SPOOKY SEASON: In preparation for Halloween, Power Play asked City Hall officials and insiders how they’re dressing up. Here’s what they shared.
District Attorney Brooke Jenkins is leveraging her height to dress as a Golden State Valkyries player, while City Attorney David Chiu is getting creative as Bobby from the “KPop Demon Hunters” movie.
Sherrill is taking his reelection ambitions to space as an astronaut, while Supervisor Connie Chan plans to dress as the Richmond’s fairy godmother. Supervisor Myrna Melgar, who serves as Land Use Committee chair, said she’ll go as a California Housing and Community Development compliance officer. Supervisor Bilal Mahmood will be Maui from the Disney movie “Moana,” and Supervisor Danny Sauter said he’s going with the family favorite “Ratatouille” theme. Supervisor Chyanne Chen is also on the animal train, as a butterfly.
Abundant SF’s Todd David said he and his son are sticking to their King Arthur and Patsy from “Monty Python's Holy Grail” — “coconut clapping included.” San Francisco State University Professor Jason McDaniel will be Carmy from “The Bear.”
Don’t call him a scab, but Rudy Gonzalez, secretary-treasurer of the San Francisco Building and Construction Trades Council, is going as the inflatable rat used by unions in strikes and protests. Szabo is dressing as a motorcycle driver in the Louvre heist, while GrowSF director Sachin Agarwal is taking on the role of jewel thief.
The mayor’s liaison to the Board of Supervisors, Adam Thongsavat, is going as Lurie, in his signature dark-gray suit and pressed white shirt. As for Preston: “The scariest thing for The Standard: a socialist you can’t sunshine.” Brooke said she will be “a regular neighbor, apparently the most terrifying costume in politics these days.”
City attorney spokesperson Jen Kwart and her husband are going to be Harmony Cobel and Mr. Milchik from the TV show “Severance,” while cafe owner and District 8 candidate Manny Yekutiel is sticking to his usual Jackie Kennedy get-up.
After a tough fight that ended his time on the board, former Supervisor Joel Engardio and his husband are keeping it wholesome as a panda and Pooh. Department of Public Works spokesperson Rachel Gordon plans to elicit plenty of screams in her “bureaucrat” costume, while Planning Department spokesperson Annie Yalon said she and her family are going as characters from the 1980s sci-fi comedy “Spaceballs.”
Activist and organizer Nadia Rahman will don the characteristic pink shirt and blue overalls of “Glamour Magazine Woman of the Year Ms. Rachel.” What’s the opposite of Ms. Rachel? Neighbors for a Better San Francisco executive director Jay Cheng's Darth Vader. Communications consultant Catie Stewart is keeping it classy as an Aperol spritz.
Very relatable: DCCC Chair Nancy Tung said she will be on “mom duty” that evening, taking care of a triceratops and a ninja. Treasurer and tax collector spokesperson Amanda Kahn Fried will be a very real “middle-aged tired mom.”
— Gabe Greschler
SPLITTING THE SUNSET: Last month’s recall of Engardio over his support for Proposition K, which shuttered a portion of the Great Highway to create Sunset Dunes, left some pundits assuming District 4 voters would overwhelmingly support a measure to repeal the park.
But new polling obtained by Power Play suggests D4 voters are split on abandoning Sunset Dunes.
Urbanist political group Abundant SF conducted a poll this month that found a near even divide on whether to revert to the pre-Prop. K days that allowed vehicles on the road Monday through Friday while reserving it for pedestrians on weekends. Of the 644 likely voters surveyed, 48% said they supported getting cars back on the road, while 47% were opposed.
Those numbers are a stark shift from last year’s support for Prop. K, which passed with 55% of the vote citywide but was supported by only 36% of the neighborhood.
“We find this poll incredibly encouraging for the future of Sunset Dunes,” Abundant SF’s David said.
Lurie has yet to appoint Engardio’s replacement, but the poll could suggest he doesn’t have to pick someone with a firm position on overturning Prop. K.
— J.K.
PARTY TIME: Realizing it may be now or never to shoot his shot for San Francisco’s congressional seat, state Sen. Scott Wiener officially launched his campaign last week to succeed Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi.
With the official paperwork out of the way — and more than $730,000 in the bank — it’s time to party. Wiener hosts his campaign kick off Wednesday at the Swedish American Hall on Market Street, with roughly 500 expected to attend, according to a spokesperson. Those numbers forced him to move the event from Barebottle Brewing Company due to fire code restrictions.
Progressive tech millionaire Saikat Chakrabarti also gained steam this summer with his campaign events that drew hundreds of supporters eager to hear his new vision for San Francisco.
Pelosi has repeatedly said she won’t announce her reelection plans until after the Nov. 4 special election on Proposition 50. Many political groups and officials are waiting to see what the former speaker decides before weighing in on the race. But word is some notable public figures will be in attendance at Wiener’s event.
— J.K.
