Long Beach voters: Find out details of upcoming forums on Measure A and local races

It’s election season in Long Beach and several community groups have scheduled candidate and issue forums to help voters make informed decisions.

Upcoming events:

• The Bluff Heights Neighborhood Association plans to host a Wednesday forum for 2nd Council District candidates Eric Gray and Jeaine Pearce. The 2nd District includes the Port of Long Beach, part of downtown and coastal neighborhoods such as Alamitos Beach, Rose Park and Bluff Heights, as far east as Alamitos Avenue. Gray and Pearce are competing to succeed Suja Lowenthal on the City Council.

The forum is scheduled to begin 7 p.m. Wednesday at Horace Ma Elementary School, 257 Coronado Ave. People attending the forum can enter from the Obispo Avenue side of the campus.

• The DeForest Park Neighborhood Association also has a forum scheduled Wednesday to consider the merits of a proposed 10-year sales tax increase. Mayor Robert Garcia is scheduled to present the argument in favor of the tax measure and former Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske is scheduled to make the case against the proposal. If the mayor is unable to attend due to a planed trip to Sacramento, assistant city manager Tom Modica may deliver a presentation related to Measure A. The measure is scheduled to appear as Measure A on the June ballot alongside Measure B, which would require city govement to put 1 percent of future tax revenues into a “rainy day” fund.

The event is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Wednesday at DeForest Park, 6255 Deforest Ave.

• Padnet, the public access chael for Long Beach Community Action Partnership, plans to host a televised debate between 2nd Council District candidates Gray and Pearce on Monday. The forum, is scheduled to be broadcast from 6 to 7 p.m. on Chael 32 for Charter Communications customers and Chael 41 for Frontier Communications customers. The forum can also be viewed online at www.padnet.tv.

• Coalition for a Just LA plans to host a forum on May 31 for candidates vying to succeed Don Knabe on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. Candidates Janice Hahn and Steve Napolitano are scheduled to attend, according to a press release. A third candidate, Ralph Pacheco, has also qualified to appear on the ballot but did not meet organizers’ fundraising threshold for the forum.

The event is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. May 31 at First Congregational Church, 241 Cedar Avenue.

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