He’s moving on, but not away

For the third time in less than three years, the Newport Beach City

Council will be faced with replacing an elected council member; this

time, it’s Steve Bromberg, the mayor and the town’s No. 1 booster.

Bromberg learned last month that he was being appointed to a superior

court judgeship by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and was faced with an

ultimatum: Take a job he had been dreaming of for years or stay on

with his other dream job, serving on the council. He chose the

judgeship but not without plenty of angst over leaving the city

government of his beloved hometown. With Bromberg vacating his seat

this week, Daily Pilot Editor Tony Dodero took the opportunity to ask

him about his council experiences and what he sees for his and

Newport Beach’s future:

When did you decide that being a judge would be something you’d

like to do?

This is something that I have been thinking about for the past 10

years. About a year or so ago, I submitted an application to the

governor’s office. After 35 years as a litigator and presiding over

5,000 cases as an arbitrator and mediator, I felt I could bring a

great deal of experience to the bench. For me, it is a natural

progression of a fine legal career. I believed that if, and it was a

big if, it was going to happen, it would happen in three to four

years and that timing fit well. Never in my wildest dreams did it

occur to me that it would happen this fast.

What are some of the challenges you think you’ll face on the job?

Well, I am going from the legislative branch of government to the

judicial branch. The challenges will be both professional and

personal. As a lawyer, I do have experience in and around the

courtroom, however, being a judge is quite different. There will be a

significant learning curve as to both the court process as well as

the law itself. Fortunately, as a litigator, I have stayed current as

to the law. However, as a judge, there is still a great deal to

learn. I am very excited about this, and I look forward to the

challenge.

On the personal side, as a result of my political activities in

this city, I have been passionately outspoken on issues, and I have

been placed in a position of leadership by being a council member and

mayor. Well, as a judge, the rules are somewhat different, and they

should be. Judges do not engage in political activities unless they

pertain to the judiciary or the administration of justice. This

includes not endorsing nonjudicial candidates as well as staying

clear from fundraising activities. Judges are the ultimate neutral,

and there cannot be even the slightest perception of impropriety or

bias.

Give us your assessment of your accomplishments at City Hall.

If you are asking for a personal assessment, I can say that I am

extremely proud of my city service. I came from community involvement

because I learned that in this city, one person can truly make a

difference. Clearly, my mediation training has been a big plus. This

has helped me do my job, whether it was to assist in bringing

consensus to the City Council or working with members of the public

on issues that can be fairly contentious, such as the Mormon Temple

or Marinapark. I have tried to raise the bar regarding the city’s

public outreach process as well creating balance on issues facing the

residents. One way of accomplishing this was to work with community

leaders throughout Newport Beach. I have been involved in just about

all of the committees that work through the issues in the city,

including the general plan, sphere issues, water quality, and the

list goes on. The formation of the Newport Beach 1/1 Marine Adoption

Committee is also one of my proudest accomplishments. I will miss all

of this.

How about some of the things that you regret leaving undone?

This is the bittersweet part. Currently, we are facing the most

significant issues this city has seen since its inception. This

includes the general plan, which will be the road map for Newport

Beach going into the year 2025. We are about one year away from

completion of the process, and I will miss being a part of that. The

sphere issues committee, which involves [John Wayne Airport] ... is

also on the move right now, and there is much work to be

accomplished. I chair that committee, however, I have a great deal of

faith in my colleagues to see this through. Again, the list goes on,

and includes such issues as a new city hall, the centennial, securing

appropriate funding for Back Bay dredging, as well as so many nuts

and bolts issues also facing Newport Beach.

Again, I have a great deal of faith in my colleagues on the City

Council, and I know that the majority of the residents in this city

will support the City Council through the decision-making process. It

is important to keep in mind that the people in this city support

those council members they elected, not the ones they rejected.

What are some of the biggest issues your successor will face?

First of all, all of the above. Most importantly, the person who

becomes the District 5 representative will need to recognize that the

people in this city are incredibly intelligent and have a great deal

of political savvy. Before my successor can approach the day-to-day

issues facing the city, this individual will need to outreach to the

community, be proactive in this outreach, and, above all, recognize

how important it is to be balanced on the issues and being very sure

to eliminate any personal bias when considering what is best for the

entire city. Once my successor can accomplish all of this, everything

else will fall into place.

Will we see you around at community events?

Absolutely. I am and always will be part of this community. It is

just not possible to turn that off like a water faucet and move on.

That is not me nor is it my style. However, you won’t see any op-ed

pieces that I will be writing, nor will I be making public speeches

unless they are for charitable public purposes. I care very much for

this city, and like everyone else who lives here, I most surely have

a stake in its future.

What parting words do you have for the residents of Newport Beach?

I cannot begin to thank you all for the support you have given to

me during my term of service as a councilman and mayor. I have had

the privilege to form countless personal relationships with members

of this community, and I will always cherish that. Those

relationships will always exist and are something I will be proud of

forever.

This city is moving forward very progressively; and to that end, I

would encourage you, once again, to trust your city policy makers as

you have done in the past. These people are your neighbors and they

have the very same vested interest in the quality of life as you do.

I have always ended every speech with “The people in this city want

the best; they expect the best; they are willing to pay for the best;

and it is our pleasure to give them the best.” I truly mean this, and

you have shown by your comments and by your votes that you support

this.

Newport Beach is the most preeminent city you will find anywhere.

We have all worked very hard to live here, and that is something we

can all be very proud of.

Most of all, I could not have accomplished any of this without the

support of my wife, Ronnie.