2022 Year-In-Review: Things I think about the year and the future
I consulted my crystal ball and saw an Alameda County Board of Supervisors with three new members by 2024
—I think Oakland Mayor-elect Sheng Thao is going to have a bumpy earlier going. Somehow she will need to figure out how to keep rabid progressives in Oakland from taking over her administration’s goals. Thao can be a progressive mayor, but being the big cheese means making tough decisions and Howard Terminal and next year’s budget amid a potential recession will be at the forefront.
—I think San Leandro Mayor-elect Juan Gonzalez is going to have the same problems as Thao. Gonzalez will start the new year with zero experience in government. However, he’s not a progressive and he will face a progressive council majority in San Leandro that is looking to do big things. In Gonzalez’s favor is the fact this nascent progressive majority isn’t the brightest. They could very well screw up progressive policies such as rent stabilization.
—In fact, my biggest worry is that new progressive majorities in Oakland and San Leandro will strikeout and harm the movement’s future in the East Bay. Renewing an effort to defund the police will certainly do the trick. Just look to Alameda, which triumphantly gained a progressive majority over the past decade and is now seeing it nearly fritter away. Alameda progressives once talked about affordable housing and renters rights. Now all they do is harp about saying sorry to the Ohlone for taking their land and recognizing Park Street’s once-thriving Japanese businesses. All important issues, but it’s also a big sign that Alameda progressives have run out of ideas.
—I think we should keep an eye on new San Leandro Councilmember Celina Reynes. Four years ago, in this year-end column, I declared the East Bay’s next big thing was freshman Hayward Councilmember Aisha Wahab. I’ll take a bow on that one. But Wahab is a once-in-a-generation leader for these parts. However, I think Reynes has similar attributes. She’s smart, focused, and, most importantly, policy-driven.
—I think Fremont residents need to start asking questions about what is going on in the second-largest city in Alameda County. It seems to be run like the mafia. The story in Fremont includes corruption by the former city manager, a police captain who sued the city and later committed suicide, and two other public safety officers who say their careers were ruined because they spoke out against the administration. Too bad political journalism in Alameda County, especially Fremont, is dead, because this is a helluva story.
—I think Fremont Mayor Lily Mei has been a disaster and most Fremonters already know it. The sitting mayor almost lost her own city to Aisha Wahab in last November’s 10th State Senate race. That her trusted lieutenant posted a plea asking for someone to give Mei a job just days after the election, proves what many suspected. Mei’s candidacy was all about personal interests and not the district’s resident’s livelihood.
—I think there’s a number of councilmembers in Alameda County that need to take a good hard look at what they do on their respective city councils. And by do, I mean, do something! Throughout the year, I struggled mightily to find interesting angles in cities such as Pleasanton, Fremont, Newark, Union City, and Dublin. Remember why you wanted to be a councilmember in the first place. I assume to affect change, not merely sign-off on every boring item the city manager tosses your way.
—I think another disaster has been Alameda County Board of Supervisor Dave Brown. It didn’t become totally apparently, though, until the last month of his truncated appointment. How in the world do you bungle a vote on expanding renters’ rights in unincorporated Alameda County after a nine-month-long discussion and three of five votes for passage? But Brown did just that and then he almost did it again two weeks later. It’s funny because Brown has routine asked over the past year, “What Would Wilma Chan do?” Well, not that!
—I think we’re on the cusp of some big turnover at the Alameda County Board of Supervisors. I think if Rebecca Kaplan had won the District 3 seat, it would have hastened quicker change. The decline of this board over the past year was so noticeable. So much so that the youngest member of the board, Supervisor David Haubert, could be mistaken for their caregiver. Supervisor Keith Carson often seems confused and prone to angry outbursts. Carson was always the statesman of this board. When he got rolling, I called it a “Carson soliloquy.” That’s gone. Supervisor Nate Miley still seems to have some vigor, but how long can he possibly go? Then there’s serious concerns about the health of Supervisor Richard Valle.
—I think Supervisor Valle needs to be more transparent not only about his health, but about how he’s splitting his time between two grueling full-time jobs. Valle is not only a county supervisor but the head of Tri-CED, the recycling vendor for several South County cities. Valle isn’t hiding his dual roles. He often attends board meetings via Zoom while sitting in his Tri-CED office and wearing a company cap and reflective work vest. There was no way Valle was ever fully serving both jobs, and it’s certainly impossible to do so based of his current state of health.
—Lena Tam joins the Board of Supervisors and I think, along with Supervisors Miley and Haubert, they immediately roll back the recently approved renters’ protections for unincorporated Alameda County, or more likely, place the trio of ordinances on hold. The words, “We need more time to study the issue,” will likely be uttered. There will be no second reading of these ordinances. Elections have consequences. If you want to be a jerk about it (like me), blame Rebecca Kaplan for not trying hard enough to win the District 3 seat.
—I think three years from today, we’ll be looking at an Alameda County Board of Supervisors that consists of David Haubert, Lena Tam, Nancy Skinner (replacing Carson), Loren Taylor (replacing Miley), and Mark Salinas (replacing Valle through appointment). I would say that’s a pretty good quartet.
—I’m not a big fan of new Hayward Mayor Mark Salinas. He’s uniquely self-absorbed and prone to Fidel Castro-like eight-hour-long speeches. He’s the guy who act like he’s down with football, but knows nothing about the sport and is only at the tailgate party to cook the tri-tip. But that being said, Salinas will bring much-needed energy to Hayward city government that has been woefully low for some time under former Mayor Barbara Halliday.
—I think it’s not too early to begin talking about the 2024 election. At this point in time, there is no bigger race than the showdown to replace termed out State Sen. Nancy Skinner in the Berkeley-centered 9th District. Unlike other parts of the county, there’s a very strong bench of contenders in this area. I think two excellent choices among many is Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin and Emeryville Councilmember John Bauters. To be clear, I don’t even know if they want the job, but my crystal ball has revealed hazy glimpses of each giving speeches from the state senate floor. It’s either them or Dodgers legend Fernando Valenzuela and some guy wearing a bow tie.