Terri Rivers, Long Beach mayor candidate, 2026 primary election questionnaire – Press Telegram

Ahead of the June primary election, the Southern California News Group compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent you. You can find the full questionnaire below. Questionnaires may have been edited for spelling, grammar, length and, in some instances, to remove hate speech and offensive language.

Name: Terri Rivers

Current job title: Early Childhood Educator

Age: 47

Incumbent: No

Other political positions held: None

City where you reside: Long Beach

Campaign website or social media: TerriRivers.com

One of the main issues local leaders are grappling with is Long Beach’s current and long-term fiscal position. With major budgetary concerns on the horizon, explain your top priorities for Long Beach’s financial future and the mayor’s role in achieving those goals. (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

Like any budget, I will count up the cost of sustainability items and see where the extra is sitting. Focus on high priority issues while possibly pausing what may seem non-critical to place the city in a better stance that benefits the residents of Long Beach.

The city officials knew of this deficit, and while being able to make changes in adopting something different this month of March on the budget, they went forward with the spending on items that most would not consider a need. So are we really in a deficit, or is it just mismanagement of spending over a four-year term that is an easy fix?

Explain your plan to bolster local economic development, increase jobs and support both local and large businesses in Long Beach. (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

We’ve always mentioned mixed-use businesses. I will aim toward funding such projects, utilizing the needed space for housing and feasibility for the business.

Also, making it more attainable to start a business by lowering permit costs and helping the larger and more established businesses with exterior and interior infrastructure that will help boost growth and profits.

Homelessness and affordable housing continue to be a top issue for Long Beach residents. What is your position on the city’s current efforts to reduce homelessness and increase affordable housing availability, and how do you plan to improve these efforts? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

The right word is being used here: “effort.”

I plan on starting a program titled E.F.F.O.R.T — Encouraging Families to Focus On Raising Together. Under this program, it will include the city residents’ help in doing this together. Helping the homeless and making affordable housing a thing that families can work toward together. Scratch for scratch: You scratch the city’s back, we scratch your back. A win-win in this market.

Long Beach residents have been sounding the alarm about the presence of federal immigration enforcement agents and operations in the city. Where do you stand on ICE/CBP actions, and how to plan to address residents’ concerns about this issue? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

Protecting our residents is the top priority, ensuring clear boundaries for local enforcement and ICE agents not to conduct routine arrests without a warrant or court orders — at home, schools or public spaces. Also, creating a citywide support group that will alert to trouble in the area, and providing funding for groups dedicated to helping immigrants with their citizenship.

Many cities in the region have struggled hiring and retaining police officers, with some implementing hiring bonuses and other incentives to bolster their ranks. What would you like to see the city do to ensure sufficient law enforcement capacity? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)

Our city officers will be in need of a rebranding, creating programs that showcase incentives, scholarships and career developments that invest in training, support of the officers, mental health, giving relocation bonuses and signing bonuses and promoting and having a lot of community engagement events to create relationships and bridge the gaps between the residents and the police.