Schabarum Reveals He May Not Run for Another Term

Apparently rebuffed by the Bush Administration, he may just be feeling the blues. But longtime Supervisor Pete Schabarum says he may not seek reelection in 1990--a possibility that could help resolve a Justice Department lawsuit that accuses the county of voting rights discrimination against Latinos.

In a television interview aired over the weekend, Schabarum said he was disappointed that President-elect Bush has not selected him to serve as Secretary of Transportation, a post he actively pursued. (Though not yet announced, Chicago transit official Samuel Skinner seems to have a lock on the job.)

The conservative supervisor also acknowledged some weariness after 17 years on the board.

Schabarum, who will turn 60 in January, said he will take “a very, very hard look” next year at returning to the private sector when his term ends in 1990. If he had to make the decision now, Schabarum told KCBS reporter Ruth Ashton Taylor, he would “probably not” seek reelection. “That would be the story of the day,” the supervisor remarked.

Schabarum later softened his comments: “Let’s just see how the mop flops,” he said, and declined to elaborate Tuesday. Aides to Schabarum and his colleagues on the board said the supervisor has talked before about retiring but has always filed for reelection.

The implications of his possible departure were not lost on those interested in creating a majority Latino voting district before the 1990 elections take place.

Among the five districts, Schabarum’s San Gabriel Valley domain has a large share of Latino voters. His district is likely to be altered substantially if the county loses a court fight to create a new district, or if a settlement is reached that mandates reapportionment.

An attorney collecting and analyzing evidence in anticipation of a trial next August suggested that Schabarum’s comments make the prospect of a settlement more realistic.

Suits Against County

“It certainly is a lot easier to redraw lines if Schabarum is not concerned about getting reelected,” said Richard Fajardo, an attorney for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund. MALDEF and the American Civil Liberties Union filed suit against the county in August, alleging violations of the Voting Rights Act. The Justice Department suit followed two weeks later.

The possibility of Schabarum’s departure “obviously could make a reapportionment plan easier to achieve. . . . If we could get an out-of-court settlement, that would certainly be preferable to expensive litigation,” said Supervisor Ed Edelman, whose district also has a large Latino population.

Fajardo said he “wouldn’t rule out the possibility” of a settlement but added, “It’s too early to talk about it.”

If the county successfully defends itself against discrimination charges, reapportionment could be put off until after the results of the 1990 census are tabulated.

In his appearance on KCBS’ “Newsmakers” program, Schabarum cited several factors making him consider retiring at the completion of his term. When it was was suggested that the increasing frequency of Schabarum’s absences from board meetings indicates that he may be “losing interest” and “winding down,” the supervisor said, “Yes. That’s not an unrealistic analysis.

“I’ve been on the job as supervisor for 17 years, with two years left,” he continued. “I’m going to be taking a very, very hard look at what my future will be in about a year when I have to make that choice of another term.” Schabarum was appointed to his seat in 1972 and has since won election to four terms.

Later, he suggested that his salary of $81,505 was inadequate. “I’d like to go back to making a living, which I have not been by my standards.”

If he does leave office, Schabarum said he would work on two initiative campaigns. One would return the state Legislature to being a part-time body. The other is intended to speed trials.