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Rosemead swears in new mayor
Tran among first Vietnamese to hold position
By Frank C. Girardot Staff Writer
ROSEMEAD - John Tran's family fled communist-controlled Vietnam in 1979 with hopes of finding a better life in the United States.
Tuesday night, Tran, 31, was sworn in as mayor of Rosemead. As a result, Tran claims he is the first person of Vietnamese descent to become an elected mayor of any city in the United States - or the world for that matter.
"None of the Vietnamese politicians in Orange County ever won elections for mayor," Tran said. "Mayors in Vietnam aren't elected, they're appointed by the government."
The Sacramento-based Asian Pacific Islander Public Affairs Association was unable to confirm whether or not Tran would in fact be the first Vietnamese-American mayor in the United States.
Tran's political ally, Mayor pro tem John Nu ez, said he had also done some research and could not find any instance of a Vietnamese American who had served as mayor of any U.S. city.
Like their counterparts in many cities throughout the state, Rosemead City Council members rotate into the mayor's job. Typically, it is the vice mayor (or in Rosemead's case, the mayor pro tem) who assumes the chief executive position. But, Tran said he was contacted by Nu ez, who asked him to take the job now.
"I believe pro tem Nu ez wants to pass it up this year," Tran said.
Nu ez said he would rather be mayor next year, when he is slated to run for re-election. He retained his position at Mayor pro tem Tuesday night.
Those who closely watch the City Council consider Tran to have a feisty personality.
"He's going to have to take the heat," said Jim Flournoy, an activist who has several lawsuits pending against the city. "He's going to have a tough time sitting there saying nothing."
Flournoy said several councilwatchers see Tran as a lightning rod and "puppet master" of the new majority that includes Nu ez and the recently elected Councilman Polly Low.
"Now I think he's going to have to keep his cool and not be such an attack dog," Flournoy said. Tran maintains a strong political base in the city, Flournoy noted.
"I think that's why he's taking this job," he said. "Nu ez's base isn't as strong and it will help his campaign next year if he is mayor then."
Nu ez's term expires in 2008.
Earlier this month, Low defeated Jay Imperial, who had been a fixture on the City Council since the 1970s.
The other longtime members of the council, Gary Taylor and Margaret Clark, expect to now become the minority in the city they once ruled.
Taylor cast the lone vote against appointing Tran as mayor. The change in leadership has been reflected in ongoing changes at City Hall.
Among those changes, longtime City Attorney Peter Wallin submitted his resignation Tuesday morning.
Wallin's firm has represented Rosemead for more than 30 years.
Nu ez, who supported Tran's bid for mayor, described Tran as a hard worker.
"He's good to work for," Nu ez said. "He's driven and focused."
As for Tran's reputation for being somewhat brash, Nu ez said he considered it a quality and not a fault.
"You can't lose your edge," Nu ez said. "If that's the way you are, you have to be that way. I would say he's brash in a good way."
Tran among first Vietnamese to hold position
By Frank C. Girardot Staff Writer
ROSEMEAD - John Tran's family fled communist-controlled Vietnam in 1979 with hopes of finding a better life in the United States.
Tuesday night, Tran, 31, was sworn in as mayor of Rosemead. As a result, Tran claims he is the first person of Vietnamese descent to become an elected mayor of any city in the United States - or the world for that matter.
"None of the Vietnamese politicians in Orange County ever won elections for mayor," Tran said. "Mayors in Vietnam aren't elected, they're appointed by the government."
The Sacramento-based Asian Pacific Islander Public Affairs Association was unable to confirm whether or not Tran would in fact be the first Vietnamese-American mayor in the United States.
Tran's political ally, Mayor pro tem John Nu ez, said he had also done some research and could not find any instance of a Vietnamese American who had served as mayor of any U.S. city.
Like their counterparts in many cities throughout the state, Rosemead City Council members rotate into the mayor's job. Typically, it is the vice mayor (or in Rosemead's case, the mayor pro tem) who assumes the chief executive position. But, Tran said he was contacted by Nu ez, who asked him to take the job now.
"I believe pro tem Nu ez wants to pass it up this year," Tran said.
Nu ez said he would rather be mayor next year, when he is slated to run for re-election. He retained his position at Mayor pro tem Tuesday night.
Those who closely watch the City Council consider Tran to have a feisty personality.
"He's going to have to take the heat," said Jim Flournoy, an activist who has several lawsuits pending against the city. "He's going to have a tough time sitting there saying nothing."
Flournoy said several councilwatchers see Tran as a lightning rod and "puppet master" of the new majority that includes Nu ez and the recently elected Councilman Polly Low.
"Now I think he's going to have to keep his cool and not be such an attack dog," Flournoy said. Tran maintains a strong political base in the city, Flournoy noted.
"I think that's why he's taking this job," he said. "Nu ez's base isn't as strong and it will help his campaign next year if he is mayor then."
Nu ez's term expires in 2008.
Earlier this month, Low defeated Jay Imperial, who had been a fixture on the City Council since the 1970s.
The other longtime members of the council, Gary Taylor and Margaret Clark, expect to now become the minority in the city they once ruled.
Taylor cast the lone vote against appointing Tran as mayor. The change in leadership has been reflected in ongoing changes at City Hall.
Among those changes, longtime City Attorney Peter Wallin submitted his resignation Tuesday morning.
Wallin's firm has represented Rosemead for more than 30 years.
Nu ez, who supported Tran's bid for mayor, described Tran as a hard worker.
"He's good to work for," Nu ez said. "He's driven and focused."
As for Tran's reputation for being somewhat brash, Nu ez said he considered it a quality and not a fault.
"You can't lose your edge," Nu ez said. "If that's the way you are, you have to be that way. I would say he's brash in a good way."
