Vision for Long Beach

Leadership makes a difference

My life has been dedicated to the idea that I have an obligation to use my leadership skills to make a difference in the lives of our families. As a policy analyst for state of California I drafted the energy efficiency standards that made our state a pioneer in the field of conservation - and that are still in effect 30 years later.

As a Trustee for the Cal State University system and the CSU Foundation Board I have worked to make sure that all students who earn it, have an equal opportunity for quality higher education.

And as an executive at Edison I successfully worked to reduce our reliance on dirty fossil fuels and make Edison the national leader in renewable and alternative energy. I led the effort that beat back an attempt by Enron to seize control of Long Beach's energy future. I made decisions that created jobs and brought over $18 million in sales tax revenue to Long Beach. Funds to hire police officers, pave roads and repair parks.

I am running for Mayor of Long Beach because I know that I can help move Long Beach forward with my leadership abilities and experience.

As Mayor I will provide the leadership to put our city's fiscal house in order. Right now, our finances are precarious at best. We need to institute long-range budgeting that recognizes that we cannot make decisions today that will impoverish our children tomorrow.

I will provide the leadership to find ways to increase the size of our police department so that we can truly institute community-based policing; to improve our emergency preparedness and stiffen our resistance to terrorist attack.

I will provide the leadership to unite the city, and the public and private sectors with our school district to enhance educational opportunities and give our children a better future - and to provide our economy with the skilled workforce we need in an increasingly competitive world.

I will provide the leadership to help revitalize our commercial corridors and strengthen neighborhoods.

And I will provide leadership to return civility and a sense common purpose to local government. The diversity of opinion in our city is a strength, not a weakness. It is the job of a leader to extract the common strain from the discordant chorus; to engender mutual respect and forge consensus.

I've had extensive experience in government and public policy. I've run a successful small business. I've been President of a large company. And I have served Long Beach as a civic leader. I am ready to give this new challenge everything I've got.

Together, we can make Long Beach's future better for every family. Please join me in this quest.

Bob Foster

Policy Statements

No LNG in Long Beach

I emphatically oppose bringing an LNG terminal to Long Beach.

Quite simply, this is a matter of public safety. There are 130,000 people living within a 3-mile radius of the proposed facility -- this simply doesn't belong in a populated area. I will do everything I can to keep an LNG terminal out of Long Beach.


Fully Restore Library Hours

As a member of our Long Beach Public Library Foundation Advisory Board, I understand how fundamental libraries are to our City. Libraries serve as places for the community to gather and are a vital resource for many who may not have computer access in their homes.


Public Safety -- 100 more police officers

I'm proud to have the endorsement of our Long Beach Firefighter and Police Officer Associations. I believe we can add at least 100 police officers over the next fours years by using existing revenue streams and increasing the oil extraction fee.


Protect the Noise Ordinance at Long Beach Airport

Long Beach must fight to protect the noise ordinance. I support the creation of a legal defense fund to ensure the City has the resources to defend our noise ordinance.

While I support a modest modernization of concession, baggage handling and security facilities, we must use aircraft parking spaces and passenger gates as a means to regulate annual passenger capacity.