor, City Manager Release Proposed New Fiscal Year Budget
In what Mayor Robert Garcia described as “our best budget yet” in his four years as mayor of Long Beach, the proposed fiscal year 2019 city budget is being shared with residents during a month-long outreach program to the community. Additionally, a series of city council meetings and public hearings begins with the August 7 city council meeting during which the city manager reviews the proposed budget and the mayor presents his recommendations beyond what staff is proposing. From August 13 through August 30, a community meeting is scheduled in each of the nine city council districts to discuss the budget and answer questions. The city council will vote on the budget as early as September 4. The city’s new fiscal year begins October 1. Watch BizBrief for more information on upcoming community meetings and budget hearings. The proposed budget will be reviewed in the August 14 edition of the Business Journal, which will also include the annual “$100,000 Club” listing of city salaries.

Long Beach To Join Program That Improves Climate For Local, Minority-Owned Businesses
The Citi Foundation and Living Cities, initiatives aiming to improve opportunities in underserved communities across the nation, announced the expansion of their City Accelerator program into five new cities: Atlanta, El Paso, Long Beach, Newark and Rochester. Over the next year, these cities will collaborate on a range of projects to support local, minority-owned business and create jobs. In all five cities, the percentage of ethnic minorities make up the majority of the overall local population. In addition to a $100,000 grant, each city will receive coaching, technical assistance and other resources.

Outreach Meeting For 2020 Census Planned For Leaders In Hard-To-Count Areas
A 2020 Census Outreach meeting is slated to take place on August 2, from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Terrace Theater lobby of the Long Beach Convention Center, 300 E. Ocean Blvd. Local leaders from hard-to-count areas will have the opportunity to learn about available mapping and demographic data. Experts also plan to speak about possible challenges in gathering a complete count. Click here to register.