May 30, 2011

Newark (CA) Mayor David Smith announced that he would end his 33-year tenure this year by not seeking reelection. Smith was elected at age 32, and is currently in his 16th consecutive term as mayor. He has been a Trustee of The U.S. Conference of Mayors since 1994.

When Smith took office in the wake of Proposition 13, Newark was a city with mostly older, industrial companies and no hotels, few stores and a paltry retail base, Smith said in reflecting on his tenure. So he set out to reinvent the city's economy by adding a retail base from NewPark Mall, the construction of new hotels and the addition of auto dealers.

"I-m going to be 66 when I retire, and not only do I have a bucket list, but I have diverse interests that I-ve placed on hold for a while," Smith said. "But there's a bittersweet feeling because I-m leaving family behind in some ways, and it's tough for me to let that go."