FORMER U.S. REP. BARBARA LEE was sworn in as Oakland’s 52nd mayor Tuesday, kicking off what many hope is an era of stability following the tumultuous tenure of her predecessor.
Lee, the first Black woman to become Oakland’s mayor, took the oath of office with her hand on her grandfather’s Bible in front of an ecstatic crowd that overflowed the City Council chambers.
In her remarks, Lee thanked her supporters and described how, during her mayoral campaign, she heard from Oaklanders about what they wanted from the city’s political leadership.
“Thank you everyone for sharing your stories and continuing to inspire and encourage me to meet this moment,” Lee said. “You were clear. Clear about the need to transform Oakland into a safer and cleaner city.”
She also said residents were clear about wanting a government they can trust to solve the city’s daunting budget deficits and to tackle issues around housing and homelessness “and to create good paying union jobs and economic development.”
Ready to ‘govern in a new way’
Lee takes office after winning a special April 15 election to replace Sheng Thao, who was ousted in a recall vote and subsequently arrested on a slew of federal corruption and bribery charges, which she has denied.
“Oaklanders expect and demand that we must govern in a new way,” Lee said.
The long-time former congresswoman addressed the crowd while flanked by Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce executive director and Port of Oakland commissioner Barbara Leslie, Alameda Labor Council executive-secretary treasurer Keith Brown and her mayoral chief of staff Miya Saika Chen.
All three are key members of her transition team, which also includes more than a dozen well-known local political, labor, business and nonprofit leaders.
The team will focus on helping Lee implement her 10-point plan for her first 100 days in office.
The plan includes bringing police and business owners together to devise public safety strategies, inviting the CEOs of the city’s 10 largest companies to discuss public-private partnerships, initiating an audit of city contracts and appointing a task force to find ways to “modernize Oakland’s Charter and strengthen government accountability,” among other things.
She said she will also form working groups to focus on such things as housing and homelessness, economic development, good governance, arts and culture and the city’s youth.
“Over the next 100 days we will bring Oaklanders from all walks of life to help inform how our government can better serve the people and usher in a new era of prosperity and progress,” Lee said. “And I don’t mean task forces are going to continue and continue and continue. I’m talking about action plans, what we can do immediately and long term.”
“There’s no time to waste. Oaklanders deserve transparency, accountability and results. Starting now.” Mayor Barbara Lee
She vowed that her administration will keep the public well-informed, that she’ll empower working groups and schedule listening sessions, community forums and neighborhood meetings.
“There’s no time to waste,” Lee said. “Oaklanders deserve transparency, accountability and results. Starting now.”
Lee, 78, will serve out the remainder of Thao’s term, through January of 2027, and could spend much of her term running to retain the mayor’s office.
A community inauguration is scheduled for June 8 at 3 p.m. at Jack London Square.
Wang takes oath as new D2 councilmember
In addition to Lee, Charlene Wang was sworn in as the new city councilmember representing Oakland’s District 2 on Tuesday.
Wang, a former U.S. Environmental Protection Agency employee, will now represent an area that is roughly east of Lake Merritt and south of Piedmont.
Wang also said that she, too, heard from Oaklanders during her campaign who said they want neighborhoods free of open drug use, prostitution and retail theft and need good-paying jobs.
“These conversations are a reminder of what this work is really about — the people who are counting on us and need us to fight for them,” she said.
Wang replaces Rebecca Kaplan, who was appointed by the City Council to fill in for Nikki Fortunato Bas, who left the council after being elected to the Alameda County Board of Supervisors.
Kaplan was first elected in 2009 and was praised by her council colleagues for her wealth of knowledge about how the city operates and her ability to help navigate Oakland’s often complicated budget process.
“We’re losing a library, a library of information, and I don’t think we understand what that means as a city,” said Councilmember Carroll Fife.