Full Text of Rosenstein's Announcement Not to Run

As the end of my second term on the City Council approaches, I've been giving more and more thought to my future plans: What do I want to do when I grow up?

I have so many mixed feelings. My work over the past 15 years (as community activist, pier board member, planning commissioner, mayor and councilmember) have been incredibly rewarding, as well as challenging.

My first years on the Council were times of deep economic recession and austerity. The community was at war with itself over the responses to homelessness and crime. And the city was in a respite from the development wars of the late 80's. Confidence in the city government reached a low-point.

I've been honored to have participated in the reshaping of the city's policies that, together with the improved economy, have led to our present renaissance.

After much angst, I have decided that I will not run for reelection in November. It is time for me to move on and find other ways to serve our community.

I will miss the satisfaction of city-building and working with the finest group of public servants I've ever met. I will not miss the downsides of the political process - the game playing and small mindedness, the ego and power tripping, the grandstanding and the lying.

Now the city faces new challenges: We are in danger of strangling on our successes and prosperity. Parking and traffic problems are pitting residents against businesses. Nimbyism is becoming the false response to challenging problems. Gentrification, which undermines our diversity, is proceeding rapidly. The community is divided over the best way to insure that those at the bottom of the economic ladder share in the general prosperity. The unmet needs are great and surpass our current good fortune.

The city needs new, progressive leadership to make the tough and difficult decisions, humanely represent all our citizens and enlightened enough to balance our conflicting interests.

Paul Rosenstein
Councilmember