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SO LONG, DELONG: NEW WEBSITE ADVOCATES RECALLING 3RD DISTRICT COUNCILMAN

Dave WielengaSat. November 24
 

To music and lyrics played in a dead-on impersonation of the Beach Boys, a brand new website — www.solongdelong.com — is advocating the recall of Long Beach Third District City Councilmember Gary DeLong.

“Gary, Gary What Went Wrong?” asks the song in its high harmonic opening vocals, backed by the twang and rumble of classic 1960s surf guitar and bass. “You’ve been in office for too long, for too long.”

Actually, it’s been barely a year and a half since DeLong was elected to represent Long Beach’s eastside coastal district, which includes Belmont Shore and Long Beach only wetlands. But his aggressive stance on development immediately provoked controversy.

DeLong quickly assembled a hand-picked committee that held a series of closed meetings to revise the Local Coastal Plan (known as SEADIP), which has established the development-vs.-environment balance in the area since the 1970s. He entertained a proposal from homebuilding giant Lennar to construct a massive condominium project on site of the Seaport Marina Hotel — which, at Second Street and Pacific Coast Highway, is already one of the most traffic-congested intersections in the city. And he supported placing a Home Depot shopping complex at Loynes Drive and Studebaker, on the edge of the Los Cerritos Wetlands.

So far, none of DeLong’s plans has been a success, but opponents apparently aren’t content to play defense, anymore. The new website appears to be the opening fanfare for a recall. It includes letters to DeLong that outline various complaints, newspaper articles that itemize what are considered his transgressions, photos of the traffic congestion that plagues the area and a how-to guide for recalling public officials in Long Beach, complete with a printable petition form.

But the highlight is definitely the campaign song, which lays out the case against DeLong in perfect harmony, deft phraseology — and even a follow-the-bouncing-ball across the lyrics, for those who want to sing along:

Gary, Gary you’ve gone to far, gone too far.

With all your buddies at Lennar, at Lennar.

I can’t picture you with them, your future looks mighty dim.

Oh, Gary, Gary you’ve let us down.

Gary, Gary you’ve hit the wall, hit the wall.

Constituents are whispering recall, re-e-e-call.

The farthest thing from your mind

are the wetlands and congestion time.

Oh, Gary, Gary you’ve let us down.

Gary, Gary you’ve gone too far, gone to far,

with all your buddies at Lennar, at Lennar.

You’ve taken us on a bad trip

With your self-appointed SEADIP

Oh, Gary, can’t picture Home Depot there.

Gary, you’ve gone too far,

Gary, Gary you’ve let us down, let us down

Gary you’ve gone too far

Gary, Gary you’ve let us down

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COMMENTS

  1. 1

    Thanks for that excellent article about So Long, DeLong! Yes, that song (and the rendition) is terrific. I’d love to reserve time on the agenda at the City Council to sing it to him (is his birthday coming soon?) or serenade him at his office (maybe on the street outside is even better…)
    DS

    [report]

    Posted By Deanna Sclar on November 26th, 2007 at 8:08 am

     

  2. 2

    Notice how he is tight with Lennar and he wants the airport expanded. Well Lennar just happens to own the former El Toro Marine Corps Air Station……that will not be converted to an airport. Now of course, all that air traffic had to be sent somewhere else. So all it takes is to buy off 5 stooges on the LBC council.

    I would not be surprised if The Irvine Company has also given him money. They benefited immensely by having El Toro closed to air traffic. That way they could add thousands of home to what was a 14,000 acre buffer zone (free of homes). TIC and Lennar will find another airport target to offset the loss of El Toro.

    To read some details about The Irvine Co. and their move to shut down El Toro, go to

    http://www.eltorotoday.com

    [report]

    Posted By In the approach path to LGB on November 26th, 2007 at 10:36 pm

     

  3. 3

    I response to “In the approach path to LGB:” Spend the time to study the Airport Ordinance. The council can’t overturn the ordinance.

    There is no effort to “expand” the airport.

    If you want to recall DeLong fine - but stiring up the airport paranoia isn’t going to help your cause with reasonable people.

    [report]

    Posted By Middlebrow on November 27th, 2007 at 12:30 pm

     

  4. 4

    Get your facts straight, folks. Lennar presented their fully-developed plans to the Long Beach community in the early months of 2005. Councilman DeLong did not take his seat on the council until July, 2006. Further, his recent comments on Lennar’s plans clearly show that he has had grave reservations about their efficacy. Dislike the Lennar proposal if you choose, but please put the blame for supporting it where it belongs - with the City, the prior councilman and early community focus groups. We “reasonable” people respond to facts, not mud-slinging tactics.

    Why don’t you spend some time coming up with your own proposal for this important space, giving consideration to your criteria but also remembering that Long Beach continues to need new revenue streams to bolster the city budget and developers need decent returns on their investments.

    [report]

    Posted By Fran Conley on November 30th, 2007 at 5:56 pm

     

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