City Council - Long Beach Watchdog

Cars drive by a large retail shopping center and movie theater.

City Council

Long Beach shoppers will pay more sales tax in 2025. Here’s why

Voters in November agreed to replace a 0.25% county sales tax for homeless services with a new 0.50% tax; a city sales tax tied to the county tax is now also slated to increase by a quarter.

A glassy office building displaying the sign Long Beach City Hall.

City Council

Long Beach City Council approves $3.6 billion core services-focused budget

The City Council voted unanimously to approve the proposed budget Tuesday night bringing a close to the process that began in August.

Oil well surrounded by a green fence near an old yellow metal railing in an open field.

City Council

Long Beach will permanently dedicate Willow Springs Park as open space

The park has about 16 acres of space that has been restored but the rest of the roughly 50 acres is still used for industrial and commercial uses.

Nine people sit on a beige dais facing a couple dozen people siting in rows of theater seats.

City Council

Long Beach voters to decide fate of power plant exemption, city hiring process in November

Two charter amendments aimed at speeding up hiring in the city and a ballot measure that could raise $15 million annually by taxing two power plants will be on the Nov. 5 ballot.

Small storefront with a temporary wooden door to replace the one broken in a recent break-in.

City Council

Long Beach could back statewide ballot measure that amends controversial Prop. 47

Proposition 36 would amend some parts of Proposition 47, which classified drug possession and thefts under $950 as misdemeanors.

Office building covered in mirrored windows and the words Long Beach City Hall.

City Council

Proposed changes to city's hiring process, power plant tax could head to November ballot

Long Beach officials say changes to the hiring process could help fill vacancies that have stagnated at about 20% in recent years.

Union Pacific Railroad

Quieter and cleaner railroad tracks? Long Beach to talk with Union Pacific about changes

The Long Beach City Council asked city officials to look at creating a 'quiet zone' along the tracks and to work out an agreement allowing city workers access to clean up debris and provide homeless outreach at the tracks.

City Council

Long Beach looking at increasing wages for airport, convention center concession workers

The increases could resemble voter-approved Measure RW, which raised hotel workers’ wages to $23 per hour this month and will increase them to $29.50 per hour by 2028.