BEHIND THE HEADLINES:

* EDITOR’S NOTE: Behind the Headlines is a regular feature that focuses on the people involved in the stories making news. It allows them to speak in depth on the issues that have the community talking.

There is life after politics for former Costa Mesa Mayor Joe Erickson.

And his life since he left the City Council six years ago has included sorrow and joy.

Erickson and his family have gone through the death of his parents. He and wife, Alesia, have also seen three of their children go off to college.

Lately, Erickson has been connected with Return to Reason, a political action group formed this summer to unseat Mayor Allan Mansoor in the November election.

Aside from his involvement with the group, he has stayed out of the political limelight.

Erickson left the City Council in December 2000, after having served on the council for more than nine years and on the Planning Commission for more than six year.

He said his perspective on family has changed since he left the council. When he was in office, his job on the council took time away from his family. Now, he treasures time spent with his youngest child, Emma, 9.

Erickson beams with pride when speaking about his children.

His son, Jim, 23, has earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Son Dave, 21, is a student at UC Santa Barbara. Daughter Katie, 20, is at UC San Diego.

Looking back on his work on the council, Erickson said he helped balance the city’s budget, as well as increase the number of police officers in the force.

He said he did his best while on the council and always tried to keep an open mind to new ideas.

Question: Do you miss city politics?

Answer: I miss all the people that I met. I don’t miss the long meetings.

Q: Why did you join Return to Reason?

A: The basic idea for the forming of the group was to have city government focus on services for people who live and work here. It seems like outside groups from both sides of the immigration issue are coming into the city telling us what to do. We’re asking voters of Costa Mesa if this is what they (current council) should be doing.

Costa Mesa should be known as a good place to live and a good place to do business, and that is being overshadowed by outside groups trying to fight the immigration issue. In my opinion, illegal immigration should be solved on a national level. The focus of our local government should come back to providing quality services to the people that live and work here.

Q: Why did you leave the council in December 2000?

A: I thought it would be inappropriate for me to run for a third term. I supported term limits and 79% of voters agreed.

To be candid, it was my time to leave. I wanted to leave on a good note. I wanted to pass the torch and let someone else try.

Q: What is your opinion of the current city government in Costa Mesa?

A: Costa Mesa is fortunate to have City Manager Allan Roeder. I served with Gary Monahan and Linda Dixon, and I wish Monahan well when he leaves.

I wasn’t able to deliver the skateboard park, and I’m grateful that they [the current council] did. Hats off to them. It was one of my goals.

I respect them as individuals. Mansoor is a decent man, but his focus should be on local government services. I respect him because he has a very difficult job. I respect the position he’s in because it’s a very time-consuming job.

Q: What is your opinion on illegal immigration?

A: I don’t think that it’s a city issue. It’s a federal issue. What are we going to do with 12 million illegal immigrants? It’s impractical to deport them.

Q: Have you been recently asked to run for office again?

A: No. There’s a time for everything and this is the time for me to see Emma grow up. Alesia told me you can run for office again. For now I just need to watch Emma grow and work on this old house.

Q: What did you learn while on the City Council?

A: The importance of local government cannot be exaggerated. Local government is so close to you. When a crime is committed you don’t call the president, you call police; when you have a fire, you call the fire department.

People need to vote and need to be involved. It’s disturbing how few people vote.

Q: What have you learned after leaving council?

A: It’s important to love your wife, spend time with your children and keep in contact with your friends, that is what I have learned since leaving City Council.

Q: What do you do for relaxation?

A: I have run seven marathons, the last one in 1999. I swim and do surf fishing. When your body is fit, your mind is clear. I’m fitter than I was before.

JOE ERICKSON

* Age: 49

* Occupation: President of Isidore C. Meyers and Joseph A. Erickson Properties Inc.

* Family: Alesia, his wife of 26 years; sons Jim, 23, and Dave, 21; daughters Katie, 20 and Emma, 9.

* Education: Bachelor’s degree in public administration from Cal State Fullerton.

* Community involvement: Served more than nine years on the City Council and more than six years on the Planning Commission; was a founding board member of Save Our Youth.