[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 18083]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    IN RECOGNITION OF PEDRO GONZALEZ

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JACKIE SPEIER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 3, 2013

  Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Pedro Gonzalez, the 
mayor of South San Francisco, for his twelve years of service on the 
city council. Pedro has been a tireless advocate to improve the quality 
of life for all residents of South San Francisco where he has lived for 
43 years. I am honored to call him a colleague and dear friend.
  His proudest accomplishment during his tenure on the city council was 
to help establish ferry service to South San Francisco. The modern, 
state of the art terminal opened the doors to faster and scenic 
commutes for Bay Area residents and visitors. Additionally, Pedro 
played an active role in a long list of projects, including the BART 
Linear Park master plan, the expansions of the Community Learning 
Center and the pre-school program in Westborough Park, the 
implementation of the loan art program at Orange Memorial Park, the 
development of a 100 space child care facility, the Oyster Point 
overcrossing and hook ramp project, the Terrabay sound wall design 
project, the Lindenville-Colma Creek rehabilitation project, the 
adoption of a green food packaging ordinance, and the implementations 
of a neighborhood response team and a BLS ambulance service.
  From this incomplete list of accomplishments you can see Pedro's love 
for the outdoors and parks. He started his public service on the Parks 
and Recreation Commission in 1987. He served as the chairman in 1992 
and continued to be on the commission until 1995. He was instrumental 
in the expansion and renovation of Bur i Bur i Park, the development of 
a master plan for all recreational facilities in South City and the 
renovation and improvements of Orange Memorial Park.
  Pedro came to the United States from Mexico in 1954. While living in 
Los Angeles, he became a U.S. citizen in 1967. Three years later he 
moved to South San Francisco. He worked in the meat business and 
managed a music store in San Francisco until he retired in 1996.
  Pedro is deeply woven into the fabric of South San Francisco. You 
will see him at every official or social function, be it the ribbon 
cutting for the ferry terminal, the grand opening of the South San 
Francisco BART station or the Chestnut Creek senior housing facility, 
the ground breaking of the Gateway YMCA child care facility, Concert in 
the Park, Bay Trail Clean Up or the Centennial celebrations in 2008. No 
matter where he goes, he listens to residents looking for ways to 
help--always with a soft smile and a twinkle in his eyes. You will be 
hard pressed to find an elected official who takes his responsibilities 
as seriously as Pedro does.
  He has supported countless local programs such as the Grand Avenue 
Library Leery Apprender, a Spanish-language story time, League of Women 
Voters' Spanish language ballot workshops, Youth Government Day, the 
50th anniversary of the Boys and Girls Club of North San Mateo County, 
and the South San Francisco School District Positive Attendance 
Campaign. He even hosted his own show on PEN TV titled El Mundo Latino 
de Pedro Gonzalez.
  Pedro has been married to his wife Eldie for 55 years. They raised 
their three children, Prudencia, Silverio and Sara, in South San 
Francisco.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask the House of Representatives to rise with me to 
honor Pedro Gonzalez for his outstanding service and his lasting 
contributions to the city of South San Francisco. In his well deserved 
retirement, I have no doubt that residents will continue to see him at 
many official and social events, and to hold him closely in their 
hearts.

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