Bryan Azevedo: Master negotiator

San Leandro councilmember's guarantee to labor could bankrupt the city. Plus, Moneyball is back

San Leandro Councilmember Bryan Azevedo

CITY NEWS

SAN LEANDRO

—HERE I COME TO SAVE THE DAY—San Leandro Councilmember Bryan Azevedo’s tendency to view politics as a middle school popularity contest for class president was in full view this week when he guaranteed all of the city’s labor groups a retention and resiliency bonus similarly offered to San Leandro police officers.

—What Azevedo and some other San Leandro councilmembers did last Monday is a dangerous precedent to negotiate from the dais with bargaining groups. Furthermore, Azevedo’s pandering to 22 police support staff members who also wanted a piece of the $20,000 retention bonus offered to police officers, is a total misunderstanding of an elected official’s role in government.

—Azevedo is not the employee. He’s management now. Guaranteeing a benefit to labor groups without analyzing the numbers is irresponsible, and could bankrupt the city. Not to mention, it will stoke infighting among the city’s public employee bargaining groups.

—But Azevedo’s pandering to the weakest groups, while constantly peppered with can-do bravado, has become more noticeable over the past year as he continues what will ultimately be a two-year campaign for mayor this fall.

—Azevedo’s populist streak is also upsetting city officials. When a mix-up resulted in some special education students not receiving a diploma during a recent graduation ceremony, Azevedo jumped at the opening and vowed to rectify the problem by offering to hold a separate ceremony. There really wasn’t a controversy here. The students still walked at the graduation, but Azevedo’s actions rankled school board officials.

—Azevedo’s childlike need to be loved, rather than to legislate, was comically highlighted on Monday night when out of nowhere he asked the city manager whether employees will get their money in time for Christmas. San Leandro City Manager Fran Robustelli’s response began with an incredulous laugh.

—Here’s some context of Monday night’s discussion: While the side letter negotiated between city administration and the police unions was before the council this week, it was clearly stated other city labor groups would be next in line. In addition, as shown in the video above, Azevedo voiced support for the resolution to approve the side letter with the police unions, but actually voted against the first motion offered by San Leandro Mayor Pauline Russo Cutter.

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