Cindy Chávez
Encyclopedia
Cindy Chavez served as Vice Mayor of the City of San Jose, California
. While a member of the San Jose City Council
, she represented Council District Three (which includes the downtown area). Chavez was first elected to the Council in 1998 and re-elected in 2002. In 2005, she was chosen by the San Jose Mayor and confirmed by her colleagues on the City Council to serve as Vice Mayor. She recently worked as an instructor of local civics at her alma mater
San José State University
.
Working with the Mayor and her City Council colleagues, Chavez established the Strong Neighborhoods Initiative, a program that uses Redevelopment Agency resources to improve neighborhood conditions, enhance community safety, strengthen local neighborhood associations, and expand community services.
As a former Downtown District Three Council Representative, Chavez served on numerous committees. She formally Chaired the Rules Committee and served on the Downtown Parking Board, Guadalupe River Park Task Force, Police and Fire Retirement Board, San Jose Beautiful, and the SJ/SC Treatment Plant Advisory Committee. Additionally, she served on many other local and regional bodies including the Valley Transportation Authority as Vice-Chair, VTA Policy Advisory Board, Nanotechnology Infrastructure and Assets Subcommittee, and many others.
Prior to her election as a City Councilmember, Chavez had served as the Staff Director of Working Partnerships USA and as the Director of Education and Outreach for the South Bay Labor Council. She also served for three years as budget and policy aide to then Supervisor Ron Gonzales. As Vice Mayor, Chavez's focus on quality-of-life concerns led to a greater emphasis on the delivery of basic services, from removing graffiti and slowing down traffic speeding through neighborhoods to creating more green space, protecting children's health, creating stronger partnerships between colleagues and after school programs for youth.
. In the mayoral primary held on June 6, 2006, in a crowded field of ten candidates, Cindy qualified for the two person primary against Chuck Reed.
In the run-off voting held on November 7, 2006, Reed won a solid victory over Chavez who conceded the race just before midnight. Final tallies show Reed garnered 117,394 votes to Chavez's 80,720 (in percentage terms 59.26% to 40.74%).
During the early stages of the campaign Chavez out-raised her opponents and was the frontrunner in some polls. Chavez also secured many high profile endorsements, including the Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith, the Silicon Valley Young Democrats, Congressman Mike Honda and former San Jose mayor Susan Hammer, former US Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta
and former US President Bill Clinton
. However, after she came in second place in the primary voting held on June 6, 2006; Ms. Chavez was never able to regain her early lead and her opponent, Chuck Reed, was leading in all the major polls going into the run-off election.
ruling that the city law violated free speech rights and the city was ordered to pay the Chamber's legal costs.
, who received 28.79%. Pundits attributed Chavez’s second-place showing in the mayoral primary to her perceived alliance with Mayor Ron Gonzales. Gonzales had been censured, then indicted by a grand jury, in connection with an agreement to allow garbage hauler Norcal Waste Systems to increase its rates by $11 million, allowing the company to raise the rates of union members who were political supporters of Gonzales. However, Gonzales was later acquitted of all charges by a court that found prosecution claims that such a transaction was illegal to novel and unfounded. Nevertheless, voters were troubled by their perception of secret dealmaking. Chavez also drew criticism following the disclosure by the San Jose Mercury News
of email correspondence suggesting that she withheld information from fellow councilmembers about an effort to give a $4 million subsidy to the San Jose Grand Prix
.
, and their son Brennan Mateo (b. 2001) in the Naglee Park neighborhood of San Jose. Her son Brennan is in the first grade at Horace Mann Elementary School in Downtown San Jose.
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
. While a member of the San Jose City Council
San Jose City Council
San Jose City Council is the municipal government of the city of San Jose, California.- 2006 Elections :Primary Election, June 6, 2006Mayor Chuck Reed*Cindy ChavezCouncil District 1Jay JamesPete Constant*Ross Signorino...
, she represented Council District Three (which includes the downtown area). Chavez was first elected to the Council in 1998 and re-elected in 2002. In 2005, she was chosen by the San Jose Mayor and confirmed by her colleagues on the City Council to serve as Vice Mayor. She recently worked as an instructor of local civics at her alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
San José State University
San José State University
San Jose State University is a public university located in San Jose, California, United States...
.
Education
- Chavez was educated at Moreau Catholic High SchoolMoreau Catholic High SchoolMoreau Catholic High School is a college preparatory Roman Catholic secondary school founded by the Southwest Province of the Congregation of the Holy Cross. It is located in Hayward, California, within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Oakland under the care of Salvatore J. Cordileone, the Bishop of...
in Hayward. - She graduated in 1987 with a B.A. in Political Science from San Jose State UniversitySan José State UniversitySan Jose State University is a public university located in San Jose, California, United States...
.
Tenure on the City Council
As Vice Mayor, Cindy Chavez maintained a reputation as an advocate for improving the quality of life in neighborhoods throughout San Jose. She was a leader in developing innovative community based programs to address crime, education, small business development and neighborhood revitalization. Elected in 1998 and re-elected in 2002, her tenure was distinguished by implementing goals to make every neighborhood safe and enhancing opportunities for residents and providing guidance on improving city government's service to them. Recognizing the need for increased community-based improvements, Chavez continued to be a force behind allocating more Redevelopment Agency funds for enhancing neighborhoods.Working with the Mayor and her City Council colleagues, Chavez established the Strong Neighborhoods Initiative, a program that uses Redevelopment Agency resources to improve neighborhood conditions, enhance community safety, strengthen local neighborhood associations, and expand community services.
As a former Downtown District Three Council Representative, Chavez served on numerous committees. She formally Chaired the Rules Committee and served on the Downtown Parking Board, Guadalupe River Park Task Force, Police and Fire Retirement Board, San Jose Beautiful, and the SJ/SC Treatment Plant Advisory Committee. Additionally, she served on many other local and regional bodies including the Valley Transportation Authority as Vice-Chair, VTA Policy Advisory Board, Nanotechnology Infrastructure and Assets Subcommittee, and many others.
Prior to her election as a City Councilmember, Chavez had served as the Staff Director of Working Partnerships USA and as the Director of Education and Outreach for the South Bay Labor Council. She also served for three years as budget and policy aide to then Supervisor Ron Gonzales. As Vice Mayor, Chavez's focus on quality-of-life concerns led to a greater emphasis on the delivery of basic services, from removing graffiti and slowing down traffic speeding through neighborhoods to creating more green space, protecting children's health, creating stronger partnerships between colleagues and after school programs for youth.
Campaign for Mayor
In 2006 Chavez ran for mayor in a field of ten candidates hoping to succeed termed-out Ron GonzalesRon Gonzales
Ronald R. Gonzales is an American politician and member of the Democratic Party, who served as the 63rd Mayor of San Jose, California. Gonzales was the first Hispanic Mayor of San Jose since California became a U.S. state in 1850.-Career:...
. In the mayoral primary held on June 6, 2006, in a crowded field of ten candidates, Cindy qualified for the two person primary against Chuck Reed.
In the run-off voting held on November 7, 2006, Reed won a solid victory over Chavez who conceded the race just before midnight. Final tallies show Reed garnered 117,394 votes to Chavez's 80,720 (in percentage terms 59.26% to 40.74%).
During the early stages of the campaign Chavez out-raised her opponents and was the frontrunner in some polls. Chavez also secured many high profile endorsements, including the Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith, the Silicon Valley Young Democrats, Congressman Mike Honda and former San Jose mayor Susan Hammer, former US Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta
Norman Mineta
Norman Yoshio Mineta, is a United States politician of the Democratic Party. Mineta most recently served in President George W. Bush's Cabinet as the United States Secretary of Transportation, the only Democratic Cabinet Secretary in the Bush administration...
and former US President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
. However, after she came in second place in the primary voting held on June 6, 2006; Ms. Chavez was never able to regain her early lead and her opponent, Chuck Reed, was leading in all the major polls going into the run-off election.
Issues in the Primary campaign
During the campaign, the San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce was criticized by Chavez supporters for sending a mailer exposing the back room deals Vice Mayor Cindy Chavez made and the lack of public notice for the $4 million San Jose Grand Prix subsidy. The Chamber was found to have violated city law in so doing. Further court battles led to a federal courtUnited States federal courts
The United States federal courts make up the judiciary branch of federal government of the United States organized under the United States Constitution and laws of the federal government.-Categories:...
ruling that the city law violated free speech rights and the city was ordered to pay the Chamber's legal costs.
Assessment of the Primary voting
In the June 6, 2006 primary, Vice Mayor Cindy Chavez finished in second place with 23.17% of the vote, behind Chuck ReedChuck Reed
Charles Rufus "Chuck" Reed is the current Mayor of San Jose, California.-Biography:Reed was born in Garden City, Kansas. Reed's high school basketball team became Kansas State Champions despite being from a very small, rural school. He joined the United States Air Force in 1970 after attending the...
, who received 28.79%. Pundits attributed Chavez’s second-place showing in the mayoral primary to her perceived alliance with Mayor Ron Gonzales. Gonzales had been censured, then indicted by a grand jury, in connection with an agreement to allow garbage hauler Norcal Waste Systems to increase its rates by $11 million, allowing the company to raise the rates of union members who were political supporters of Gonzales. However, Gonzales was later acquitted of all charges by a court that found prosecution claims that such a transaction was illegal to novel and unfounded. Nevertheless, voters were troubled by their perception of secret dealmaking. Chavez also drew criticism following the disclosure by the San Jose Mercury News
San Jose Mercury News
The San Jose Mercury News is a daily newspaper in San Jose, California. On its web site, however, it calls itself Silicon Valley Mercury News. The paper is owned by MediaNews Group...
of email correspondence suggesting that she withheld information from fellow councilmembers about an effort to give a $4 million subsidy to the San Jose Grand Prix
San Jose Grand Prix
The San Jose Grand Prix was an annual street circuit race in the Champ Car World Series in San Jose, California. The race had three different title sponsors over the course of its three year existence, being known as the Taylor Woodrow Grand Prix of San Jose in 2005, Canary Foundation Grand Prix of...
.
Career After Politics
Chavez returned to her post as the director of Working Partnerships USA and South Bay Labor Council. She is one of the most vocal supporters of San Jose's local unions, earning her the derogatory nickname "Queen of Labor."Family
She lives with her husband, Mike Potter, the District Director for State Assemblymember Joe CotoJoe Coto
Joe Coto is an American educator, city councilmember, and a Democratic politician. He most recently served three terms as a member of the California State Assembly, leaving office late in 2010...
, and their son Brennan Mateo (b. 2001) in the Naglee Park neighborhood of San Jose. Her son Brennan is in the first grade at Horace Mann Elementary School in Downtown San Jose.