I am a political junkie by nature, but it wasn't always this way. Previously, I ignored politics, which I found both boring and depressing, until the Supreme Court intervention in the 2000 presidential election. Now my days are spent reading The Huffington Post, AmericaBlog and Andrew Sullivan, while my nights include Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow. My political interest, while primarily national, has expanded to include the race for San Francisco District 8 Board of Supervisors. Four candidates are vying for the seat held by Bevan Dufty, who term limits out this November. Of the four, Rafael Mandelman has been called the most progressive, a label which could be a badge of honor in a district that includes the gay enclave called The Castro. More on that in a bit.
I met Rafael at Tazzo D' Amore on 16th Street near Sanchez, a few doors down from a condo I was fortunate to sell before the real estate market crashed. I arrived thirty minutes early and found him sitting at a table, enjoying an iced tea while working on his Macbook. As a Mac user myself, I was already impressed. After brief introductions, I jumped into my first question, asking why should I care about local politics?
According to Mandelman, the Board of Supervisors handles issues the federal government won't or can't. There is no robust federal response for the current housing shortage. Planning and infrastructure, improvements to MUNI, public schools, recreations and parks, and the Healthy San Francisco initiatives are all areas touched by the board of supes. Even issues as diverse as difficulties hailing a cab to the sustainability of the pension system need to be addressed. Yet, most of the work is done on an individual level, helping people negotiate their way through problems, such as assisting a business with licensing and permits. For Rafael, the ultimate goal is to find the overriding themes and recurring problems, and implement policies to improve them.
It's at this point I bring up his progressive label, and ask if it's valid. Rafael says he is "existentially moderate", by which he means that he takes each issue, gathers emperical data, evaluates it on its own terms and merits and makes an evidence based decision. He does not ascribe to a knee-jerk progressive policy, but does acknowledge a set of beliefs and values from which his decision arises. The "tools of government" should be used to "make people's lives better and not leave them behind." Public servants should look at what they are being asked to accomplish, and with each proposal, determine if it will benefit the public or benefit the special interest pushing it through. "The trick is to prevent those with money and access to shape the rules for their own reward, while not providing a benefit to the greater good."
Rafael knows first hand how the role of government can help an individual in need. A diabetic since childhood, he received medical care through a state run health insurance program. Now he is giving back to the community, and giving the state a return on its investment. This philosophy of giving back was instilled in him from his Grandmother, a Jewish displacement camp survivor who lost everything before coming to America, eventually opening a deli in the Marina. He grew up in a home filled with politics, and has lived in the Sunset, Richmond District and Russian Hill before settling into the Castro/Noe Valley neighborhood in 1999.
When asked about specific policies and plans, his methodical, deliberate process is apparent. He suggests holding a commercial landlord townhall meeting, in conjunction with existing neighborhood business associations, to learn the reasons Castro stores sit vacant (a dilemma not shared by Hayes Valley), and find solutions to alleviate the problem. He supports the neighborhood's decision to allow Trader Joe's into the old Tower Records location, but wants more details on the parking situation and plans to relocate two existing stores. He also supports a possible expansion of Gold's Gym, especially if it will create additional housing units, but would need to see more information regarding how it would fit in with the rest of the street.
I told him one of my frustrations with being a news junkie is the constant stream of negative information, and asked how he keeps a positive attitude with so many issues that need to be addressed. For Rafael, the answer goes back to what he learned from his Grandmother, "You don't have to finish the work, but you are not free to turn away from it either", a lesson he hopes to put into practice if given the chance this November.
Comments