Two Longtime Berkeley City Councilmembers Won't Seek Re-election

Berkeley city politics is getting a shakeup this November.

Longtime City Councilman Kriss Worthington announced Thursday he will not be seeking re-election and City Councilwoman Linda Maio said the same back in March.

Maio, a 25-year member of the city council, says newbies will better represent the changing Berkeley population. She also says the goals of the City Council will likely stay the same, but new people will revitalize efforts to tackle housing and other issues.

"Those challenges are daunting for us so having some new energy some new blood just coming in will help you know reinvigorate our efforts there," she said.

Worthington, a 22-year member of the city council, agrees. He says the city council needs younger voices.

"I don't think we've ever had a lack of the perspective of the older communities," Worthington said. "When I got elected, people were like: you're too young, and I was, what, 40."

Worthington, whose district encompasses UC Berkeley and is mostly students, is endorsing recent UC Berkeley graduate Rigel Robinson to replace him.

"It's more powerful that the affected group is speaking out," Worthington said. "I think there's more
emotional pressure to listen to that."

Worthington acknowledges that losing a combined 47 years of institutional knowledge between him and Maio might hurt the City Council, but he says he's confident in the people he's brought into city hall like Mayor Jesse Arreguín and others. And, he'll still be around to give advice.