John Gioia

John Gioia (pronounced: Joy-a ) is an American politician. He has served on the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors in Contra Costa County, California since 1998 and was overwhelmingly re-elected three times. He served as chair in 2002, 2006 and 2010. John Gioia is a Democrat. Contra Costa Supervisory seats are non-partisan.

Overview

John Gioia was first elected to the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors in 1998 and was overwhelmingly re-elected three times. He served as chair in 2002, 2006 and 2010.

Gioia represents 210,000 residents in the western most urban area of the county including El Cerrito, Richmond, San Pablo, and Pinole, and the unincorporated communities of El Sobrante, Kensington, Montalvin Manor, North Richmond, East Richmond Heights, Rollingwood and Tara Hills.

Gioia is a recognized leader in Bay Area regional government and on air quality issues. He was appointed by Governor Brown to serve on the California Air Resources Board in 2012 and has served on the Bay Area Air Quality Management District Board since 2006 (serving as Chair in 2012).

Gioia advocates on behalf of county government as the President of the California State Association of Counties. He chairs the Bay Area Joint Policy Committee (which coordinates the planning for the four regional government agencies), and serves as Vice-Chair of the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority and the Doctors Medical Center Governing Board. John also serves on the California Cities Counties Schools Partnership Board, Association of Bay Area Governments Executive Board, San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission, Bay Area Regional Airport Planning Committee, RYSE Youth Center Board, El Sobrante Boys and Girls Club Advisory Board, and the Bay Area Social Equity Caucus Steering Committee.

Gioia grew up in West Contra Costa County and graduated from El Cerrito High School and the University of California, Berkeley with a B.A. with highest honors in Political Science and also earned his law degree at U.C. Berkeley. He completed the Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. Gioia practiced law until his election to the Board of Supervisors.

Gioia was first elected to public office in 1988 as a Director of the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) serving for 10 years and was EBMUD’s youngest ever President in 1995 and 1996.

Gioia’s public service was inspired by his father, who was a popular civics teacher for 20 years at Kennedy High School in Richmond. John has successfully built coalitions to address issues such as affordable housing, homelessness, violence prevention, environmental justice, access to public transportation and quality health care, air and water quality, San Francisco Bay restoration, and expanding afterschool and summer activities for youth. John also helped found the RYSE Center, an innovative and popular youth center in Richmond which is grounded on principles of social justice and youth development.

Gioia 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.[1] He joined Congressman George Miller, Richmond city council man Nat Bates and others in protesting the eviction of a popular pastor in 2010.[2]

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.[3]

In 2003 Gioia 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.[4]

In 2005 he proposed banning new Indian Reservations and gambling institutions in the county and[5] also approved a measure to fine each supervisor $1 for every instance of bureaucratic mumbo jumbo.[6]

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.

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.[7] Gioia lives in Richmond and is the parent of Christopher, a student at U.C. Berkeley, and Emilia, who attends a local public school.[7]

Notes

  1. ↑ Richmond rejects tribe's plans for casino resort. Carolyn Jones. San Francisco Chronicle. 07-04-2011. Retrieved 07-04-2011.
  2. ↑ Evicted Richmond pastor joined by police chief, county supervisor in denouncing bank, asking for support. San Francisco Chronicle. 2011. Retrieved 09-04-2011.
  3. ↑ 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.
  4. ↑ Protest Targets Wal-Mart. Berkeley Daily Planet. J. Douglas Allen-Taylor. 12-09-2003. Retrieved 10-04-2011.
  5. ↑ Contra Costa Officials Consider Indian Casino Ban. KTVU News. 04-03-2005. Retrieved 10-04-2011.
  6. ↑ 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.
  7. 1 2 Local Hero: John Gioia. Housing Rights Inc. 2011. Retrieved 09-04-2011.

External links


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