Northern CA Businessman, Who Gave $25,000 To Independent Expenditure Committee Backing Garcia For Mayor, Tells LBREPORT.com He Did So Because...

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(March 21, 2014, 5:55 a.m.) -- A northern CA businessman, whose firm contributed $25,000 to the independent expenditure committee "Friends of Long Beach, A Committee Supporting Vice Mayor Robert Garcia for Mayor" has told LBREPORT.com he did so because he respects the accomplishments of Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster and wants to see those policies continue.

Responding to an inquiry from LBREPORT.com, John Vidovich, President of De Anza Building and Maintenance in Sunnyvale, CA (SF Bay Area), told us by telephone on March 20 that although he isn't familiar with all details of Long Beach events, he is familiar with the accomplishments of Mr. Foster and has faith in him after seeing his work in industry and in government.

Mr. Vidovich said that as he views state and local government matters and pension and management issues, Foster went to Long Beach and provided good leadership. Mr. Vidovich said he (Vidovich) wants to see that continue, citing Foster's work with the Ports and on pension reforms, saying he views it as a good investment in having a better state.

Mr. Vidovich said he wants to encourage good government, Foster's record in Long Beach is good and he (Vidovich) wants to see this continue.

Asked directly (more than once) if Mayor Foster had asked him to contribute to the independent expenditure committee supporting Garcia, Mr. Vidovich declined to say "yes" or "no" but reiterated that he felt it was a good investment for better government. He said he'd watched what Foster did in Long Beach and thinks it has improved governance in Long Beach and is an example for the whole state.

Mr. Vidovich reiterated that his support is for anyone who's going to follow in continuing Bob Foster's legacy and said that's what he is interested in supporting.

On Feb. 1, 2014, LBREPORT.com was first (again) to report that "Friends of Long Beach, A Committee Supporting Vice Mayor Robert Garcia For Mayor" filed organizational paperwork on Jan. 27 (indicating it's not controlled by an officeholder or candidate (and thus must operate independently of Garcia and Garcia's campaign.)

Public record materials visible on the LB City Clerk's webpages (as of 9:30 a.m. Mar. 20) indicate that "Friends of Long Beach" has collected $91,000 from a total of eleven contributors to date (details in LBREPORT.com coverage here.)

On February 25, Mayor Foster appeared at a press event organized by the Garcia campaign to announce Foster's endorsement of Garcia. Mayor Foster initially declined to take questions, but LBRegister reporter Joshua Stewart and LBREPORT.com publisher Bill Pearl chased after him as he exited with Garcia.

As visible on the video clip at right, LB Register reporter Stewart reached Mayor Foster first and asked if Foster will be involved with the independent expenditure committee supporting Garcia. Garcia distanced himself as Foster told Stewart "I may, I don't know, we'll see, I haven't, I haven't, you don't see my name on it. Not right now."

LBREPORT.com's Pearl tried a second time in a slightly different formulation (asking in the present, not future tense): "Do you have anything to do with the independent expenditure committee?" Mayor Foster replied "not right now," got in his car and exited.