Nikki Fortunato Bas
Nikki Fortunato Bas | |
|---|---|
Official portrait, 2025 | |
| Member of the Alameda County Board of Supervisors from the 5th district | |
| Assumed office January 6, 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Keith Carson |
| Interim Mayor of Oakland | |
| In office December 17, 2024 – January 6, 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Sheng Thao |
| Succeeded by | Kevin Jenkins (interim) |
| Member of the Oakland City Council from the 2nd district | |
| In office January 7, 2019 – December 17, 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Abel Guillen |
| Succeeded by | Vacant |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1968 (age 57–58) New York, U.S. |
| Party | Democratic |
| Education | University of Virginia (BS) |
| Website | Campaign website |
Nikki Fortunato Bas (born 1968) is an American politician serving on the Alameda County Board of Supervisors for the 5th district. She was previously a member of the Oakland, Calif., City Council from the 2nd district from 2019 to 2024, serving as the Council President since 2021, and briefly as interim Mayor of Oakland following the recall of Sheng Thao.
Early life and education
Fortunato Bas was born in 1968 in New York to Dr. Mauricio Bas and nurse Fe Fortunato Bas. They immigrated to the United States in the 1960s from Cebu and Mindoro to continue their education. Bas graduated from the University of Virginia, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in economics in 1990, then moved to California.[1] She is a member of the Democratic party.
Oakland City Council
Fortunato Bas was first elected to the Oakland City Council in 2018, succeeding Abel Guillen. She was sworn in on January 7, 2019, making her the first Filipino-American to hold public office in the city.[1]
Bas proposed and voted to cut the Oakland public safety budget by tens of millions of dollars, despite Oakland having one of the highest violent crime rates in the United States.[2]
While a council member, public schools in her district were found to have extremely dangerous levels of lead in the drinking water. At Crocker Highlands elementary school, lead contamination exceeding thresholds was found in 50% of the water fixtures, with the highest level of contamination detected being 440 parts per billion. Parents of students at the school were not immediately informed about the dangerous levels of lead in the drinking after for months after it was discovered.[3] As of October 2025, the water at Crocker Highlands continued to test at unsafe levels and has not yet to be remediated.[4]
She resigned the position on December 17, 2024.[5]
She briefly served as interim mayor of Oakland following the recall of Sheng Thao who was arrested by the FBI and charged with bribery by the Department of Justice[6]. Barbara Lee was elected to fill the remainder of the term in a special election.
Alameda County Board of Supervisors
Fortunato Bas narrowly defeated Emeryville City Councilmember and former mayor John Bauters in the 2024 general election.[7]
Personal life
Fortunato Bas and her husband, Brad Erickson, faculty union president at San Francisco State University, and their daughter, Balana, live in Oakland.[1]
References
- ^ a b c Querol Moreno, Cherie (January 19, 2019). "First Fil-Am elected to public post in Oakland believes in People Power". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
- ^ Swan, By Rachel. "Oakland City Council approves budget with $14.6 million cut to Police Department". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on February 2, 2025. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
- ^ Rhoades, Ashley McBride, Callie (July 28, 2025). "OUSD lead crisis: Internal records reveal panic and confusion among school leaders". The Oaklandside. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Crocker Highlands ES - 103025 - Lead Quality Water Report". Google Docs. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
- ^ Wolfe, Eli (December 4, 2024). "Bas will leave council seat early to save Oakland money on special elections". The Oaklandside. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
- ^ "Northern District of California | Former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, Thao's Longtime Partner, And Two Local Businessmen Charged With Bribery Offenses | United States Department of Justice". www.justice.gov. January 17, 2025. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
- ^ Laird, Cynthia (November 20, 2024). "Bas declares victory over Bauters in Alameda supervisor race". Bay Area Reporter. Retrieved December 17, 2024.