Toni Atkins.

San Diego city council member Toni Atkins is one of the nation's most powerful lesbians--until December 5, that is. That's when the recently deputized interim mayor will hand over the reins to the winner of a special runoff election. Until then, however, Atkins, 43, will make policy and set agendas for the country's seventh-largest city. And she will handle huge budget problems amid a corruption scandal that led to the recent resignations of the mayor, the deputy mayor, and a councilman.

Did you ever imagine you would be in charge of one of the nation's largest cities?

Not really, no. I think for those of us who love municipal government, it's a great fantasy, but I never imagined it would be real.

Obviously the circumstances around your appointment were not ideal given the resignations.

It's been a little difficult. We have a council, a city manager, and a city attorney who don't exactly get along, and that in itself is a challenge, in addition to the huge financial challenges the city faces. There are only six of us now--there used to be nine. We need five members of the council to vote to get any action done!

I heard you were booed at the July 25 meeting in which you were elected interim mayor. Why?

It was the Monday before San Diego gay pride, and we had a group of people there who are absolutely in disagreement with the celebration. But the city of San Diego is very gay-friendly. It's a military town, but it's much more progressive than the county.

And how was your first gay pride weekend as mayor?

People are very aware that this is a historic moment in the history of San Diego, and to have an acting mayor who is from the [gay] community means a lot to them. At our Friday night [pride] rally I gave a proclamation and got to introduce the mayor of Chula Vista, Stephen Padilla, who is a member of the LGBT community and mayor of the second-largest city in the county.

What's first on your agenda?

To try and keep the city moving forward during these next four months as we await the election of the new mayor and deal with the financial problems that we are faced with. The important thing for me is to not politicize the office of mayor. We have an election under way, and I'm not going to endorse in that race.

Have you felt pressure from the gay community to act on certain issues?

No, I haven't, actually. The city of San Diego has done a lot. We have domestic-partner benefits, and many from the LGBT community are sitting on beards and commissions.

How does being a lesbian help you in this new post?

Being a member of a minority community, like many of us from the LGBT community in elected office, I feel like we still have to be over and above the playing field. We are still a minority among other groups who are involved in elected politics. With that in mind, I'm used to taking criticism, so I'm better prepared.

How does your girlfriend of four years, Jennifer LeSar, feel about all this?

She's extremely supportive, but it's very hard on family to be in this role--the public scrutiny and always having to be out there. You don't get a lot of private time.

Will you run for mayor someday?

I don't know. My focus right now is to do the best job I can for the citizens of San Diego, including the LGBT community. We'll see.