By KEITH GRANT
The overall tax hike is just under 9 percent, but includes a mere 3.6-percent increase for commercial property owners, leaving the bulk of the burden on homeowners who, until now, had enjoyed several years of minimal to near-zero increases.
Most of the $1.9 million rise over the current budget comes from reported dramatic increases in health care costs, about $1.5 million, according to city officials.
Among the changes made since last Tuesday night's budget hearing was the re-institution of the director of operations position, currently held by Gene Cammarato. The initial proposal by city manager Harold Porr called for an assistant city manager in place of the director of operations, a position that was the target of a successful lawsuit by some residents last year that led the council to amend the city charter to include the post.
Tuesday night, Porr announced that the director of operations post would remain, though with the same intended duties and at the same $97,000 salary proposed for the assistant city manager. That figure is $5,000 less than Cammarato is currently paid.
Anonymous sources confirmed several weeks ago that Cammarato - long a target of critics due to his duel role as director of operations and head of the Long Beach Democratic party - would be leaving City Hall and replaced by current building commissioner Steven Polcer. The moves have not been officially confirmed by city officials, but became evident when Porr released a proposed budget not only without the director of operations post, but with a $7,500 decrease in salary for the building commissioner position.
While attendance was much more sparse for the budget vote than last week's hearing, the criticism from some residents remained heated. Several speakers called for a salary freeze for exempt city employees, while others chastised officials for announcing the tax hike at 8.9 percent when for homeowners it's actually significantly higher.
