[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 97 (Thursday, June 12, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1212-E1213]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          IN RECOGNITION OF SAN MATEO CITY MANAGER ARNE CROCE

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                          HON. JACKIE SPEIER-

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 12, 2008

  Ms. SPEIER. Madam Speaker, I rise to express my deep appreciation and 
gratitude for the exemplary service to the City of San Mateo by Arne 
Croce, who is retiring as City Manager after 18 exemplary years.

[[Page E1213]]

   Arne Croce has consistently impressed all who worked with him in his 
role as City Manager. During his tenure and through his efforts, San 
Mateo has continued to evolve and advance. In recent years, the city 
has added a new train station, state-of-the-art downtown movie theater, 
a fully-interactive new library, and will soon cut the ribbon on a true 
21st century police station. Arne also oversees a program that provides 
scholarships to students pursuing studies in local government. His 
unceasing dedication to finding fresh, innovative ideas was a powerful 
force in keeping San Mateo solvent and thriving during economic 
hardships.
   Madam Speaker, Arne Croce has served not only his city, but all of 
California as the dean of city managers. In this role he has been a 
bulldog when fighting for cities and a stellar role model for anyone 
considering a career in municipal government.
   Arne is one of our best and brightest, a graduate of the University 
of California at Berkeley, where he earned his MBA by attending night 
school. He worked for the Legislative Analyst in Sacramento, the 
Sacramento Area Council of Governments and the City of Visalia, where 
he held the positions of Solid Waste Manager, Director of 
Transportation and Deputy City Manager. In 1984, he became City Manager 
of Los Altos and in 1990, assumed the same job in San Mateo.
   All who know Arne regret that he is leaving, especially me, but 
local government's loss is the world's gain. His passion for service 
and commitment to helping people is not retiring. Arne wants to help 
teach developing countries the finer points of local government and 
developing citizen participation. He also plans to relocate to a 
village in Tanzania to work on restoring the local ecosystem with a 
reforestation project.
   Madam Speaker, it is this dedication, this drive to act and think 
both locally and globally, that has earned Arne Croce such widespread 
respect and admiration. He will be missed in San Mateo and throughout 
the 12th Congressional District. Even those who've never met Arne are 
forever in his debt.

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