At her final news conference Wednesday, outgoing Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf reflected on her eight years at the helm of one of the Bay Area's most enigmatic cities.
Outside the Oakland Mayor's office, there is a photo gallery of all the bearded, stern-faced men who have served in the past 168 years. The contrast with the current occupant couldn't be greater.It was fitting that her last press conference would be about a program for universal preschool access. As she comes to the end of her eight-year term, the Oakland native said her passion has always been about helping kids. She referenced them as she looked back on her time in office.
Her style was that of a practical progressive; vocal on social justice issues, but also determined to deal with real-world problems.But there were other problems that have proven far more difficult to repair. In her first five years, the homicide rate dropped. But later, as gun violence in the city swelled, Schaaf was stymied politically in her attempts to increase money for police.for a police force of nearly 800 officers, but never actually able to reach that staffing number," she said.
"I have every confidence that the A's and the new mayor, Sheng Thao, will get this deal done," she said."I like to think that I'm leaving them with the bases loaded."
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