By Doug Miller
Laffey joined the veritable parade of city managers who have left for one reason or another since 2001. Bruce Nyman replaced longtime City Manager Edwin Eaton in 1999, but Nyman departed in 2001 to work for the Nassau University Medical Center and was in turn replaced by the returning Eaton for a brief spell. Eaton stepped down with the appointment of Harold Porr III, who lasted until the Republicans got rid of him when they took office in 2004. He was replaced by Glen Spiritis, who was forced out after a year and replaced by Charles Theofan, who quit last December.
"Afghanistan is more stable right now than the Long Beach city government," said Nyman. "It this doesn't demonstrate that this city needs an independently elected mayor, then I don't know what will."
The problem, Nyman said, is that council candidates who run on the we-need-a-mayor platform usually put the issue aside once elected, since an independent mayor would eat into the council's power. Coincidentally, Councilman Robert Tepper submitted an op-ed piece to the Herald last week on this very subject. (See page 34.)
Reached on his cell phone while having a serene lunch Wednesday, Laffey said he had drafted a letter first thing that morning and called the council members individually. "After six months on the job, I don't think this has worked out as well as I'd hoped," he said. "I thank the council for the opportunity to serve as city manager. Anything I can do to ease the transition, I will do."
It was Laffey's second sudden departure from the city's employ in three years. He was the city's police commissioner, but resigned under pressure when the Republicans seized control of the council in 2004. Laffey was replaced by his professional rival, Lt. Tom Sofield, whom at one point he had demoted and who was later the subject of a lawsuit. The case was settled out of court.
"[The Herald] printed something very nice the last time, saying that I left as a gentleman," Laffey said. "I'm going to do that again now.
Laffey's tenure as city manager was rocky from the start. Appointed Jan. 3 after Theofan's sudden departure, he immediately earned the scorn of the two holdout Republican councilmen, Jim Hennessy and Tom Sofield, who considered him an unqualified Democratic Party tool.
It was later revealed that a classified ad for the city manager's job had been placed in The New York Times two weeks after Laffey was appointed, in what Republicans called a fraudulent attempt to give the illusion that he had been hired after a proper search. State law would prevent him from collecting a state pension system employee's salary and the police pension he earned from 35 years in the New York City Police Department unless such a search had been conducted for the job and he was found to be the only viable candidate. Council President Leonard Remo as much as admitted that Laffey was hired without sitting for a formal job interview, although Laffey and the Democrats refused to admit having done anything wrong.
Things only got tougher with his first budget, which was roundly denounced within and outside the Democratic Party. The budget, which failed 4-1, raised property taxes 25 percent while giving raises to every employee at City Hall, including council members and Laffey himself. Council resolutions removed those raises, but Tuesday night's attempt to roll back the rest of them resulted in a stalemate. (Story, page 11.)
Remo said Wednesday that he had no hand in Laffey's resignation. "But I can't speak for other members of the council," he added. "I'm still trying to absorb it all." He said that he had not yet begun to consider who would replace Laffey.
Across the aisle, the Republicans delighted in the chaos. "Since January, this administration has been like the Keystone Kops," said Jim Hennessy.
Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg, the Democrat whose district includes Long Beach, says he first introduced the idea of bringing in a mayor in 1980. But Laffey's troubles, he said, were self-created.
"Obviously we have a Council where the last two major decisions were voted down, the beach restoration and the budget," Weisenberg said. "This city manager, who appears not to have any support from the majority of the Council, probably felt that it's impossible for him to be the administrator of this kind of administration."
While Weisenberg agreed the city needed an elected mayor, he politely begged off the suggestion that he could run. "But it certainly needs to be someone who has Long Beach at heart and understands the needs of our people."
Danny Teigman contributed to this story. Comments about it? DMiller@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 213.
