DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO ? San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders declared Saturday one of the most exciting nights of his life. And who could argue with that?
Certainly, no one dared to at his big farewell bash.
?I am having a little bit of trouble keeping it together right now,? Sanders told the throng of supporters gathered at the new Central Library in downtown San Diego.
?This isn?t about me. This is about a celebration for San Diego. This is about what every single person in this audience has done over the last seven years,? Sanders said. ?And that?s about pulling together, making sacrifices, working together, bringing everybody together, and solving the problems we were in. And you have done a tremendous job. And for that, I am tremendously thankful.?
The celebration was, in fact, for Sanders, who leaves office Dec. 3 with the city in far better financial shape than when he took over. No one here needed reminding of how bad things were. Still, there was a montage of news clips illustrating the city?s massive structural deficit, the Securities and Exchange Commission investigation, and ?Enron by the Sea? headlines.
More than 500 budgeted positions were unaccounted for. The city didn?t know what properties it owned. Its pension system was underfunded by about $1.4 billion. It had a reserve of roughly $35 million, or 3 percent of the budget.
San Diego Superior Court Judge Michael Smyth, a close friend of the mayor, recalled some of the campaign chatter about the former police chief being too nice a guy to confront the challenges. On Saturday, Smyth said he always considered those criticisms somewhat laughable.
?Being a nice guy when you are also highly competent and ethical worked out just fine,? he said.
Indeed, the city now has a budget surplus, and its reserves are into the double digits of its budget.
?Everybody has worked so close together to build this city,? Sanders said, amid more gushing montages. The mayor then turned his attention to the new library.
?And what we see standing right here was a community demand,? he said. ?It was not a community desire ? And when the community demands it, we can build great things.?
Proceeds from the $45-a-ticket event went to support the San Diego Library Foundation, Barrio Logan College Institute and Balboa Park 2015 Centennial Fund.
Sanders, dressed in khakis and a white linen shirt, never seemed to lose his smile as he milled about the outdoor party.
He joined in a rendition of Pink Floyd?s ?Wish You Were Here,? cheered when the San Diego State University band marched through the party and folded over laughing when his staff belted out their original version of ?So Long, Mayor,? sung to the tune of ?Hello, Dolly!?
Among the notable lines: ?Lost some weight, your yard looks great and that?s not all B.S.? and ?Mayor we all wish you?d won once more.?
The only one here to admit a Sanders fault was Sanders, who is scheduled to take over as head of the regional Chamber of Commerce. He offered, vaguely, that he?s made mistakes and sometimes retreated to his Kensington home in sour moods.
No one seemed to want to dwell on that. Particularly those wearing pins with a photo of Sanders and the bold, but oft-repeated ?Best Mayor Ever? declaration. Also in attendance was a who?s who of current and former elected officials. They toasted over Ale to the Chief, brewed specially for the event.
?Let?s make a toast to the best mayor this city has seen, ever,? said Sanders Chief of Staff Julie Dubick.
She was interrupted by another video ? this one of the mayor and his staff goofing off.
Source: http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/nov/17/mayor-sanders-toasted-farewell-bash/
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