Email Mayor Madrid

Art Madrid, a La Mesa resident since 1958, has held elective office since 1981. Elected as a City Councilman from 1981 to 1990, Art was then elected Mayor in 1990 and re-elected in 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2006.

Prior to holding elective office, Art was a community advocate for public safety, schools, youth recreational programs, senior services, civic and business issue and environmental concerns. He served on numerous Boards and Commissions with the City, County and State.

In 1994 Art and La Mesa gained national and international attention when he started a highly successful program of publishing the names and pictures of individuals arrested for prostitution in his community.

In 1995 the American Society of Public Administrators selected Art as San Diego County’s Outstanding Elected Official. In 1997 he was selected as Citizen of the Year by the East County Chapter of Phi Delta Kappa. San Diego Magazine selected him as one of their “50 People to watch in 2000.” In May 2001, The Children’s Disability Council selected Art as their Mayor of the Year.

Art has served as chair of the San Diego Association of Governments, SANDAG. He also serves on State Board of the League of California Cities and was President of the San Diego Division of the League. He has served as President of the California Council of Governments, CALCOG, which represents all 478 Cities and 58 Counties in the State.

Throughout his private sector employment and public service involvement, Art has served on over 125 boards and commissions for non-profit, civic, cultural, educational and business organizations at the local, state and national levels.