New Mayor Vows to ‘Reshape’ Oakland
Elihu M. Harris, Oakland’s new mayor, said Monday that he is not “a man with all the answers,” but that he plans to help reshape the city’s ailing educational system and fight crime.
“We must reshape our community, and to this end I will be the point guard,” Harris told the crowd of about 1,000 at his swearing-in ceremony. “I will ask you to take responsibility for your city.”
Among those present was San Francisco Mayor Art Agnos, who said he was there “to celebrate my old colleague and my new colleague.” Agnos and Harris are former legislators.
Harris, the second black mayor in the city’s history, defeated fellow Democrat Wilson Riles 57% to 43% in the Nov. 6 election.
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