LONG BEACH - A close friend's terminal illness pushed Mayor Bob Foster away from starting a promising campaign for a third term.
"It's one thing when you're 46 or 56, but when you're 66, you should be pretty objective that you have more time behind you than in front of you."
The revelation was made by Foster for the first time publicly in a sit-down interview Thursday with the Press-Telegram, his first since announcing Tuesday that he would not run again to lead Los Angeles County's second-largest city.
During the hourlong session, Foster talked about his seven years in office, covering topics ranging from Long Beach's slow slog to find structural budget balance during the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, promises kept and one broken, his relationship with Port of Long Beach officials and more.
But it was Foster's disclosure of the reason why he ultimately made the decision, which shocked Long Beach politics, that confirmed what the mayor had been telling supporters for months -- he truly was split on running again.
"It really did make me reassess my whole life," Foster said of the friend's sickness. "The truth is, we should all live like we have a terminal diagnosis."
The surprise move came only three days after the Foster camp released a poll showing him 20 percent ahead of the closest competitor in a hypothetical mayoral primary in April.
"I
was on the road to run," Foster said. "We were going to release the poll as part of that."With the poll's release fixed to a predetermined schedule, Foster huddled with his wife, children, mother and close supporters to discuss his future, contemplating the new reminder of mortality.
What he ultimately chose to do has left a wide open campaign for the next Long Beach mayor.
"I don't know how much time I have, but I'm going to live as if it is more truncated than I previously thought," Foster said.
Those plans include spending time with family and continuing his work as chair of the board of the California Independent System Operator, a nonprofit that manages the state's wholesale electric transmission grid.
Foster, a former president of Southern California Edison, also envisions serving on various boards, helping with startup companies and working on renewable energy projects.
He said he "absolutely" has no plans to seek a future elected office.
"I wouldn't rule it out, but it's very unlikely," said Foster, who added he would consider an appointed position.
During Foster's time in office, Long Beach has
After deciding not to seek a third term, Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster discusses his future and his tenure as mayor July 18, 2013. (Scott Varley/Los Angeles News Group)
cut about $200 million from the budget.Next year, for the first time in a decade, the city will be sitting on a $3.6 million surplus, though a $4.9 million deficit is expected in 2015, according to figures released earlier this year. A smaller, $300,000 shortfall is forecast for 2016.
Council members are also looking at spending more than $50 million in available "one-time" dollars, such as oil surplus revenue, in 2014.
As he has in past budget discussions, Foster plans to aggressively advise the council to use the money on capital items and resist committing the funds to daily services, which leads to increased expenses in succeeding years.
If city leaders had done so in the past, the budget would be unmanageable today, the mayor argued, and not approaching structural balance after the difficulties created by the recession that began in the 2008.
Five years later, Foster said he still thinks it was right to push for Measure I, the failed 2008 infrastructure initiative that would have raised about $1.3 billion to finance $571 million in improvement bonds over 10 years.
"I would choose a different time," Foster conceded.
He pointed out that the absentee ballots went out the day that Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy.
"Even with all that distress, we got nearly 55 percent of the vote," Foster said. A two-thirds vote was required.
Foster also commented on his well-known and often evident frustrations with the political theater of council meetings.
"I wish we could stop some of the posturing, because there's a lot of that," he said. "Half of the things brought up before the council don't need to be there, but people feel compelled to do it."
Among Foster's regrets is his inability to fulfill a campaign pledge to add 100 police officers.
The sworn officer rolls of the Long Beach Police Department peaked at almost 1,000 officers in 2009. In June, 819 sworn officers were budgeted, according to the LBPD.
"We were halfway there, the crisis hit and we could never make it," said Foster.
Talking about one of the more controversial parts of his leadership -- his handling of the Port of Long Beach -- Foster defended a hands-on approach that included exercising his veto power in 2010 to stop a new $220 million facility on port property that he has referred to as a "Taj Mahal."
Though the Port of Long Beach is an independent department of the city, the council must approve the port's budget.
"There's no reason why the city should not have some oversight," said Foster. "I want them at arms length, but there has to be a relationship."
Port officials should be commended, Foster was quick to say, for following advice to save money on the $1 billion Gerald Desmond Bridge replacement project by combining design and construction into one contract in a "design-build" concept.
Concerns over the culture at the port was one of the things motivating him to run again, Foster acknowledged.
"But you know what, there's always things left unfinished," he said. "I do think that it has become clear that the mayor's office and the council does exert pressure over the (port) budget."
The field to succeed Foster grew to five immediately following his announcement, when Vice Mayor Robert Garcia announced on Wednesday he would run.
Previously declaring bids were Damon Dunn, a businessman and former NFL player; Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske; Long Beach City College Trustee Doug Otto; and Jana Shields, a linguist, treasurer of the Willmore City Heritage Association and past 1st Council District candidate.
Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal and Assemblywoman Bonnie Lowenthal, D-Long Beach, are also considering entering the race.
Foster declined to weigh in on the slate, or say if he will endorse.
"I know I'll be asked," Foster said. "At least for the immediate future, I'm not getting involved."
Foster said he is proud of his record.
"We've had a terrific run under very difficult circumstances," he said. "I'm going to leave this city in much better shape than I found it."
Eric Bradley can be reached 562-499-1254
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