Candidate for
Council Member; City of Oakland; Council District 5

Fifteen years ago when I was first elected to the City Council, our district was largely ignored by City Hall. Streets were unswept, our schools were overcrowded, businesses had abandoned our community and no new housing was being built. Since I've joined the Council, I've taken on big issues and small. I haven't been afraid to roll up my sleeves and do the hard work that is required. Make no mistake about it; you don't implement a "get it done" approach without making a few enemies along the way. But, that's politics - not everyone likes change. For the last nine years, my fellow Council members have elected me President of the City Council. I have used that position to fight for the residents of our district and to bring resources into our community.

With the support of many District 5 residents, we have done some amazing things, like:

• Built three new schools and relieved some of the worst school over-crowding in the State.
• Built the first viable transit village in the Bay Area, which has become a model for other cities and neighborhoods in Oakland.
• Revitalized our business districts in the Fruitvale, taking them from empty, blighted storefronts, to almost 0% vacancy. We now have the second most successful business district in Oakland.
• Improved Park Boulevard, adding landscaping and traffic control to increase pedestrian safety and create a great shopping experience.
• Increased the number of retail outlets giving local residents a place to shop.
• Attracted some of Oakland's only large retail outlets like Home Depot and 24 Hour Fitness.
• Shut down or improved dozens of problematic liquor stores.
• Cleaned up over two dozen open-air drug dealing corners, streets, or intersections, and closed down numerous drug houses.
• Created one of the most effective after school programs in the City at Cesar Chavez Education Center, and expanded youth programs at Josie De La Cruz Park, Cesar Chavez Park, and Peralta Hacienda Park.
• Built one of the only parks constructed in Oakland in the last 15 years + Union Point Park on the Waterfront.

• Improve police services to reduce crime in our neighborhoods. My goal is for District 5 to be the safest district in all of Oakland. Together we can do it.
• Revitalize our neighborhoods.
• Provide more children's services and after school programs in every school in the District so children have opportunities to engage in positive activities.
• Bring more retail to Oakland so residents don't have to shop outside of Oakland.
• Bring more jobs to Oakland by attracting businesses to Oakland.
• Improve the efficiency and delivery of City services and ensure accountability.