Ammiano makes run for mayor

Openly gay San Francisco board of supervisors president Tom Ammiano announced his candidacy for mayor Wednesday. Ammiano, who forced the current mayor, Willie Brown, into a runoff as a write-in candidate in 1999, said that as mayor he would attempt to make a "city that is going to work for everyone.... I want to see an open government, a more honest government." Ammiano will face fellow supervisor Gavin Newsom in the race. Newsom launched his mayoral campaign after a victory in last year's city election; his Proposition N, the "care not cash" initiative, designed to cut cash aid to the homeless and instead use the money to create more housing and social programs, was widely approved. Former supervisor Angela Alioto announced her candidacy for mayor Tuesday. Other candidates include city treasurer and former supervisor Susan Leal, an out lesbian; former police chief Tony Ribera; banjo-playing hotel concierge Kent Clarke; formerly homeless 18-year-old City College student Robert Myers; past mayoral candidate Jim Reid; and recent supervisor candidate Malinka Moye. Brown will reach the end of his two-term limit at the end this year. If elected, either Leal or Ammiano would be the city's first openly gay mayor.