Nathaniel "Nat" Bates is a former mayor and seven-term city councilmember of Richmond, California. He was a city councilmember from 1967 to 1983 and again from 1995 to the present. He was chosen as mayor for 1971-1972 (during which time he chaired the Contra Costa Mayors Conference) and again for 1976–1977.[1] He was the second African-American mayor of Richmond after George B. Carroll. His seven terms on the city council are unprecedented in the city of Richmond, and his 32 years of service make him one of the longest-serving city councilmembers in the state. He is a Democrat.
Bates has lived in Richmond since the 1940s. He is a retired parole officer.[2] He holds a BA from San Francisco State University and a teaching credential from CSU Hayward (now called CSU East Bay).
He was a National League of Cities Board director from 1976–1980 and has a lifetime appointment to National League of Cities Advisory Board since 1980. He is the senior member and "dean" of the city council.
In 2011 when deciding placing the first in the nation municipal soda tax ballot he voted no.[3] He stated he felt it would lead people to buy soda outside the city, and that it targeted black people.[3] Although the latter was contradicted by his fellow councilmember Jovanka Beckels who is also black and chastized him and Corky Boozé (also black) for not supporting the measure that she reported disproportionately effected people of color.[3]
With his late wife, Shirley Christine Adams Bates, he had four children (one of whom is also deceased), in addition to seven grandchildren, and seven great grandchildren (as of 2006[update].
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