Some “Wary” About Renaming SFO For Harvey Milk

Officials say process should take years.

Harvey Milk San Francisco International Airport? Sounds like a great idea -- but not so fast, some airport officials say.

The effort to rename the airport after the slain gay rights icon and former San Francisco politician Harvey Milk is not supported by San Francisco Airport Commission president Larry Mazzola, who said that airport  names are "untouchable," according to the San Francisco Examiner.

"I knew Harvey Milk. He was a great leader," Mazzola told the newspaper, before adding that the Bay Area has had many great leaders, "and I don't think any of them should bear the name of the airport."

Other airport officials say that the renaming effort should only happen after a lengthy review process.

Supervisor David Campos, who introduced the measure that could go before voters in November, said that a ballot initiative is the only way to go through the process.

80 other airports across the country bear the names of leaders, but SFO would be the first to honor an openly gay official.

Milk was shot and killed by a former political colleague in 1978. Mayor George Moscone also died that day.
 

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