| Out of respect and concern for priorities, we put our campaign on hold as our fellow residents responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many have lost their jobs, some may lose their businesses, and to those who have lost loved ones, I mourn with you. Three weeks ago I was shocked to learn that a dear friend of mine, Garry Bowie, lost his life due to the novel coronavirus. Garry was a longtime leader in the LGBT community, advocating for resources for people living with HIV. Please keep Garry in your thoughts. I am very proud of the way our community has come together to slow the spread of the disease, particularly for the sake of the most vulnerable among us. I thank each and every one of you that supported your neighbors in taking public health seriously by following Stay At Home guidelines. The actions that we take over the next few months will be crucial in determining the economic and social health of Long Beach for decades. Challenging economic times are looming, and the last thing that people want to see right now is politics and fundraising for the November runoff. However, it has never been more important to think critically about who you want to represent you at the local level, and how we can address the new issues created in the wake of COVID-19. We are looking at an alteration of the entire economic base of the city and, even with some easing, continuing restrictions on daily life. For ten months, I campaigned on a platform of fiscal responsibility and turning Long Beach into a truly resident-centered, neighborhood-friendly, and business-friendly city. This renewed vision will be vital to the social and economic future of Long Beach and will ensure that people who live in our city can also work here and patronize our struggling small businesses when they reopen. We won the March primary on that message, and we will win again in November with your help. |
In the runoff election, 2nd District residents will be making the most important local political decision of their lives: Do we allow the corrupt City Hall system, notorious for its lack of foresight and wasteful spending, to maintain power and perpetuate itself? Or do we seek new horizons and a new vision for Long Beach, providing the residents a way forward that actually includes them in the process? Over the next couple of weeks, we will begin gearing our campaign back up for the final stretch into the fall. We have a lot of work to do, and if we are going to defeat the corrupt political machine that is trying to tip the scales for Cindy Allen, we are going to need your help. You have a clear choice between a long-term community leader or an Orange County transplant embroiled in scandal. Which kind of leadership do you and your neighbors deserve? We need a new spirit in City Hall and a new council member who will lead the movement for change. I promise to be that leader. Sincerely, Robert Fox |