The New Mayor?

I went to a house party yesterday for a new Oakland Mayor candidate, Joe Tuman. Joe holds a JD, was a political analyst for CNN and CBS and is a professor in the CSUC system. He's liberal minded, passionate about Oakland and smart. I was more impressed with Joe than any of the other candidates. What I most liked about him was his "best practices" approach to problem solving rather than the finger-in-the-dyke approach that the city has been taking for so long.

He has real and pragmatic approaches to problem-solving (like our current police situation). He understands working with unions (has done so within the CSUC system), and he knows the city and the insiders, as an outsider. He isn't beholden to unions or other special interest groups, and he's a realist. He recognizes that he may not get everything done in 4 years, but he can lay a foundation.

I became disolussioned with Jean Quan during the Mehserle verdict. I feel that she may have good intentions, but her decision making is a bit flawed. I see in Joe a man who can work with the press, provide a positive image for the city (loves it like the majority of Oaklanders do) and take a no-nonsense approach & a business approach to working towards solving the city's problems. (Plus, he's a snappy dresser - Mom, I told him you said so).