34 Facts About Steve Padilla

Stephen C Padilla was born on 1967 and is an American politician, public policy, advocacy and communications consultant serving in the California State Senate since 2022.

Steve Padilla served as a member of the Board of Port Commissioners of the Unified Port of San Diego, as Board Secretary and Vice Chairman-Elect from 2009 to 2011.

Steve Padilla is noted for being one of the state's increasing number of openly gay political leaders.

Steve Padilla's father was Mexican and his mother was Portuguese.

Shortly after Padilla was born, his father joined the United States Marine Corps, and was deployed to serve in the Vietnam War.

Shortly after Steve Padilla's father returned home from this tour of duty, he was killed in an automobile accident.

Steve Padilla's mother remarried, giving Steve Padilla and his siblings a stepfather.

Steve Padilla was a Cub Scout and Boy Scout, and later became involved with the Chula Vista Explorer Scouts.

Steve Padilla served for a period as the president of the Chula Vista Police Officers Association.

Steve Padilla was appointed by the City Council to various city boards and commissions, including the Board of Ethics, and Safety Commission.

Steve Padilla was elected to the Chula Vista City Council in 1994.

Steve Padilla was the first person of Latino descent elected to that office in the city's history, despite the city's diverse population.

Steve Padilla contributed to several changes in city law, including the prohibition of machine sales of tobacco in the city, and improvements to the health and safety code oversight in mobile home parks.

Steve Padilla was leading figure in city finance reforms, including a move to planning the city's budget on two-year cycles.

Steve Padilla called for San Diego Unified Port District Board member David Malcolm to resign over his consulting contract with Duke Energy.

Steve Padilla was elected the 38th Mayor of Chula Vista on November 5,2002, defeating fellow City Council member Mary Salas, a colleague and political ally.

One of Steve Padilla's pledged priorities was to promote plans to manage growth in the city's eastern segment and to regenerate its older neighborhoods.

Steve Padilla proposed creating a unified school district within city limits.

Steve Padilla was endorsed by two of other four other members of the city council, as well as the Chula Vista Chamber of Commerce and the Chula Vista Police Officers Association.

Additionally, Steve Padilla's campaign circulated literature quoting Salas as having used the word "gringos" in a quote to the newspaper El Latino.

In collaboration the San Diego Unified Port District, Steve Padilla played a key role in initiating the Bay-front Master Plan, an effort to develop 500 acres waterfront to hot public parks, hotels, restaurants, shops and new housing.

In 2003, The Star-News executive editor Michael C Burgess wrote a column interpreted from comments Padilla made about the Mid-Bayfront community during a speech at the San Diego Country Club.

Steve Padilla defended his own words, claiming Burgess misunderstood his statement and wrongfully quoted him.

In July 2005, Steve Padilla was appointed by then California Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez to the California Coastal Commission.

Steve Padilla's "coming out" at the time gained him both national attention and political opponents.

Steve Padilla was the first openly-gay elected city official in Chula Vista's history.

Steve Padilla was featured on the cover of San Diego Metropolitan magazine ; named one of the "25 Leading Men in North America" by Instinct magazine ; and one of "50 People to Watch" by San Diego Magazine.

Steve Padilla was endorsed by the Chula Vista Chamber of Commerce, Chula Vista Firefighter's Association, Chula Vista Police Officer's Association, and the League of Conservation Voters.

In 2014 Steve Padilla sought to re-enter elective office and sought a seat on the Chula Vista City Council.

May 31,2017, Steve Padilla was again appointed to the California Coastal Commission, this time by California Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon.

Steve Padilla was reelected to the Chula Vista City Council in 2020.

Steve Padilla came out privately to his family in 1999, and separated from his wife around this time.

Steve Padilla divorced his wife and was awarded sole custody of their daughter, Ashleigh.

Only one week later, Mr Steve Padilla was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit at his local hospital.