Kristina Duggan celebrating the opening of Sprouts in District 3. Filling a large, vacant retail space with a new grocery store is a major accomplishment at a time when many markets are closing.

Highlights

Opposed sales-tax increases and costly retail restrictions, including efforts to eliminate self-checkout, that would drive up grocery and operating costs
Supported and partnered with the Belmont Shore and Zaferia Business Improvement Districts to secure funding and strengthen neighborhood commercial corridors
Helped activate commercial areas through small-business pop-ups and local partnerships
Assisted small businesses in navigating complex permitting processes to reduce unnecessary delays
Helped recruit Cabi’s 27,000-square-foot headquarters relocation, bringing more than 120 employees to Long Beach
Secured an audit of the Tidelands Fund
Championed a citywide audit of oil revenue projections and long-term abandonment liabilities to support responsible fiscal planning

The Approach Behind the Work

Doing Our Part to Keep Costs Down
Long Beach is becoming more expensive, and the City must do its part to keep costs down while supporting the businesses that anchor our neighborhoods. My focus is on keeping daily life affordable for residents and building a thriving, predictable environment where businesses want to operate.

I have opposed policies that drive up the cost of living, including proposed sales-tax increases and restrictions that would effectively eliminate self-checkout. These measures burden families and raise costs for businesses, especially grocery stores we are trying to attract to fill long-standing retail vacancies. Instead of raising costs, the City should use existing dollars responsibly and focus on the core conditions that support economic activity.

Kristina Duggan at the grand opening of MemorialCare Health Center in District 3.

Improving and Activating Our Business Areas
Helping local businesses succeed also means strengthening the commercial areas where they operate. I support the work of our two business improvement districts, Belmont Shore and Zaferia, because they play a central role in district upkeep, marketing, and the improvements that help shops and restaurants thrive. I have also backed efforts to activate other business areas, including supporting small-business pop-ups and local partnerships at locations like 4th and Termino, which help create foot traffic and a stronger customer base.

My office has also served as a backstop for businesses facing permitting challenges, helping mom-and-pop shops navigate complex processes and move their projects forward. These hands-on efforts make it easier for small businesses to open, expand, and succeed without getting stuck in unnecessary delays.

Kristina at the grand opening of Cabi’s headquarters, a woman-founded and woman-run company with more than 120 employees that she helped recruit to Long Beach.

Bringing High Quality Jobs to Long Beach
Supporting job growth remains a key focus. I helped recruit Cabi, a women-founded and women-run fashion company, to relocate its headquarters to Long Beach. This brought a 27,000-square-foot office and showroom and more than 120 employees to the Airport Business Park, strengthening our local jobs base and demonstrating Long Beach’s potential as a business hub.

Part of keeping costs down is spending our existing tax dollars wisely, especially as major revenue sources decline. I secured an audit of the Tidelands Fund and championed a citywide audit of oil revenue projections and long-term abandonment liabilities to support responsible fiscal planning. A stronger Tidelands Fund will allow the City to meet its core coastal responsibilities and invest in regional assets that attract visitors, without burdening local taxpayers.

My goal is simple: make Long Beach more affordable while creating the conditions that allow small businesses to succeed. I will continue advocating for fiscal responsibility, predictable regulations, and business districts where residents feel welcome and local businesses can grow.

My focus moving forward will be:

Keeping everyday costs down for residents and small businesses by avoiding policies that create unnecessary cost increases and focusing on practical, affordable solutions.
Strengthening the City’s long-term financial outlook as oil revenues decline so we can continue investing in regional assets.
Creating a thriving, predictable environment where local businesses can grow by supporting our business improvement districts, activating commercial areas, and helping mom-and-pop shops navigate complex permitting processes.

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