Councilman Bob Frutos talks development, accountability as he seeks second term
Burbank City Councilman Bob Frutos said he is proud of what he accomplished during his four years on the dais, such as involving the city in the Special Olympics and representing the city in Inchon, Korea.
The 52-year-old retired officer from the Los Angeles Police Department is vying for his second term on the City Council and said that he wants to continue fighting for residents and getting things done around Burbank.
“I’m a great facilitator, and I’ve worked with different neighborhoods in our city,” he said. “What I love about this city is that we’re an at-large, so I represent everyone.”
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With 29 years of policing under his belt, Frutos said that his time in law enforcement has trained him to be a good listener and to think critically about important issues that have an impact on the city.
He added that his four years as a council member have taught him the importance of working and collaborating with residents and other community members to resolve issues to the best of their abilities.
“Judge me on the process, judge me on my effectiveness to not just bring change, but to bring workable solutions to solve the complex issues that are facing our city,” Frutos said.
What do you consider to be the biggest issue facing Burbank today?
For Frutos, the biggest issue the city is facing is a projected unbalanced budget.
The councilman said he understands that the city is facing an increasing deficit over the next five years and thinks that one of the ways to counteract the shortfall is with smart development, which he knows is not a popular plan.
“In order to meet the rate of our city’s inflation, I have to work hard and listen to the people, but at some point, I have to make tough decisions,” Frutos said. “I don’t think I’d find a room of 100 people who would say that they love a certain development, but if I can get at least 80 or 90 of them to like it, then I think I’m doing really good. At the end of the day, I’m here to earn the public’s trust and take care of their city.”
Frutos pointed to the new IKEA project on San Fernando Boulevard, which he thinks is a responsible development that will generate more sales tax revenue than the existing, smaller store just a few blocks away.
“I have to keep looking at development,” he said. “I don’t have a choice. I don’t want to build out the city to the point where people hate it, but I’m open to those dialogues of projects that turn properties over.”
How would you ensure that the members of the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority stick to what they told voters they would do?
With Measure B earning more than enough votes from Burbank residents to win approval during the November election, the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority can move forward with its plans to build a replacement 14-gate terminal at Hollywood Burbank Airport.
Aware of the tension some residents have with the airport about construction of a new terminal, Frutos said that it might be time to have current Burbank council members serving on the airport authority.
“The voters could hold us accountable for being asleep at the switch if we allow something to slip past us,” he said.
Furthermore, Frutos said that he would continue to be in contact with airport officials to stay up to date on any progress on the project.
“I want to meet with them quarterly and be very specific about the project,” he said. “There’s no more negotiations, but I want them to hear from me that I’m paying close attention and want them to know intimately that development agreement, because that is what they told the people and the council.”
How would you ensure that the city’s budget is balanced without pulling money from the General Fund?
In addition to seeking out responsible development projects to help offset the growing deficit, Frutos said that he would work with city manager Ron Davis to talk with various departments and address issues relating to workers’ compensation.
“That costs a lot of money,” he said. “I want to make sure that if somebody’s hurt, we can take care of the employee. We owe it to them.”
Additionally, Frutos said there needs to be more discussion about pension obligations and trying to pay down unfunded liabilities.
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Anthony Clark Carpio, anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com
Twitter: @acocarpio
