Although her contract ends in 2009, former SF Mayoral candidate and current San Francisco Public Utilities Commission chief Susan Leal might get the ax, according to Cecilia M. Vega over at the Chronicle. Her removal could kickoff a bloodbath of staff cuts by Newsom. And although her dismissal would need approval by committee, this seems like a done deal. According to the article:

Leal received a telephone call Friday evening from Newsom's chief of staff saying her services won't be needed in his second term, the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Wednesday. The call prompted Leal and the administration to begin talking about whether she will stay.

Yikes.

Once Newsom's ingénue (more or less) for spearheading efforts to cull energy in the San Francisco Bay, she also yearned for more "publicly owned sources of energy," a sentiment that went against the agendas of other members of the PUC. She heard the informal news of her probable canning while can-canning over in Paris this week at a French-sponsored water conference. She has no comment at this time.

After Newsom's famous request for open letters of resignation earlier, this seems like a start to his pruning process. The article goes on to say that Leal "has never been a true team player with the Newsom camp." So...watch your necks, Newsom naysayers.