Freshman Supervisor-elect David Chiu following his election
to President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, Thursday.
Chiu, a progressive, is the first Chinese-American
to be elected to the board presidency.
Photos by Luke Thomas
By Patrick Goggin
January 11, 2009
Elections indeed have consequences. In November, through deft grassroots campaigning, self-proclaimed progressive candidates won four open seats on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. In so doing, Supervisors-elect John Avalos, David Chiu, Eric Mar and David Campos joined veteran Supervisors Chris Daly and Ross Mirkarimi to maintain a solid progressive majority on the Board.
Shortly after the election, a leadership battle ensued between Daly and Mirkarimi which held the choice for a new Board President in the balance until mid-afternoon Thursday. With no fewer than seven rounds of voting, we watched as progressives retained control of the Board’s helm.
Following the swearing-in ceremony came the nominations and voting for the board presidency. It was predicted the moderate-conservative faction on the board would throw its support behind Supervisor Bevan Dufty or Sophie Maxwell, but the Newsom-controlled bloc ultimately settled for Maxwell. On the left, four progressives were nominated.
The first round results tallied: Maxwell 5, Mirkarimi 4, and John Avalos 2.
After subsequent rounds proved neither Mirkarimi, Avalos or Maxwell could garner the majority six votes needed to ascend to the presidency, Chiu, 38, emerged as the consensus/compromise candidate. Mirkarimi, who now held the swing vote in his grasp, had no politically safe choice but to go with Chiu over Maxwell.
A somewhat surprised Chiu strode to the podium, his stature strikingly similar to his Napoleonically-sized predecessor, Aaron Peskin. As he did, progressives breathed a sigh of relief when Mirkarimi voted for Chiu, and in so doing, he began the process of healing his rift with Daly.
Superviors Chris Daly (right) and John Avalos (left)
rise to congratulate Supervisor David Chiu’s ascendency
to the board presidency.
For his part, Chiu has shown interest in diplomacy in indicating that he wants to work with the Mayor and the more moderate-conservative leaning colleagues on the board to tackle the $576 million budget deficit the City faces. Collaborative efforts are at a premium these days and I fully support the Board working closely with the Mayor to bridge the enormous budget divide.
That said, as we sit immersed in historic budget deficit times, I am grateful that the progressive majority on the Board will look out for the most needy among us. With Chiu’s stewardship, we will see the Board challenge the Mayor when/if necessary to protect social services and jobs when the budget scalpel kicks into high gear.
Editor’s Note: Chiu assigned Avalos budget chair.
Potential 2011 mayoral candidates Dufty and Mirkarimi not rising to the presidency gives them the time necessary to do the people’s business through thoughtful legislation and prepare for their expected mayoral campaigns. For now, all eyes are on Chiu who just assumed the City’s second most powerful position. If his dedicated past and diverse experience as a civil rights attorney, Senate Budget Committee legislative aide, Small Business Commissioner, and Ninth Circuit judge clerkship are any indication, after settling in and getting used to the presidential reins, Chiu will, hopefully, prove the progressive consensus choice was in fact a good one.
San Francisco Board of Supervisors President David Chiu.
The Hunger Site
January 13, 2009 at 8:06 am
Tami, it appears from your writing that you wouldn’t recognize a throw-away vote if you walked by one lying in a trash can.
I think that it really speaks for itself that in, what was it, round 6, the vote was Maxwell 5, Chiu 4, with both Ross and Chris voting for themselves.
So long as the notion is put forth that if one is not with Ross, one responsible for violence in the WA.
Youth of color are important, but it is the durable political alliance between downtown and the neighborhoods at the expense of progressives which allows for the election of citywide conservatives like Newsom and Brown, which in turn enables racist, classist policies which impact on everyone in San Francisco who is not wealthy, including youth of color.
It really speaks to the provincialism of progressives, especially the nonprofit crowd, they they really fear their neighbors and prefer to cast their lot with Newsom and downtown, feeding off of crumbs, on a leash, rather than building the broad coalition that can snatch politics from the hack parade.
-marc
January 12, 2009 at 9:03 am
Tami:
Just how is Chris Daly responsible for the misfortunes of African-American and Latino youths? When I visit a Mission Street, in the Excelsior District, to get my morning coffee, is Chris Daly responsible for the African-American and Latino youths that I see ditching class? Is he responsbile for their weed smoking in the Burger King parking lot? Be realistic. The problems facing that particular youth group can be traced to two main sources:Lack of parental and self-discipline. Don’t give me the old rebore about socio-economic plight. I’ve lived in cities, where the youth population is far more poverty stricken than what exists in San Francisco.
FYI, I am an American of Latino descent.
January 11, 2009 at 3:38 pm
Patrick,
I am thoroughly enjoying your articles. I am looking forward to reading more!
January 11, 2009 at 1:17 pm
Interesting how when Chiu states he wants to work with the Mayor and the “moderates,” it is a commendable attribute, but when Mirkarimi works with the “moderates” it makes him the devil incarnate!
I also lament the collective case of amnesia afflicting the progressives who asserted Campos was not a bona-fide progressive who would prove to be a moderate and their litmus test? Who would he support for BoS president. All the bloggers and independent media people were too busy attacking Campos to realize the real threat resided within the cold heart of Daly! He was the one that threatened the BoS presidency going to a progressive. Peter wrote soon we will all forget this and move on, and I said not so! How ironic- Campos nominated RM and voted 4 times for him. I KNEW that Campos was a true progressive and he has demonstrated that he is a man of extremely high principles and ethics. Even as he endorsed other progressives, they refused to endorse him, even in an era of RCV. This includes my own supervisor, RM, who I urged to give Campos an endorsement but never did. In spite of this, the TRULY progressive Campos put US first, and nominated the person who should have been BoS president.
To David Campos: Thank you for ALREADY proving to San Francisco what your supporters have known all along- you are a phenomenal, exceptional human being who will ALWAYS work in the best interest of the humble, working people. You are one of the true progressives!
To David Chiu: Congratulations! I thank you for voting for RM in the first round. I was proud to endorse you at the SEIU cope and as a Labor Council Delegate. I loved how you had your parents with you and I know that you are committed to social justice and am pleased that you have the experience to make IMMIGRANT RIGHTS a top priority. Sanctuary must be preserved! I think you will make a fine BoS president.
To Eric Mar: Thank you for voting for RM on round one. You ALWAYS voted in the best interest of our Black and Latino students on the BoE. You always supported the educators and other staff in the SFUSD. You are a SOLID, proven ally, and I appreciate that you too voted for RM in round one. I want to publicly apologize to you for my public wrath at the “three” but I was very frustrated, and even though I think Chiu is a wonderful choice, with no negative aspects as an individual, I will always KNOW the reason RM was not chosen for all the wrong reasons. I trust behind the scenes you did what you could but it was a battle that could never be won. So I want to go on record that I really respect you and apologize for my heated commentary.
To John Avalos- I never knew you but respected and endorsed you enthusiastically. Ironically, to me, it was a plus that you were Daly’s aide. That added to my unconditional support for you. I think as Budget Committee Chair you will do all you can to maintain and restore city services, you can be trusted to protect the interests of the workers and the public.
To Chris Daly- SInce I am just a peon I am sure you will not give a rat’s ass but must know-I will never be one of those people supporting or praising you again. You turned your back on the Black and Latino youth-I have come to realize this is not a “progressive” value, so I should not be surprised-but I do not support politicians who do not consider our youth of color to be issue number one. I had unconditionally supported you and defended you to people, only to realize, I did not know who you are or where you stand. I get you do not like RM, but you did not have to undermine him being BOS President to get the point across. Luckily, your children will be shielded from the realities that my three poor children of color could not be shielded from growing up. If you had any compassion or empathy for those unlike yourself, you would not have done what you did.