‘GUIDING PRINCIPLES’ INCLUDE FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, TRANSPARENCY
By Steven Tavares
Mayor-elect Stephen Cassidy was sworn-in as San Leandro’s eighth elected leader since 1962 Monday night in the aftermath of a tense debate on the issue upon which his successful campaign was based.
Cassidy laid out a mix of budgetary responsibility and government transparency to the large gathering at the San Leandro City Hall chambers. His address took place after the City Council approved two city employee contracts which Cassidy had criticized for the potential to worsen the city’s financial situation as he takes office Jan. 1.
“My goal is to be a mayor for everyone,” said Cassidy, who later acknowledged, “I recognize that this office belongs to you. I have a four-year lease on it.” Cassidy won an uncommonly brutal election season that featured the first-time use of ranked-choice voting. Although he did not finish with the most first-place votes, he secondary support among voters delivered a narrow victory over Mayor Tony Santos last month.
In his remarks, Cassidy thanked the departing mayor for his service and accomplishments over the years, primarily his work in controlling airplane noise near the Oakland Airport. Santos, though, did not refer to Cassidy Monday night and has maintained he will never concede the election.
Cassidy laid out what he termed his, “guiding principles” for running the city the next four years. He vowed to “restore city to fiscal health” while specifying it be done without dipping into its already scant rainy day fund. “Revenues equal operational expenditures and not the use of reserves,” Cassidy said. He also called for the use of multi-year budget forecasts and twice-monthly finance committee meetings until the budget situation improves.
Openness would appear to big a major portion of Cassidy’s plans as mayor. Cassidy told residents he intends to “speak truthfully,” “lead by example,” and “communicate with respect.” Partnering with the city’s struggling business landscape will also be focus for Cassidy, he said. He hopes to develop a sorely-needed strategic plan to grow and attract commerce. Referring, in part, to the future Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in San Leandro, Cassidy said “we need to leverage those assets” to better the city.
Cassidy, whose political background consists of four years on the San Leandro School Board, said he aims to open a more robust working relationship with the school district. “I want to end the dialogue I hear of ‘your kids.’ No, these are ‘our’ children,” said Cassidy. “We have a responsibility to provide the best education we can.”
San Leandro Mayors
Mayor-elect Cassidy become the eighth directly elected mayor in San Leandro history. Before 1962, the city council elected its leader. Here is the list of recent mayors and the years they served.
Jack Maltester…………….1962-1977
Val Gil…………………..1979-1986
Dave Karp…………………1987-1993
John Faria………………..1993-1994
Ellen Corbett……………..1995-1998
Shelia Young………………1999-2006
Tony Santos……………….2007-2010
Stephen Cassidy……………2011-
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And yes, cover those Hershey kisses. I have small children.
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Sadly, this is a just taste of what Mr. Cassidy will have to deal with in the next four years. The unions are way more stronger than he ever will be and he's going to learn the hard way.
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You can't put a ribbon on a pig and call it silk.
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I guess you long for Kevin Dowling.
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If you think Sara was fine then you must be blind.
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Think about it, Mia may be the best thing to look at in the whole Cassidy group this year. She is way better looking than Tony or Joyce, not nearly as fine as the lovely Sara.
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If Mia excites you I feel sorry for you
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Please, no one tell Mia to cover her headlights, they are better than Stephen's rack. I want her there all the time. She will be likely the only excitement all year.
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Val Gill was Maltester's brother-in-law.
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I guess Cassidy's openness doesn't extend to his actions. I am told he knew postponing the city's contract vote could open the city to litigation and yet he had his people and himself ask to do just that.
I hope San Leandro can survive Mayor Cassidy's tea party/republican agenda, an agenda which has run the US economy into the ground.
Also some one needs to tell Mia Ousley to wear a bra in public.
Also Tim Holmes make up was just perfect, he should give Cassidy's female supporters some make up tips.
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Guido says:
Don't forget Ghiradelli's chocolate and San Francisco Coffee as well as numerous other businesses.Maybe if we had our own professional wrestling arena a place for extreme conservatives to watch their favorite imitation of a sport. Where good conquers evil and people get cracked over their heads with chairs.
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Anonymous, I am no supporter of Tony Santos. I happy to see him gone. San Leandro had a chance to move aside childishness, ignorance and stupidity in the past election but they did not chose to elect John Palau. In hindsight, he may have been the one bright light. The sooner we evict, incarcerate or cleanse the hoodlums and put every penny we have into education, San Leandro will continue to live on the bottom with the other garbage feeders. Robert.
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Robert's comments are typical of Santos' supporters–they don't care if the town goes to hell–just keeping score that Santos “outsmarted” Cassidy. For Santos, politics is just a game and you “win” by one-upping peopl, insulting them, or using your power to screw them over on a personal level. The only thing is the people of San Leandro are the real losers because they have elected leaders that promote childishness, ignorance and stupidity; which has resulted in an extremely ghetto town with high crime and very bad public schools.
Cassidy is a breath of fresh air in the sewer.
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Nifty move on the part of Tony, lock up the henhouse after the foxy unions have eaten all the chickens. Robert
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