Aaaand, we're off! Regarding to local politics, the election--at last--is getting good. See, a little drama sparked over the weekend after District 8 candidate Scott Wiener.sent out a mailer accusing his opponent, Rafael Mandelman, of opposing Muni reform. (The mailer is viewable above!) While most D8 skirmishes should be settled at The Cafe via a three-round dance-off, we went directly to the candidates for answers. And according to Mandelman, he doesn't oppose Muni reform -- not exactly.

Here is his full statement to SFist:

It's a ridiculous claim, as I have been working on Muni issues long before Scott discovered they could be useful for his supervisor campaign. I think the attack must relate to my evolving position on Prop G (the Elsbernd Muni reform measure on the ballot). It's a pretty flawed measure in that it goes beyond simply taking the provisions regarding driver salaries out of the charter (which I support) and has some pretty punitive provisions regarding burden of proof in arbitration proceedings between the MTA and the drivers (arcane stuff, to be sure).

I was supporting an alternative measure being considered at the Board of Supervisors that would have removed the provision regarding driver salaries from the charter but would have made a whole bunch of other reforms as well.