Status of the Race for Mayor of Richmond

I get a lot of questions these days about the race for Richmond mayor, here are some of the questions and my answers: 

Q. When is the election?

A. November 6, 2001 

Q. When is the filling date??

A Sometime in August, 2001. 

Q. Why isn't Rosemary running again?

A. Article III-A.3(a) of the Richmond City Charter limits a mayor to two terms. Mayor Corbin will have served her two terms in November of this year. 

Q. Are you running?

A. Yes. 

Q. Why?

A. We hire a city manager to run the City. The mayor should be a person with vision, proven leadership skills, the ability to get things done, uncompromising tenacity and boldness. The mayor should have a proven record of independence from special interests and should represent all citizens and all neighborhoods equally. I believe my record proves that I have those qualities and skills, and I would like to use them to make Richmond a better place to live and work. 

Q. What about your City Council term?

A. My term does not end until November of 2003. I will still be on the City Council, win or lose. 

Q. Who else is running?

A. The only other person I am aware of who has made a public declaration of candidacy is Irma Anderson. Nat Bates and John Marquez have announced the formation of exploratory committees.  

* I announced on December 11, 2000. A copy of my announcement is at the end of this piece.

* Irma Anderson recently mailed a letter to "Friends" with the message, "I'm writing to announce my candidacy for Mayor, where I will continue my advocacy for the people of Richmond ... I would value your early endorsement and support. ,please join me Thursday, February 22nd, at 5:30 p.m. for my campaign kick-off at Salute Ristorante, 1900 Esplanade Drive, Richmond."

* The Minutes of the December 19, 2000, City Council meeting reflect that Nat Bates "announced that as of December 20, 2000, he will be establishing an exploratory committee for the office of mayor. He stated that financial as well as other support will be solicited."

* The Minutes of the December 19, 2000, City Council meeting reflect that John Marquez "announce that in the near future he will establish an exploratory committee to determine if he should be a mayoral candidate." 

Q. What does the mayor do?

A. Article III-A of the Richmond Charter provides the following: 

* The mayor shall be a member of the City Council and shall have all of the powers and duties of a member of the city council.

* The mayor shall be the chief elected officer and ceremonial head of the City, responsible for providing civic leadership and taking issues to the people, and marshalling public interest in and support for municipal activities. The mayor shall be concerned with the general development of the community and the general level of City services and activity programs and may develop and inform City residents of policies and progress which he or she believes are necessary for the welfare of the City.

* The mayor may make recommendations to the City Council on matters of policy and program which require Council decision and may propose ordinances and resolutions for Council consideration. The mayor shall work with the city manager in preparing an annual budget for submission to the City Council. The mayor shall make an annual report to the City Council as to the conditions and affairs of the City.

* The mayor shall have the authority at any regularly scheduled meeting of the City Council to make appointments to or removals from all City boards, commissions and committees with the concurrence of at least four other members of the City Council.

* The mayor shall be a voting member of and preside over meetings of the City Council. The mayor shall annually appoint standing committees of the City Council; provided that the mayor shall not be a member of such committees.

* The mayor shall have the authority to continue ay item being considered by the City Council at a Council meeting for up to two weeks. The Council may override an action taken by the mayor to continue an item by the affirmative vote of five members of the Council.

* The mayor shall sign all contracts on behalf of the City which are acted upon and approved by the City Council unless otherwise delegated by the City Council to a City official or employee, and shall exercise such other powers and duties as provided in this charter and ordinances and resolutions of the City. 

Q. How much is the mayor paid?

A. $32,004 annual salary. Councilmembers are paid $12,240 annually. 

The following is a summary of information from the Semi-Annual Recipient Committee Campaign Statements required to be filed by candidates and committees on January 31, 2001. Copies may be obtained from the city clerk. 

* Anderson, Irma; Anderson '97, #930964; Form 470; Balance in account not disclosed (less than $1,000 income or expenditures anticipated)

* Bates, Nathaniel; Bates "99", # 950613; Form 460; $3,163 in account; Contributors: Al & Kathy Cherchi: $500, Jimmy Buckland (LMC Metals): $250, Ken Ambrose: $250, Bill Adley: $100, A.D. Rasaberg: $200, Mike Davanport (D.D. Security): $200, John Nasser: $200, W.F. Bottoms: $1,000, James Santurro (Developer): $500, Citation Homes (Developer) $200, W.R. Faude Ass.: $200, General Holdings: $500, Jordon associates: $500, Stephen Shinn: $100, Iron Workers #378: $100, Marwais Steel: $250

* Belcher, Charles: no filing.

* Bell, Gary; Friends of Gary Bell (No ID Number listed); Form 470; Balance in account not disclosed (less than $1,000 income or expenditures anticipated)

* Butt, Tom; Friends of Tom Butt, #931131; Form 460; $50,084 in account; Contributors: Steamfitters Local 342: $2,000, loan from Tom and Shirley Butt for $50,000

* Corbin, Rosemary; Corbin Campaign Committee, # 950504; Form 460; Balance in account: $1,792; No contributions received.

* Marquez, John; Friends of John Marquez, # 860145, Form 470; Balance in account not disclosed (less than $1,000 income or expenditures anticipated)

* Penn, Mindell; no filing. 

COMMITTEE TO ELECT TOM BUTT FOR RICHMOND MAYOR

Friends of Tom Butt
117 Park Place
Richmond, CA 98801 
510/237-2084  FAX 510/232-5325  
email: tom.butt@intres.com  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

December 11, 2000 

I am privileged to announce my candidacy for the next mayor of the City of Richmond -- to be elected in November 2001. The City of Richmond is entering a time of unprecedented opportunity for economic growth and diversification, as well as an opportunity to finally take its place among the cream of America's cities. Strong and capable leadership is needed to ensure that these challenges are met and that all citizens will share in the rewards. 

Mayor Rosemary Corbin has served with distinction for eight years and will retire at the end of her term less than eleven months from now. I wish to publicly begin the contest by becoming the first candidate to declare. 

My committee has been formed and is expanding rapidly. I have committed $50,000 immediately to my campaign fund, which will enable me to enter the contest completely independent of special interests. I will solicit campaign contributions from supporters who share my vision, but I will not sell my candidacy to those who would expect anything other than what is best for all the citizens of Richmond. 

As a mayoral candidate, my platform will continue to include the same basic objectives I have fought for during the last five years I have served Richmond on the City Council. 

* Infrastructure and Public Services: The overwhelming number of complaints and requests I receive as a city councilman involve streets, sewers, parks, blight abatement and nuisance enforcement, garbage collection, and other basic city services and public infrastructure. Investment in public infrastructure is also critically important to attracting and maintaining economic growth. For the past five years, my highest priority has been to provide the services and public works improvements that citizens deserve and expect. As a city council member, I have been able to draw on my professional training and experience in architecture, engineering and planning to bring state-of-the-art technology to the city to evaluate and manage our municipal infrastructure. I have supported over $100 million in bonds to pay for upgraded streets, parks, sewers and public safety projects. As mayor, this will continue to be my highest priority. 

* Public Safety: The Richmond Police Department is currently 15% under strength, and citizens are complaining about excessive response times and a failure of the long touted "neighborhood policing" concept to fully materialize. As mayor, I will provide the leadership required to achieve full staffing of the Police Department, acceptable response times, and effective community policing. The overwhelming majority of Richmond Fire Department responses involve medical emergencies, not fires. As mayor, I will continue to advocate the integration of full emergency medical response and paramedic capability into our Fire Department.  

* Economic Development: This is the engine that creates jobs for Richmond residents and provides tax income to support our public infrastructure and public services. As the only City Council member who owns and operates a business in Richmond and a member of the Chamber of Commerce for over 25 years, I have a unique insight into the needs of the business community. I am committed, not just to growth, but to well-planned, attractive and environmentally sustainable projects that will enhance the image of our community and provide the largest possible number of good jobs for our citizens. With America's newest national park and 32 miles of San Francisco and San Pablo Bay shoreline, we have an extraordinary opportunity to make Richmond a destination city for visitors. I am committed to make Richmond not just a city with a waterfront, but truly a waterfront city.  

There are many difficult decisions and challenges ahead, such as the future of Point Molate, finding the resources to continue upgrading our infrastructure, providing a diverse housing stock, finding and keeping capable public employees in a tight job market, embracing an industrial safety ordinance, restarting ferry service and building ever stronger, effective and livable neighborhoods. As mayor, I cannot accomplish this alone, and I pledge full cooperation with my city council colleagues, citizen boards and commissions, city staff and neighborhood organizations to make my administration fully a team effort. 

Tom Butt