This week, Councilmember Gary DeLong and I will be in Washington, D.C. advocating on behalf of Long Beach for important programs like the Boeing C-17, Colorado Lagoon Restoration, the Breakwater Reconfiguration study and stormwater management.

We will be meeting with local Congressional leaders and legislative staff to discuss federal issues that are impacting our city. We will have extensive discussions with legislators and the Boeing Company about the C-17 program, which employees 5,000 people in Long Beach. Keeping these high paying jobs in Long Beach is extremely important to our local economy.

We will also be meeting with the Army Corps of Engineers and lawmakers about the Breakwater Reconfiguration study. These meetings will be critical in moving this important study forward. I look forward to the day when Long Beach will have an active beachfront with surf and clean water.

Additionally, we will work with our Congressional representatives to obtain funding for programs that improve the environment; such as, the Colorado Lagoon Restoration project and greening our local stormwater system. We need to ensure that Long Beach receives its fair share of federal support.

Go Long Beach!

Robert Garcia