John Gioia
John Gioia (pronounced: Joy-a ) is an American politician. He has been the Democratic county supervisor in Contra Costa County, California District 1 since 1998 and was overwhelmingly re-elected three times. He served as chair in 2002, 2006 and 2010.
Overview
Supervisor Gioia is the local representative for the cities of El Cerrito, San Pablo, Richmond, part of Pinole, and the unincorporated communities of Kensington, Rollingwood, Bayview-Montalvin Manor, North Richmond, and [[East Richmond Heights, California|East Richmond Heights], and Tara Hills. [1] He is chair of the finance committee and also serves on the Association of Bay Area Governments, California State Association of Counties Board, San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission, Contra Costa Transportation Authority, West Contra Costa Integrated Waste Management Authority, and the Contra Costa County Employees' Retirement Association boards of directors.[1]
He is largely opposed to the expansion of urban gaming proposed by Native American Indian gaming interests. These projects include the failed billion dollar Point Molate proposal, Casino San Pablo upgrades from card club to full scale, and the successful Sugar Bowl Casino by the Guideville, Lytton, and Scotts Valley bands of Pomo Indians respectively.[2] He joined Congressman George Miller, Richmond city council man Nat Bates and others in protesting the eviction of a popular pastor in 2010.[3]
Political career
In 1999 he became highly critical of four refineries in the county particularly the Chevron Richmond Refinery for not having written polices on disaster response including the accidental release of contaminants.[4]
His 2002 reelection bid was endorsed by the Contra Costa Times for his tough stance on pension reform.[5] This stance has come under fire by tax groups as being misleading.[6]
In 2003 he joined Loni Hancock, Irma Anderson, and other area residents and politicians to protest and oppose the entry of Wal-Mart into Hilltop Mall, however this was eventually unsuccessful.[7]
In 2005 he proposed banning new Indian Reservations and gambling institutions in the county and[8] also approved a measure to fine each supervisor $1 for every instance of bureaucratic mumbo jumbo.[9]
In 2006 he spearheaded a bailout to save Doctors Hospital in San Pablo with a 10 million dollar advance guaranteed by future property tax revenues.[10]
In 2011 his El Cerrito offices were picketed for alleged mismanagement and failure to fix the problems of North Richmond, an unincorporated impoverished African-American enclave surrounded the city of Richmond, inside Gioia's district 1.[11][12]
He also expressed support for demolishing and rebuilding the Las Deltas projects into a mixed use mixed income village in North Richmond once funds are identified.[13]
Personal life
He is an alumnus of El Cerrito High School and Cal Berkeley where he received a bachelors in Political Science. This was followed by a law degree from Boalt Hall and a working career in business and land use law in his hometown and San Francisco.[1] He started his political career with a stint on the East Bay Municipal Utility District board from 1989 to 1998 including the presidency from 1995 onward.[1] He resides in Richmond with his two children, Emilia and Christopher, who attend public schools.[1]
External links
Notes
- ^ a b c d e Local Hero: John Gioia. Housing Rights Inc. 2011. Retrieved 09-04-2011.
- ^ Richmond rejects tribe's plans for casino resort. Carolyn Jones. San Francisco Chronicle. 07-04-2011. Retrieved 07-04-2011.
- ^ Evicted Richmond pastor joined by police chief, county supervisor in denouncing bank, asking for support. San Francisco Chronicle. 2011. Retrieved 09-04-2011.
- ^ Fire at Refinery Raises Safety, Gas Price Issues; Energy: Blaze at Chevron facility in Richmond is the latest in a series of similar incidents in California. Nancy Rivera. Los Angeles Times. 26-03-1999. Retrieved 10-04-2011.
- ^ Contra Costa Times endorsement of Gioia is suspect. Save El Sobrante. 13-04-2010. Retrieved 10-04-2011.
- ^ Gioia Wrong in Attacking Tax Groups. Save El Sobrante. 19-01-2006. Retrieved 10-04-2011.
- ^ Protest Targets Wal-Mart. Berkeley Daily Planet. J. Douglas Allen-Taylor. 12-09-2003. Retrieved 10-04-2011.
- ^ Contra Costa Officials Consider Indian Casino Ban. KTVU News. 04-03-2005. Retrieved 10-04-2011.
- ^ CONTRA COSTA COUNTY / Supervisors to pay a $1 fine for using bureaucratic lingo. Erin Hallissy. San Francisco Chronicle. 22-06-2005. Retrieved 10-04-2011.
- ^ County will loan $10 million to keep San Pablo hospital afloat County will loan $10 million to keep San Pablo hospital afloat. Sandy Kleffman. Jose Mercury News. 05-04-2011. Retrieved 10-04-2011.San
- ^ North Richmond activists rally outside county office. 09-04-2011. Retrieved 10-04-2011.
- ^ North Richmond activists rally outside county office. Robert Rogers. Richmond Confidential. 09-04-2011. Retrieved 10-04-2011.
- ^ North Richmond housing projects’ days may be numbered. Robert Rogers. Richmond Confidential. 01-03-2011. Retrieved 06-03-2011.