Richmond Mayor

Candidate Statements

Mayor, city of Richmond
Environment: “To decrease pollution in our neighborhoods, I led the effort to phase out the transport of coal from ports in Richmond and insisted on a full cleanup of the toxic AstraZeneca site. As mayor, I led the negotiations that yielded $550 million from Chevron and the deal that turned the Point Molate property over to the East Bay Regional Park District so it can be enjoyed by everyone.”
Balanced budget: “Achieved a balanced budget for the third year in a row and increased the reserve levels to a high of 26.2 %. As a result, the city of Richmond was officially removed from the state auditor’s high risk designation.”
Public safety: “Increased public safety by obtaining a $6 million grant for the Office of Neighborhood Safety, got the Community Crisis Response Program established to free the police from minor calls to pursue violent crime and hired over twenty police officers in the last year.”

Policy Analyst
Experience: “As a former vice mayor and council member, I worked tirelessly to address these issues — partnering with residents to improve neighborhood safety, clean-up efforts, supporting responsible development, and ensuring the City delivered essential services.”
Confronting challenges: “I believe in Richmond, and I believe in its people. But we must be honest about the challenges our community faces: high crime, housing affordability, blight, abandoned vehicles, illegal dumping, and businesses leaving.”
Public safety: “Every person deserves to feel secure. I’ll support effective policing, invest in violence prevention, and expand programs that create opportunity and guide young people toward success.”

City council member, city of Richmond
City finances: “I helped secure a historic $550 million settlement with Chevron and led the fight to free Richmond from the wasteful credit default swaps pushed on us by big banks. The additional revenue I helped bring the city has put Richmond back on solid financial ground. Today, balanced budgets, robust emergency savings and a strong credit rating are the norm.”
Community investments: “We are investing new revenue into parks, roads, public spaces, youth programs, and protections for immigrant and Black communities.”
Public safety: “I also voted to improve public safety by investing in the Office of Neighborhood Safety and a community crisis response team. All these enhancements helped Richmond achieve our lowest-ever homicide rates over the last two years.”

Human resources director
Experience: “As former Chair of the Richmond Economic Development Commission and the Richmond NAACP Economic Development Committee, I understand how to bring businesses and jobs to our city.”
Public safety: “I’ll focus public safety efforts on both accountability and prevention. I’ll work toward sufficient police staffing, modern training and the highest ethical standards. Safety is not just about enforcement; it’s about creating conditions where crime is less likely to occur.”
Priorities: “Let’s get back to the basics: Potholes fixed. Graffiti removed. Illegal dumping addressed. Fiscal responsibility restored. Essential services protected. Pathways to homeownership and protections for renters expanded so working families can stay here and thrive.”