As we all know, Gavin is up for re-election this year (and why 2007? Aren't big elections supposed to be in even-numbered years? Is this one more "only in SF" type of thing?). So today's Examiner gets all up in Gavin's grill and checks him out. They recap his bout of recent bout of bad news, interview him (blue tie sighting!), and hand out report cards on his 2003 campaign promises.
So let's look through these stories, shall we?
First the campaign promises (and remember, this is all based on what he promised so this thing ain't that in-depth. Remember too, it's the Examiner we're talking about):
-Housing: Not so good on housing as his two big housing bond measures failed
-Crime: hired all the cops and set up all the cameras he promised to although there's no follow up on all the recruits he promised.
-Public transportation: Third Street light rail is going to run but two years late. No mention of anything else pub trans related so if the N broke down for the tenth time this past month, don't look at him.
-Wi-fi: Is "seconds away" from being implemented
-Biotech: Some good, some not so good but better than before.
-City responsiveness: The 311 city government hot line is kind of a joke, but it'll be up sometime this year
-The Homeless: Care Not Cash seems to be somewhat working.
And here's the interview:
-Proud of all of his budgetary work
-And proud of his health care plan
-He'll get right on that police commission thingy
-He's taking a bite out of crime
-Question time was merely a "public opinion poll" and he won't "demean" his office by indulging in the circus that will be question time
-Being Mayor is hard
-He never got to first base with Brittanie even though everyone totally thinks he did
-Loves going to movies but was booed when he went to go see "Passion of the Christ."
-He's a buttered popcorn kind of guy until he started putting on weight
-Loves the turkey sandwhich.
And who doesn't, actually?
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"I'll be sitting having dinner and then you're dating someone you've never even kissed, and now she's your girlfriend and everybody's writing about it as fact."
Oh man, poor Gavin is obsessed with Brittanie! (Or is he obsessed with us being obsessed with him and Brittanie?)
That's almost as hilarious as his comments on question time are aggravating and insulting. No Gav, it wasn't a public opinion poll, it was an election. And I think San Franciscans are sophisticated enough to understand what we were voting on without you having to reinterpret it for us.
And what's this about a "city council?" Hey Gav, it's called the Board of Supervisors. You know, because San Francisco is both a City and a County.
But I think my favorite line was this bit:
"There’s going to be some announcements on the Health Access Plan in the next few days or months."
Days or months? Who says "days or months?"
Christ.
Jake McGoldrick had a proposal in 2006 to change the Mayoral elections to even-numbered years, but it didn't get support from enough Supervisors to put on the ballot. Here's Elections Commission minutes about it:
http://www.ci.sf.ca.us/site/electionscommission_page.asp?id=42222
Cities often have their municipal elections in the off years (i.e. odd numbered years) I assume because of the low turnout in off years means that the insider party hacks types get elected easier.
My favorite part of the interview:
"We’re using bait cars, which I probably shouldn’t be talking about."
Oops. At least no one reads the examiner, right?
This is one of those statements that occurs after "You know you're a bad manager if...".
Can I just say that I dont care if he's wearing a blue tie or not. I mean just because a person wears one color like say black everyday does it mean their depressed?
I think the Guardian put it best a few weeks ago when it stated that he's so fond of doing things while citing "the will of the people", but when the will of the people is that he's accountable to them he suddenly doesn't give a shit about it.