CM Sophie Hahn has sloughed off the mantle of Vice Mayor of the City Council, returning to her elected responsibilities as the representative of District 5. CM Lori Droste will take Hahn’s place as “Council Vice President” after Tuesday’s ceremonial Lowering Into The Abyss.
The title of “Vice Mayor” is being retired with the transition. As Mayor Arreguìn put it, “No one ever has or ever could put the vice into Vice Mayor quite as Sophie has done. In many ways, she was the kind of Vice best suited to 2020.” We at the Bunion agree and wish to acknowledge some of the lowlights of Hahn’s vice-ridden term.
Hahn showed us her passion for supporting Berkeley businesses by shopping at Whole Foods in Lafayette and by taking her dry cleaning to Albany. She is the inspiration for Berkeley Notify and the ShameTime feature.
Her commitment to housing security for the indigent was on full display at her mansions in Berkeley and in Occidental. No homeless neighbors could be seen at either location. We were unable to get reports about her European property by press time.
Hahn’s appeal for sympathy at the news that her husband’s salary had fallen by 25% to a mere $300,000 was heartbreaking for all who heard it, especially those for whom COVID-19 ended jobs and shuttered businesses.
Hahn’s commitment to the programs funded by the Soda Tax is without equal, most notably on the supply side. Her stock holdings in Big Soda have empowered them to create new and innovative sweetened products, while her family board service on a national pizza chain ensures their widespread availability. Hahn’s efforts to stimulate the supply of sugary beverages will ensure that revenues from the Soda Tax keep flowing.
The Bunion congratulates CM Hahn on her year of service and for her distinction as the final holder of the office of Vice Mayor.