Wow, the last few days have brought a flurry of resignations and people declining to run for re-election. I guess people must've been talking around the dinner table over the holidays. In addition to the high profile announcements from Senators Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and Governor Bill Ritter of Colorado (D), we also have some local politicians making news. I am not personally familiar with Alameda County Board of Supervisor President Alice Lai Bitker, but some of our APAP friends in the Bay Area say she is great. From the Oakland Tribute:

Alice Lai-Bitker, president of the Alameda County Board of Supervisors, will not seek re-election this year for her District 3 seat so that she can spend more time with her family, she announced Tuesday.

Lai-Bitker, 51, first joined the board after being unanimously appointed in December 2000. She was elected in 2002 and re-elected in 2006. The District 3 seat represents Alameda, San Leandro, San Lorenzo, portions of Ashland, and the Chinatown and Fruitvale areas of Oakland.

"My focus this year is to help my board and county as we move forward to sustain ourselves in terms of providing services," she said in a telephone interview. "After that I'm looking forward to all the opportunities of spending more time with my family."

In her tenure as supervisor, the Alameda resident has been a strong advocate for children, working families and seniors.

She is proud of spearheading the No Wrong Door policy in social services, which calls for services to be given quickly and efficiently, she said.

Lai-Bitker also has fought for access of health care for the uninsured and has championed increased services for sexually abused children and domestic violence victims.

Each October she holds A Day of Remembrance program to honor victims of domestic violence.

Raised in Hong Kong, Lai-Bitker moved to the United States in 1983 with her husband, Steve Bitker, the sports broadcaster on KCBS radio. She has two daughters, ages 23 and 18.

Lai-Bitker earned a master's degree in social work at San Francisco State in 1987 and has been a licensed clinical social worker since 1990.

Before joining the board of supervisors, she served as a staff assistant to Alameda County Supervisor Wilma Chan from 1995 to 2000.

"I am honored to have served the county and District 3 for the last nine years," Lai-Bitker said. "I have been part of a great many things that have happened in the county. It's been a real privilege, but it's time to move on and allow someone else the opportunity to serve."

Her term expires in November.

And here is her bio from her office's website:

In June 2006, Alice Lai-Bitker was re-elected to the Alameda County Board of Supervisors to represent District 3 which includes, San Leandro, Alameda, San Lorenzo, Ashland, Hillcrest Knolls and the Fruitvale, San Antonio, Chinatown portions of Chinatown portions of Oakland. In January 2009, she was selected to serve as President of the Board for 2009-2010.

During her tenure as Supervisor, Alice has been a strong advocate for increasing health care for children spearheading the No Wrong Door policy in Social Services that allows services to be given quickly and efficiently. Her work on domestic violence includes A Day of Remembrance, honoring victims of domestic violence, and assisting in getting federal funds for a Family Justice Center to streamline services to families suffering with domestic violence.

Alice was unanimously appointed to the Board in 2000 and elected in 2002. Prior to serving on the Board, she served as a staff assistant to Alameda County Supervisor Wilma Chan from 1995 to 2000. In that capacity, Alice was instrumental in shaping the county's policies and programs related to social services and health care, particularly mental health, child welfare, and welfare reform.

Alice worked as a social worker at Asian Community Mental Health Services where she provided direct services and therapeutic intervention and treatment. During her ten-year career as a social worker and clinical supervisor, Alice became well versed in mental health policy issues and advocated for these issues. She is a co-founder of the Association of Chinese Families of the Disabled and the East Bay Chinese Alliance for the Mentally Ill.

Alice received her Bachelor's degree in Sociology from Hong Kong Shue Yan College in 1981. She earned a Master's degree in Social Work at San Francisco State University in 1987 and has been a Licensed Clinical Social Worker since 1990.

Alice came to the United States in 1983 and has lived in Alameda with her family since 1988. Her husband, Steve Bitker, is a sports broadcaster at KCBS radio. Her daughter Janelle attends public school in Alameda, while Mei-Ling recently obtained her degree at UC Davis.

Board of Supervisor’s Committees:

• Health Committee (Chair)
• Social Services Committee
• Unincorporated Services Committee (Chair)
• Regional Boards: 
  
  

Alameda County Transportation Improvement Authority (Chair) 
Bay Conservation and Development Commission 
Bay Area Partnership 
East Bay Economic Development Alliance 
Oakland Airport Community Noise Management Forum (Co-Chair) 
Regional Airport Planning Committee

Alameda County:

Economic Development Committee 
Alameda County Interagency Children's Policy Council 
Alameda County Sexually Exploited Minors Network 
Co-chair of the Alameda County Lead Poisoning Prevention Joint Powers Authority 
Chair of the San Lorenzo-Ashland-Cherryland Youth Collaborative