March 1, 2004

Long Beach Mayor Beverly O'Neill, Chair of the Advisory Board of the Conference of Mayors, delivered her State of the City address January 13 highlighting successes in retail sales, property values and construction during 2003.

Describing a city thriving with tourism, business growth, a successful airport and award-winning neighborhoods, O'Neill pitched upcoming events Long Beach will host, including the US Olympic Swim Trials and the Toyota Grand Prix of Aquatics this summer.

During her address, she underscored her increasing role with the U.S. Conference of Mayors, which will appoint her Vice President in June and President in 2005. "This is the only national organization of mayors, and my growing role in policy formation will give Long Beach more of a national platform," she said.

Early in her address, O'Neill made reference to the city's " grave financial problems" and included the city's deficit, last projected at $105 million through 2006, on a list of challenges she said the city faces in the years ahead. She also included gang violence and finding solutions to port related traffic on the list of challenges.

Prior to the State of the City, O'Neill hosted a reception to introduce Conference Executive Director Tom Cochran, to business leaders from the Long Beach Business Community including UPS, Jet Blue, Salomon Smith Barney, Boeing, BP and Bank of America. Cochran and O'Neill provided background on the Mayors Business Council and encouraged the corporative executives to explore membership in the Mayors Business Council.