In late 1996, the Vallejo’s City Council recognized Mayor Anthony Intintoli’s hard work over many years to expand and improve Vallejo’s ferry system by naming the catamaran, M/V Intintoli in his honor. Bay Crossings correspondent Wes Starratt recently sat down with Mayor Intintoli for an interview.
Published: July, 2001
In late 1996, the Vallejo’s City Council recognized
Mayor Anthony Intintoli’s hard work over many years to expand and improve Vallejo’s ferry system by naming the catamaran, M/V Intintoli in his honor. Bay Crossings correspondent Wes Starratt recently sat down with Mayor Intintoli for an interview.
Tell us something about your background.
I have had a varied background. I grew up in New York State on Long Island, went to public schools, then to Notre Dame University, and later received a law degree from St. John’s University Law School. I am a member of the New York and California Bar.
I joined the Air Force and was an active duty JAG stationed at Travis Air Force Base until 1968, stayed on with the Air Force Reserve and retired with the rank of lieutenant colonel. I practiced law in the Bay Area until 1977, when I switched to full-time teaching at the high-school level in Vallejo. I taught until 1995, while also earning two masters degrees.
How did you find time for public service?
I have always enjoyed public service. I enjoy trying to broker the various demands on public services. I was first elected to the Solano County School Board in 1973 and then to the Vallejo City Council in1977. I became Mayor of Vallejo in 1987, was out of office for a period because of term limits, and then returned as Mayor 1999.
What do you look to accomplish in this term as mayor?
During my first term, we developed a reuse plan for Mare Island. In this term, I would like to see its implementation, and the final transfer of most of the base to the City of Vallejo. I am also working with the Federal Government to set aside a sufficient amount of money to clean up the base to the standards that match our reuse plan.
And the Downtown/Waterfront Development Plan?
It’s been difficult to bring Vallejo’s downtown back to what it once was. When Federal Redevelopment Programs came to Vallejo in the 1950s, I think that they made a tactical mistake in cutting off the major east-west streets from the waterfront by the construction of new buildings such as the library and the city hall. They just closed these streets off from the waterfront, which was the most attractive aspect of the downtown. The Waterfront Plan incorporates a proposal to extend those streets back to the waterfront. One of them is Georgia Street, which will terminate directly in front of the Ferry Terminal, and will bring direct access from I-80 to the ferry. So, one of the major aspects of the plan is to reconnect the downtown to the waterfront.
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Anthony Intintoli, Jr.
Profession: Mayor, City of Vallejo
Ferry commuter: No
People would be surprised if they knew: I played the accordion
If I had a free day I would spend it: Watching foreign films
My proudest moment was: graduating from college - I was the first in my family to do so
How would I like to be remembered: As an excellent mayor
Pet peeve: When the plug for the bathroom sink is missing and I can’t fill the sink with hot water so I can shave
My motto: Do it now
Hobbies: Singing, dancing, playing the accordion
Favorite book: Angela’s Ashes
Favorite film: Two Women with Sophia Loren
If I could change anything about myself it would be: I would be more patient
If I could invite four people, living or dead, to dinner they would be: My wife Helen and my three children
If I could play a song from the top of the Ferry Building it would be: "Oye Marie"
What role do you see the Baylink Ferries playing in the Downtown Plan?
I think that they are critical to the whole downtown economic development, which has been enhanced in many ways by the ferries. They are such a statement of faith in the city. So, I can’t over estimate the significance of having the ferry service in Vallejo where it is.
There are people who have moved to Vallejo from the city; and commute daily by walking from their homes to the ferry. We want to encourage that type of commute, and will be building more homes in proximity to the ferry. We will also be getting rid of the parked commuter automobiles by the construction of a parking facility. It is anticipated that it will cost almost $30 million.
You will soon have a repowered back-up boat for the two operating ferries. How and when do you expect to add additional ferries?
We have already obtained the capital funding for the third new ferry, and I understand that it will be in place in about 18 months. But, before we have that boat, no doubt, we will be planning for the next one, depending on projected ridership figures. My feeling is that we should order these boats as soon as we perceive the need rather than wait until that need is on top of us.
What about operating and maintenance costs for these new ferries?
These costs are very significant. Funding maintenance and operating costs are not in place; so, we are expecting a very significant shortfall. Therefore, we are seeking funding from all of appropriate governmental levels. In addition, we are looking at entrepreneurial solutions.
Is advertising revenue one of those entrepreneurial solutions?
Yes, one of the entrepreneurial solutions to providing operating and maintenance funding for the ferries is selling advertising on the ferries. I don’t want to raise fares if we can obtain funding in other ways, and one of those ways is advertising. But that is problematic, because, for external advertising on the boats, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors has presumed to pass a resolution that would attempt to curtail the ability of another city to do what it wishes with respect to its own ferries and its own operations. I don’t know that that’s legal, and we will begin negotiations with the City of San Francisco to resolve that. But if we can’t resolve that in negotiations, we may have to resolve it in the courts, because there are serious issues of First Amendment of Freedom of Speech. There is also the sovereignty of the City of Vallejo in terms of taking care of the needs of our citizens.
What is your vision of Vallejo as a transportation hub in the North Bay?
I think that we already are the North Bay’s transportation hub! We bring in people from all over the county. Much of the ridership on the ferries is from out of the city. We have feeder buses from Vacaville and Fairfield, but most of the ferry commuters come by car, as you can see from the many cars parked along the waterfront.
What about Benicia and Martinez?
We also have feeder bus service to Benicia, and the distance from Benicia to Vallejo can be driven by in about 15 minutes. By boat, it would take considerable longer. For Martinez, I don’t know what the timing would be.
Is Vallejo prepared to be a part of a unified regional ferry network being established by the Water Transit Authority?
Depending on our ability to maintain a level of funding necessary to operate and expand our services, the answer is ‘yes’. I don’t see any problem at all with being part of a regional network of ferry services.
Finally, would the Baylink ferry consider the Pacific Refining dock in Rodeo as a stop for picking-up or leaving passengers?
One of the things that has to be kept in mind is that people get on the boat expecting to get to work in a reasonable period of time. If you start adding stops along the way, you cut down significantly on your ability to get people to work on time; so, I don’t think that Palm Belchamber would be very happy to contemplate a stop in Rodeo on the way to San Francisco.
