SF Mayor closing in on Sunset District Supervisor

SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie is working toward selecting the next person who will serve as the supervisor for the Sunset District. 

Just one week after former Supervisor Beya Alcaraz stepped down, the mayor is closing in on her replacement. San Francisco's Sunset is waiting to see who will be the next supervisor for the district.

Supervisor Alcaraz resigned after details about how her business operated and apparent confessions to tax evasion surfaced.

Now the mayor's office is confirming at least five names are on its list of replacements, including Natalie Gee, who works in Supervisor Shaman Walton's office, neighborhood activist Albert Chow, Asian Art Museum commissioner Tiffany Deng, community college trustee Alan Wong, and former Academy of Science executive Ike Kwon.

What they're saying:

San Francisco State University Political Science Professor Jason McDaniel noted the options seem to match with the demographics of the Sunset. All of the candidates are of Asian ancestry, and importantly, all of them bring experience to the table. 

"More experience in government, more experience in politics," said Professor McDaniel. "Stronger and longer ties to the community, in the Sunset."

McDaniel said the mayor's office may have to compromise to find someone who may not or may not be in lockstep with Mayor Lurie when it comes to issues important to the Sunset District. 

"I'm interested in the idea that several of them have expressed some ambiguity about whether they would support the mayor's family zoning plan," McDaniel said.

Local perspective:

Sunset residents say they know that they don't have a lot of say at this point about who the mayor selects. 

"Mayor's gonna pick someone," said Patrick Lee. "Yeah, we don't have a choice. But, we want someone to represent out community."

Residents say they want someone who reflects their values and will advocate for them. 

"Mostly they should listen to the neighborhood," said Doreen Silk. "They have to be in the neighborhood, know what the neighborhood's about, understand it's not what one way you want to politically side. It has to do with listening to the constituents."

While five names have surfaced so far, the mayor's office is open to other qualified candidates to fill that seat.

The mayor himself said the vetting process will be much more thorough this time around. 

Whoever that person is, they will have to run to defend that seat in June, and again in November.