Hope Johnson
Photos by Luke Thomas
By Hope Johnson
March 24, 2009
King Solomon’s threat to split the baby wouldn’t prevent District 9 Supervisor David Campos from remembering there’s more than one way to make the Cheshire cat grin.
Campos boldly chose against appointment of Local 38 Assistant Business Manager Larry Mazzola, Jr. to the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District board at Thursday’s Rules Committee meeting.
Surprise! An old-school, cliffhanger move a la Dallas, not to mention contrary to political watchdog expectations.
Campos believes Mazzola “has a lot to offer” but did not do his homework in preparing for his initial application appearance before the committee.
“The performance of what happens in this committee matters,” said Campos. “I think it does say something about the kind of commissioner you’re going to be.”
Campos supports a labor rep for appointment to Seat 2 on the Bridge District, and agrees with Rules Chair Supervisor Chris Daly’s suggestion the union offer a more appropriately qualified candidate.
“It makes sense labor itself decide who the best person to represent them on a body like this is,” explained Campos. “But once that happens, we as a committee do have a responsibility to make sure that the person who comes forward has the qualifications needed to serve.”
So, how’s this a potentially progressive move when progs were pulling for the particularly qualified and progressive policy oriented applicant Dave Snyder?
Well, it sends out a strong message to union leadership (whew! seldom easy to do): San Francisco intends to move in a new direction.
That new direction is toward progressive, sustainable transportation in San Francisco.
“I don’t believe, politically, that San Francisco should have a representative who has a record of breaking progressive land use policies throughout the Bay Area,” said Marc Salomon during public comment. “The relentless go, grow construction wave that has caused sprawl is what has taken our economy down with it. The notion of a never ending credit bubble of more and more housing, more and more construction, cannot be sustained.”
Duh!
Obviously it’s time for San Francisco leaders to work together toward a goal of increased public transportation use rather than throw money at more freeways. Get an eyeful of Los Angeles’s useless and crowded human transporters.
Requesting labor unions contribute, too, is an excellent, sustainable new beginning.
“If we want to continue this history of a labor seat,” said Supervisor Daly, “it needs to be a collaboration between, yes, a progressive Board of Supervisors with a progressive transportation vision and labor. I think there is a common ground there somewhere and there needs to be more work to find that.”
Or, as one public commentator put it, “The privileged era is over.”
Tee hee!!! What else can progs get accomplished while Willie and Gavin are out of town on their self-serving boondoggles?
Rest not on your laurels, though. All is still up for grabs. Campos stated he could not support Mazzola “at this time.” The proof will be in vote pudding when labor’s submit its next applicant(s).
Strange Bedfellows
“Mr. Brown, welcome. We’ve had a lot of good conversations on this issue.”
“Thank you, Mr. Brown, for your interest on this issue and your expertise.”
District 7 Supervisor Sean Elsbernd to former Mayor Willie Brown?
Not.
That’s Supervisor Elsbernd to political pundit h. Brown on the proposed Student Emergency Response Volunteer (SERV) program during Thursday’s Joint City and School District Committee.
Sean Elsbernd and h. brown
Look for collaboration between these two unlikely partners and add in the Department of Emergency Services for that special San Francisco acid trip touch.
The proposed SERV program will be similar to local Neighborhood Emergency Response Team (NERT) programs, teaching hands-on disaster preparedness skills to students.
Not yet clear is whether electeds expect SERV to replace JROTC or co-exist with it. Opinion is strongly divided on this important topic so pay attention and expect a few sparks to fly, maybe even go Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride on your ass.
Stay tuned.
Fun Fact
In honor of Norouz, the Persian New Year, this month and Obama’s recent message to Iran, read here about the Cyrus Cylinder. It’s circa 539 B.C. from Babylonia (southern Iraq), and considered one of the first civil rights charters.
The Hunger Site
March 25, 2009 at 11:28 am
Hey Hope,
This issue is beyond politics, or should be. Hey, when your house falls down on you do you want a drum and bugle corps playing ‘taps’ in front of your house or a trained student emergency corps digging you out and … ?
h.
March 24, 2009 at 5:23 pm
Unlikely partners? I’ve heard that Sean has a bar in his office.
March 24, 2009 at 11:31 am
There’s more than one way to hoist oneself by one’s own petard.