Critically Speaking

Critically Speaking: Budget time blues?

Tough times could be on deck for the city of Long Beach.

Jason Ruiz

Aug 9, 2024 — 4 min read

Long Beach Public Works Director Eric Lopez, City Manager Tom Modica and Mayor Rex Richardson answer questions after presenting the city's proposed 2025 budget Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024. Photo by Brandon Richardson.

I can remember one of the first budget cycles I covered in Long Beach where former Mayor Bob Foster painted a grim picture of the city’s financial situation in 2014.

Then, the “freight train” that was poised to hit the city’s coffers that year was the steep increase in employee pension contributions, along with other rising costs. It was supposed to be very bad.

As a younger reporter, I assumed the worst.

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