City Councilor Sally Mayer is turning the reins over to someone else. She announced yesterday that she’s dropping out of the Council race. Read about why here. We sat down with her last week in preparation for our Election Guide (due out Sept. 24). The District 7 councilor is disarming, funny and frank. After eight years on the Council, she knows her job and the area she represents. She puts her cell phone number on her campaign literature because she wants to hear from constituents. There was a time when Mayer was regarded as one of Mayor Martin Chavez’ close allies. These days, her tune is different. “It’s better not having the mayor’s cronies on the Council. Having been one of them, I should know,” she says. This year, Chavez backs her opponent, Michael Cook. And she supports the mayor’s opponent, R.J. Berry. She’s candid about being the only incumbent that didn’t get the thumb’s up from AFSCME, the city workers union. She says she asked the union not to endorse her. “I’m not a union supporter,” she says. “I thought it would be hypocritical.” But, she adds, she is the councilor union reps and workers can always get a meeting with. She thought the modern streetcar was an interesting plan for attracting new ridership, but says when gas prices went up, “People got over being too snobbish to ride the bus” anyway.Grass grows up through the pavement and asphalt in her district. “When I used to get along with the mayor, my street wasn’t growing grass,” she says. She’s often given voice to opinions unpopular on the Council and citywide. She’s a Republican, but considers herself a member of the old guard. “I’m a centrist,” she says, “and most people are.”When the interview concluded and the handshaking and thank you’s begun, she said with genuine feeling, “I love this job. I truly do. I like my constituents.”
No Way! Sally Mayer ?!?
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