SF Chronicle Endorses Tony Thurmond

May 27, 2008 9:12 AM

A missing voice in Sacramento

From the San Francisco Chronicle

"Thurmond combines a solid grasp of issues facing the state with an on-the-ground sense of what policies on education, violence, health care, parole programs and housing mean to a community. He is both passionate and practical about finding solutions, a perspective that is needed in Sacramento."

The 14th Assembly District, now represented by Loni Hancock, is often called "the Berkeley seat" - but, in reality, its contorted lines encompass one of the most diverse collection of communities in the state. It houses one of the world's great public universities in Berkeley, and one of the state's most troubled school districts in Richmond. It includes factories in the flatlands and suburbs tucked into wooded hills along Highway 24 in Contra Costa County. It is overwhelmingly Democratic, which means the winner of the June 3 primary is almost certain to succeed Hancock, who is termed out and running for the state Senate.

There is something appealing about each of the contenders. Phil Polakoff, a 62-year-old Berkeley physician who has never held elective office, acknowledged that his campaign "initially was a Don Quixote experience." But he has done his homework on the issues - and poured $50,000 of his own money into the campaign - and is "running to win" and become a "citizen-legislator" with an expertise in health care.

Kriss Worthington, a Berkeley City Council member with a strong base on the left, pledges to provide a forceful counterweight to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Nancy Skinner, a former Berkeley City Council member and East Bay Regional Park district director, offers expertise and connections in environmental issues. Education is "one of my core issues," she said.

Out of this impressive field, our choice is Tony Thurmond, a 39-year-old Richmond City Council member who is executive director of a nonprofit group that helps former foster youth make the transition to independent living. Thurmond combines a solid grasp of issues facing the state with an on-the-ground sense of what policies on education, violence, health care, parole programs and housing mean to a community. He is both passionate and practical about finding solutions, a perspective that is needed in Sacramento. He is also impatient. "Forty youths lost their lives in Richmond last year," he said. "I'm not going to wait for someone to tell me it's my turn."

His turn should come on June 3.