BOARD OF SUPERVISORSSources including a local city councilman tell The Citizen state Sen. Ellen Corbett is seriously considering a run to replace Alice Lai-Bitker on the Alameda County Board of Supervisors.
In addition, Corbett will meet Wednesday with Alameda Councilwoman Lena Tam, according to a source close to the situation. Tam recently announced she would run for supervisor and was endorsed by Lai-Bitker over former assemblywoman and predecessor Wilma Chan. Former San Leandro Mayor Shelia Young and Alameda Mayor Beverly Johnson are also in the race to represent District 3.
After a panel discussion on higher education with college students at Cal State East Bay Tuesday night, Corbett gave a terse “no comment” to the rumor that has recently become more widespread among local pols.
In a phone conversation with Corbett, she said many have spoken to her about making the move to the supervisor’s chambers, but she has not made a decision. The deadline for candidates to declare their intentions to run for the June primary is Mar. 12.
A move by Corbett to replace Lai-Bitker, who announced last month she would not seek re-election, would jumble a slew of local races with a number of politicians scurrying for position (Read here about the “Corbett Effect.”) Assemblywoman Mary Hayashi, for one, would likely forego running for re-election and move to replace Corbett in the Senate.
Some have questioned Hayashi’s fundraising push during the last six months since she has no viable opponent as an indication she is looking at higher political aspirations. Beyond that, there are too many permutations to mull regarding the assembly seat possibly now up-for-grabs along with its effects on local city council races.
While a seat on the Board of Supervisors may appear to be a step down from the state Senate, the move to Oakland is actually more lucrative than the senate and, without the presence of term limits, far more politically stable.
Many of the sources who spoke of Corbett’s interest in the supervisor’s job, though, also said they were surprised of her interest believing she had aspirations for state-wide office, possibly as secretary of state or attorney general. Corbett currently chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee.
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Anonymous-
Yes, I'm sure Nadia had no big shots behind her when she ran for Orange County (damn carpetbaggers) school board. On her own campaign web page, Jerry Brown says he's known her since she was a young student leader. One can only wonder how such a young person would get the job of Executive Director of the Alameda County Family Justice Center.
Nepotism is not a qualification for public office.
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Oh, Ralph, that's ridiculous. Nadia Lockyer was elected to the school board in Orange County before she ever likely even met Bill Lockyer. And for the past few years she has helped Alameda County victims of violence. In my book, that makes her accomplished in her own right. Liz Figueroa has definitely served the area too with distinction. But Kevin Dowling? Hayward has been deteriorating and he has been on the city council over seeing the decline of Hayward.
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Tom is misinformed and/or mischaracterizes State Legislative functions and malfunctions in his comment here.
Does Tom know that the Legislature HAS passed a balanced budget each year, as required by the Constitution? Is he aware that the chief reason in recent years that these budget battles have gone weeks and months past their intended conclusions is that the Republican caucuses have conducted negotiations as a siege, bringing in non-budget-related items as bizarre demands in the budget process?
Tom whitewashes the situation as a failure of our “bicameral system”; this conveniently finds both sides equally to blame. He certainly finds this message reported in all our media outlets; newspapers, television and radio stations like this message and repeat it often. These prime suppliers of public information refuse to label the cause of our recent budget stalemates- a emboldened, radical Republican Party which wishes to literally destroy our Government's abilities, State, County and local, to respond to the needs of the people they serve.
By holding “a pox on both houses” and failing to inform the public of the real dynamic, the Democratic caucus has been forced to comply with a series of all-cuts, no-revenue budget “solutions” which reduced State spending by nearly $40 BILLION in the last two years, a reduction of about 1/3rd of total State budget spending. Is Tom aware these things have already happened, and that it is likely that large programs serving the most destitute will be completely eliminated this budget year if the Republicans get their way?
Is it right to continue to reduce the real tax burden on large corporations and extremely wealthy people, shifting the burden to the lower and middle classes, while eviscerating and eliminating government programs serving an increasingly large number of people with great needs? That is the discussion, and we all need to know that the Republicans are entirely on the side of doing these things. We need to know this, take a side and push hard to see that our side wins; it's as simple as that.
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Nadia Lockyer…aka Mrs. Bill Lockyer…would be a huge step up? Who is she? She came from LA, married a local politician and got a cushy job (probably because of her merrits, err) and is now running for Supervisor with the name Lockyer behind it. If that's considered a step up, sure, but you can not put Mrs. Lockyer in the same ring as anyone else on the BOS. That is an insult. Her campaign literature is the same boilerplate junk we see every election season. Kevin Dowling has made improvements as an elected official, so has Liz Figueroa at the state level.
Nadia Lockyer has one thing giving her a step up, her last name. Corbett IS a real step up; I mean, compare Corbett to Lockyer: one has served the public for a loooooong time, the other, married to a public servant.
-Ralph
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I am not familiar with what Corbett has done in the Senate or even in the Assembly. I do remember when I was a resident in Bay-O-Vista that she did fight for a Bill to keeo trucks off 580. WOW….remarkable work. I see the legislative system in CA as one that is broken. We have a bicameral system in this state that places 120 blow hards and their staffs in office with benefits and great pay while our state is sinking deeper and deeper into a hole. Nobody is holding these legislators accountable. It saddens me that we would encourage anyone at the state level to continue to run for offices here and there. WHY? They have one fundamental job to do in this state by virtue of our Constitution and that is to PASS A BALANCED BUDGET….they have failed us in that repeatedly so why roll out the red carpet and invite them back to council, back to Supervisor or promoting from Assembly to Senate and Senate to some place higher. I say make them do what they are supposed to do…balance our budget and prove yourself. Are concussion bills, gift card bills and ski helmet and spanking bills really needed when our state is falling apart. Get a clue you people…wake up
Tom
Formerly of SL now in Oakland
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Out of the dysfunctional CA State Government and back to the local level where she can really make a difference in an area she loves….no brainer…Supervisor it is!
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Having Corbett and Nadia Lockyer on the board of supervisor would be a huge step up from the current group. As for the tea party commenter above, where would this conservative candidate come from? One doesn't exist.
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Tough commute with a son at home.
Craig
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If you got to do what you got to do, but I think you can help more people than just the county.
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Could it be, Senator, that you fear the coming backlash from patriots and concerned citizens? Don't run from your record – embrace it.
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Senator Ellen: You are next in line for Attorney General! Why give that up!
You have a huge support group in our area; we are willing to lick envelopes and knock on doors (as we have in the past) Just have a new geography…
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