Gayle McLaughlin

VICE-MAYoR, CITY OF RICHMOND

Gayle McLaughlin is the former Mayor (2007-2015) and current City Councilmember (2005-2007; 2015-2017, 2021-present) of Richmond, California. In her role as City Councilmember, she serves as the city’s vice-mayor. Under her leadership, Richmond increased the minimum wage to $15 an hour, reduced homicides 75% in 8 years, forced Chevron to pay over $100 million in additional city taxes, limited its pollution and sued the oil giant for damage to the population. Gayle also promoted Community Choice Aggregation, resulting in more than 85% of homeowners and businesses now receiving greener and less expensive electricity. She led the local fight against foreclosures advocating for the use of the City eminent domain powers to protect homeowners and to keep them in their homes, and spearheaded many other initiatives and programs. In November 2016 under her leadership, Richmond passed the first new rent control law in California in 30 years.