Assemblymember and former San Francisco Supervisor Tom Ammiano.
Photos by Luke Thomas
By Luke Thomas
January 5, 2010
Assemblymember Tom Ammiano today endorsed San Francisco Board of Appeals Commissioner Rafael Mandelman in the 2010 race for District 8 Supervisor.
“Rafael Mandelman grew up in San Francisco and I know how much he loves this city. He’s committed to the real issues that matter in District 8 – health care, protecting our neighborhoods, and making sure kids and families can thrive here,” Ammiano, who served as District 9 Supervisor for a record 14 years, said. “When it comes to protecting the interests of neighborhood residents in District 8, he’s the best choice in this race.”
In addition to Ammiano’s endorsement, Mandelman has been endorsed by Supervisors John Avalos, Chris Daly, Eric Mar, Ross Mirkarimi, School Board member Jane Kim, BART Board Director Tom Radulovich, and the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club.
“I am honored to have Tom’s endorsement,” Mandelman said. “Tom Ammiano is one of San Francisco’s great progressive leaders and a pioneer for LGBT and civil rights. Thanks to Tom’s courage we have universal health care in San Francisco and a domestic partners ordinance. On issue after issue, Tom Ammiano has always focused on moving San Francisco forward. That’s why progressives across The City trust and respect him.”
Rafael Mandelman.
Luke Thomas
Luke Thomas is a former software developer and computer consultant who proudly hails from London, England. In 2001, Thomas took a yearlong sabbatical to travel and develop a photographic portfolio. Upon his return to the US, Thomas studied photojournalism to pursue a career in journalism. In 2004, Thomas worked for several neighborhood newspapers in San Francisco before accepting a partnership agreement with the SanFranciscoSentinel.com, a news website formerly covering local, state and national politics. In September 2006, Thomas launched FogCityJournal.com. The BBC, CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox News, New York Times, Der Spiegel, San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Magazine, 7x7, San Francisco Examiner, San Francisco Bay Guardian and the San Francisco Weekly, among other publications and news outlets, have published his work. Thomas is a member of the Freelance Unit of the Pacific Media Workers Guild, TNG-CWA Local 39521 and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.
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January 8, 2010 at 11:35 pm
Thank you, Brian, for the link to the informative and detailed article on upcoming supes’ elections.
Take a look at the backgrounds and qualifications of many of the potential candidates mentioned. You’ll understand why meetings of the the board of supes often look like Monty Python flicks.
We have professional qualifications in place for judges, who interpret the law, but none for the supes, who create the law that the judges interpret.
The only qualifications for supe are that you’re an adult resident of SF and an American citizen.
Imagine if you needed to have root canal work on your teeth. When you asked about the qualifications of those who might do the work, you were told that they are all adult residents of SF and American citizens.
Would you let any of this crew work start drilling away on your teeth?
Yet when we ask about the qualifications of those who make the laws by which we all must live, we get a similar answer.
The absurd result is that people end up as our legislators who are stand-up comics, nightclub singers, bartenders, and electricians.
Each of these professions is a fine thing. But none has any professional qualifications that are relevant to the making of laws.
We’ll never have a board of supes who are known for their maturity and professionalism until we require some minimal professional qualifications for the job.
Of course, it will take an initiative from the voters to make this reform happen. Most of the incumbents and wannabes have a vested interested in maintaining the current system of institutionalized infantilism.
January 8, 2010 at 4:35 pm
Dear San Francisco Political Junkies,
Yesterday’s San Francisco Examiner had a good article on the upcoming district elections, “Battle for Power,†by Joshua Sabatini.
Click on: http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/Battle-for-power-80871387.html
January 5, 2010 at 1:35 pm
Didn’t Tom Ammiano endorse Eileen Hansen when she ran for supe in district eight against Bevan Dufty?