SF Tomorrow endorsements for Nov 5
For those of you who have yet to vote, here are the issues that SF Tomorrow agreed to endorse for next week’s election. We require a supermajority to take a position so the endorsements you see here are very popular ones!
Mayor – Aaron Peskin!!
We’ve all received an avalanche of paper this election cycle supporting candidates with too much money and not enough experience. Not only is it a huge waste of money and resources, this onslaught represents campaigning at its most ineffective. Aaron Peskin is clearly the most qualified candidate, something the billionaires funding his opponents don’t want to admit. And he’s connecting with San Francisco voters on a personal level by meeting them where they are. We need someone strong to save Muni, revive our sagging economy and promote truly affordable housing.
BART Board – District 9 – Edward Wright
BART is a transit system that’s too big to fail. Unfortunately, that could happen unless a lot of smart committed people find a way to save it. Edward Wright has the experience and commitment to create the change we need to keep BART running.
Supervisor, District 1 – Connie Chan
Supervisor Chan has done a good job representing the Richmond, but is being targeted by the same tech billionaires who think they can run government better than they run their own companies. Vote for Connie Chan for another four years!
Supervisor, District 5 – Dean Preston
Dean Preston is another example of a hard-working supervisor being targeted for caring for his community. Vote for Dean!
State Proposition 4 – Yes!
Proposition 4 is a $10 billion state bond measure that will fund climate adaptation as well as mitigation. The current budget deficit has halted key investments in safe drinking water, wildfire prevention, sea level rise and other key needs, but we can’t wait. Bonds are an appropriate investment in long-term infrastructure projects and that’s what Prop 4 funds.
San Francisco Proposition C – Yes
Authored by Supervisor Peskin and placed on the ballot by the full Board of Supervisors, Proposition C would create the position of Inspector General in the City Charter. Housed in the office of the Controller, the position would be independent of political winds and able to investigate fraud and waste in city government. Other cities already have such a position; given our recent history, it’s time for us to join in!
San Francisco Proposition D – No
San Francisco Proposition E – Yes
Both Props D and E are charter amendments developed in response to the June report of the Civil Grand Jury titled “Commission Impossible.” That report recommended that standards be developed for the City’s 115 active commissions, recommended the immediate dissolution of 15 and suggested a process for evaluating the remaining commissions.
Proposition D sets a cap of 65 on the number of commissions that can operate in the City and County of San Francisco, and sets up a commission to evaluate the current commissions and make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors to eliminate commissions under that cap. However, Prop D also summarily eliminates 24 commissions from the charter without going through this process, including the Commission on the Environment, the Small Business Commission, Historic Preservation Commission, the Library Commission and the MTA Citizens’ Advisory Committee. Additionally, the appointment of remaining commissions is changed to increase mayoral appointments to a supermajority and remove the requirement for confirmation by the Board of Supervisors. This measure is arbitrary and capricious and removes real oversight from multiple City Departments. Vote No on D.
Proposition E similarly creates a commission to evaluate and make recommendations on which commissions to retain and which to remove and would introduce ordinances which the Supervisors could only reject by a 2/3 vote. The commission would also be able to place measures on the ballot to remove or alter commissions created by the voters. This measure sets up a reasonable process that provides for independent action by the commission also includes open government expertise. Vote yes on E!
San Francisco Proposition L – Yes
Proposition L would set an additional tax on autonomous vehicles to fund Muni. It’s not THE answer to funding MUNI, but it can be part of a solution. Vote Yes on L!
Note on Props L and M:. You may or not be aware that Proposition M, the business tax overhaul, which SFT did not take a position on, contains a poison pill that kills Prop L if M gets more votes. Irrespective of the merits of Prop M, this is a dirty game that should not be played, apparently a last ditch effort by the rideshare companies to kill a new tax on them without anybody noticing. Fortunately, even if you favor the substance of Prop M, which many people do, it is likely to pass without a lot of help from MUNI riders. Therefore, the Prop L people recommend an abstention on Prop M.
