Councilman Rosenstein Not to Seek Reelection

By Jorge Casuso

Councilman and former mayor Paul Rosenstein, widely considered a moderate on an increasingly liberal City Council, announced on Friday that he will not seek reelection to the seat he has held since 1992.

In a carefully worded letter, Rosenstein -- who in 1996 launched the only successful independent bid for a council seat in nearly a quarter century -- cited personal as well as political reasons for his unexpected decision.

"I have so many mixed feelings," Rosenstein wrote. "My work over the past 15 years has been incredibly rewarding, as well as challenging.... 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."

Rosenstein, who served as mayor from 1994 to 1996, used the occasion to criticize a council he has often been at loggerheads with.

"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," Rosenstein wrote. "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."

Civic leaders were quick to react to the surprising news.

"Wow," said former mayor Judy Abdo, who ran on the same slate as Rosenstein in 1988 and 1992. "It's big-time news. I think Paul's worked really hard for eight years, and I wish him well. I think for him personally, that's the right decision to make."

"I don't know what I'll do for a second (on motions) now," said Councilman Robert Holbrook, who often sided with Rosenstein on key issues. "I think Paul has been an outstanding city councilman and a colleague who has been a moderate force."

Rosenstein, who broke from Santa Monicans for Renters' Rights during the 1996 election, became a key swing vote on a divided council. It was Rosenstein who cast the deciding vote to set what SMMR members considered a low fee for developers who opted not to build affordable housing on site.

Rosenstein also cast the key council vote to pull direct city funding to neighborhood groups, as well as the vote that elected Councilman Robert Holbrook, a longtime SMRR foe, to the mayor's post.

"I would never have had a chance to be mayor if Paul hadn't voted for me," Holbrook said. "Paul is a brilliant guy. He's got a wonderful charismatic way of discussing items. He's a master of the English language and a very nice guy. I will miss him a lot."

After SMRR gained a super-majority on the council last year, Rosenstein became a key dissenting voice, contending that the council was acting with little facts to back crucial decisions.

He constantly criticized the emergency moratorium on demolishing and building multi-family units, arguing that the number of projects in the pipeline didn't warrant such an extreme action. He also spoke up on behalf of auto repair shops, arguing that the restrictions being placed by the council were so extreme they amounted to "killing a fly with a sledge hammer."

Rosenstein, who received the backing of the city's business community, has become a leading champion of an unprecedented proposal that would require hotels and restaurants in the Coastal zone to pay workers a living wage.

After his reelection in 1996, Rosenstein launched an alternative party called "The Civic Forum." But the party failed to make inroads in the 1998 council races and quickly faded.

Before being elected to the City Council with SMRR's backing in 1992, Rosenstein served for three years on the city's Planning Commission. Before that he was a founder and president of Mid-City Neighbors.

Rosenstein said he decided to make the announcement not to seek reelection now because "everybody's been asking me everywhere I go what I'm going to do.

"I figured I'd let people know as soon as possible to give people the opportunity to run for the seat," Rosenstein said.

A union electrician, Rosenstein said he has no immediate plans.

"I expect to take a rest for a while and see what happens," Rosenstein said in an interview shortly after his announcement. "I have nothing specific in mind. To serve in the community is in my blood, so I just have a hunch I will be involved in the future.

"I've sacrificed my personal life for 15 years," Rosenstein said. "Now it's time to move to other things and see what life is all about."