Councilman Gary DeLong seemed to surprise everyone in the Council Chambers moments ago when he announced he would vote against a new contract with the Long Beach Police Officers Association that would save the city millions of dollars.
After months of negotiations between POA and city officials to get police officers to forgo some pay raises, POA President Steve James called DeLong's vote a "slap ... in the face" and Councilman Patrick O'Donnell said DeLong was "grandstanding."
DeLong said he couldn't support the contract because it doesn't contain reforms of the city's costly pension program. Other council members thanked police officers for reopening their contract and reducing their pay raises even though they didn't have to.
The new contract will give officers an 11 percent raise spread out over five years instead of the nearly 9.3 percent raise they were due Sept. 30. The deal, which was overwhelmingly approved by POA members, will save the city $7.6 million this year and $15 million over the next five years.
"Your comments are the epitome of the dysfunction we've dealt with," James told DeLong. "Don't slap these people (police officers) in the face. This needs to pass with a 9-0 vote. They deserve it."
DeLong responded that he had tried to reach James on Monday to inform him of his decision and that he doesn't like to "blindside" people, but O'Donnell interrupted DeLong, saying: "Why didn't you tell us?"
As DeLong and O'Donnell began to argue and Mayor Bob Foster tried to silence O'Donnell for speaking out of turn, O'Donnell shouted out: "This is grandstanding."
The council approved the POA contract 8-1, with DeLong dissenting.
Paul Eakins reports on Long Beach City Hall, and local and regional
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it is unfortunate that delong is the only councilmember that is not owned by unions. good job gary.
Maybe when Gary DeLong is up for re-election, the POA will look the other way and support someone else. Someone who has integrity and honor.
This is a classic example of how overpaid and under educated our elected officials are. DeLong obviously is not a team player. He probably rode the short bus in highschool
We have the best politicians money cany buy. The dollar is worth about 30cents. The least qualified get into public office because they couldn't make a living in the private sector. Left to their own devices, they would be living in poverty. Politicans in Long Beach disgust me.
This is a classic example of how overpaid and under educated our elected officials are. DeLong obviously is not a team player. He probably rode the short bus in highschool
We have the best politicians money cany buy. The dollar is worth about 30cents. The least qualified get into public office because they couldn't make a living in the private sector. Left to their own devices, they would be living in poverty. Politicans in Long Beach disgust me.
This is a classic example of how overpaid and under educated our elected officials are. DeLong obviously is not a team player. He probably rode the short bus in highschool
We have the best politicians money cany buy. The dollar is worth about 30cents. The least qualified get into public office because they couldn't make a living in the private sector. Left to their own devices, they would be living in poverty. Politicans in Long Beach disgust me.
Did Councilman DeLong get religion or is this part of his future election strategy? Last year, DeLong voted FOR the 27% pay raise over 5-years and voted AGAINST Councilmember Gabelich’s motion to delay the vote for 30-days to allow city staff to provide a report on how the city would pay for those raises he now opposes. So why wasn’t DeLong expressing his concerns last year? After all, he has been the Chairman of the Budget Oversight Committee for years. Shouldn’t he have asked how the original raise was going to be paid for before voting to approve it?
I think it is more likely DeLong is retaliating because he found out he won’t be getting the Police Officer Association (POA) Union endorsement for his upcoming election.