Barbara Lee sworn in as mayor, says her job is to lead Oakland ‘into a period of financial stability.’

Former Congresswoman Barbara Lee officially became the 52nd mayor of Oakland during a swearing in ceremony at City Hall on May 20.

Lee, 78, was introduced by a pairing of business and labor — Barbara Leslie, CEO of the Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, and Keith Brown, executive secretary-treasurer of the Alameda Labor Council. Leslie said their sharing the podium showed that Lee “is committed to leading our city with everyone and for everyone.” Keith added that union workers are committed to supporting Lee as she tries to ensure Oakland is safe, vibrant and equitable, “a city where business can grow and working families can thrive.”

In her first official address, Lee talked about her ambitious 100-day plan to get the city on track financially and on all other fronts, through working groups and community forums. And she expounded on her love for Oakland — “a city that gave me hope, a Mills College education, a loving and safe neighborhood, neighborhoods, to raise my son, and the support to represent the people as your assembly member, your state senator, your congresswoman and now as your mayor.”

Speaking for 16 minutes to a full council chamber, Lee talked about instilling hope and safety, addressing homelessness and boosting the economy, and supporting young people, seniors and artists. She also recalled her personal history as the great-granddaughter of slaves, whose father was a Korean War veteran and mother was among the first Black students to integrate the University of Texas at El Paso. Her parents, Lee said, were denied an opportunity to buy a home in San Leandro because of redlining. “Little did my parents know then, that I would end up representing San Leandro for three decades in Congress,” she said.

Lee, who represented the East Bay in Congress for 27 years, won a special election on April 15 to finish the final two years of recalled former Mayor Sheng Thao’s term. Lee defeated former City Councilmember Loren Taylor, who also came in second during a close election with Thao in 2022.

Alameda County election results show Lee with 50% of the votes in the ranked-choice election, and Taylor with 45%. None of the other eight candidates gained more than 1% of the vote. Turnout was low, at 38%.

The special election also included District 2 City Council, a seat vacated by former council President Nikki Fortunato Bas, who was elected in November to the Alameda County Board of Supervisors. New District 2 Council member Charlene Wang, who received 47% of the vote, also was sworn in.

Lee becomes Oakland’s fourth mayor in five months. When Thao left office in December, Bas, as council president, automatically became acting mayor until the new council was installed in January. Bas then transitioned to her newly elected role on the Board of Supervisors, and Kevin Jenkins, who succeeded her as Oakland City Council president, became interim mayor. Jenkins continued in that role until Lee was sworn in.

Lee takes the helm during a particularly turbulent period for the city, which is struggling financially under a projected budget deficit of more than $260 million through 2027. Program and staff cuts have resulted as well as a tax increase. In April, voters approved a half-cent spike in the sales tax, putting Oakland at the high end for the East Bay, at 10.75%. In June, they will be asked to consider a property tax increase.

Lee acknowledged the long road ahead for Oakland. “As your mayor, my job is to lead our city out of a budget crisis and [into] a period of financial stability — not going to be easy, but we’re going to do everything we can do, everything,” she said. “And we can only do this together if we have a strong and vibrant downtown, thriving small businesses in every single Oakland neighborhood and those that preserve the character of our great city and contribute to our vitality. And a city that welcomes investment, and also a city that values our artists and our cultural workers and our restaurants, and all of that that makes Oakland, Oakland.”

The financial issues have taken some of the attention away from an FBI corruption case in which Thao and three others have been indicted.

In June, the FBI raided the home Thao shares with her boyfriend, Andre Jones. Seven months later, she and Jones were charged with eight counts in an alleged bribery scheme, along with David and Andy Duong, whose California Waste Solutions had the city’s recycling contract. All four have pleaded not guilty.

After winning the special election, Lee told voters she will lead with “transparency, integrity and accountability” for a better Oakland. She reiterated that message as mayor.

Mayor Thao speaks out on FBI raid: ‘This wouldn’t have gone down the way it did if I was rich.’