2:25pm | The argument over whether or not the City of Long Beach should agree to contribute $4 million for a Federal study of possible alterations to the Long Beach Breakwater rages on, with one side arguing that the opportunity should not be passed up while the other side says that the city simply cannot afford it.

The disagreement took a personal form this morning as Councilmember Patrick O’Donnell attempted to present a free surfing lesson coupon to Long Beach Chamber of Commerce CEO Randy Gordon, who last week said that the City cannot afford to spend the money. O’Donnell never found Gordon, possibly because he was busy writing another mass letter that says “it is the wrong time for our City or our Port to spend $4 million on a study.”

To be sure, the $4,145,700 that would be required is a lot to ask from a city in such dire financial straights as Long Beach. However, there are options that could make the payment a little easier to swallow.

One of the strongest arguments for supporters of funding the study is that the City does not have to pay that amount in hard cash and has flexibility in accumulating the funds.  For instance, City staff may donate in-kind services or secure grants and transfers. In a memo to the City Council made public last week, City Manager Pat West outlines some of the funding options that are available.

The City Council could elect to use funds from the Tidelands Oil Reserve, or from the $12 million that has been requested as a one-time payment from the Port of Long Beach. For the former, anything taken would detract from the amount available for coastal improvement projects, but it remains an option. For the latter, that deal has not been finalized and some have argued that the Port should not be responsible for funding the study. However, others say that the Port should willingly support the project and donate additional funds. Councilmember O’Donnell said a few weeks ago that he expects the Port to share in the financial responsibility.

Another intriguing option is the use of in-kind services, or donated City staff time and consultation that could count toward the payment. In his memo, West says that City “staff can provide up to $825,000 in in-kind services,” or possibly more.

Utilizing any – or all – of these options would detract from the $4.145 million cash figure that the City needs to pay.

Some say that the $4 million pricetag is a relative bargain based on the information that will come from the four-year feasibility study. With that knowledge, the City and Corps could possibly move forward on a reconfiguration plan with the goal of improving water quality and – in a best-case scenario – increasing tourism revenue.

While many also remain firm on their financial stance, perhaps being able to lower that $4 million figure will ease their cautions.

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Disclosure: staging-live.lbpost.com co-founder Shaun Lumachi is a government affairs advisor to the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce.