City, State Candidates & Elected Officials MIA From Bayview RallyHarrison Chastang, KPOO FM Radiobyline‚ Oct. 18‚ 2006The issues of crime, gentrification and school closures, key concerns to voters this campaign season, were addressed at a community rally outside San Francisco City Hall Monday organized by a coalition of community organizations who fear that increasing crime, redevelopment and poor school will force more African American out of San Francisco. Cameras from most of the major TV stations were there, and in an election year, candidates are usually drawn to a news camera the way paparazzi are attracted to the latest Hollywood stars. However at Monday's rally, Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi and Public Defender Jeff Adachi were the only recognizable elected officials on the scene, with no sign of any candidates or their representatives. While the governor was in New York, his challenger Phil Angeledes was in San Francisco on a campaign stop but steered clear of the City Hall rally, as did most every other candidate on the November San Francisco ballot, including District 10 incumbent Supervisor Sophie Maxwell. |