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Endorsing Rafael Mandelman for San Francisco District 8 Supervisor

Posted by: Lez Get Real on October 23, 2010.

Melanie Nathan
Editor -
October 23-2010 -San Francisco

Whenever I endorse a candidate in a local election , I think of that person in the context of a political career and how it can lead from local, to State to National. Earlier this year I met one such candidate in the crowded race for San Francisco Supervisors, where 4 openly gay candidates are all hopeful when it comes to the district 8 seat. Meeting Rafael Mandelman was one of the highlights of my evening at the EQCA Gala Dinner, friendly an effervescent personality with a deep passion for his home town and profound ideas for the issues at hand.

“I love this town... I loved it back when I used to fly up to San Francisco on school holidays to visit my grandmother and see the Big City. I loved it when I moved here at 11, and somewhere between studying at Brandeis and Lick, running in Golden Gate Park and along Ocean Beach, and wandering the hills and neighborhoods of this most beautiful metropolis, I found my way to adulthood. Today, a grown-up in the City where I grew up, my appreciation for its history, its people, and its values has only grown,” and so notes the introductory home page of the website “Rafael Mandelman for District 8 Supervisor, Campaign 2010.”

Mandelman has an extraordinary background of survival and his work reflects a compassion and sense of being that emanates from the reality of his own life ; as a small child his mother was unable to care for him and so he was raised by his grandmother, a holocaust survivor, who having been through the most extreme of human suffering, instilled in him the mantra that people must be safe and feel secure.

Mandelman , certainly did well and never considered his childhood a hindrance to his aspirations: B.A. Yale, M.P.P. Harvard, J.D. UC Berkeley is an accomplished Public Law and affordable housing attorney, has his heart in the right place. A former Commissioner, on the San Francisco Board of Appeals, Past president, Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club and Noe Valley Democratic Club, has the brain, brawn, experience and heart to fill the District 8 seat in a manner fitting its essentials and its dreams.

Rafael understands how decisions made at City Hall can impact our neighborhoods and has put his skills to use as a commissioner on the City’s Building Inspection Commission and on the Board of Appeals, where he has worked to ensure laws are applied fairly and that neighborhood concerns receive adequate attention. Rafael has worked to build coalitions between neighborhoods, activists, affordable housing advocates, environmentalists.

As Editor of a gay magazine with a “Gay Gals View of the World,” I first focused on Mandelman’s opponent Rebecca Prozan – a Lez Mag and a Lez Candidate – on close examination, however, my endorsement, must go to Rafael Mandelman, the most progressive candidate in my view, yes, but that is not all -there is a vast mindset difference between someone who is trained and works as an assistant DA prosecuting for the City, compared to one who works representing people in the arenas impacted by Supervisors. involving the very depth of understanding of issues that will be required of the elected canbdidate.

In fact a great many lesbians in San Francisco are endorsing Rafael, such as Carol Migden who believes he should get the job.

In a Debate, reported by the Bay Area Reporter in response to a direct attack by Prozan asserting that Mandelman may be too left and progressive for District 8, Mandelman responded with , “ Not to get all lecturey up here but I don’t know if District 8 is a left district and I don’t even know if I am a left candidate. But I know it is Harvey Milk’s district, it’s the place where progressive politics in San Francisco began and where queer politics began and the two of them have been joined ever since and queer elected politicians for the past 30 years have recognized that connection, I believe this district has the right to expect a potholes supervisor that is going to take care of the nuts and bolts things a supervisor needs to do and also provide progressive leadership on the board. I will provide that progressive leadership on the board.”

ISSUES:

Mandelman asserts that it is time to make San Francisco’s ‘Transit First’ policy a reality. That means a reliable and efficient transportation system that is convenient and accessible to all. We must also do what we can to encourage cycling and pedestrian friendly neighborhoods. As District 8 supervisor I will:

Ensure that Muni is a world-class transit system by reforming the MTA, speeding up the system by 30% and providing a minimum necessary level of service for all neighborhoods by ensuring that nobody should be further than six blocks from a bus stop.

Complete the city’s bicycle network by closing gaps in the current system, and putting more bike racks in commercial districts and secure bike parking at BART and Muni stations.

Make District 8 more pedestrian friendly by creating open spaces at the heart of our neighborhoods such as Harvey Milk Plaza, greening and calming traffic on residential streets and making commercial districts more walkable.

Better manage parking by supporting much of the work of SF Park including variable pricing, longer time limits at meters, allowing payment by parking cards and credit/debit cards and wireless sensors that report whether or not a space is occupied.

SEE VIDEO of Rafael at http://rafael2010.com/blog/