Roy Lester, Council Member, City of Long Beach

ROY LESTER

Democratic

BACKGROUND:

• Lester, 71, of Long Beach, is a lawyer whose practice focuses on bankruptcy and foreclosure defense. Served five terms, with several years as president, of the Long Beach City School District, beginning in the late 1990s.
• He’s been a lifeguard for over 50 years, starting at Jones Beach in 1968, was head of the guards’ labor union and chief negotiator with the state for lifeguards.
• He went to law school at the University of San Diego, with a semester at Hofstra, and completed his undergraduate studies at New York University and the University of California at Santa Barbara.

ISSUES:

• He says that "Long Beach is broke" – and he would "watch the money much more carefully." He would impose a fee for paying taxes with a credit cards, reduce the number of consultants and reduce borrowing.
• He would expand the number of bids solicited for city services and install more parking meters.
• He said he would look to increase the commercial tax base by encouraging the use of some vacant or abandoned buildings and restrict them from residential use.