Who is Michael Cacciotti
Occupation: Mayor, District 4
Mayor Cacciotti was first elected to the City Council in 2001 and was re-elected in 2005 and then re-elected again in 2009, 2013, and 2017. He was chosen by his fellow Councilmembers to serve as Mayor during the 2003-2004 and 2007-2008 mayoral terms. He most recently served as Mayor for the 2011-2012, 2016-2017 term and as Mayor Pro Tem for the 2015-16 term.
Councilmember Cacciotti has been a deputy attorney general with the State of California Department of Justice for nearly 20 years from 2001-2020. Previously, he was a deputy state attorney with the California Department of Transportation for 10 years from 1991-2001, and prior to that he served as an attorney for the speaker pro tem of the California State Assembly. Councilmember Cacciotti taught high school in Miami, Florida, and coached the men's high school and college soccer teams at Monsignor Pace High School and Biscayne College (St. Thomas University), respectively. Councilmember Cacciotti received his B.A. degree in Religious Studies and Secondary Education and his Master's Degree in Sports Administration from Biscayne College (St. Thomas University), before becoming an attorney. He possesses a United States Soccer Federation National "B" license and has been active as a soccer coach at the youth levels for more than 40 years.
Councilmember Cacciotti is the City's representative on the Gold Line Foothill Construction Authority JPA and alternate on the San Gabriel Council of Governments (where he has served as an alternate or Board member since 2003). He also serves on the South Coast Air Quality Management District representing the 34 eastern cities of LA County since 2008 and on the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy as an advisory board member since 2001. In 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2015 and 2018 he visited China as part of education programs for elected officials, promoted environmental, particularly clean-air initiatives, and established relationships between South Pasadena and several Chinese cities.
Over the past few years, Councilmember Cacciotti has been actively involved in raising awareness of environmental issues. He instituted AQMD Electric Lawn Mower Exchange and Leaf Blower Exchange programs in the city. In addition, he was responsible for the City's adoption of a low-emission vehicle (LEV) purchase policy in 2005, which was subsequently adopted by the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments. In 2006, South Pasadena won a Clean Air Award from AQMD in the category of Model Community Achievement. In July, 2014, through his efforts, the city held its fifth-annual Clean Air Car Show with the added Green-Living Expo in March 2017, through his initiative, the cities of South Pasadena, San Marino, Arcadia, Monrovia, Duarte, Irwindale, Azusa, and the County of Los Angeles, held the "626 Golden Streets Event," the longest "Open Streets" event in the United States, covering approximately 20 miles from South Pasadena to Azusa.
In early 2015, through Councilmember Cacciotti's initiative, the City's Garfield Park became the first municipal park in the United States to be maintained entirely by gas free, electric commercial lawn equipment. Soon thereafter, in September 2016, the entire city became the first municipality in the U.S. to be AGZA certified - meaning all city-owned properties were maintained entirely by advanced non-polluting, commercial electric lawn equipment.
