Citing his frustration with managing legislators and dealing with their campaigns, Assembly Minority Leader Spencer Black said Thursday he will step down from his post to focus more on creating legislation.

Black, D-Madison, was elected minority leader in May 2001 after serving in the Assembly since 1984.

In a letter to his colleagues, Black said he was unenthusiastic about accepting the job initially.

“As I told my fellow Assembly Democrats at the caucus at which I was elected leader, I accepted the minority-leader job with reluctance,” Black stated.

“My reluctance was due, in large part, because I knew that the administrative and campaign responsibilities that come with the minority-leader job would divert a significant portion of my time and attention from my efforts to initiate and advocate legislation in the areas of the environment, education, health care, economic justice and campaign-finance reform.”

Black said his departure is healthy, because it encourages a turnover in leadership roles.

“One of the reasons, in my opinion, that problems have developed within the Legislature as an institution, is that the job of top leader has come to be viewed as permanent, and those who have the job generally leave only when they are forced to do so,” Black said.

“It would be better for the quality of our state government if the four top leader jobs in the Legislature were viewed as something that respected legislators do for a limited period of time and then return to their normal legislative work. I hope my actions will help establish a precedent in that regard.”

Black said he will attempt to win back his job as assistant minority leader, which he held 18 months ago.