Adriel Hampton
San Francisco Examiner
Wednesday, October 15, 2003
In a debate that broke away from the traditional "Get Gavin Newsom" format common to many neighborhood forums, journalists hammered each of the six top candidates for mayor in Tuesday's broadcast event.
Supervisor Newsom, who has positioned himself as a strong frontrunner through a tough love approach to homelessness, was asked whether he was using the poor for political gain, as his critics charge. Newsom defended his approach, saying reforms are needed because of a high number of deaths, and because the current reality is not working. "We need to do more, and we need to do better," he said.
Matt Gonzalez, president of the Board of Supervisors and a member of the Green Party, was asked whether he was too far left politically to work with the business community. Gonzalez said the board as a whole has been pro-business, voting for a settlement on The City's tax structure that lost $35 million a year in revenue. He said he opposed the settlement because it left in place only a payroll tax. He characterized his moves to limit chain stores in neighborhoods that don't want them as addressing a center issue.
Responding to a question on whether there are city streets unsafe for children at night, and which ones, attorney Angela Alioto named a number of city avenues without hitting such hot buttons as Sixth Street. "We simply don't have safe streets," she said, calling half of The City unsafe and saying she would solve the problem by pushing for better police performance.
Treasurer Susan Leal said she supports the Police Department, but thinks more enforcement is needed when drug dealing goes on in plain sight of police officers.
Progressive Supervisor Tom Ammiano was hit with the question whether he's moved to the center for political expediency. Ammiano said that building consensus doesn't mean moving right, that he's the same hardworking and honest guy he's always been. "I'm a more centered person," he said.
Former police chief Tony Ribera, the sole Republican in the race, revealed that he would keep on Police Chief Alex Fagan, and said Fagan and Assistant Chief Heather Fong are doing a fine job. He said the answer to police reform is a mayor who will appoint strong police commissioners.
Newsom responded with grace to a question about the popular leftist joke "Newsom's opposed to panhandling unless it's from the Gettys," the billionaires who've helped Newsom in his business career. Newsom said the Gettys want nothing from San Francisco and are great philanthropists. He said he has an "extended family" relationship with them. Asked about perceived failures of Mayor Willie Brown's administration, Newsom stayed clear of bashing the incumbent, who has supported him, and said he would focus on turning around The City's economic fortunes. "I'm a different person," he said. "A person who likes to be held responsible."
Gonzalez positioned himself as a candidate supportive of law enforcement, but willing to criticize when he thinks cops get out of line. He also said he thinks real estate speculation is an acceptable practice, but that The City needs to better secure its long-term investment when it subsidizes housing.
Alioto was asked about her judgment, when she nearly went bankrupt as a Board of Supervisors member and once dated a con man. Alioto said she's a workaholic -- working too hard at the board for little pay -- and that her relationship was a mistake. "I made a mistake," she said, adding that plenty of people live with regrets. "I'm sure Hillary feels she's made a few mistakes."
Ribera said as a Republican, he's apart from San Francisco's "failed system," but that he gets along well with the other officials. He said he's tired of a government of friends and foes. "Willie either likes you or he doesn't," he said.
Hit on crafting a measure that enabled voters and a city commission to award the supervisors a 200 percent raise in a tough budget year, Gonzalez said he thinks voters are better served by having full-time legislators who don't have to rely on outside work that might present conflicts of interest. Supervisors, until this summer, earned less than $40,000 a year.
Both Ribera and Leal emphasized strong management skills, with Ribera touting his success in keeping a $230 million police budget in the black and Leal pointing out her solid track record in managing $3 billion in city assets -- bringing in a better return than other major counties in the state.