Thank you Sheriff-Elect McDonnell. Can’t wait for you to join the County family!
Thank you Honorary Commodore Everette Hoard and John Jenkins of the Queen Mary for supporting today’s event.
Thank you Dr. Brad Fieldhouse. Brad is the Founder of Bedrock Creek, Founding Partner of Barnabas Group and the Executive Director of City Net. These organizations share a common goal of blending faith-based communities with civic partners to support those in the community who need help most.
Thank you Captain Braden Phillips. Captain Phillips is the Administrative Bureau Chief for the Long Beach Police Department. He is a veteran of the US Navy and served in Desert Storm. He was recently named the 70th Assembly District Veteran of the Year by Assemblymember Bonnie Lowenthal. He is very active in support of local organizations and I really appreciate his being with us today.
I would like to recognize Long Beach Chamber Board Chair Diana Hendel, and the Chamber’s Board of Directors.
The Chamber staff for making today’s event possible.
My staff…
And of course, my family …. My wife of 46 years, Julie…
Thanks to all of you for being here today – our 8th annual event. I really appreciate that you keep showing up!
Since we last saw each other, a lot has changed in the world. The new threats of ISIS and Ebola… the Republicans took the Senate in last week’s election…. Derek Jeter retired… and of course… George Clooney got married.
Closer to home, we’ve seen significant changes here in Long Beach and around the 4th district.
And I must say, nowhere are we seeing more change than at the County. In a few weeks, Hilda Solis will replace Gloria Molina and Sheila Kuehl will replace Zev Yaroslavsky. We’ll also have a new sheriff in town – Long Beach’s own Chief Jim McDonnell, and a new Assessor. We recently appointed Mark Saladino as our County Counsel and we’ll be replacing our retiring CEO Bill Fujioka, and several new Department heads.
In all the time I have been with the County, in my nearly 18 years as Supervisor and 14 years as Chief of Staff to Deane Dana, there has been nothing like it.
And let me be clear: change is not a bad thing. At all. It’s been said, and I agree: “Change makes you flexible. Change makes you smarter. Change reminds us that anything is possible.”
In fact, I think fresh perspectives are good. But this is a huge amount of change in a short period of time for one organization. Especially for one with a $27 billion budget and over 100,000 employees.
With these departing leaders go volumes of institutional knowledge. The County, like any organization of its size, is hugely complicated. Having some history and understanding of how things work is invaluable to keeping operations running smoothly.
Some of the changes we are experiencing are a result of term limits. We can argue all afternoon about term limits. You probably know I don’t support them for many of the reasons I just mentioned. Just look at the City Council in Los Angeles. Of the SIX new members of the LA City Council that were sworn in this year, FOUR had termed out in the state legislature. That’s just not how you want to elect people to office. They don’t make long-term decisions because they don’t have to live with the impact of their decisions.
From the County perspective, perhaps my biggest concern is the budget. The Board, our CEO, department heads, unions and staff pulled together through the really tough economic times to keep programs and services in place, and to avoid lay-offs and furloughs. Our efforts were rewarded with two credit rating increases, to the highest levels the County has ever achieved. This is unheard of in municipal governments across the United States.
This matters because the County has funding to continue the programs and services our residents expect, and to make long-term investments in our infrastructure. The improved ratings also allow us to re-finance some long-term debt at better rates. This could potentially save the County around $100 million over the next 20 years.
While I have concerns about the loss of institutional knowledge and questions about commitments to prudent budgeting going forward, we also have a new generation of younger folks moving into leadership positions. This is something I am really excited about.
There is so much negativity in politics right now – on both sides of the aisle. We’re not immune to that at the County, I’m not suggesting that. But some of what we see, particularly at the national level, is just plain silly. With so much negativity in politics, I fear we will lose a whole generation of young people interested in running for office or seeking administrative roles. Public service is a great career. There are few other jobs where you can really see the difference you are making in others’ lives.
As my own public service career winds down, I am asked more and more about lessons learned and what advice I would give people entering the political arena. When you are asked this, it’s kind of like getting Lifetime Achievement awards – it really just means you’re old!
Focus on Solutions, Not Problems
What I thought I would do today is share some of those learnings in the context of what is going on around the County.
I think the most fundamental thing I have learned about leadership – particularly during times of upheaval and change – is the importance of staying true to your values. No matter what environment you lead in – government, business, non-profit – there will be people and circumstances that will encourage you to take the easy way out.
But you cannot run from the problems, you have to solve them. In our case, that means figuring out how we can best serve the people who have reached the end of their rope – financially, mentally, or physically. Or helping those who have no voice, like young victims of abuse. These are extremely tough and complicated issues. The temptation can be to stall or avoid tough decisions. I’m sure you see this in your own organizations. Some people will say that the problem needs more “study” or “analysis” – or my favorite, we should establish a committee! We’ve all heard the line on how effective these can be: “A committee is a group of people who keeps minutes … and wastes hours.”
Anybody ever been in a committee meeting like this one? (Run video)
Let me give you some real-life County examples. As you know, we have had some problems in our jails. Last year, we created a Citizen’s Commission on Jail Violence because we weren’t seeing a strategy for change or a commitment to turn things around. In this case, we had no choice because the Board doesn’t have day-to-day management responsibilities. But we needed change to happen. This Commission did a terrific job. And I’m pleased that my appointee to that Commission, Jim McDonnell, is our new Sheriff! To date, 45 of their 60 recommendations have been implemented.
On the other hand, we’ve also faced some challenges in our Department of Children & Family Services. What some children face at home each day is just horrific. They have no one else but us to protect them. I don’t think there is a more important job we have as a County. I’ve gone out with our social workers and seen what they face every day. They are often at risk themselves, and have to make a decision at 2 o’clock in the morning on whether a child stays with his family. I honestly don’t know how our social workers do their job every day.
Sadly, sometimes things go wrong and children are hurt, or worse, killed by those who are supposed to care for them. Unfortunately, that’s when the fingerpointing begins. Earlier this year, following pressure from the media, the majority of the Board decided that we should establish a Blue Ribbon Commission to find a solution. After months of hearings and study, they basically came back with a set of recommendations that the department was already addressing.
An aggressive strategic plan is being executed by our Director Philip Browning, and more social workers are being hired. But as you know within your own organizations, change takes time. Particularly when you have to hire highly skilled employees like social workers.
We’re now spinning our wheels on another one of their recommendations which is to hire a “Czar” of Child Protection. A “czar.” I think the resources would be better allocated to our social workers on the ground.
Creating committees, commissions, and task forces is very often NOT about solving problems. It’s about avoiding the tough decisions or having the patience to see it through, even when critics are everywhere, making headlines. As Henry Ford once said, “Most people spend more time and energy going AROUND problems than actually trying to SOLVE them.”
Fight Your Fight, Then Get on Board:
Another excuse for stalling tough decisions that I have witnessed countless times over the years is what I would call the “boots in cement” mentality. I don’t think there is a better example for this than the Affordable Care Act. In Washington, The House has taken up the ACA 54 times. 54 times!
Here at the County, we don’t have that option. Whether you rallied for or against it, it’s here and we have to get on board. In the last year, the County has been undergoing massive changes to our healthcare system to implement the ACA.
A lot of these changes are, frankly, really good for our system. We have now re-envisioned how we deliver primary care by creating patient-centered medical homes. A team of physicians, medical assistants and nurses gets to know a patient and focuses on their wellness and preventive care.
We’re adding new systems and technology to help doctors share information better. We also just launched a new electronic records system at Harbor UCLA on November 1st. Most of our other facilities will be underway next year and all are scheduled to be completed by the beginning of 2016.
Perhaps most importantly are the culture changes we are making. For decades, many people came to our facilities because we were their only source for healthcare. Now, with many of those individuals eligible for coverage, we need to prove that our service is high-quality and patient-centered in order to maintain patients. This customer-driven system is a complete culture shift for us.
So while Washington continues to bicker, we’re making things happen on the ground. Our job at the County, as the ultimate safety net, is to solve problems. We can’t engage in partisan bickering, impart executive orders or point fingers. The buck stops with the five members of the Board of Supervisors. While every day is not a picnic, we put aside politics and work to find solutions. In the end, you will have found that most votes were 5-0 or 4-1. Frankly I don’t know why “Compromise” has become such a bad word. “My-Way-or-the-Highway” simply doesn’t work when you are managing the largest county in the nation!
Build Bridges
Perhaps the biggest leadership lesson I have learned in this job is the importance of maintaining good relationships and building bridges. Nowhere have I seen this come to life more than the County’s budget.
People talk about bridges to nowhere – well this one has been a bridge to everywhere! The Board, technically made up of three Democrats and two Republicans, has debated – let’s be honest: argued – over nearly every line of this over-1000 page budget. But we have negotiated and compromised and then held strong, despite pushback and demands from every corner.
We built bridges with our unions – nearly 90% of the County’s 100,000 employees are members of one of our over 60 bargaining units. That’s a lot of bridges to build! We asked our department heads to find ways to cut costs, and many achieved nearly 20%, despite increased demands for our programs and services. While you wouldn’t expect members of different political parties, and labor and management, to be able to come together, particularly during tough times – it happened, because everyone realized we were in it together. I’m really proud of what we have accomplished here because it has such an impact on the quality-of-life for our constituents. Some jurisdictions can’t even fill potholes – and we’re able to make huge investments in our infrastructure. Let’s take a look at some of the results of this bridge building this past year:
Walk Your Talk
During election season, we hear a whole lot of promises being made in the endless television ads and in our stuffed mailboxes. But what really happens?
I’ve always believed that it’s important to walk your talk – to embody your values and to do what you say you are going to do.
So I’d like to give you a little scorecard on something I told you about last year – my Bucket List. These are the projects I told you I intend to complete by the time I leave office.
Community Centers
First up, I’m very pleased to update you on three new community centers in the 4th district… We opened one in Hacienda Heights just a few weeks ago – and it is spectacular! The Rowland Heights and unincorporated Whittier centers are scheduled to open on-time and on-budget early next year. Each is very unique, as we had the community involved from the get-go, telling us what made sense for them.
Community Health Clinic
When I was talking earlier about the Affordable Care Act, I mentioned how important it is that we move to a patient-focused model that focuses on preventive care. People showing up at our emergency rooms is the most expensive way to deliver healthcare. However, access to preventive care has been too limited in the eastern part of my district. But we knew we can’t do it alone. So we recently partnered with John Wesley Health Centers for a community health clinic in Hacienda Heights. They have done a terrific job with us elsewhere in the County. The lease for this clinic is signed, equipment is being purchased and the doors will be open in early 2015.
Rancho
As you know, one of the facilities in the County I am most proud of is Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center. For more than two decades, it has been named one of the top rehabilitation hospitals in the country by US News and World Report. They were recently named an LGBT Healthcare Equality Leader by the Human Rights Campaign, and one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Patient Experience by the Women’s Choice Award.
The place is amazing. If you ever feel like you are having a bad day, head over there and see the miracles the patients are able to accomplish.
More area hospitals are referring their patients to Rancho and we also have more wounded veterans coming back. The Board recently approved $450 million for new outpatient buildings and a rehabilitation pool. We will also be dedicating $1 million for public art and Rancho’s art programs.
Oxford Basin
On the other side of my district, in Marina del Rey, we will be refurbishing Oxford Basin, a water retention basin in Marina del Rey. This is a great example of doing a good environmental project and providing recreation for the community. I wish I could tell you we were further along, but as sometimes happens with this type of project, we had a legal issue with one of the neighbors, who wanted to keep it as it was. That has recently been resolved. The funding is in place and construction will begin early next year.
LAX Connector
And of course, one of my all-time favorites – how about some public transportation going directly into LAX? Not a mile away; right to the front door! On Metro’s list of Measure R priorities, the LAX Connector was scheduled to be completed in 2028. Frankly, I can’t wait that long!
I did a motion in July with Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas to accelerate the project to 2019 to complement the Crenshaw/LAX rail project. All of this should be coordinated. We’ll be hearing back from Metro later this month on what it will take to move the project forward on an accelerated timeframe.
Junior Golf
Over the years, we’ve held 29 Knabe Cups for local boys and girls high school teams. As I said last year, I would like to establish a Junior Golf Academy to encourage young people from all walks of life to start playing golf. The County recently reached an agreement with the City of Norwalk to lease their 9-hole course. In 2015, we will shut it down, renovate the course and community room and re-open it as an LA County Junior Golf Center. We would like to offer after-school programs to provide extracurricular activities for young people who might not normally have access to a golf course – or have never thought about trying it.
Libraries
The last construction project I would like to discuss is an update on some news I announced last year – that we are investing $45 million to upgrade county libraries in my district.
We currently have four projects underway – in South Whittier, Lomita and Artesia. We’re also making investments in La Mirada, Los Nietos, Hacienda Heights, Rowland Heights and on Catalina Island. I’m really pleased with how things are moving along. Some of our current facilities are inadequate and we have kids waiting in line to get in after school. We have a real opportunity to create state-of-the-art learning centers for people of all ages. I want these projects finished by 2016.
Small Business Concierge
Another area I have been focused on is jobs. A few years ago, during the height of the Great Recession, we launched a 10,000 Jobs Program which was one of the most impactful uses of stimulus dollars in the nation. It led to thousands of permanent jobs and part-time opportunities for young people.
What we see today is that despite improvements in the economy, there is still a lack of good middle-class jobs being created. Pundits call it a “jobless recovery.” Everybody makes promises about creating jobs, but frankly, I don’t see much WALK matching the TALK! What we do know is that nearly two-thirds of all jobs created in Los Angeles County are a result of small businesses.
The problem is that we sure don’t make it easy to open a business! A couple months ago, I made a motion to create a “small business concierge” – to help people navigate the county and figure out what permits and inspections they need to open their doors. People in this situation are already stressed out, with a whole lot on their plate. I want to make our role in achieving their dream easier. I don’t like excuses like, “well, that’s government red tape.” Our goal should be making dealing with the County like dealing with Amazon.
TV Show
I mentioned to you last year that I had started a monthly public affairs television show with Charter Communications. Our goal is to educate viewers about County operations and regional politics. We had some terrific guests this year and looked at the County museums, beaches, senior services, transportation and the election. My most recent guest was Dr. Jane Conoley, the new President of Cal State Long Beach.
The final two areas of my bucket list don’t have “due dates” on them – because our aggressive work on these issues will continue:
Child sex trafficking
First is child sex trafficking. In all my years in government, I don’t think there is an issue that is more horrific to me. Girls as young as 10 being bought and sold by scumbag pimps right here in our community. Many of these girls are already part of our system – they were abused at home and entered foster care. It is our job to protect them.
Earlier this year, I spoke at the National Press Club in DC with Congressman Ted Poe of Texas. to raise awareness and lobby for federal help. At the state level, I joined several legislators advocating for tougher penalties for those who exploit young girls for money. On the tile in front of you, you will see a photo from one of our events in Sacramento.
Here locally, we launched a new awareness campaign for Metro stations, buses and bus stops. Clear Channel joined us again with free billboards in targeted areas.
At the County level, we launched new protocols for how employees and law enforcement handle a victim. These are the people on the front lines. Before girls were arrested and their pimps went free. Today, we are doing everything possible to give the girls the services they need to move on to the life they deserve – and we are putting the pimps where they belong – behind bars for a long time.
I want to take a moment and thank Chief Jim McDonnell –Sheriff-Elect McDonnell– for his incredible support on this issue. I know the City Council here in Long Beach has also provided resources to help Jim and his officers work with these girls.
And I would like to ask each and every one of you in this room for your help too. Help me change the stigma surrounding this issue. I know it is not a comfortable thing to talk about. But these are children who need us. Let’s start with the language:
Remove the word “Prostitute” from your vocabulary.
STOP referring to these children as “Prostitutes” or “Child Prostitutes.”
Kids who are forced to sell themselves night after night on a street corner are not prostitutes.
Kids who are brutally beaten by their pimp for not making a quota are not prostitutes.
Kids victimized and sexually exploited by grown men are not prostitutes.
No child grows up dreaming of becoming a prostitute and living this life.
They are victims—manipulated emotionally and physically into a hellish life.
And we need to be there to protect these victims. We need to wrap our arms around them and get them everything they need to get on the road to recovery and the path to a better life.
Safe Surrender
Finally, a program that you know has meant so much to me over the years – Safe Surrender. Last year I told you that we had saved 112 lives – this year I’m so proud to say that we have saved 124 lives! I told you last year that I wanted to launch a Safe Surrender Scholarship program for the children. Thanks to the Long Beach Community Foundation, we were able to set that up! We’ll be notifying the families of the Fund shortly.
I want to thank the Chamber for its support — $40,000 of today’s proceeds will help fund the Scholarship Program.
Again this year, the Chamber will also continue supporting local non-profits through this event, two which are very important to me – US Vets and Ronald McDonald House.
US Vets is the nation’s largest non-profit provider of services to veterans facing challenges in their transition back to civilian life. US Vets helps those struggling by providing housing, counseling, career development and other support, to help veterans and their families get back on their feet. Earlier this week, we made a huge announcement that US Vets has moved in to the historic Bob Hope Patriotic Hall in downtown Los Angeles. US Vets joining us makes the Hall truly a one-stop service center for LA County’s military, veterans and their families.
I would like to recognize Jim Hansen, the Executive Director of US Vets…(stand)
And Ronald McDonald House, which provides low-cost temporary housing for families of seriously ill children who are receiving treatment at Miller Children’s Hospital and other local medical facilities. Would Cheri Bazley from Ronald McDonald House please stand?
I’ve spoken today about leadership, and what has motivated me throughout my time as Supervisor. I think what has struck me most about this position has been the “power” to help people and make a difference in someone’s life. As I said, I’m asked a lot about how I got to this job. I never had a plan to be in this role and I certainly never dreamed of it.
Frankly, it can be tough to chase 2 million people around. And I’m not complaining about that at all – I am incredibly honored to have this job. But sometimes when you look at the millions of people we serve and the $27 billion budget and the 100,000 employees– you wonder what the impact of one person can be.
And then I see the difference a community center can make to an older person who may be lonely…
Or the difference a library can make to a child without a quiet and safe place to study…
Or the difference a free concert in the park can make to a family who can’t afford a night out.
Or the difference we can make to a young entrepreneur who is opening her dream business.
I’m inspired by a young lady whose life has been hell, beaten if she doesn’t make a quota. And she is finishing high school, moving on to college and finally, because of the County, able to have the life she deserves.
I’m inspired by the family created by a Safe Surrender, in seeing the love in a new parent’s eyes. Or the sweet sounds of new siblings bickering, as all brothers and sisters do.
I guess when I consider leadership I want to think about what really matters. How can I help someone who needs it most. I think a Nobel Prize winner said it best: “I never thought in terms of being a leader. I thought very simply in terms of helping people.”
From my family to all of you, however you celebrate the holidays, may you enjoy a beautiful season of blessings, and a prosperous and healthy New Year.
May God bless you, may God bless our troops, and may God continue to bless the United States of America!