Ho Chung Resigns as Mayor Pro Tem

City Council member Ho Chung has resigned as mayor pro tem, saying a rivalry exists between himself and fellow Councilman Mark Leyes, both of whom are considering running next year for the Republican nomination to the California Assembly.

Chung said he resigned after Leyes accused him of using the mayor pro tem position as a springboard for the nomination.

“I don’t believe that mayor pro tem helps that much in election,” Chung said. “But I don’t want to make this look like infighting on the council.”

The resignation, accepted by Mayor Bruce Broadwater at the conclusion of Monday night’s City Council meeting, leaves vacant the No. 2 position. The job is mostly ceremonial, designed to provide a backup for the mayor if he or she is unable to attend a meeting or public function.

Leyes said in an interview Tuesday that Chung had abused the office by “pulling rank over other councilmen in public” and spending more time “worrying about how he looks politically than working for the city.”

Chung countered that Leyes used the mayor pro tem position last year for his own benefit when he launched his failed campaign for a seat on the County Board of Supervisors. “He used the position, and he doesn’t want somebody else to use it,” Chung said.

Broadwater said he supported Chung’s decision to resign the position but remain on the council. “It was the proper thing for him to do. If you have two councilmen running against each other, to have one as mayor pro tem isn’t proper,” he said.

Now, a city once distinguished as the only one in the county with two mayors pro tem--Leyes and Chung shared the title for a few months last year--has none.

At their June 23 meeting, council members will appoint one of their number to succeed Chung.