Supported by a veritable army of volunteers, Supervisor John Avalos with his wife, Karen Zapata, held a campaign mobilization meeting today in the heart of the Mission District to mark International Workers' Day and to raise funds for Avalos' mayoral campaign. Photos by Luke Thomas.
By Luke Thomas
May 1, 2011
Marking International Workers’ Day during the worst recession since the Great Depression, the campaign to elect Supervisor John Avalos to the mayoralty of San Francisco held a campaign mobilization meeting and fundraiser today in the heart of the Mission District.
The event drew as many as 100 volunteers, activists and partisans committed to electing Avalos to Room 200 in November. As much as $25 thousand has been raised since Avalos filed to run for the open seat on April 18, according to the campaign.
As many as 100 volunteers so far have signed up to canvass for Avalos.
“The meeting was held to get inspired about what lies ahead,” Avalos, a progressive, told FCJ. “We’re going to run a positive campaign that reaches out to everyone in San Francisco, to talk about common solutions to common problems.”
Avalos said his campaign message will address the city’s projected budget shortfalls, improving Muni effectiveness, improving public safety, increasing neighborhood livability as well as addressing city employee pension and healthcare costs. Avalos said he supports progressive solutions to budgetary problems including sliding scale salary cuts and pension contributions.
On spiraling healthcare costs imposed by health insurance companies, Avalos did not mince his words: “The insurance companies are screwing us over,” he said.
Avalos said he is concerned with growing disparities in wealth in the U.S. “How San Francisco responds to the inequitable disparities in wealth could be a model for the rest of the country,” he said.
“John’s candidacy is an exciting entry into this year’s mayor’s race ,” said Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi. “His campaign will invigorate San Franciscans who may not have been otherwise inspired.”
Supervsior Ross Mirkarimi (right) has endorsed Avalos for mayor.
“We need a leader who actually talks about the issues and the tells the truth instead of telling us what what we want to hear,” added former District 10 candidate Tony Kelly.
Avalos will officially kick-off his campaign for mayor on May 22 at Victoria Manalo Draves Park, the campaign said.
Hennessey to Endorse Mirkarimi
According to reliable sources, Sheriff Michael Hennessey will officially endorse Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi at noon on Tuesday at City Hall in the race to replace Hennessey who retires in January.
Hennessey was first elected Sheriff of San Francisco in 1979 and holds the distinction of being the longest tenured sheriff in the State of California. Mirkarimi, who has a background in law enforcement as an investigator for the District Attorney’s office, as well as completing a police academy class, is the clear frontrunner in the race.
Sheriff Michael Hennessey.
Whomever is elected mayor in November will, as decreed by charter, appoint a successor to the District 5 seat to complete Mirkarimi’s term should Mirkarimi win the race for sheriff.
Speaking of the District 5 race next year, here are a few names we’re hearing being mentioned as possible contenders: London Breed, Julian Davis, SEIU organizer Gabriel Haaland, Assemblymember Tom Ammiano aide Quintin Mecke, Small Business Commissioner Michael O’Connor, Planning Commissioner Christine Olague, and Harvey Milk Club President David Waggoner.
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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May 10, 2011 at 8:58 am
again, I am sorry to say, John cannot win.
If you a want a winner who will manage our City and bring us back to solvency and surplus economics, go with the Independent Progressive Karthik Rajan.
I promise, we will pay less for a better quality of life.
Karthik Rajan
http://karthikrajanformayor.org
May 4, 2011 at 6:55 am
Ranked choice voting will ensure that a majority of voters will not choose the mayor. But it will be interesting to see the Asian and Progressive blocs duke it out this fall.
May 4, 2011 at 12:06 am
The People Have a Candidate? Really?
Now who are those People exactly? San Franciscans or the others?
After seeing years of the others are San Franciscans ready for a peoples leader? I guess we will see on that voting day. Let’s really see where the majority of the voting public say’s.
May 3, 2011 at 5:19 am
AVANTE ALCALDE AVALOS.
I notice he has now jumped to the top of h’s list; #’s 2,3 & 4 seem like the makings of a good IRV strategy.
PS. Is Ross now using the same barber as “The Donald”.
May 2, 2011 at 3:38 pm
As an owner of three small businesses here in SF, and a parent who has raised two sons in the SF school system, I can say that it’s a breath of fresh air to have John Avalos enter the mayor’s race. From what I’ve seen of his short tenure on the Board of Supervisors he has the courage to stand up to the political machine and do what’s right for all San Franciscans. Not only is he a socially “progressive” person of conscience, but he’s fiscally sensible as well. If we can hold off the big downtown money from deciding this race, John Avalos will be the next Mayor of San Francisco.
May 2, 2011 at 1:11 pm
20 bucks for John,
Just got paid and since 2008 I’ve made it a practice to give $20 a month to candidates or issue campaigns. Right now John is the only Progressive in the field and he gets the whoooooowl cake!!
Avalos for Mayor!
Adachi for Mayor!
Gonzalez for Mayor!
Campos for Mayor!
Brandon Belt hitting .458 and drove in 2 runs yesterday.
h.
May 2, 2011 at 11:26 am
Yawn: Let’s hear proposals on cutting costs of city government by 5%. That would eliminate most, if not all of the budget shortfall. Everyone knows there is at least that much fat in city government. This is simple math, not rocket science.