11:00am | With just about one month to go before voters head to the polls in November, one of our most important issues locally will be discussed and examined in detail next week at a special luncheon.

The Propellor Club of Los Angeles-Long Beach will host a luncheon concerning Proposition D on Wednesday, October 14 at the Reef Restaurant from 11:30am-1:30pm. Tickets are $35 for members and $50 for non-members. Call 818.951.2842 for additional information.

The event is entitled, “Measure D: City of Long Beach’s Proposed Changes to How the Port is Managed – Who Benefits?”

Speakers at the luncheon will include George Cunningham, publisher of The Cunningham Report which focuses on shipping and harbor-related industry news, along with Bill Mongelluzzo, writer for the Journal of Commerce.

Proposition D concerns the amount of money and control that the City of Long Beach exerts over money that can be requested from the Port of Long Beach every year. With the city in a financial crunch, there have been more requests for the Port to contribute money to bolster a deficit budget, pay off debts and keep services alive.

Proposition D will put new scenarios before the voters. Currently, the City can request up to 10% of the port’s annual profits. If Prop D passes, the City will be able to request up to 5% of the port’s gross earnings, which is estimated to be considerably greater – as much as several million dollars – than the current formula.

What effect could this decision have on the Port of Long Beach? That’s the question that the Propeller Club meeting will seek to ask. Of course, what will the effect be on the City of Long Beach’s annual budgets if the measure is voted down?

Passage of Proposition D would also hand control of Port of Long beach oil properties from the Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners to the Long Beach City Council.

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