The Feb. 25 Bay Area Reporter (SF-based queer community paper) has a story on the candidates debate I took part in last Monday -- http://www.ebar.com/news/article.php?sec=news&article=4576 . Except for the fact that they took it upon themselves to divide the candidates into two tiers as far as presumed electability, featuring the three of us thought to be "dark horse candidates" together as the focus of this particular article (the four presumed leading candidates getting better coverage elsewhere), it's not a bad piece. Reporter Matthew Bajko, whom I've talked to in the past and is relatively friendly, gave me top billing among the three, and the piece provides a refreshingly issue-oriented if unfortunately space-limited look at where I'm coming from.
San Francisco Board of Supervisors is a non-partisan office, but I've always been vocal about being a Libertarian, and the article accordingly notes my party affiliation. Matthew mostly gets my positions right, though I'm not too sure why he chose to mention those particular positions and not others. I would have preferred he hadn't said I "welcome" chain stores -- what I actually said during the debate is that I'm not a fan of them, but that the way to stop them is for residents not to shop at such stores, and that they should not face legal restrictions. One other minor correction is that my proposal for capping city officials' salaries is to limit them to $99,999 a year, not $99,900. (Of course I would prefer to see salaries and other government spending cut even further, but this would be a radical step in the right direction.)
For those in the SF area, the article notes that the next District 8 candidate debate will be taking place from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 11 at Alvarado Elementary School on Douglass between 22nd and 23rd streets in Noe Valley. Having supporters present is always appreciated. If you support freedom and aren't running for office yourself, your volunteer help on my campaign is also kindly requested! The more assistance I get, the more active a campaign I will run on behalf of our party and cause. If I can find a person willing to serve as my campaign treasurer, I will attempt to raise and spend over $1,000 (otherwise I will keep spending under that amount to avoid the additional paperwork requirements that kick in). I could also use the help of a web designer. Other possible volunteer tasks include help with scheduling, contacting various local groups to seek speaking opportunities, keeping on top of responding to candidate questionnaires put out by local groups, getting campaign materials out (precinct walking and tabling), and coming up with creative ideas for getting the maximum mileage out of this campaign.
Love & Liberty,
((( starchild )))
Candidate for SF Board of Supervisors, District 8
P.S. - Here are two other stories about the race recently published in local neighborhood papers, though of relatively little interest since they mention me only in passing:
http://missionlocal.org/2010/02/district-8-candidates-talk-little-about-transportation/comment-page-1/#comment-85244
http://www.castrocourier.com/Web_Editorial/Jan_10/district8_race.htm