Board of Supes listen to public comment on Jan. 8, 2013 ( Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle / SF)
Tuesday, Jan. 8th, the promised drama over who'd be the next San Francisco, Board of Supervisors (B.O.S.) president fizzled out when Supervisors Jane Kim (Dist. 6) and Malia Cohen (Dist. 10) withdrew their names from consideration. Additionally the much whispered about end run for the coveted seat by Sup. Scott Wiener (Dist. 8) never happened ensuring Supervisor David Chiu (Dist. 3) was reappointed president for a historic third time.
City hall insiders had been speculating for the past several weeks that a political power tug of war was quietly going on behind the scenes as Sup. Wiener, Cohen and Kim shored up support for their bid to be the new Supe head.
The leader of the 11-member body is responsible for handing out committee assignments, presiding over board meetings and scheduling legislation for hearings. It’s a largely ceremonial job, though it is high profile; the president represents the legislative branch at City functions, and often takes a lead on negotiating controversial issues.
Supervisor's Kim and Cohen had officially nominated each other respectively in an attempt to symbolically highlight the import role women of color historically have played on the Board. Wiener had not been nominated, and according to the SF Weekly, hadn't been lobbying for the job at all. Despite that assertion he was the focus of much attention since City hall rumor mongers have been gossiping about his future, higher City office, aspirations. The plum position as B.O.S. president on one's resume would help further that cause.
According to the Chronicles, C.W. Nevius, who describes the District Eight representative as a "Moderate policy wonk" Wiener had five votes in his win column, but, his support hit a wall since the narrow District Seven election results doomed his chances.
Wiener had backed F.X. Crowley, who came up 131 votes short of the winner Norman Yee. With Wiener stuck at five votes, the only person who could put him into the president's seat at the B.O.S. table would've been the unlikely vote of current and now re-elected Board Prez. David Chiu.
Additionally Wiener was the only Supervisor who came into the fray bearing the baggage of having an organized community outcry against him being B.O.S. president. In our Dec. 12th post we noted the Vibrant Castro Neighborhood Alliance (VCNA) had initiated a call via a Change.org petition urging all Supervisors to reject him in that role. They also urged he be denied any important committee seat as well. At the time of yesterday's election the petition had gathered 360 signatures and amassed nearly 500 Facebook page 'likes'.
In a post B.O.S. prez decision email that VCNA sent to it's supporters they stated, "We were part of a winning strategy that resulted in Sup. Wiener withdrawing himself from nomination for the Board president's election. Surely deals were struck prior to today's meeting so we will see who reelected President David Chiu appoints as chairs and his committee assignments. Please stay engaged in grassroots politics and never give up faith that change is possible."
It's would be quite difficult to prove VCNA's claim that they and their petition held sway over Wiener's decision to not get into the fray for B.O.S president. There is however little doubt he is a lightning rod of polarizing contention amongst many in the community and enjoys as much support as he does detractors. Now that all the newly elected Supes have been sworn into office perhaps the Board's attention can turn to it's never ending work of addressing the City's myriad of pressing issues.
According to the Chronicles, C.W. Nevius, who describes the District Eight representative as a "Moderate policy wonk" Wiener had five votes in his win column, but, his support hit a wall since the narrow District Seven election results doomed his chances.
Wiener had backed F.X. Crowley, who came up 131 votes short of the winner Norman Yee. With Wiener stuck at five votes, the only person who could put him into the president's seat at the B.O.S. table would've been the unlikely vote of current and now re-elected Board Prez. David Chiu.
Additionally Wiener was the only Supervisor who came into the fray bearing the baggage of having an organized community outcry against him being B.O.S. president. In our Dec. 12th post we noted the Vibrant Castro Neighborhood Alliance (VCNA) had initiated a call via a Change.org petition urging all Supervisors to reject him in that role. They also urged he be denied any important committee seat as well. At the time of yesterday's election the petition had gathered 360 signatures and amassed nearly 500 Facebook page 'likes'.
In a post B.O.S. prez decision email that VCNA sent to it's supporters they stated, "We were part of a winning strategy that resulted in Sup. Wiener withdrawing himself from nomination for the Board president's election. Surely deals were struck prior to today's meeting so we will see who reelected President David Chiu appoints as chairs and his committee assignments. Please stay engaged in grassroots politics and never give up faith that change is possible."
It's would be quite difficult to prove VCNA's claim that they and their petition held sway over Wiener's decision to not get into the fray for B.O.S president. There is however little doubt he is a lightning rod of polarizing contention amongst many in the community and enjoys as much support as he does detractors. Now that all the newly elected Supes have been sworn into office perhaps the Board's attention can turn to it's never ending work of addressing the City's myriad of pressing issues.
