Hey, it’s almost like summer weather lately … the patios have been packed recently at Bourbon Street, Kickers, #1 Fifth Ave., Six Degrees, Flicks, The Brass Rail, Club Montage, Martini’s, Numbers, The Hole and everywhere. Party on, boys and girls.

I’ve known our past mayors Wilson, Hedgecock, O’Connor and Golding, and they all agreed on one thing: the City of San Diego needs to overhaul our very outdated governmental structure. I support Mayor Murphy’s call for a “strong mayor/strong council” form of government and urge it is supported for a vote in this coming November’s ballot. The mayor’s sweeping charter reform plan would instill accountability where it belongs … in our city’s top elected officials. We are the seventh largest city in the nation, yet under our present structure the mayor and council continue to play a subordinate role to our unelected city manager when it comes to the “day-to-day” operations of our city. It’s long past time for a change … Let’s vote on it in November.

This past Tuesday afternoon supermarket billionaire Ron Burkle held a luncheon at his breathtaking La Jolla cliff-side mansion in honor of the next President of the United States – yes, Senator John Kerry. Among members of our community in attendance were Bob Lehman (County Veterans Board), Atty. Todd Stevens (past president of the San Diego County Bar Association), of course our Deputy Mayor Toni Atkins, businessman Bob Nelson, Stephen Whitburn (president San Diego Democratic Club), and businessmen Norman Blachford, Peter Cooper and Nick Moede (owner of Numbers, Flame and Café W). More than $500,000 was raised for the Kerry campaign. Senator Kerry spoke about gay and lesbian rights, AIDS, and his opposition to changing the Constitution. … It was a great event with great food! It was also great to see Lynn Schenk and Midge Costanza in such leadership roles for this event. Also in attendance were former Secretary of Sate Warren Christopher and former Governor and Mrs. Gray Davis.

District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis has named two members of our community to her prestigious citizens advisory board. Congratulations to Kevin Tilden (past president of The Center) and Bob Lehman (San Diego GLBT veterans chapter). Yes, the race is on and it’s fast becoming many phone calls, meetings, luncheons, endorsements for our leading gay men to become our next councilman: Todd Gloria, Jeff Gattas and Robert Gleason. While some of our GLBT leadership and activists are already making their official support known, many are taking a wait-and-see attitude and looking them over for the next year.

A big name in politics coming to the Nicky Awards??? Stay tuned for a big announcement.

Councilman Scott Peters is in a rough re-election campaign with his right wing opponent pouring in hundreds of thousands of dollars of his own money. Look for a GLBT fundraiser for Peters in the coming months. City Attorney Mike Aguirre has now been officially endorsed by almost every GLBT leader, including Chris Kehoe and Toni Atkins. In the primary election, popular State Assembly candidate Tricia Hunter received the most votes in Hillcrest/North Park districts, with 88 percent! On April 21 there will be an official welcoming reception for Equality California’s new San Diego regional director, Jeffrey Mittman.

I am seriously sad to hear of your serious illness (a chronic heart condition) and having to go through major surgery recently. While some of the local press is making different comments on this difficult time in your life, I would like to say that I too understand serious illnesses and unwanted hospital stays so I know what you’re going through. What times like these do is give us pause. … to think and contemplate our lives and contributions to society. David, we have a lot of GLBT youth who are boldly coming out of their closets and need role models; we have a GLBT Community Center and AIDS agencies getting their funds greatly cut. We have a President who is attacking our community and its families and trying to change the Constitution. Now is the time that your community, your fellow brothers and sisters need you … to take a stand, to proudly acknowledge what the whole city knows and just “whispers” about. Your millions of dollars of contributions to the arts and charities have made a difference. But what you could do for our Center and AIDS agencies in these serious times could save lives … many lives. Just think about it David, and no matter what you decide I and many in your “other” community wish you the very best of health.

The news media recently had a field day reporting an incident on a plane with the biggest closet queen in America – yes, Richard Simmons, who slapped a guy who was teasing him. By the way, Richard Simmons and I do have something in common: We kinda shared the same boyfriend, but that’s another story, and one for my book!