Sentient Supervisor settles score: Labor left seatless on Golden Gate Bridge Board

By Amy Kniss

Supervisor Chris Daly doesn’t much care for Larry Mazzola, Jr., nor does he have much reason to. The Local 38 Plumbers Union, of which Mazzola, Jr., is the assistant business manager, supported Rob Black against Daly in 2006. According to Daly, Local 38 set the tone to what Daly described as the “nastiest political race in San Francisco history" and spent $15,000 on an attack mailer that directed recipients to www.dumpdaly.com.

Daly prevailed in the 2006 race, despite Local 38’s opposition.

“This is what politics is about,” according to Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier. Political campaigns are brutal. “It’s part of what we do,” she continued, “it’s our job essentially.” Alioto-Pier acknowledges that Daly’s election bid was rough, but said, “Come on, get over it. Grow up.”

She believes once you prevail in an election you forget the sting and harsh encounters you endured in the campaign, or at least you should if you’re going to fairly and effectively serve the city and the residents of San Francisco. “The fact that he is still brooding about it really shows something about his character,” said Alioto-Pier.

Daly would agree and he doesn’t think that’s a bad thing. As a ‘sentient being,’ Daly says, “Sure, yes, absolutely, my personal experiences influence my political decisions.” He thinks this is true for us all, including Alioto-Pier: the personal-is-political and all that.

Mazzola, Jr., threw his wrench into the ring in his bid for the number-two seat on the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District Board (GGTD), knowing it was a seat traditionally, but not legislatively, reserved for a Labor representative. Perhaps Mazzola, Jr., thought Labor’s endorsement would provide mitigating circumstances powerful enough to pressure Daly into forgetting their bad blood, or at least approving Mazzola, Jr.’s, appointment to the GGTD. No such luck.

During the Rules Committee hearing to fill empty seats on the GGTD, March 5, the sentient Supervisor revealed that time had yet to heal the wounds he suffered at the hands of Local 38 back in 2006. Daly told Mazzola, Jr., flat out: "You’re not going to get my support.” Daly actually seemed surprised that Mazzola, Jr., would have such a sense of entitlement to appear before the Committee. “If I were you,” Daly said, “I wouldn't be standing in front of me asking for this position." To which Mazzola, Jr., replied, “I don’t want your support.”

With the hope that the matter could be settled eventually, the Rules Committee held off on filling the seats. When the Board of Supervisors revisited the GGTD appointments on March 31, Mazzola, Jr., was still the unanimous choice of Labor. Again the decision was postponed. Board President and Supervisor Daly both urged Labor to choose a candidate “more qualified” and informed on transportation issues to represent Labor on the GGTD.

Few believe this was an argument about personal qualifications, despite Daly’s assurance that the Board chose the most qualified candidate for the position when it appointed David Snyder the GGTD on Tuesday, April 14, 2009. Perhaps that is because, ironically, Supervisor Daly actually supported Mr. Mazzola, Jr., during an earlier bid for the GGTD seat — pre-2006 obviously. Daly said as much during the March 5 Rules Committee hearing. So, his claim that Mr. Mazzola, Jr., was “patently unqualified for the position” with the bridge transportation district appears somewhat disingenuous.

Supervisor Daly, however, says that his vote for Mazzola, Jr., in 2001, Daly’s first year in office, was a mistake. “In the last eight years,” Daly said, “it is one of five or six votes I regret.” When Daly took charge of the Rules Committee he vowed to limit such mistakes by making sure that candidates for all boards and committees were thoroughly vetted and qualified for positions before appointing them to serve.

Despite voting for Mazzola, Jr., in 2001, Daly maintains that his vote this week, against the Labor representative, was not motivated by Mazzola. Jr.’s ties to Local 38 or the union’s contributions to Rob Black’s 2006 campaign against Daly. Daly admits that Mazzola, Jr., was not qualified for the position on the GGTD in 2001: saying, “My standards have gone up as my career has gone forward. I shouldn’t have voted for him then.” Daly didn’t want to make the same mistake twice.

While he maintains his commitment to elevated standards, Daly also says he’s able to let go of political bad blood. “I have the ability to work through things with people who are willing to move forward,” said Daly. He points to Burke Strunsky in 2002, an earlier opponent that Daly says ran a “mean-spirited” campaign. Daly worked with Strunsky on Proposition H. According to Daly, Strunsky basically authored the bill banning handguns in San Francisco. “So you see,” said Daly, “ I am capable of working with people who’ve opposed me.” He maintains, that the Mazzola, Jr., matter is less about Daly’s naive vote in 2001 for an under-qualified candidate or Local 38’s political tactics during the 2006 race than it is about the higher standards that Daly says the Rules Committee now holds appointment candidates.

For more info: Check out Fog City Journal's play-by-play coverage of the final appointment hearing during the Board of Supervisors' Meeting April 14, 2009