Bill Lee’s standing has become a weathervane on where the San Francisco Asian American — particularly the Chinese American — community stands with any mayor in power.
This coming March, City Administrator Lee’s position is up for reappointment.
In 1995, he was originally appointed chief administrative officer by then Mayor Frank Jordan back in a maneuver to secure the Chinese American vote months before Jordan’s re-election campaign. For a time, Lee became the city’s most powerful civil servant under the old charter.
However, Jordan lost re-election, leaving expectations that the new mayor, Willie Brown, would shunt Lee aside. A new mayor-friendly charter had relegated many of Lee’s powers to Brown and left Lee with a less potent city administrator’s post.
Going into 1999 for re-election, Brown ended up needing Lee to secure the Asian American vote as did then Supervisor Gavin Newsom in 2003. And Brown — pledging to reappoint Lee — ended up overwhelmingly winning the Asian American vote over Board of Supervisors President Tom Ammiano.
In 2000, Brown reappointed Lee to his position. Brown then added the powerful post of Planning Commission member to Lee’s portfolio, where Lee retains a key vote in selecting the next planning director.
WHY NOT RENEW LEE?: So far, Mayor Newsom has been especially adept at influencing his legislative opposition in the Board of Supervisors. He has already secured a 7-4 veto override and is moving slowly towards a majority of 6.
When treasurer and the Treasure Island Development Authority vacancies came up, Newsom apparently had considered some of his detractors from the board.
If Lee leaves, Newsom would likely again solicit his chief detractors to take the city administrator post: Jake McGoldrick (Richmond), Aaron Peskin (Chinatown/North Beach) and Geraldo Sandoval (Excelsior), who all represent heavily Asian American districts where a Newsom supervisor appointee could survive a confirmation vote at the ballot. Newsom will have to be selective, given that his school board appointee, Heather Hiles, lost her seat for citywide election last November.
While Lee may lose his post, the Asian American community could gain an appointment from Newsom. Retired Judge Lillian Sing could replace McGoldrick, if he moves. And Peskin’s seat could go to College Board member Lawrence Wong or Lee. And Sandoval’s could go to a Filipino American like College Board member Rodel Rodis.
BEES TO HONEY: What could entice the anti-Newsom supes to leave? Salary. Lee’s post garners more than $125,000, while supervisors earn $90,000, seven months after a $22,000 pay cut last year. The supervisors are again facing another cut as the city struggles to reduce its budget after voters rejected two November tax measures. The mayor could also entice a supervisor by hiking the city administrator’s compensation, as he did for Susan Leal, new czar of the Public Utilities Commission.
HUE AND VO: APA Democrats are making a national thrust to help raise half a million dollars for Democrat Hubert Vo, assemblyman-elect whose Texas seat Republicans are trying to wrest in favor of defeated incumbent Talmadge Heflin. It should prove interesting how Vietnamese Americans will react — considering the perception that they’re Republican, as reinforced by the election of Assemblyman Van Tran in California’s Garden Grove.
BETTY’S TURN AFTER JOHN’S: Do you think the California Board of Equalization is the cradle for APA politicians? Three have been appointed — Matt Fong, John Chiang and now Betty Yee, the latest, replacing newly inaugurated state Sen. Carol Migden. Fong went on as state treasurer in 1994. Newly elected board Chairman Chiang ran for treasurer in 1996. Okay Betty, you’ll be next.
PRO TEM’S PIN DOLL: Larry Yee, just re-elected president of the Chinese American Democratic Club, has accepted an appointment to the California Acupuncture Commission. The nod, courtesy of Assembly Speak-easy pro Tem Leland Yee, has reinforced the suspicions of pro-Lillian Sing supporters that Leland was behind Larry’s support of talk-radio host Rose Tsai in the hopes of sabotaging Sing’s candidacy for supervisor.
LEAVE NO ASIAN BEHIND: Interesting op-ed I received in late November from the San Francisco school district’s Office of Public Engagement. Superintendent Arlene Ackerman argued the need for Latino and African American instructors. But no mention of any need for APA instructors, who only represent 20 percent of the district and 40 percent of the students.
PEARLS OF WISDOM: During the 63rd anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack, ex-World War II internee and later GI guard of German POWs Eugene Nakamura, 78, reflected on his $20,000 reparation for being interned.
“You know what I did with mine? I bought a Japanese car,” Nakamura said.
Coincidentally, Wayne Pease, 81 years old, survived the Pearl Harbor attack aboard a naval destroyer and overcame his antipathy towards the Japanese. “It’s hard to get over it. But this year just before I came [to Pearl Harbor], I bought a Toyota. That tells you something,” he said.
Samson Wong can be reached at (415) 321-5886, faxed at (415) 397-7258 or e-mailed at swong@asianweek.com.