Two weeks ago, the East Bay Express’ Bob Gammon wrote an excellent article revealing some odd financial mingling between the campaign of former State Senate leader Don Perata for mayor of Oakland with Mr. Perata’s project to put an initiative on the statewide California ballot taxing cigarettes to benefit cancer research (“The Cancer In The Oakland Mayor’s Race” February 10, 2010). 

Remember when at least one overenthusiastic Don Perata supporter was crowing that the former State Senator was going to cakewalk into the office of Mayor of the City of Oakland in 2010? (“With the dark cloud of a lingering federal probe behind him, there is nothing standing between former state Sen. Don Perata and the Oakland mayor's office but time, opportunity and blue skies.” Chip Johnson “With Probe Over, Perata Primed To Lead Oakland” San Francisco Chronicle May 29, 2009)

Hasn’t worked out quite that way, has it? Instead of a Perata walkover, it is possible that instead, this year might end up being one of the most competitive Oakland mayoral races in a generation or more.