Rebecca Kaplan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rebecca Kaplan
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg) |
|
| Member of the Oakland City Council At-large District |
|
| Assumed office January 6, 2009 |
|
| Preceded by | Henry Chang, Jr. |
| Vice Mayor of Oakland | |
| Assumed office January 19, 2021 |
|
| Preceded by | Larry Reid |
| Member of the AC Transit Board of Directors |
|
| In office June 18, 2002 – December 17, 2008 |
|
| Preceded by | Matt Williams |
| Succeeded by | Joel Young |
| Constituency | At-large |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Rebecca Dawn Kaplan
September 17, 1970 Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Nationality | Canadian American |
| Political party | Democratic (since 2008) |
| Other political affiliations |
Green (until 2008) |
| Spouse |
Pamela Rosin
(m. 2014; div. 2019) |
| Alma mater | Massachusetts Institute of Technology (BS) Tufts University (MA) Stanford University (JD) |
| Website | Government website |
Rebecca Dawn Kaplan, born on September 17, 1970, is a Canadian-American lawyer, rabbi, and politician. She has been a member of the Oakland City Council since 2009. She belongs to the Democratic Party.
Kaplan grew up in Ontario, Canada. She studied at top universities like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Tufts University, and Stanford University. In the 1990s, she moved to Oakland, California. There, she worked to help people with housing rights.
In 2002, Kaplan joined the AC Transit Board of Directors. Later, in 2008, she was elected to the Oakland City Council. She was the youngest person and the first openly LGBTQ+ person elected to this council. She has also served as Vice Mayor of Oakland.
Rebecca Kaplan's Early Life and Education
Rebecca Kaplan was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on September 17, 1970. She grew up in Hamilton, Ontario. As a child, she learned about social justice and workers' rights. These stories inspired her to work for the public.
In the 1980s, Kaplan moved to the United States for college. She earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). At MIT, she helped lead a group that pushed the school to stop investing in apartheid in South Africa. She also helped MIT adopt rules against unfair treatment based on gender.
Later, she earned a master's degree from Tufts University. She also got a law degree from Stanford University.
Rebecca Kaplan's Career Journey
Kaplan started her political journey by volunteering for Ted Kennedy's campaign in 1994. After moving to Oakland in the mid-1990s, she worked for the California State Assembly. She also worked as a lawyer, helping people with housing issues and workers' rights.
In 2000, Kaplan tried to get elected to the Oakland City Council as a member of the Green Party, but she did not win. In 2008, she joined the Democratic Party.
Helping with Public Transportation
In 2002, Rebecca Kaplan was chosen to join the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit Board of Directors. This board helps manage bus services in the area. She took over a seat that became open.
While on the board, Kaplan worked to improve bus services, especially late at night. She also helped make it easier for people to walk and bike. She was part of bringing the first hydrogen fuel cell buses to the district. She was re-elected in 2006. She left the board in 2008 after being elected to the Oakland City Council.
Serving on the Oakland City Council
In 2008, Kaplan was elected to the Oakland City Council. She made history as the youngest person and the first openly LGBTQ+ person to be elected to public office in Oakland.
In 2021, Kaplan was chosen by everyone on the council to be Vice Mayor. She still holds this position. She also served as council president from 2019 to 2021. Before that, she was Vice Mayor from 2015 to 2016.
Kaplan also ran for mayor of Oakland in 2010 and 2014. She came in third place in 2010 and second place in 2014.
Balancing the City's Money
Rebecca Kaplan has worked on ways to help Oakland manage its money. She supported a plan to increase taxes on certain businesses. These businesses also supported the plan. This measure passed easily and helped the city's budget. Kaplan even talked about this on TV shows like NewsHour. She also helped pass three other measures to balance the city's budget that year.
Rules for Empty Buildings
In 2009, Kaplan helped create a new rule for empty buildings in Oakland. Many empty buildings were being used for illegal activities. Kaplan's rule made owners of these buildings register them with the city. This helped the city keep track of and manage these properties. Her version of the rule passed easily.
Supporting Community Trust
Kaplan worked to make sure the Oakland Police Department worked well with the community. She proposed a rule to make sure the police focused on local safety. This rule passed with everyone's agreement. It helped keep Oakland's status as a "sanctuary city."
Tax on Empty Land
In 2018, Kaplan supported a tax on empty land in Oakland. This tax was aimed at helping with the city's growing problem of people without homes. The tax applies to owners of empty homes and business properties. This idea became Measure W and was approved by voters in November.
Oakland Athletics Stadium Plans
In 2019, Kaplan was involved in discussions about the Oakland Athletics baseball team. The team wanted to build a new stadium. They were looking at two main locations: Howard Terminal and the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum site. The team's plan included building new homes, restaurants, and public spaces.
There were some disagreements about the land sale for the Coliseum site. The city wanted to make sure it had a say in the future of the land. Later, the Governor signed new laws to help the Howard Terminal ballpark project move forward.
Running for County Supervisor
Rebecca Kaplan is currently running for a seat on the Alameda County Board of Supervisors. This board helps manage the county. She did well in the first election round and will be in a final election against Lena Tam.
This seat became open after Wilma Chan, the previous supervisor, passed away in 2021.
Personal Life
Rebecca Kaplan is Jewish. She has been open about her identity since she was 16.
