Everybody's working for the weekend
An FPPC fine in Fremont's mayoral race; Armstrong joins Oakland at-large race, How does it affect recalls? Gaza protester jousts with Alameda councilmember; Hayward moves ahead with sales tax renewal
ELECTION 2024
166 Days to Election Day
FREMONT MAYOR
—BACON BITS—Fremont mayoral candidate Vinnie Bacon is on the hook for another fine levied from the California Fair Political Practices Commission. The fine is his second for non-disclosure of campaign contributions.
—The latest penalty stems from Bacon’s campaign for Alameda County supervisor in 2020. The FPPC, in a stipulation dated on Monday, found that Bacon failed to properly disclose within a 24-hour period four instances of contributions totaling $23,611.
—The FPPC proposes fining Bacon $1,836 for the transgression. However, the FPPC enforcement chief wrote “the extent and gravity of the public harm in the aggregate is not more than minimal,” and there was no evidence that Bacon intended to conceal the contributions from the public.
—The original complaint was filed in September 2020, just a few months before the District 1 supervisorial general election against David Haubert, but the case was only closed on May 20, according to the FPPC’s stipulation.
—Poor campaign finance accounting has long bedeviled Bacon and will likely be used against him this fall in what appears destined to be a contentious race against Fremont Councilmember Raj Salwan.
—During the 2020 supervisorial race, Haubert repeatedly maligned Bacon’s past FPPC violation.
—In one memorable quote, Haubert said during a 2020 candidate forum that “We need a lawmaker, not a lawbreaker.”
—Following Bacon’s successful re-election campaign for the Fremont City Council in 2016, he was fined $2,381 for nine violations of failing in a timely manner to disclose a total of $58,471 in campaign loans and contributions.
—Bacon is also part of another FPPC complaint, this one against Fremont Councilmember Jenny Kassan, his wife, for allegedly failing to report a campaign finance item. The complaint was filed in November 2022 and not yet been resolved.
OAKLAND CITY COUNCIL - AT-LARGE
—LIVING AT-LARGE—Former Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong’s rumored candidacy for Oakland’s at-large council seat has percolated so long that it was seemingly inevitable.
—On Wednesday, Armstrong pulled papers for the citywide seat.
—The move immediately vaults Armstrong to the top of an early field of 10 candidates that have filed an intent to run for Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan’s seat.
—Kaplan has not made a public announcement, but she is not expected to seek re-election this fall to the seat she’s held since 2008.
—Armstong was dismissed as police chief in February 2023 by incoming Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. The move largely triggered the current recall effort against Thao.
—Last February, Armstrong filed a lawsuit against Thao and the city alleging he was illegally terminated because he criticized the federal court monitor overseeing reforms at the Oakland Police Department.
—Armstrong gave every indication on Wednesday that he intends to focus his campaign on public safety. If the strategy is successful it could be a bellwether for other local electoral outcomes this fall.
OAKLAND’S LARGE AT-LARGE FIELD
Erin Armstrong, senior policy adviser for Supervisor Nate Miley
LeRonne Armstrong, former Oakland police chief
Rowena Brown, district director for Assemblymember Mia Bonta
Tonya Love, chief of staff for Oakland CM Carroll Fife
Kanitha Matoury
Mindy Pechenuk, Alameda County GOP central cmte member
Fabian Robinson
Selika Thomas
Cristina Tostado, Oakland library commissioner
Charlene Wang, adviser at U.S. EPA
—BAD NEWS FOR PRICE—There’s a reason why Oakland insiders and consultants viewed LeRonne Armstrong as a viable candidate for the Oakland City Council, and even mayor. In a sea of milquetoast Oakland candidates, Armstrong is charismatic, likable, and arrives on the scene with very high name I.D.
—He also represents the two issues that likely rank very high on the minds of Oakland voters—public safety and perceived incompetence at Oakland City Hall.
—Armstrong’s success on the campaign trail over the next six months could very well spell doom for Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price’s ability to avoid a recall, and would greatly affect the recall of Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, if it ultimately qualifies for the November ballot.
—It could also boost candidates challenging police critic Oakland Councilmember Carroll Fife in District 3, and hinder Oakland Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas’ campaign for Alameda County supervisor in District 5.
UNINCORPORATED AREAS
—NEXT STEP?—Jennifer Esteen, who unsuccessfully challenged Alameda County Supervisor Nate Miley’s re-election in the March Primary, is hinting at a next step.
—Esteen is organizing a celebration in honor of those who helped her supervisorial campaign this Saturday afternoon at Jack Holland Park in Ashland.
—An invitation for the event is raising speculation about Esteen’s next step.
—“Each day, people on BART, at the grocery store, and in other places stop me to tell me they too were proud and remain inspired. They tell me they are members of Team Esteen for life and invite me to stay in touch,” Esteen writes.
—“We aren’t done, Alameda County. Our coalition is growing. We remain strong and steadfast in our determination to make Alameda County a place that enshrines equity and commitments to provide for all who reside within its bounds.”
—There’s a few potential landing spots for Esteen this fall, although none as glamorous as the state assembly, which she campaigned for in 2022, or county supervisor.
—Among them, the Hayward Area Recreation District or even a move to Hayward and a seat on the city council.
—There is also an open seat on the Eden Health District Board of Directors. Esteen is a Registered Nurse so there’s a fit.
—However, these days the Eden Health District seemingly spends more time staving off dissolution than supporting health care issues.
—However, Esteen may be too big a fish for these offices. Over the past campaigns Esteen has proven to be a prodigious fundraiser and tenacious campaigner.
PULLING PAPERS
—INTENT TO RUN—Fremont Councilmember Raj Salwan is running for mayor, leaving his District 5 seat open this fall. This week, Chandra Wagh, a newcomer to local politics, pulled papers in District 5. There is talk that Fremont school boardmember Yajing Zheng is also eyeing the District 5 council seat.
—Jenifer Flynn, a member of Pleasanton Unified’s Budget Advisory Committee, filed an intent to run for the school board’s Area 4 seat.
COUNTY NEWS
HEALTH CARE
—SHOT OF ADRENALINE—State legislation seen as crucial for the sustainability of St. Rose Hospital in Hayward, was approved by the Assembly on Tuesday, 69-0.
—Assembly Bill 2271, if approved by the state senate and signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, would forgive nearly $40 million in loans the struggling safety net hospital has received from the state.
—The legislation is co-authored by East Bay Assemblymember Liz Ortega and state Sen. Aisha Wahab.
—Without loan forgiveness, St. Rose Hospital is six months away from closure, according to Ortega.
—Passage of AB 2271 is seen as a large factor in Alameda Health System’s current negotiations with St. Rose officials to take over operations of the facility
CITY NEWS
FREMONT
—AUTO-CRAT—Fremont Mayor Lily Mei expressed a new interpretation of the phrase “government of the people, by people, for the people” on Tuesday night amid an outpouring discontent toward a longstanding RV encampment at Irvington Park.
—When one resident pushed to extend his speaking time, the crowd behind him jeered Mei to let him continue.
—Mei lashed back, shouting at residents, “This is our meeting and we’re inviting you as our guests so we can hear your feedback.”
—Later, another resident called for Mei to apologize for her comments (She did not on Tuesday night). “That is not right. Government is run by the people,” he continued.
HAYWARD
—‘C’ HOW WE DO IT—The Hayward City Council laid the foundation on Tuesday night to place a extension of Measure C, a half-cent sales tax increase, on the November ballot.
—Measure C was approved by Hayward voters in 2014 and will sunset in 2034. The proposed ballot measure would not increase the sales tax rate, but ask voters to renew Measure C through 2044.
—“I think getting in front of this extension of Measure C is the right thing to do,” Councilmember Ray Bonilla, Jr. said. “It puts our community and our neighborhoods first.”
—If placed on the Nov. 5 ballot, the measure would require a simple majority of voters for passage.
OAKLAND
—HAIL MARY PLAY—The sale of Oakland’s half of the Coliseum Complex for $105 million could be the salve for the city’s hemorrhaging fiscal year budget shortfall estimated at $177 million.
—The purchase of the Oakland’s interest in the Coliseum by the African American Sports & Entertainment Group (AASEG) could inject up to $60 million in to the city’s budget, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
—The implication is the infusion of new revenue will stave off rumored cuts at the Oakland Police Department, city employees, and services.
—The deal, however, raises questions about the price tag. The lease deal the city of Oakland proposed to the A’s in April was $97 million over three years. The deal cut with AASEG is $105 million to own the property outright.
—The A’s will soon own the county’s half of the Coliseum, a situation that will likely present challenges to AASEG’s plans to redevelop the property.
ALAMEDA
—ALAMEDA, F—K YEAH!—A public speaker displaying a sign that included an expletive at Tuesday night’s Alameda City Council caused a bit of a stir.
—The comments were an offshoot of recent activists urging the Alameda City Council to approve a permanent ceasefire resolution in the Israel-Gaza conflict.
—“Could you show me where in our city budget it says that we are sending any money to the Middle East?” Councilmember Trish Herrera Spencer asked city staff.
—She continued her line of questioning about sending weapons or money to Israel.
—Spencer asked why the speaker with the sign above was allowed to speak on an item she believed was unrelated to the subject being discussed.
—“I’ll explain it,” Alameda Mayor Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft interrupted. “It’s called the First Amendment.”
Program note: The East Bay Insiders Newsletter is on hiatus on Friday and next Monday in observance of Memorial Day weekend. The newsletter returns on Tuesday, May 28.