In the race to succeed longtime Supervisor Tom Ammiano, voters in the Mission and Bernal Heights have a clear choice for a candidate who matches the district's progressive leanings. Mark Sanchez, currently president of the school board, is running on a platform that combines his experience as an elected official and his commitment to violence prevention.
During his meeting with us, Sanchez noted that he has learned and grown after serving eight years on the school board. A Green Party member, Sanchez nonetheless has worked well with Mayor Gavin Newsom and members of the Board of Supervisors to secure city funding for the school district to hire back 535 teachers who had been laid off due to state budget cuts.
Of the candidates running, Sanchez has been tested as an elected official, and has worked to unify a historically divided Board of Education, which went on to hire a top superintendent for the school district. We believe he can bring those same qualities to the Board of Supervisors and work for the betterment of the city.
In terms of public safety, Sanchez said that the police department and community-based organizations must be more accountable in order to keep young people safe, off the streets, and engaged in opportunities for gainful employment. He strongly supports police foot patrols, and wants public meetings with neighborhood groups and the police in an effort to target hot spots in the district.
Sanchez also is openly gay and diversity on the board is important, especially with Ammiano's expected move to the state Assembly.
Eva Royale, second choice
Under ranked choice voting, people can vote for their top three choices in the supervisor races, and our second choice in District 9 goes to Eva Royale, who has resided in the neighborhood for over 30 years. The parent of a gay daughter who recently married her longtime partner, Royale is tuned in to the community's issues. She is endorsed by the mayor and pledges to bring "everyone to the table" in an effort to work on problems facing the district.
District 1 - Sue Lee
In the Richmond, former planning commissioner Sue Lee stands out as the choice for supervisor. She has a wealth of experience working on neighborhood issues, and has served on the Small Business Advisory Commission. She has the distinction of being appointed to the Planning Commission by both the mayor and the Board of Supervisors. If elected, she told us that she believes the city's policies must be realigned to promote a diverse economy, encourage small businesses, and keep families in San Francisco.
District 3 - Claudine Cheng, first choice
Denise McCarthy, second choice
Joseph Alioto Jr., third choice
The race to replace termed out Supervisor Aaron Peskin is one of the toughest in the city. There are three good candidates we support.
Claudine Cheng impressed us with her depth of knowledge about issues facing the district. She has experience working within the Asian and Pacific Islander communities to foster greater acceptance of LGBT people and those living with HIV/AIDS. She believes that San Francisco should develop policies that are friendlier to small businesses, particularly cafes and restaurants. As director of North Beach Citizens, a small nonprofit, she has worked to find transitional housing for homeless people in the neighborhood; as a trustee of St. Francis Memorial Hospital, she developed community health programs serving seniors, children, and people living with HIV/AIDS.
Denise McCarthy is the only woman running for supervisor who received the endorsement of the San Francisco Democratic Party (second place), and also has a long record of community involvement. She sees a transition going on in the Lower Polk area, which has an active gay community, and supports small businesses that are increasingly being priced out of the neighborhood. McCarthy promotes herself as an independent candidate and touts her seven years of service on the Port Commission, where she worked on projects such as the ballpark and the remodeled Ferry Building. She opposed the Mills project on the waterfront.
Joseph Alioto Jr. is campaigning on a platform to end the bickering at City Hall. He, too, fought against the Mills development project. He told us that crime is the number one issue in the district, and that he supports the Community Justice Center and police foot patrols as a way to decrease street crime, especially in areas like Polk Street and Broadway.
District 4 - Carmen Chu
Appointed by the mayor to serve the remainder of Ed Jew's term, Supervisor Carmen Chu is running for a full term on the board. She has been an effective representative of the Sunset. She formerly worked in the Mayor's Office of Policy and Budget, and told us that she understands the "nuts and bolts" of how the city's budget is developed and how the city operates.
District 5 - Ross Mirkarimi
Since being elected four years ago, Ross Mirkarimi has proven to be an effective supervisor for the Haight and Western Addition. He has taken a hands-on approach to combating violent crime by fighting for the foot patrol program. He was a key negotiator for the 55 Laguna project that will provide more affordable housing that originally planned, including units for LGBT seniors. Mirkarimi has no major opposition and is working toward the revitalization of the Divisadero, Fillmore, Haight, and Japantown corridors.
District 7 - Sean Elsbernd
A lifelong resident of District 7, Sean Elsbernd has been an effective representative and brings a common sense approach to the board. He said that he is most proud of his efforts to effectively balance the health and retirement benefits of city employees and retirees through Proposition B, which was overwhelmingly passed by voters in June. His top priority is to assist the neighborhoods in and around the southern 19th Avenue corridor to address various development proposals. He, too, faces no major opponent in his re-election bid.
District 11 - Ahsha Safai, first choice
Randall Knox, second choice
District 11 is an open seat, and of the candidates running, we believe Ahsha Safai would be an effective supervisor. He formerly worked for the Mayor's Office of Community Development, where as deputy director he was in a position to fund numerous LGBT nonprofits, among others. His main focus in the district is working with families; the area has the highest concentration of children under the age of 18. While the mayor has endorsed him, Safai said that he also has a good working relationship with Supervisor Mirkarimi, and noted that the often-divisive tone at City Hall over the past few years hasn't benefited the populace.
Randall Knox brings a strong commitment to civil rights and would be a fresh face on the board. A former Green Party member who switched back to the Democratic Party, Knox counts former Supervisor Matt Gonzalez as a good friend and told us that part of the reason he's running is because of the factionalism at City Hall. "I don't agree with everything Newsom or [Chris] Daly says," he told us. "I agree with the mayor on community courts; I agree with Daly on Question Time." If elected, Knox said he would work to bring a more civil tone to City Hall, as well as more affordable housing to the district.
SF school board
In the race for the Board of Education, voters will elect four commissioners. We recommend Barbara "Bobbi " Lopez, Sandra Fewer, Kimberly Wicoff, and incumbent Norman Yee .
Lopez is the only out candidate running, and would make a strong addition to the board. She has experience working with immigrant youths and their families to help the students stay in school, and is an advocate of anti-bullying programs that would help all students.
Fewer said that she has an openly gay son, and has spent the last 20 years being involved at school sites, in part through her job as education director at Coleman Advocates. She would also work to be a positive role model for other Asian parents of LGBT children.
Wicoff has been an active ally of the LGBT community and is a product of public education. Her priority is working to close the achievement gap.
Yee is a proven incumbent who would also continue the district's efforts at closing the achievement gap.
SF community college board
For the San Francisco Community College board, we recommend incumbents Natalie Berg and Milton Marks III and newcomers Chris Jackson and Steve Ngo.
Both Berg and Marks have served with distinction and deserve another term.
Jackson wants to continue his work advocating on behalf of students and working families to ensure that everyone has access to affordable and quality higher education.
Ngo, an attorney who once worked on the state Legislature's budget committee, has a solid grasp of the important state budget issues that affect community colleges.
BALLOT MEASURE ENDORSEMENTS
SAN FRANCISCO PROPOSITIONS
Prop A: San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center Earthquake Safety Bonds: YES
San Francisco General Hospital is truly the heart of San Francisco. It is one of the finest trauma centers in the U.S. and certainly the best in San Francisco. Its HIV/AIDS program has led the way nationwide. This measure provides $887 million in necessary funding to seismically upgrade and assure continued operation of SF General. Without it, the hospital would have to shut down, and that would be a tragedy indeed. This measure is absolutely essential.
Prop B: Establishing Affordable Housing Fund: NO
This measure mandates the city to set aside a certain percentage of property tax revenues ($36 million in 2008-2009 and $2.7 billion over the 15 years of the program) to help the poorest of the poor afford housing in San Francisco. We oppose it, first, because we think that mandatory "set asides" are poor public policy. That's what we elect the Board of Supervisors and the mayor to do. We also object to this measure because the income threshold to qualify for the program is so low as to only aid the poorest of the poor, eliminating the possibility of middle class, working people participating.
Prop C: Prohibiting City Employees from Serving on Charter Boards and Commissions: NO
Some city employees bring unique skills to a public board totally unrelated to his or her city employment. A blanket ban such as this would prevent a firefighter from serving on the Entertainment Commission. How does that advance good government?
Prop D: Financing Pier 70 Waterfront District Development Plan upon Board of Supervisors' Approval: YES
This measure will permit upgrades and development of an important part of San Francisco's central waterfront. It will be paid for by existing city revenues and offset by future revenues generated from the development. A great waterfront makes a great city.
Prop E: Changing the Number of Signatures Required to Recall City Officials: YES
This proposition will have the effect of increasing the number of signatures required to recall city officials by adopting the state law that applies to other chartered cities. Too often, recalls are threatened because of policy differences, not because of malfeasance. This will reduce frivolous recall attempts.
Prop F: Holding All Scheduled City Elections Only in Even Numbered Years: NO
It is hard enough to get voters' attention in local elections. Mandating local elections to coincide with national elections will divert even more attention away from local issues. The claimed cost savings is illusory as the mayor and supervisors as well as the citizenry have the right to put measures before the voters in special elections.
Prop G: Allowing Retirement System Credit for Unpaid Parental Leave: YES
This measure allows city employees to purchase unpaid parental leave time and earn retirement benefits for city employment prior to 2003 when the city adopted paid parental leave time. The employee purchases this with his or her own money. It is not an additional cost to the city.
Prop H: Setting Clean Energy Deadlines; Studying Options for Providing Energy; Changing Revenue Bond Authority to Pay for Public Utility Facilities: NO
This is another attempt to impose public power on San Francisco after the voters have repeatedly voted "no." And this is worse than the previous measures in that it authorizes the Board of Supervisors to issue the revenue bonds to pay for the takeover without voter approval or other oversight. The city can't even make Muni run on time or fill potholes. What makes them think they can run a public utility?
Prop I: Creating the Office of an Independent Rate Payer Advocate: YES
This measure establishes an Independent Rate Payer Advocate for the Public Utilities Commission to review and advocate on behalf of ratepayers for the lowest possible rates and ensure safe and reliable service.
Prop J: Creating a Historic Preservation Commission: NO
We don't need another city commission. The Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board is charged with advising the Planning Department and Planning Commission on preservation issues. Even without the advisory board, the Planning Department and Planning Commission have proven to be extremely sensitive on preservation issues as is evidenced by the unprecedented preservation efforts taken when the Civic Center buildings were seismically strengthened and upgraded following the 1989 earthquake.
Prop K: Changing the Enforcement of Laws Related to Prostitution and Sex Workers: NO
While we firmly believe that consenting adults should have the right to engage in private, sexual conduct, even when payment is involved, we fear that adoption of this measure will make it even harder to address legitimate law enforcement concerns regarding human trafficking, drug dealing, and sexual slavery.
Prop L: Funding the Community Justice Center: YES
The Community Justice Court is a compassionate, collaborative, problem-solving services center with a court onsite that provides long-term solutions for frequent offenders who commit misdemeanors and nonviolent felonies. Defendants can choose treatment and a way out, rather than incarceration. Community justice courts are reducing crime and having a positive effect in more than 30 cities across America.
Prop M: Changing the Residential Rent Ordinance to Prohibit Specific Acts of Harassment of Tenants by Landlords: NO
This measure is not what it appears and is unnecessary. State and local law, including San Francisco's rent control ordinance, already protect tenants from harassment by landlords and provides appropriate remedies for wrongful evictions and other conduct cited in the measure. This ordinance might better be named: "Full Employment for Lawyers Act."
Prop N: Changing Real Property Transfer Tax Rates: YES
This measure increases real property transfer tax rates on residential and commercial real estate sales of more than $5 million. In a time of decreasing city revenues and increased demands for services, additional revenues must be found somewhere. This measure has broad based support in the community and places the additional tax burden on those most able to afford it.
Prop O: Replacing the Emergency Response Fee with an Access Line Tax and Revising the Telephone Users Tax: YES
A recent court ruling has jeopardized the funding source for 911 services. This measure corrects that problem and assures continued availability of 911 services. It does not increase costs to any user and is strongly supported by San Francisco firefighters, police officers, Mayor Newsom and the entire Board of Supervisors.
Prop P: Changing the Composition of the San Francisco County Transportation Authority Board: NO
We generally support measures that favor a "strong mayor" form of city government, as the mayor, unlike the members of the Board of Supervisors, is elected citywide and tends to have a broader vision on solving city problems. But this measure would eliminate necessary checks and balances. The Transportation Authority is the independent watchdog agency for the local transportation sales tax. It is subject to stringent state financial, budget, ethics, and public records law, and has proven itself to be efficient, transparent, and ethical. This measure would get rid of the authority's staff and prevent it from fulfilling its oversight role over Muni and other city agencies.
Prop Q: Modifying the Payroll Expense Tax: YES
This measure closes a loophole that allows many big downtown businesses to escape paying payroll expense tax because of their legal structure. This is not fair and is another example of those who can afford it most avoiding the tax altogether. This measure also raises the payroll expense tax exemption on many small businesses that are struggling and are the lifeblood of many San Francisco neighborhoods.
Prop R: Renaming the Oceanside Water Treatment Plant: NO
While we are no fan of the current president, we think this measure is an insult to the hard working men and women who currently work and will have to work in the future at the Oceanside Water Treatment Plant. How would you like telling people that you work at the George W. Bush Sewage Plant?
Prop S: Policy Regarding Budget Set-Asides and Identification of Replacement Funds: YES
Set-asides are bad public policy. We elect a mayor and a Board of Supervisors to set public policy, and it's their job to do it. If they, or anyone else, want to go to the voters with a ballot initiative to mandate that certain city revenues be set aside for a particular purpose, they should have to identify where the money is going to come from.
Prop T: Free and Low-Cost Substance Abuse Treatment Programs: NO
While this is not technically a set aside, it has the same effect, as it mandates the Department of Public Health to assess annually the need for free and low cost substance abuse treatment programs; to develop a plan to meet the need; and to include the plan in the city's annual budget. The city controller estimates that this will cost between $7 million and $13 million annually. We fully support substance abuse treatment programs, but we also support quality education, clean water, a more efficient Muni, and many other projects that the city must find the funds for. It's up to the mayor and the Board of Supervisors to prioritize between competing needs.
Prop U: Policy Against Funding the Deployment of Armed Forces in Iraq: YES
While no one may pay attention, we have to keep objecting to this insane war.
Prop V: Policy Against Terminating Junior Reserve Officers' Training (JROTC) Programs in Public High Schools: YES
This is not about discrimination against gays in the military. Nor is it about "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." We are strongly against both. This is about denying students and parents the right to chose to participate in this very popular leadership training program. We are not about taking away rights in San Francisco, and students should not have to suffer because the executive branch of our federal government is run by morons.
CALIFORNIA PROPOSITIONS
Prop 1A: High Speed Rail Bond: YES
This is a $9.95 billion bond that would finance an 800-mile high-speed rail line linking all major California cities. These electric powered trains travel at up to 220 mph and are common throughout Europe and Asia. It is clean and efficient and a lot less hassle than flying or driving.
Prop 2: Standards for Confining Farm Animals: YES
This is a moderate measure that stops cruel and inhumane treatment of animals - ending the practice of cramming farm animals into cages so small the animals can't even turn around or stretch their limbs.
Prop 3: Children's Hospitals Bond: YES
This authorizes $980 million in state bonds for construction, expansion, and renovation of children's hospitals.
Prop 4: Parental Notification Before Abortion: NO
This is another run by the right wing, anti-choice crowd. It requires notification of parent or guardian and a 48-hour waiting period before a minor can receive an abortion.
Prop 5: Sentencing for Nonviolent Drug Offenses: YES
This measure provides $640 million a year for drug treatment programs that will enable judges to have flexibility in sentencing and shortens parole for some offenses.
Prop 6: Law Enforcement Funding and Criminal Penalties: YES
This is a comprehensive anti-gang and crime reduction measure that will bring more cops and increased safety to our streets, and greater efficiency and accountability to public safety programs. Every sheriff in California supports this measure.
Prop 7: Renewable Energy Generation: NO
This deeply flawed measure was put on the ballot by an out-of-state billionaire with no energy expertise.
Prop 8: Eliminates Right of Same-Sex Couples to Marry: NO! NO! NO!
Keep marriage legal for everyone!
Prop 9: Victims' Rights and Parole: NO
We all sympathize with victims of crime, but this measure would have victims meddling in criminal proceedings, undoubtedly boost prison overcrowding, and cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars.
Prop 10: Alternative Fuel Vehicles and Renewable Energy Bonds: YES
This measure provides $3.4 billion to buy alternative fuel vehicles and $1.2 billion for development of renewable energy. California must continue to lead in promoting renewable energy and clean air.
Prop 11: Redistricting Changes: NO
This constitutional amendment would take away the Legislature's power to draw lines for state Assembly and Senate districts and give it to a citizen board. We support redistricting reform but not if it's only the blue states that do it. When they have redistricting reform in Texas, then we can consider it in California.
Prop 12: Veterans Housing and Farm Bonds: YES
This would provide $900 million for California veterans to buy homes and farms by extending the CalVet loan program, which has been operating in the state since 1921.
San Francisco Supervisor
[Note: Some of the recommendations take into account ranked choice voting.]
Dist. 1 Sue Lee
Dist. 3 Claudine Cheng, first choice
Denise McCarthy, second choice
Joseph Alioto Jr., third choice
Dist. 4 Carmen Chu
Dist. 5 Ross Mirkarimi
Dist. 7 Sean Elsbernd
Dist. 9 Mark Sanchez, first choice
Eva Royale, second choice
Dist. 11 Ahsha Safai, first choice
Randall Knox, second choice
San Francisco Board of Education
Barbara "Bobbi" Lopez
Sandra Fewer
Norman Yee
Kimberly Wicoff
San Francisco Superior Court Judge
Seat 12 Gerardo Sandoval
San Francisco Community College Board
Natalie Berg
Milton Marks III
Steve Ngo
Chris Jackson
BART Board
Dist. 7 Lynette Sweet
Dist. 9 Tom Radulovich
Berkeley City Council
Dist. 2 Darryl Moore
Oakland City Council At-Large
Rebecca Kaplan
State races
State Senate
Dist. 3 Mark Leno
Dist. 9 Loni Hancock
Dist. 11 Joe Simitian
Dist. 13 Elaine Alquist
Southern California
Dist. 39 Christine Kehoe
State Assembly
Dist. 12 Fiona Ma
Dist. 13 Tom Ammiano
Dist. 6 Jared Huffman
Dist. 14 Nancy Skinner
Dist. 15 Joan Buchanan
Dist. 16 Sandre Swanson
Southern California
Dist. 44 Anthony Portantino
Dist. 46 John Perez
National
President Barack Obama and Joe Biden
Congress
Dist. 8 Nancy Pelosi
Dist. 1 Mike Thompson
Dist. 6 Lynn Woolsey
Dist. 7 George Miller
Dist. 9 Barbara Lee
Dist. 10 Ellen Tauscher
Dist. 12 Jackie Speier
Dist. 14 Anna Eshoo
Dist. 15 Mike Honda
Dist. 16 Zoe Lofgren
Ballot measures
San Francisco Propositions
Vote YES on A, D, E, G, I, L, N, O, Q, S, U, V
Vote NO on B, C, F, H, J, K, M, P, R, T
California Propositions
Vote YES on 1A, 2, 3, 5, 6, 10, 12
Vote NO on 4, 7, 8, 9, 11
Remember to vote on November 4
Next week: The case for Barack Obama for president.