streamline and improve Santa Clara County’s foster care system to include schools and improve the dually-involved youth system merging child welfare with juvenile justice. Under Chavez's leadership, Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors approved $6 million to built a new resource center for foster youth (The Hub) to provide resources so they complete their education, apply to and get into college and get jobs and basic services. She also is taking action against human trafficking with the Santa Clara County Human Trafficking Commission she founded and co-chairs with the Santa Clara County Sheriff and District Attorney. Tenure on the San Jose City Council Chavez was first elected to the council in 1998 and re-elected in 2002. In 2005, she was chosen by San Jose Mayor Ron Gonzales and confirmed by the council to serve as Vice Mayor. As a former Downtown District Three Council Representative, Chavez chaired the Rules Committee and served on the Downtown Parking Board, Guadalupe River Park Task Force, Police and Fire Retirement Board, San Jose Beautiful and the SJ/SC Treatment Plant Advisory Committee. Additionally, she served on local and regional bodies, including the Valley Transportation Authority as vice-chair, VTA Policy Advisory Board and Nanotechnology Infrastructure and Assets Subcommittee. 2006 Campaign for San Jose Mayor In 2006 Chavez ran for mayor in a field of ten candidates hoping to succeed termed-out Ron Gonzales. In the mayoral primary held on June 6, 2006, Chavez qualified for the two-person primary against Chuck Reed. Chavez out-raised her opponents and was the frontrunner in polls. Chavez secured high-profile endorsements including former US President Bill Clinton, Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith, the Silicon Valley Young Democrats, Congressman Mike Honda, former San Jose mayor Susan Hammer, and former US Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta. Ultimately, Chuck Reed led polls going into the run-off election and secured the final vote. Public policy community leader Cindy Chavez has held several community leadership and academic positions. Chavez served as the Director of Education and Outreach for the South Bay AFL-CIO Labor Council. Chavez became the Executive Officer of the South Bay AFL-CIO Labor Council in March 2009. The South Bay Labor Council represents ninety unions and over 100,000 union members in Santa Clara and San Benito counties. The Labor Council's stated objective is to advance candidates, causes, and policies that benefit working families. In those interests, it employs a combination of activities including community organizing, leadership