I appreciate that budget workshops were held by the City of Seal Beach last week as an opportunity for the community to become informed and provide comments.
While I understand that we are living in times of financial uncertainty, I urge our City Council and City leadership to look forward and plan strategically. Seal Beach is a unique coastal town with the ocean shore being a precious natural resource. Beachgoers are our mainstay. At an early age, our children learn to swim as part of growing up near the water for their own safety.
In considering capital improvement projects, renovating the lifeguard headquarters at the pier as well as upgrading the Seal Beach community pool should be high priorities. A few years ago, a few million dollars were reallocated from the pool line item to the lifeguard headquarters line item during the City budget process. And so the money sits, unspent while repairs are desperately needed and the costs of renovation continue to climb each year. How much money is in that fund? There is no need to further study the surrounding areas before moving forward.
Last November 2024, Seal Beach residents approved Measure GG, raising our sales tax. The voters were promised that a percentage of that revenue, perhaps 20% of $3 million annually, would be allocated to fund capital improvement projects. Could we please see a list of those projects that are slated to be funded? Does that list include the lifeguard station headquarters and the community pool? If not, let’s get started and dedicate a set percentage of GG revenue each year to be spent on those two fundamental projects.
The 2028 LA Summer Olympics are around the corner and could be a potential source of revenue but we need to act now! Olympians in water sports will be competing next door in Long Beach. If the pool at McGaugh was renovated, those international athletes could use our pool for diving practice and swimming drills in preparation for their events. This could be a revenue source for our City that should be explored. If per chance, Seal Beach staff is already having discussions in that regard, please share that information with the community. That is just one idea to consider. In our five-year budget, a separate table of Revenue Opportunities to be Explored could be added and mentioned in the Introduction.
Catherine Showalter
Long term
Seal Beach resident
