 Nate Miley: He might
even run for mayor one day.
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For the last seven
years, Oakland City Councilmember Nate Miley has
represented the city's Eastmont-Seminary
District. Like the city
of Oakland, District 6 is impossible to define.
It cuts across, beginning at the waterfront and
sweeping north past the giant hole in the ground
known as Leona Quarry.
In the hills, residents are
concerned about drainage and the unsuccessful
efforts to bring big-box stores like Home Depot
to the Leona Quarry area. In the flatlands,
neighborhoods are contending with drugs and
crime, not to mention the “Sideshow,” a
recurring weekend gathering of teenagers that has
been known to turn violent.
“I've got rich people,
I've got poor people. I've got every ethnic
category. I've got gays, I've got lesbians, I've
got it all,” Miley says, describing his
district.
East Oakland voters will decide
in the June 2 primary if Miley has successfully
represented their diverse interests.
Miley's constituent liaison,
Joe DeVries says Miley's background as a
community organizer has made him successful in
bringing together the residents in his district.
But complicating Miley's bid
for re-election is a sexual harassment suit filed
against him by Pamela Drake, his former chief of
staff. The case was settled by the city in 1996
at a cost of $125,000 to Oakland taxpayers.
Miley acknowledges having a
romantic relationship, but has denied all sexual
harassment charges. Nancy Sidebotham, a
33-year-old tax preparer, who is running against
Miley says she does not plan to make it an issue
in the campaign. But she doubts voters will
forget about it.
“People do not like paying
for things that are a waste, and that was
definitely a waste of public money,” she
says. Sidebotham, who is fighting to keep
commercial development away from Leona Quarry,
has already run two unsuccessful campaigns
against Miley.
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