Everybody Hates Chris: The District 6 Election Interview
So we've moved up a notch on the news scale -- instead of just reading anti-Chris Daly position papers on the internet, we actually reached out to the candidates we could find with working email addresses and asked them if they'd be willing to sit through an arduous SFist interview. Get to know these questions, folks, we're asking them of all the candidates that expressed willingness to participate.
Our first District 6 victim interviewee was actually our first District 6 candidate profile. Everyone welcome back Manuel Jimenez!
What's your name, how old are you, and what do you do?
Manuel Jimenez, 38, Attorney (Deputy Trial Counsel/Office of the Chief Trial Counsel/State Bar of California) Married to Bo (ph "Bow") and father to Timo (ph "Tee Mow")
So the name of the SFist District 6 election column is "Everyone Hates Chris." Why do YOU hate Chris Daly?
Although I respect Mr. Daly, his work, and his drive to advocate for those in our community that are routinely ignored by the monied interests that dominate San Francisco politics and policy, I HATE Chris, because I don't fall into his favored constituency (I'm actually more like him than like his political base, being that I own a condo), and therefore, the issues that affect me are routinely ignored.
Picture of Manuel with Frank Chu from Manuel's website.
In what neighborhood in District 6 do you live?
I live in SoMa, at Third and Folsom, relatively near the financial district.
What do you love about District 6? What do you hate about it?
I love that the District 6 has the North Mission and Tenderloin, where are the cool people live (at least all the people cooler than me). A city without edge is dead. The rest of the city is a glorified suburb, for the most part. Treasure Island, which is part of District 6, represents the potential and future of the city, as does the part of Mission Bay within the District. I love that I can walk to my job and bike to pretty much anywhere I need to go.
What do you think are the biggest problems facing District 6 today?
District 6 carries more than its fair share of working with homeless. It's time to share the wealth with the rest of the city. I'd like to see a homeless shelter on the top of Nob Hill. District 6 is not a dumping ground for the rest of the city's problems. District 6 does not get a representative share of police patrols, and therefore, petty and serious street crimes are disproportionately allowed in this part of the city. Chris Daly takes the wrong approach to dealing with this issue. With many clubs within the district, people come from around the bay area to party, yet don't realize that there is a professional cadre of criminals that prey on them. Shattered glass litters my neighborhood. Most of the roads in District 6 that go to the financial district, have been turned into fast moving, inner city freeways to accommodate the commuter class of suburban SUV drivers. This comes at the expense of the residents. As a regular (and aggressive) bicyclist, I can see why people are afraid to ride their bicycles in the city.
District 6 is one of the most diverse districts in the City, ranging from the expensive condos down in South Beach to the SROs in the 'loin, from downtown corporate offices in SoMA to the left-wing hipsters in the Mission. How do you think all those interests can be accommodated? Should they all be?
District 6 was slapped together from the remnants left behind from the other Districts. District 6 needs holistic approach to its representation. Chris Daly represents a small portion of the District (a portion that needs representation, don't get me wrong), but is openly hostile to the rest of his district. He was a housing rights advocate, having worked with the " Mission Anti-Displacement Coalition, a community group dedicated to fighting the perceived displacement of poor people in the Mission District caused by gentrification." (Wikipedia), but hey, 60% of the city are renters. All of them need to be represented, not just the sympathtic ones. Maintaining city services is not glamorous, but it is our representatives job...
The Board of Supervisors is pretty strongly divided between so-called "progressives" and so-called "Newsom" allies. On that scale, let's say Daly is a 10 and Sean Elsbernd is a 1. Where would you put yourself on that scale? Explain your answer.
Newsom represents monied interests and political and familial connections...Barf. Daly's left wing progressivism seems almost contrived at times. Though, lately, he has presented himself as more thoughful progressive. If I have to put myself on your scale, I'd say I am somewhere around 7 or 8, though it depends on the issue. For instance, I am a rabid bicycle advocate, who thinks the city has sold out to the suburban communters at the expense of the residents. So on that issue I'd say I am an 11.
Dude, we love it when Daly gets in fights with people on the board. Will you promise to get in some fights too? Over what?
I'd tell you who I'd like to have fisticuffs with, Newsom for veteoing the Golden Gate Park closure on the weekends. Did you know that New York City closes Central park for the entire weekend? If this is such a damn progressive city, how come we've turned Golden Gate Park into a freeway? BTW, why don't ALL bay area bridges have pedestrial walkways...New York has 14 bridges....ALL WITH PEDESTRIAN WALKWAYS.
--
and here's (some of) our standard SFist questions:
Favorite place to spend time online (website/blog/RSS feeds)
Of course, www.vicioustwist.com followed by www.sfist.com, district6supervisor.blogspot.com, and vicioustwist.blogspot.com. (Sorry, I'm a reckless self promoter)
Best Deal in San Francisco
Save-On Auto Glass (30 Otis Street) who have fixed 5 broken windows, and a Windshield for me, which is close to what I assume happens to the best deal in fetish clubs --- Power Exchange.
Best Band or Musician to come out of the Bay Area
I'm gonna say "Quicksilver Messenger Service," just cause I'm biased in favor of bicyle messengers.
Favorite local hangout
Well, this will get me in trouble because it is not in District 6, but the "Silver Spur" dive bar in the Sunset (on Irving, a coupla blocks west of 19th Avenue.) It's a good 'ol Irish dive bar that happens to be in a neighborhood mostly made up of Chinese residents.
SF has the BEST _____________
Surfing spots, if you are into frigid, white shark infested, rip tided surf. On a good day, Noriega Street at Ocean Beach is bitchin...does anybody use the work bitchin anymore?
Favorite Bay area politician of past or present
I dunno? Hmmmm...I'm kind of like Matt Gonzalez. When I appeared before a committee before I was appointed to to either the Treasure Island Citizens Advirory Board, or the Childrens Nutrician and Physical Activity Task force, he was running for mayor in the run-off against Newsom. He looked like death warmed over, he was so tired...but he was professional. He had an air of competence about him.
Now that Mayor Gavin is single, who are you going to set him up with?
Scarlet Harlot (AKA Carol Leigh)
Best Burrito
Pancho Villa Taqueria
Question you'd ask if you were doing this interview
"Are you gay?" Just kidding..I dunno.
