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UPDATED: Robert Fox Doesn't Submit Papers To Run For Mayor, Says He Cut This Deal With Mayor Garcia; Garcia Emails This Statement

Wait, wait: Less than two hours later, Fox issues "clarifier," now says there was no deal.


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(Jan. 12, 2018, 7:35 p.m., 8:05 p.m., 11:10 p.m.) -- As first flashed on LBREPORT.com front page and Facebook page, Robert Fox, the neighborhood advocate/businessman who effectively forced City Hall to hold citywide Town Hall style meetings and has led opposition to city staff's density-promoting Land Use Element, didn't submit papers he requested on Jan. 11 from the City Clerk's office with nomination signatures he collected yesterday to run for Mayor.

Instead, at 6:31 p.m. (roughly ninety minutes after the filing deadline passed), Mr. Fox emailed the following statement to a number of individuals who forwarded it to LBREPORT.com. In a message carrying the subject line "Dear Friends and Neighbors," Mr. Fox wrote:

[Scroll down for further.]

[Fox statement] Today with filled out paperwork in hand ready for the City Clerk I met privately with Mayor Robert Garcia for over 2 hours. Since I pulled the paperwork to run for Mayor a day ago, the landscape had changed in the City. I so appreciate your support and faith in me.

My goal has always been to represent the desires and will of you all. Our purpose in opposing the LUE galvanized this City. Our unanimous opposition to Rent Control was one of our critical issues.

In discussion with Robert today if I did not run for the Mayorshoip [sic], he would pull tmihe [sic] LUE off of the February calendar. In fact he would have a Traffic Element done on the LUE, an outside legal consultant review all aspects of the State laws from 2017 and those proposed for 2018 and how they might impact the LUE.

These are great accomplishments. However there is more. The Mayor will annouce [sic] tonight the formation of Mayoral/ CONO sponsored Roundtable meetings in each council district so that we can actually alter the maps ourselves and create a new General Plan. Staff will not be in charge but will be present to WRITE DOWN and RECORD, all recommendations for alteration.

We will have a new General Plan designed by the people.

Robert Garcia will also pronounce in his announcement tonight his opposition to Rent Control and some reasons for his position.

I took my ego out of this eqation, and tried to find away to forestall the LUE from February, find inclusion in the alteration before it goes to Council and to assure that we get a review of traffic, parking and legal consequences before finalizing this new General Plan Document.

You all will have a place at this table in your council district.

We spoke on many more issues, and have come to a meeting of minds on most all of the subjects we discussed. The Mayor promised to keep his word as he is a man of integrity. I am grateful for the sincere and forthright meeting with Robert.

These basic points of our intentions are secured now. I wish to thank all of you who supported my effort to effect these enormous agreements and positive decisions for the People of Long Beach.

Although I will not be running for Mayor right now, I have every intention of keeping my hand in the political stream. As always we must be firm, committed and keep the best interests of Long Beach in our hearts. This polite yet forthright conversation yielded great rewards for us all.

I hope you will not be too disappointed that I put our principles and purpose before my desire to run for Mayor. New days dawn, and I will not disappear. I look forward to your continued support and your thoughts and cooperation as we move forward with this new inspiration.

Thank you so much.
s/ Robert Fox

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At 7:40 p.m., Mayor Garcia's Chief of Staff emailed the following statement:

[Garcia statement] Over the last couple of days, I've had some great conversations with Robert Fox, the President of CONO and a longtime community leader. We have been discussing next steps on the Land Use Element and other important issues. We are working together to host a series of Mayoral Land Use Roundtables in the weeks ahead.

In addition, we have been discussing ways to ensure that we focus on housing production in the Downtown, including affordable housing for seniors. We don't believe that rent control works, or is the right solution. Just look at rent controlled cities like San Francisco, the most expensive market in the country.

I look forward to working with Mr. Fox on this and other issues in the future.

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And at 8:18 p.m., Mr. Fox sent a mass email he titled "Correction in my email to you. Please read."

[Fox clarifier] Just to clarify.. My conversation with Robert Garcia was a great discussion.. I did not make him give us something for me not running. I was there to discuss our issues, and we did.

I decided after we had agreed on so many things, that I had no need to run for Mayor.

And just so you know. The city attorney must review the idea of a review of State Laws affecting the LUE. So there is another step involved with this issue.

We are not making a new general plan.. we are adjusting the LUE which has been in the works for years. The Roundtable meetings are meant to give input, make adjustments and alterations.

There is so much in the LUE which we do not have the right to throw out, like the environmental clauses, etc. So we are going to participate as we wished in the process to create an LUE which is acceptable to the citizenry of Long Beach. This is a great time to share our thoughts and shared opinions about elements within the plan.

Sorry I did not clarify that before.

What I took away from the meeting was a sincere effort to listen to our citizens and facilitate good communication to make a good end.

Thanks.
s/Robert Fox

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