‘Ready to move forward’: Barbara Lee’s first message as Oakland mayor-elect

OAKLAND, Calif. (KRON) — Though the vote counting continues, retired congresswoman Barbara Lee declared victory in the Oakland mayor’s race over the weekend after pulling ahead of former councilman Loren Taylor by almost 5,000 votes.

Lee held her first official news conference on Monday as Oakland’s mayor-elect.

“Oakland is ready to move forward, but we also know what our challenges are, and we’re not sweeping them under the rug,” Lee said. “And we’re going to be an administration. We’re going to be a mayor for the entire city of Oakland, regardless of whether they voted for me or not.”

At her first official news conference, Lee said she plans to restore trust in government that was lost during the last administration. She made it clear she will be mayor not just for her supporters but for all of Oakland.

“Working together, we’re going to make Oakland safer by investing in comprehensive public safety that includes violence prevention programs going to root out corruption and usher in a new era of ethics, transparency and accountability,” Lee said. “(We are) going to provide the beginning of providing more housing, education and economic development in historically under resourced and underrepresented communities downtown and our business corridors.”

Lee’s transition team is made of the head of the Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and the Alameda Labor Council. She says she has a history of bringing people with opposing views together, and she doesn’t plan to stop now.

“At this critical moment, I will tell you, we must not be a city divided, but a community to unite,” Lee said.

While still waiting for a briefing on Oakland’s $140 million budget deficit, Lee says she will be a hands-on mayor and will hit the ground running during her first 100 days.

Once the registrar of voters certifies the final vote count, the city will accept the results then Lee can be sworn in.