Long Beach voters increase tax on oil pumped from wells in city

Long Beach voters have decided to increase taxes on oil companies that pump crude from the city’s wells, but not give longer terms or higher salaries to its council members.

And the mayor will have more power to veto legislation passed by the council, which appears to have a newly elected member -- one who was making his third bid for office.

In all, six of the eight measures in Tuesday’s special election passed, including the one that would raise the tax on oil produced in Long Beach by 25 cents a barrel. The measure had virtually no organized opposition; the oil industry took a neutral stance, in part because the money was earmarked for increased police and fire protection.

“This was the exception rather than the rule to remain neutral,” said John Martini, chief executive of the California Independent Petroleum Assn. “The city got it about as right as they absolutely could.”

Mayor Bob Foster said Wednesday that the oil tax will be used for a number of necessities, including more uniformed police and additional paramedics for the Fire Department. He described the new tax as “a decent start.”

“It’s a reliable, dependable funding source,” he said.

The increased revenues from the oil tax will raise about $3.8 million, which will be divided between the city’s police and fire departments. If the funds are divided equally, the police would use the money to hire 14 officers and buy six new vehicles.

“It’s a step in the right direction,” said Steve James, president of the Long Beach Police Officers Assn. “And I don’t believe it’s the last step.”

The measure received 15,423 votes, about 70% of the ballots cast.

Voters also supported a measure that changes the city’s charter to give the mayor stronger veto power and a greater say over various city appointments.

The mayor’s veto power was increased by requiring a two-thirds vote by the City Council to override a veto; previously, it required a simple majority.

“It’s a gradual evolutionary change to try to bring more accountability, more transparency and more checks and balances into the system,” Foster said.

Voters also appeared to have elected community activist Dee Andrews to the City Council, where a spot came open when Councilwoman Laura Richardson took office in the state Assembly last year.

Andrews was leading with 555 votes Wednesday, but there were still about 3,400 absentee and provisional ballots to be counted.

Labor representative Al Austin was second with 506 votes.

Andrews, 66, has lived in Long Beach for 60 years. He works with the Long Beach Unified School District and is a student placement liaison with the city courts system.

Voters turned down a measure that would have extended council and mayoral term limits from two four-year terms to three.

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tami.abdollah@latimes.com

Times staff writer J. Michael Kennedy contributed to this report.