John Gioia
Encyclopedia
John Gioia is an American
politician. He has been the Democratic
county supervisor
for Contra Costa County, California
District 1 since 1998 and was re-elected in 2002.
, San Pablo
, Richmond, and the communities of Kensington
, Rollingwood
, Bayview-Montalvin Manor
, North Richmond
, and East Richmond Heights
. 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 Conversation 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.
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 succeessful Sugar Bowl Casino
by the Guideville
, Lytton
, and Scotts Valley bands of Pomo Indians respectively. He joined Congressman Goerge Miller, Richmond city council man Nat Bates and others in protesting the eviction of a popular pastor in 2010.
for not having written polices on disaster response including the accidental release of contaminants.
His 2002 reelection bid was endorsed by the Contra Costa Times
for his tough stance on pension reform. This stance has come under fire by tax groups as being misleading.
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.
In 2005 he proposed banning new Indian Reservations and gambling institutions in the county and also approved a measure to fine each supervisor $1 for every instance of bureaucratic mumbo jumbo.
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.
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.
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.
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. 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. He is married to Jennifer Peck employed in the non-profit field and has two children Emilia and Christopher. The family resides in Richmond and their children attend public schools.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician. He has been the Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
county supervisor
Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors
The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors is the governing body for the unincorporated areas of Contra Costa County, California in the San Francisco Bay Area's East Bay region. These are divided into five districts...
for Contra Costa County, California
Contra Costa County, California
Contra Costa County is a primarily suburban county in the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 1,049,025...
District 1 since 1998 and was re-elected in 2002.
Overview
He is the local representative for the cities of El CerritoEl Cerrito, California
-Transportation:The city's primary transportation infrastructure consists of the El Cerrito Plaza and El Cerrito del Norte BART stations along with several local bus lines, operated by AC Transit, providing access to the surrounding area and the nearby cities of Albany, Berkeley and Richmond...
, San Pablo
San Pablo, California
San Pablo is a city in Contra Costa County, California, United States. The city of Richmond surrounds nearly the whole city. The population was 29,139 at the 2010 census. The current Mayor is Paul V. Morris, and the current Vice Mayor is Cecilia Valdez. Current Councilmembers include Arturo M....
, Richmond, and the communities of Kensington
Kensington, California
Kensington is an unincorporated community and census-designated place located in the East Bay, part of the San Francisco Bay Area, in Contra Costa County, California, United States. The population was 5,077 at the 2010 census.- Law and government :Kensington is an unincorporated area of Contra...
, Rollingwood
Rollingwood, California
Rollingwood is a census-designated place in Contra Costa County, California, United States. As of the 2010 census, Rollingwood's population was 2,969.-Geography:...
, Bayview-Montalvin Manor
Bayview-Montalvin, California
Bayview-Montalvin is a former census-designated place in Contra Costa County, California, United States. The population was 5,004 at the 2000 census.Prior to the 2010 census, the CDP was dissolved into Bayview CDP and Montalvin Manor CDP.-Geography:...
, North Richmond
North Richmond, California
North Richmond is a community in Contra Costa County, California, a census-designated place of 3,717 adjacent to and nearly surrounded by the city Richmond, to which it is generally socially and culturally attached...
, and East Richmond Heights
East Richmond Heights, California
East Richmond Heights is an unincorporated and census-designated place in western Contra Costa County, California, United States. The community is locally referred to as Richmond View or Arlington Heights, especially in the context of real estate advertisements...
. He is chair of the finance committee and also serves on the Association of Bay Area Governments
Association of Bay Area Governments
The Association of Bay Area Governments is a regional planning agency incorporating various local governments in the San Francisco Bay Area in California. It deals with land use, housing, environmental quality, and economic development. Non-profit organizations as well as governmental...
, California State Association of Counties Board, San Francisco Bay Conversation and Development Commission, Contra Costa Transportation Authority, West Contra Costa Integrated Waste Management Authority, and the Contra Costa County Employees' Retirement Association
Contra Costa County Employees' Retirement Association
Contra Costa County Employees' Retirement Association is a retirement association for Contra Costa County, California workers.It provides Defined benefit plans to the county and other local agencies...
boards of directors.
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
Point Molate Naval Fuel Depot
Point Molate Naval Fuel Depot is a decommissioned U.S. Navy fueling station on the western coast of Richmond, California.-History:The depot opened in 1941 on the site of a former winery and Chinese shrimp camp and was closed during the Clinton-era base closures and realignments in 1995 and...
proposal, Casino San Pablo
Casino San Pablo
Casino San Pablo is a Native American reservation with a gambling hall located in San Pablo, California. It is operated by the Lytton Band of Pomo Indians.-History:...
upgrades from card club
Card club
-History:However card clubs owners may not have a stake in any of the bets or games of chance. The visitors pay an admission fee or a set fee per game. Many Native American tribes have attempted to purchase these card clubs and afterward convert them into Native American land trusts...
to full scale, and the succeessful Sugar Bowl Casino
Sugar Bowl Casino
The Sugar Bowl Casino is a planned 2,000 slot gambling hall in North Richmond, California. The project has met little opposition for area residents that believe it will provide jobs and added police presence allowing for reduced crime.-History:...
by the Guideville
Guideville Band of Pomo Indians
The Guideville Band of Pomo Indians is a Native American tribe of the Pomo Indians of northern California.-History:The tribe's origin is of the original setters of areas in Mendocino, Lake, and Sonoma Counties...
, Lytton
Lytton Band of Pomo Indians
The Lytton Band of Pomo Indians is a tribe of Pomo Native Americans created in the late 1980s by lineal descendants of the two families who lived at the Lytton Rancheria in Healdsburg, California from 1937 to about 1960. The tribe now has between 200 and 300 members...
, and Scotts Valley bands of Pomo Indians respectively. He joined Congressman Goerge Miller, Richmond city council man Nat Bates and others in protesting the eviction of a popular pastor in 2010.
Political career
In 1999 he became highly critical of four refineries in the county particularly the Chevron Richmond RefineryChevron Richmond Refinery
The Chevron Richmond Refinery is a petroleum refinery in Richmond, California, on San Francisco Bay. It is owned and operated by Chevron Corporation and employs more than 1,200 workers, making it the city's largest employer. The refinery processes approximately of crude oil a day in the...
for not having written polices on disaster response including the accidental release of contaminants.
His 2002 reelection bid was endorsed by the Contra Costa Times
Contra Costa Times
The Contra Costa Times is a daily newspaper based in Walnut Creek, California, U.S.. The paper serves Contra Costa and eastern Alameda counties, in the eastern part of the San Francisco Bay Area...
for his tough stance on pension reform. This stance has come under fire by tax groups as being misleading.
In 2003 he joined Loni Hancock
Loni Hancock
Loni Hancock is currently serving in her first term as the representative of California State Senate District 9. The 9th Senate District currently includes Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Castro Valley, Dublin, El Sobrante, Emeryville, Livermore, Oakland, Piedmont, Richmond, and San Pablo...
, Irma Anderson, and other area residents and politicians to protest and oppose the entry of Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
into Hilltop Mall, however this was eventually unsuccessful.
In 2005 he proposed banning new Indian Reservations and gambling institutions in the county and also approved a measure to fine each supervisor $1 for every instance of bureaucratic mumbo jumbo.
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.
In 2011 his El Cerrito offices were picketed for alleged mismanagement and failure to fix the problems of North Richmond
North Richmond, California
North Richmond is a community in Contra Costa County, California, a census-designated place of 3,717 adjacent to and nearly surrounded by the city Richmond, to which it is generally socially and culturally attached...
, an unincorporated impoverished African-American enclave surrounded the city of Richmond, inside Gioia's district 1.
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.
Personal life
He is an alumnus of El Cerrito High SchoolEl Cerrito High School
El Cerrito High School is a public school in the West Contra Costa Unified School District. It is located at 540 Ashbury Avenue, El Cerrito, California 94530.-Overview:The original main school building was built in the late 1930s as a WPA project...
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. He started his political career with a stint on the East Bay Municipal Utility District
East Bay Municipal Utility District
East Bay Municipal Utility District , colloquially referred to as "East Bay Mud", provides water and sewage treatment for customers in portions of Alameda County and Contra Costa County in California, on the eastern side of San Francisco Bay, including the cities of Richmond, El Cerrito, Hercules,...
board from 1989 to 1998 including the presidency from 1995 onward. He is married to Jennifer Peck employed in the non-profit field and has two children Emilia and Christopher. The family resides in Richmond and their children attend public schools.