Redondo Beach City Council Nixes Chamber Of Commerce Funding From Budget

REDONDO BEACH, CA — The Redondo Beach City Council approved a budget Wednesday that stripped the Chamber of Commerce of funding.

The 126.8 million budget does set aside $150,000 to market the city to tourists. The budget vote came at the end of a long meeting that stretched past midnight. The council voted 3-2 on a balanced budget that will maintain the city's general reserve fund of around $7.3 million.

The council opted to bypass the $350,000 interim funding to the chamber to promote the city, instead voted to set aside $150,000 for either a new tourism improvement district or a new contract for tourism marketing.

The chamber funding was among the most contentious topics during the budget talks in recent weeks. The council had already decided to end hotel-tax revenue sharing agreement with the chamber, a deal that ballooned to more $700,000 in recent years.

The contract drew criticism in the recent election because of chamber-affiliated political action committees backed the CenterCal waterfront project and the candidates who supported it.

Patch File Photo