July 3, 2006

Oakland (CA)

Former U.S. Representative Ron Dellums was announced the mayor-elect of Oakland (CA) June 16 after waiting two weeks for the voting results. Dellums won the election with 50.18 percent of the vote against City Councilman Ignacio De La Fuente. He takes office January 1, 2007.

Dellums represented Oakland and the surrounding counties of Alameda and Contra Costa in Congress from 1971 to 1998. Former colleague Rep. George Miller (CA) praised Dellums as “unique” and a great advocate for “peace, justice, and human rights both in the halls of Congress and on the streets of America.”

Upon his election, Dellums announced his leadership in Oakland would be founded on citizen-driven initiatives, and proposed citizen groups focusing on the issues of public education, crime, and economic development. “You’re going to awaken one morning, and brilliant ideas are going to come forward. Oakland going forward together is what’s going to be the hallmark of the next several years,” Dellums said.

Dellums replaces Mayer Jerry Brown, who won the Democratic nomination for allorney General and will be on the statewide ballot in November.

Residents of Long Beach (CA) voted June 6 for Bob Foster to replace outgoing mayor and Past Conference President Beverly O’Neill, who will be retiring after completing three terms as mayor this month. Foster won 57 percent of the vote according to unofficial results.

Foster, 59, is the former president of Southern California Edison [SCE], an electric power company based in Rosemead (CA).

The morning after his election, Foster said the immediate goal of his administration is to treat the public like coveted customers. Foster also said he will be working on pollution caused by the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, and suggested a potential partnership with Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on the initiative: “We’re committed to making these two ports the cleanest in the world.”

Raul Salinas, a former FBI agent and, in retirement a Security Consultant, defeated City Councilman John Galo in a run-off election June 17th to become the new mayor of Laredo.

Salinas was sworn in June 22 after winning 53 to 47 percent. He succeeds Mayor Elizabeth G. Flores who served as mayor for eight years and was Co-Chair of the Conference of Mayors Borders Task Force.

Salinas came from behind in following the general election, getting 32 percent of the vote to 40 percent for Galo as five candidates vied for the mayor’s seat. Salinas brings to city hall extensive FBI service in both the U.S. and from 1997 to 2002 as an Assistant Legal Attaché in the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City.

A 1974 graduate of the University of Maryland, Salinas was a Capitol Hill Police Officer while a University student. He also was a staff assistant to Texas Congressman Kika de la Garza from 1968 to 1970.