Candidate for
Council Member; City of Union City

About Councilman Ben Elias

Ben Elias was elected to the City Council in 1993. The only challenger out of four to win a 2-year term in the City. At the age of 32 he became the youngest Elected Official to ever serve on the Union City Council and in Alameda County, California.

Councilman Elias served on five key Committees in California. League of California Cities, Chair marketing Committee, County Library Commissioner, Associated Community Action Program, Private Industrial Council, Housing Community and Economic Development - League of California Cities.

During the last ten years Councilman Ben Elias introduced many local ordinances. Public safety issues,increase fire and paramedic services are issues of safety and security that Councilman Elias has made his priority. Councilman Elias led the Council to create an anti-graffiti reward program, eliminated gun sales in residential areas and increased library services.

1994 Vice-Mayor Elias was one of 50 in people from California to be invited to the White House during the introduction of the Crime Bill. During the same year he was appointed by the President of The National League of Cities to Represent California on the Employee Relation Committee in Washington, DC.

Councilman Elias Continued his work to move up from member of the Employee Relation Committee, to Vice - Chair and in 1996 was appointed by the President of League of California Cities to Chair the Committee.

Councilman Elias has appeared in Television reports on CBS, ABC and NBC Featuring Ordinances he introduced that brought attention to Bay Area and California.

In 1997 Vice-Mayor Elias was one of Five people and the only elected official from Northern California to be appointed to represent California on the Public Safety and Crime Prevention Policy Committee in Washington D.C.

In 1995 & 1999 Councilman Elias was Endorsed for City Council by Major Organizations, including Building and Construction Trades Council of Alameda County, United Public Employees local 790, Brotherhood of Teamsters, The Sierra Club, Northern California Mailers Union, The League of Conservation Voters, Firefighters, Greenbelt Alliance, Steel workers Organization, United Steel Workers, Central Labor Council AFL - CIO. Both The Argus and The San Jose Mercury News have endorsed Councilman Elias.