Politics & Government
Former San Leandro Mayor Stephen Cassidy Dies
Flags will be lowered to half-staff in San Leandro in honor of the mayor's service.
SAN LEANDRO, CA — Stephen Cassidy, a lawyer who helped lead successful school bond and tax campaigns and served as San Leandro's mayor for four years, died Friday at the age of 61, the city said.
Cassidy was elected mayor in 2010 and was a partner and director of marketing for Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein LLP from 2000 to 2015.
He started his own law firm in 2020 and was appointed president and chief executive officer of the Newark Chamber of Commerce in June.
Find out what's happening in San Leandrofor free with the latest updates from Patch.
He served on the board of the San Leandro Unified School District from 2004 to 2008 and played "an instrumental role in the passage of several major school bond and parcel tax measures," Superintendent Michael McLaughlin said Saturday in a social media post.
"These community investments modernized classrooms, enriched academic and arts spaces, enhanced campus safety and accessibility, and paved the way for future affordable housing for our employees," McLaughlin said. "Many of the learning environments our students benefit from today are a direct result of his steadfast advocacy."
Find out what's happening in San Leandrofor free with the latest updates from Patch.
In honor of Cassidy's service to the community, the City of San Leandro will lower flags to half-staff for seven days, Mayor Juan González said Saturday.
A public memorial service will be held Jan. 10 at the San Leandro High School Performing Arts Center, on Bancroft Avenue.
As mayor, Cassidy spearheaded a public-private partnership to build a high-speed fiber-optic broadband network, attracting technology and innovation firms, the city said.
When the city's only acute-care hospital faced closure, the city said, Cassidy worked with county leaders to secure city funding that kept the emergency room open and preserved healthcare services and jobs.
Cassidy's survivors include his wife, Amy, and their daughters
Copyright © 2025 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area.
