Hayward Mayor Mark Salinas took the oath of office Tuesday and set forth a vision of Hayward becoming an “Education City” where every high school graduate can locally go to college or learn a trade and build a healthy, happy life.

In remarks following being sworn into office, Salinas, who was born and raised in Hayward and is the first Chicano\Latino Mayor in the City’s 146-year history, drew parallels between his own experience growing up, attending Chabot College before transferring to four-year university, that of his wife, Lety, also a Chabot alum, and the lives of Hayward families today.

“My top priority is to establish Hayward as an Education City,” Salinas said, noting the presence of representatives from Hayward Unified School District, Chabot College, Cal State University East Bay and leaders of local businesses and building and construction trades unions in a packed City Council chamber.

“I intend to work with the business community, the trades, Cal State East Bay, the school district and Chabot College so we can formalize a citywide promise to every Hayward student: When you graduate from a Hayward (high) school, there will be a seat waiting for you at one of these institutions.  And we will do our best to help you pay for it—you and your family.”

Mayor Salinas spoke during a special City Council meeting that was part farewell to outgoing Mayor Barbara Halliday and Councilmember Sara Lamnin and former Councilmember Aisha Wahab, and part celebration of the elections of their successors—Mayor Salinas and new Councilmembers Julie Roche and George Syrop, who also were sworn into office Tuesday.

Continuing his remarks, Mayor Salinas said his second and third priorities would be bringing new economic activity to downtown where the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on local restaurants and merchants, and investing “appropriately in public safety” to bolster Hayward Police patrol staffing levels while building capacity for responding safely to calls involving people experiencing mental and behavioral health illness and crisis.

In articulating his priorities, Mayor Salinas said he remains committed to seeing through recently adopted plans for responding to homelessness and maintaining and building more affordable housing in the city.

“I am committed, as are my colleagues, to improving the quality of life here in Hayward,” he said. “It’s policy balances like these that will improve safety and put us on a path to equity.”