Bill Rosendahl To Bow Out of City Politics As He Battles Cancer

Bill Rosendahl / Facebook

Last night he posted a letter to constituents saying he won't seek a third term on the council and that he's "passing the baton" to his chief of staff, Mike Bonin, who plans to run for the seat.

The 67-year-old says he'll "join the ranks of millions of other cancer survivors" and will be back in the public eye:

Please know that I don't plan to fade away. On the contrary, once I have beaten this cancer I plan to return to public affairs broadcasting on television or radio. I want to create a space for honest and open dialogue on the important issues facing our city, our state, and our country; a space where people can finish their sentences, share their thoughts, and contribute in a positive way to the public discourse.

People around his own neighborhood in Mar Vista have said he has looked thin, and he has missed City Council meetings as he's fought cancer. He announced his health battle Aug. 1.

Rosendahl says he's met many goals in his Venice-Mar Vista-Westchester district, including helping to modernize LAX, getting homeless off the street and "building mass transit." And, he writes, "Mike [Bonin] was there" on these issues since his first day in office in 2005:

With Mike ready to fill my shoes, I can step aside with confidence, knowing the issues we have worked on and the vision that we share in rebuilding our local democracy will move forward without interruption, without hesitation, and with a genuine appreciation for the needs of this district and it's amazing constituency.

[@dennisjromero / djromero@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]