May 6, 2025 Story by: Editor
Mayor‑elect Barbara Lee announced on the appointment of two community leaders to co‑chair her transition team and pledged to unite a city she described as “deeply divided.”
Lee selected Keith Brown, executive secretary‑treasurer of the Alameda Labor Council AFL‑CIO, and Barbara Leslie, president of the Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, to oversee her transition into City Hall. The pair will guide the incoming administration’s planning and help broker consensus among labor, business, and civic interests.
Standing before supporters at the Oakland Chamber of Commerce, Lee emphasized that her mandate extends to all Oaklanders, not just the 53% who voted for her in the April 15 special election. “Oaklanders demand and deserve transparency, accountability, service, and results,” she said, invoking chants of “Barbara Lee speaks for me!” as she outlined her commitment to bridge political divides.
Lee also previewed a 10‑point plan for her first 100 days, which includes convening police and business leaders, engaging CEOs of the city’s ten largest employers on public‑private partnerships, bolstering anti‑blight enforcement, partnering with the district attorney to address illegal dumping, auditing city contracts, and appointing a charter reform task force.
The mayor‑elect inherits a budget process already in motion: Interim Mayor Kevin Jenkins is expected to unveil a proposal next week to close a roughly $265 million structural deficit. Lee signaled she may offer amendments once briefed on the plan, though the City Council retains final authority over the budget. The recent approval of Measure A’s sales‑tax increase should provide some fiscal relief.
Oakland’s Registrar of Voters has until May 15 to certify the election results, after which the City Council will formally declare Lee the winner. She is slated to take office immediately following certification, when her transition team will begin executing the priorities laid out during Monday’s announcement.
Source: The Oaklandside
