Asked why she decided to start the process of moving toward a mayoral candidacy at this moment, Rebecca Kaplan has some explanations right at hand.

"Over the next few years, we are going to have incredible challenges in Oakland, particularly around the financial crisis, but at the same time there is a great opportunity to fix the functioning of City Hall," she says. "It seemed clear that we are going to not only have incredible challenges over the next few years, particularly around the financial crisis, but that we have a window of opportunity to fix city government--much of the city workforce will be retiring and we have a chance to reformulate how we align people and their jobs with the realities of the future."

Descriptions of Oakland government as bloated, slow-moving and complacent give Kaplan's enthusiastic statements a particular tang. Though Kaplan, 39, is only one year into her City Council At-Large seat, her ability to partner with other councilmembers to research issues and propose pragmatic solutions has kept her popular in a city disillusioned with its leaders--and suggested that city government doesn't always have to move slowly.

Speaking to press on Tuesday morning, on a day when she announced she had formed a committee to begin fundraising, Kaplan had no hesitation in saying, "With this economic and political environment, our community is in need of a bold new vision and leadership."

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According to Kamika Dunlap, a former Oakland Tribune reporter who is Kaplan's brand-new communications director, Kaplan's campaign, assuming it takes off, will  focus on solving critical problems and issues for Oakland, especially around topics of hiring equity and local hires, liveable communities, and bringing greater economic revitalization to our town.

Kaplan's  first fundraiser and meetup is scheduled  for Wednesday May 12 at the Cathedral Building in Uptown Oakland at 1615 Broadway Ave., from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Learn more at her Web site, kaplanforoakland.org.

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