[Sosfbay-discuss] Green Mayors of California and the United States, 1991-present; by Mike Feinstein

[JamBoi]

Green Mayors of California and the United States, 1991-present
By Mike Feinstein

Gayle McLaughlin?s election as Mayor of Richmond makes here one of
three 
new California Green Mayors in 2007.  The other two are Larry Bragman 
(Fairfax, Marin County) and Sam Pierce (Sebastopol, Sonoma County).

But whereas McLaughlin was directly elected by the residents, Bragman 
and Pierce were appointed from within the city council by their fellow 
city councilmembers.  The difference between these two processes
mirrors 
the two primary ways mayors are chosen in California, and also reflect 
the two most common forms of municipal government in the state: 
Council-Manager and Mayor-Council.  By modification and overlap these 
two basic forms provide varied patterns of city government across the
state.

About three-quarters of California cities have a Council-Manager form
of 
government, where the elected City Council provides political
leadership 
and makes policy, while a full-time professional Manager directs city 
departments in carrying out that policy. Council-Manager cities usually

appoint their Mayors from within the Council, or chose them by
rotation, 
also from within the Council.

Of California's 478 cities, 330 appoint their mayors from within the 
city council, and 148 have directly elected mayors. Among those 148, in

most cases the mayor still has equal power as other councilmembers, or 
is at least limited in the extra powers he/she holds.  These are
usually 
called weak-mayor systems.

There are also  a small number of California cities - mostly the larger

ones like Los Angeles, Long Beach, Oakland, San Diego and San Francisco

? that have directly elected 'strong mayors' who serve as the chief 
executives of their cities. The closest a Green came to winning one of 
these was Matt Gonzalez?s historic November 2003 run, when he came in a

close second with 47.2%.

In Richmond, the Mayor is separately elected, but not a 'strong' mayor 
in the traditional large-city sense.  According to the City?s web site,

"The Mayor is a member of the City Council and the chief elected
officer 
and ceremonial head of the City. The Mayor is also responsible for:
? Informing City residents of policies and developments
? Working with the City Manager on the annual budget
? Making recommendations to the City Council on policies and programs"

The first Green Mayor in California was Raven Earlygrow, who was 
appointed in Point Arena (Mendocino County) in 1993.  Since then, 
twenty-four California Greens have been appointed Mayors by their 
colleagues. McLaughlin was the first to be directly elected.

  Sebastopol has had the years with a Green mayor

__Sam Pierce, Sebastopol, California 2006-2007 (appointed)
__Larry Robinson, Sebastopol, California 2004-2005 (appointed)
__Craig Litwin, Sebastopol, California 2002-2003 (appointed)
__Sam Spooner, Sebastopol, California 2001-2002 (appointed)
__Larry Robinson, Sebastopol, California 2000-2001 (appointed)

Nationally, 34 Greens who served as Mayors, with ten elected and 
twenty-four (all from California) appointed.

Before McLaughlin, of those who were directly elected, all had 
previously come from very small cities and towns. The only city over 
7,000 as Websters Grove, MO (2000 pop. 23,000) where Terry Williams was

Mayor between 1994-1997.

Nationally, the first Green Mayor was Kelly Weaverling in Cordova,
Alaska  (1991-1993). Weaverling was directly elected in the aftermath
of 
the Exxon Valdez oil spill, and had been an important activist involved

in the post-spill clean-up.

For a complete list of California Green Mayors, see

www.cagreens.org/elections/greenmayors.php

___________________

JamBoi
Jammy The Sacred Cow Slayer

"Live humbly, laugh often and love unconditionally" (anon)
http://dailyJam.blogspot.com

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