April 9, 2012 | Alameda County Supervisor Wilma Chan is no stranger to the rigors of serving the East Bay in the State Assembly. Tucked between stints on the county board of supervisors, Chan was for the first woman assembly majority leader. Last Friday, Chan pledged her backing in the race for the 18th assembly district to Alameda Vice Mayor Rob Bonta.
“All residents of the 18th Assembly District deserve a strong voice in Sacramento,” Chan said in a statement. “They share common concerns around schools, health care and public safety. Each area of the district also has unique needs such as the development of the former Naval Air Station in Alameda, the threatened closure of San Leandro Hospital and rising violence in Oakland. I believe Rob has the intelligence and skill it will take to navigate Sacramento and address the wide range of issues affecting the district.
At the board of supervisors, Chan and her colleagues have felt the strain of the constant whims of legislators in Sacramento who have rountinely used steep cuts to services affecting a broad range of demographics to balance the state’s chronic budget problem.
“In addition, I believe Rob is best prepared to face the realities of a shrinking state budget without decimating public education and needed services for seniors, disabled and middle class families,” said Chan.
“Supervisor Chan is a legend in the East Bay in her commitment to children and families, and trailblazing accomplishments for Asian Americans and I deeply appreciate her endorsement,” said Bonta. “I am honored and motivated to advocate on behalf of the people and issues for which we share a passion.”
Bonta will face fellow Democrats Abel Guillen and Joel Young in the June 5 primary. Rhonda Weber, a Republican, is also in the race for the 18th assembly district encompassing a majority of Oakland, Alameda and San Leandro.
THURSDAY NIGHT DEBATE The contenders for the 18th district will square off in a 90-minute town hall debate this Thursday, April 12, 7pm, held by the Asian Pacific Islander Public Affairs Association. The event held at Episcopal Church of Our Savior, 1011 Harrison Street, Oakland, will be moderated by Chabot Las Positas Community College Trustee Dr. Hal Gin.
ebcitizen.com 
I would hope she write a better endorsement for you than she did for Bonta. Then again Bonta's accomplishments are hard to find on his website. Maybe that's cause he doesn't have much in his brief time on Alameda City Council.
Oh and let's see if Chan comes up with anything original now that Sutter will soon be moving to close SL Hospital. More than likely she'll be leading the charge to return to the ACMC model she dismissed last year. And Haggerty or Lockyer (in between her dates with her bf) probably should get the credit for bringing in Washington Hospital to save St. Rose
LikeLike
Wilma Chan is a strong voice for healthcare and has taken on Alameda County Medical Center, Sutter Health in the fight to keep San Leandro and St Rose Hospital open. I don't know where you negative mongers live, but you are not paying attention to her qualities as a “fearless leader”… I would be proud to be endorsed by her. Asian? Since when is Bonta Asian? What does that matter?
LikeLike
Chan has lost all credibility and trust and if you survey her staff now, only one person has been with her and that is because she is the only that knows all of Chan's dirty secrets. She was only able to get things done in the assembly because she had no choice except do some work. She has never represented us properly and she doesn't care about us in San Leandro.
LikeLike
Young is a liability and is unstable. why is he even in this race and would you really want someone like him supporting and representing you. hmmm….
LikeLike
The anonymous trolls (paid political operatives) wouldn't be slamming this if it wasn't a big deal. And then they attack the messenger (Tavares) when they know their own message isn't getting through. Steve's given plenty of positive coverage to all candidates in this race who deserve it.
And given that all three Democratic candidates are supported by the African American/Latino/API legislative groups, the calls for fresh blood clearly indicate support for Rhonda Weber.
LikeLike
Funny all of Chan's accomplisments mentioned above are from her time in the Assembly or from first time as Supervisor. No mention of anything from her current gig.
LikeLike
Friends, it is called political pipeline. Same thing is happening in district 20. We need to have some fresh blood in the stream to save California's economy. We need to educate more people about their choices to clear the gridlock in Sacramento as well as locally.
LikeLike
Wilma Chan is very popular and is a solid endorsement.
She won election to the Board against the longtime Mayor of Alameda and won her seat in the Assembly against an incumbent. She did it the old fashioned way, by taking care of the concerns in district.
Her accomplishments to name a few: enacting a requirement that new household water faucets be lead free, leading the effort to get the County to adopt bi-lingual ballots, keeping the courthouse open in Alameda, leading efforts to get the Family and Children's Commission up and running to distribute funds to pre-schools and help new parents sooner than any other CA county, helping to build the skatepark in Alameda, etc.
BTW, most of the people who have worked for her have done so for years.
LikeLike
What a blase endorsement … “I believe Rob has the intelligence and skill it will take to navigate Sacramento and address the wide range of issues affecting the district.” Does that mean she thinks the other two candidates do not?
“In addition, I believe Rob is best prepared to face the realities of a shrinking state budget without decimating public education and needed services for seniors, disabled and middle class families,” Really Wilma how so? Did her press release make mention of why she believes Bonta is best prepared? Or is there something in his record that is superior to that of the other two candidates.
Skimpy on details perhaps maybe cuz Bonta's record of accomplishments on the Alameda City Council are light?
LikeLike
Asians endorsing Asians. Chan is just like that Mayor Quan. Cold and distant. Didn't do much for us here while she was in the Assembly. Bonta won't be able to do much either.
LikeLike
I wouldn't be too happy about Wilma Chan's endorsement. If he is trying to be like her, then he won't be very good. All her staff quit in the first year she was in the Assembly and no one gets along with her. Why do you think she couldn't win any endorsements against Loni Hancock.. Also, I hear that she can't get along with the current Supervisors on the Alameda County Board and she has made mockery of San Leandro Hospital because no one respects her. Bonta isn't going to do well in except in Alameda but he hasn't done much for Alameda except give the Firefighters a huge contract and now wants to tax us more so they can get more TVs in the fire station. Bonta can't do well for us in Alameda I definitely don't want him or Chan in office.
LikeLike
Big deal
LikeLike