San Francisco voters will be electing the treasurer-tax collector, city attorney, and sheriff on the November ballot. We recommend all three incumbents.
Treasurer-Tax Collector
One thing is assured come election night: gay San Francisco Treasurer-Tax Collector José Cisneros, who is unopposed, will win a sixth term through 2028, giving him a historic 24-year tenure. Should he serve all four years, Cisneros will become the Bay Area's longest-serving LGBTQ elected official in the same position. He is believed to be the longest-serving gay Latino elected official in the country. But it's not just about Cisneros' making history that we're endorsing him. Cisneros has been an extraordinarily accomplished treasurer.
Cisneros has instituted programs that have helped many, many San Franciscans. From kindergarten to college, the first universal automatic child savings account program in the country that he launched with then-mayor Gavin Newsom to Bank on San Francisco, which helps people find affordable bank accounts with no overdraft or hidden fees, Cisneros has long made innovating the office his hallmark.
As his good friend, gay outgoing BART board President Bevan Dufty, told us earlier this year, "I think he has taken his role and he has really elevated it through initiatives such as kindergarten to college, financial justice for all, and Bank on San Francisco, and put his office really in the vanguard of helping people break out of cycles of poverty."
Public service means something to Cisneros, and San Francisco is fortunate to have him as its treasurer-tax collector. We endorse him for another term.
City attorney
David Chiu has been effective as San Francisco's city attorney, the first Asian American to hold the post. A former supervisor and state assemblymember, Chiu has kept the city attorney's office proactive, much like his predecessor, Dennis Herrera. Mayor London Breed appointed Chiu in 2021, as the city was continuing to deal with corruption allegations in various city departments.
Chiu has continued to root out public corruption. He's also worked to fight against the opioid epidemic, to save Laguna Honda Hospital, support tenants, and protect reproductive care and civil rights, to name just some of the issues he has championed. His office formed a worker protection team to investigate companies violating labor laws, his website states. Regarding the opioid epidemic, Chiu led a groundbreaking lawsuit against Walgreens that resulted in the city winning a $350 million settlement to support local substance use recovery efforts.
In short, Chiu, and the deputy city attorneys that work in the office, have done a good job. The San Francisco City Attorney's office is recognized as one of the top municipal law firms in the country. He deserves another term.
Sheriff
Sheriff Paul Miyamoto has done a good job in his first term. He became the first elected Asian American sheriff in San Francisco when he took office in 2020. He has been with the office since 1996, rising through the ranks.
Miyamoto stated on his campaign website that deputies have been deployed with other law enforcement agencies to interrupt the fentanyl trade through Operation Safe Streets. At the same time, the sheriff's office, which oversees the jails, has supported treatment for those suffering from addiction including harm reduction, jail-based treatment, and abstinence-based residential treatment.
The sheriff's office, like the San Francisco Police Department, has a staffing shortage. Miyamoto aims to work at recruiting deputies to alleviate this problem. Miyamoto noted, however, that for the first time since the pandemic, hiring new recruits outpaced separations from the sheriff's office. "The rebuilding of the sheriff's office rank and file is an ongoing process and remains a top priority both for public safety and the safety of those who serve," he stated.
Miyamoto also advocates "safety for those in our custody and care by continuing to work with city leaders to establish a facility, separate from jails, where individuals in the criminal justice system who are experiencing mental health or substance abuse crises can receive mandatory, court-ordered detox, withdrawal management, and treatment services," he stated. "This will help ensure the safety and well-being of those in our custody who are struggling with mental and behavioral health challenges."
The sheriff's office also provides security in City Hall, the courts, and at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center.
We believe Miyamoto has been an effective leader and should be reelected.
Never miss a story! Keep up to date on the latest news, arts, politics, entertainment, and nightlife.
Sign up for the Bay Area Reporter's free weekday email newsletter. You'll receive our newsletters and special offers from our community partners.
Support California's largest LGBTQ newsroom. Your one-time, monthly, or annual contribution advocates for LGBTQ communities. Amplify a trusted voice providing news, information, and cultural coverage to all members of our community, regardless of their ability to pay -- Donate today!