My 2015 predictions for the Bay Area Reporter out on the internet now: Look for Mayor Lee to re-dial his political persona this year (for at least the election season). His mooning over the tech industries with regular weekly lunches at their offices, his avid pursuit of things like the Olympics and high profile costly events, and his foreign trips bankrolled by lobbyists and those seeking City Hall approvals will increasingly be contrasted with complaints that he has failed to tend to some basic needs (anyone remember the Housing Authority elevators in a senior/disabled building not due to be repaired until next October? Or the ambulance shortage due to his budget priorities while reducing taxes on the tech industry?). But local politics tends to be personal more than ideological, and Lee will continue to be haunted by his appointees who would be fired in any other administration (Mel Murphy at the Port; Larry Mazzola at the Airport; Wendy Paskin Jordan at Retirement). He will get smooth seas from city labor unions, most of which will be renegotiating their contracts during the key months of the mayoral campaign. But Lee may well lack coattails to see his pick for District 3 supervisor elected against a challenger, and that would impact any second term. Expect gay former state Assemblyman Tom Ammiano to continue to keep open the option of running for Lenos state Senate seat. The Castro neighborhood may well drop its high ranking for voter turnout as the neighborhood feels the impact of hundreds of high-end condos, and the once prolific individual small businesses will struggle to hold their own against chain stores (the old Obelisk versus Pottery Barn, Now Voyager travel agency versus online reservations, and the Patio still wont get its act together). Halloween will disappear entirely from community consciousness. Larry Bush 2013-2014 SF Civil Grand Jury member
Posted on: Thu, 01 Jan 2015 05:06:17 +0000
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