Once critical of a proposed ordinance to regulate lobbyists at City Hall, council members Patrick O'Donnell and Tonia Reyes Uranga are warming up to the idea. They announced today that they would support a lobbyist ordinance based on San Jose's lobbying law. Click here for an FAQ guide that explains the key points of San Jose's law.
"The San Jose model is simple, effective, and allows Council and City Management staff to continue to work with members of our community," O'Donnell said in a statement. "It allows for transparency without creating an overly-complicated system. Why re-create the wheel?"
Lobbying activity in San Jose is guided by its municipal code, and members of non-profit and neighborhood organizations are exempt from lobbyist definitions and provisions. How such groups would be affected is a key concern of O'Donnell. Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske and Robert Garcia, along with City Attorney Bob Shannon, all have said the ordinance should include non-profits. Councilman Robert Garcia said that he wants to see a recommendation from Shannon but that he doesn't necessarily want to include non-profits. Uranga and O'Donnell said in their statement that neighborhood associations weighing in on neighborhood issues and those advocating for non-profit causes, such as domestic violence, should not be required to register as lobbyists.
Garcia and Schipske are asking the council Tuesday to direct Shannon to come up with an ordinance, and Shannon has said he is already working on it and will present his proposal to the council in January. Last year, O'Donnell and Uranga joined five other council members in voting down a similar proposal. Only Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske and then-Councilwoman Bonnie Lowenthal, Garcia's 1st District predecessor, supported the proposal. Council members Gary DeLong and Val Lerch recently added their support to Schipske and Garcia's proposal, but only if the law includes non-profits and employee associations, which also previously had been exempt.
The council meets at 5 p.m. Tuesday in City Hall, 333 W. Ocean Blvd.
Paul Eakins reports on Long Beach City Hall, and local and regional
politics. A newcomer to the Press-
Kris Hanson reports on the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles,
covering environmental issues, economic triumphs and
pitfalls and trade trends of America’s largest port.
He also writes a weekly column “On The Waterfront”,
appearing Tuesdays, and also produces an occassional video
and column titled “On The Job,” which follows the hard-working
men and women who keep Southern California’s economy humming.
Karen Robes Meeks came to work for the Press-
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