How I’m Voting and You Can Too - November 2022
“Election Knight” Halloween costume, 2022
cardboard, acrylic paint, tin foil, inkjet, red curtain fabric, hot glue gun, construction paper, and ballot receipts.
The sword is also a pen, for filling out the ballot - get it?
Election Knight can really sneak up on you!
I began writing this guide when I realized some people I know weren’t voting because the ballot was too complicated. Now, I study the issues with dorky zeal and offer this guide to the public.
These views are mine, and mine alone. They do not represent the views of any organization I work for or am a member of. If you assume that my spouse shares these views, you are wrong and possibly very sexist.
VOTE. Not voting is actually a vote for, “I don’t care, be corrupt, put money in your pockets and screw the people.”
PREPARE but DON’T PROCRASTINATE. You probably already received your ballot in the mail. Go ahead and fill it in now. Who knows what will happen between now and election day.
IGNORE the advertising. The way money affects politics is through advertising. Paid political advertising will always be misleading, by design. Throw those mailers straight into the recycling. Ignore promoted posts on social media. You will receive a stack of mailers right before election day. These will contain the worst lies — there will be no time for journalists to fact-check them.
Vote with Love
With this election we get to codify abortion as a right in California. We get to replace a District Attorney who flouts campaigns laws (and the truth) with John Hamasaki, a highly competent reformer. We get to remove an explicit racist and her colleagues from the board of education and replace them with educators who care about more than test scores.
Yes, this is an overly long ballot with competing propositions that are overly complex - but that’s okay. The progressive and compassionate choices (for most of the ballot) are actually pretty clear once you look at them.
Please help everyone you know to get the information they need to vote.
You should have received your ballot in the mail already. You can bring that to a drop box outside your local library branch or put it in the mail. The League of Women Voters of San Francisco has information about all of your voting logistics.
Scroll down to see My Picks, My Reasoning, and My Reference Materials
Please Get Boosted
Voting is one way to do your part for the greater good. Another way is to get your Omicron COVID booster and your flu shot. The Omicron variants are the most contagious yet, even if you’ve already had COVID. The new vaccine boosters are designed to protect against the newer variants. More people getting vaccinated will translate to a smaller winter surge in infections, and that means fewer opportunities for the virus to mutate more.
I got my booster for free at Walgreens (I have insurance through Kaiser) and didn’t feel any side effects this time. Go ahead and schedule yours at Walgreens now or use the city’s vaccine portal.
Four Hills, Four Towers, Three Birds, One Butterfly
acrylic on heart sculpture, 6’ x 5’ x 40”
The San Francisco General Hospital Foundation commissioned me to paint a third heart sculpture with a San Francisco landscape. This view features Coit Tower on Telegraph Hill and the Grande Water Tower (aka “Little Coit Blue”) on Maclaren Ridge as well as some Coastal California Poppies, Lupines, and Baby Blue Eyes.
My first heart, “Four Hills, Four Towers, Flowing Fog, Native Flowers” is on display in Union Square but may be removed any day now. My second heart now lives in the Bank of America building. You can see pictures of it here.
These pieces are made with the same love and attention that I use in writing my voter guides and contributing to my community.
My Picks:
Statewide Offices
Governor: Leave it blank
Lt Governor: Leave it blank
Secretary of State: Shirley Weber
Controller: Leave it blank
Treasurer: Leave it blank
Attorney General: Rob Bonta
Insurance Commissioner: Leave it blank
Superintendent of Public Instruction: Tony Thurmond
Board of Equalization, District 2: Sally Lieber
State Assemblymember, District 17: Leave it blank
State Assemblymember, District 19: Leave it blank
Supreme Court Judges: Yes to all
Appeals Court Judges, First District: Yes to all
Federal Offices
US Senator: Alex Padilla
US Representative, District 11: No Endorsement
US Representative, District 15: David Canepa
Local Offices
Supervisor, District 2: No Endorsement
Supervisor, District 4: Gordon Mar
Supervisor, District 6: #1 Honey Mahogany, #2 Cherelle Jackson
Supervisor, District 8: No Endorsement
Supervisor, District 10: Shamann Walton
City College Board of Trustees, 4 Year Term: Vick Chung, Anita Martinez, William Walker
City College Board of Trustees, 2 Year Term: Adolfo Velasquez
SFUSD Board of Education: Alida Fisher, Karen Fleshman, Gabriela López
Assessor-Recorder: No Endorsement
District Attorney: John Hamasaki
Public Defender: Mano Raju
BART Director, District 8: Janice Li
State Propositions
Prop 1: Constitutional Right to Reproductive Freedom. Legislative Constitutional Amendment: Yes
Prop 26: Allows In-Person Roulette, Dice Games, Sports Wagering on Tribal Lands. Initiative Constitutional Amendment and Statute: Yes
Prop 27: Allows Online and Mobile Sports Wagering Outside Tribal Lands. Initiative Constitutional Amendment and Statute: No
Prop 28: Provides Additional Funding for Arts and Music Education in Public Schools. Initiative Statute: YES
Prop 29: Requires On-Site Licensed Medical Professional at Kidney Dialysis Clinics and Establishes Other State Requirements. Initiative Statute: Yes
Prop 30: Provides Funding for Programs to Reduce Air Pollution and Prevent Wildfires by Increasing Tax on Personal Income Over $2 Million. Initiative Statute: Yes
Prop 31: Referendum On 2020 Law That Would Prohibit the Retail Sale of Certain Flavored Tobacco Products: Yes
Local Propositions
Prop A: Retiree Supplemental Cost of Living Adjustment: Yes
Prop B: Sanitation & Streets Public Works Reorganization: Yes
Prop C: Homelessness Oversight Commission: Yes
Prop D: “Affordable” Homes Now: No
Prop E: Homes for Families and Workers: Yes
Prop F: Library Preservation Fund: Yes
Prop G: Student Success Fund: Yes
Prop H: Voter Participation Act: Yes
Prop I: Open JFK Drive + Great Highway to Cars: No
Prop J: Keep JFK Drive Closed to Cars: YES
Prop K: Removed from ballot
Prop L: Renew Half Cent Sales Tax for Transit: Yes
Prop M: Empty Homes Tax: Yes
Prop N: City Funding for Golden Gate Park Parking Garage: Yes
Prop O: City College Parcel Tax: Yes
My Reasoning
Four Hills, Four Towers, Three Birds, One Butterfly
acrylic on heart sculpture, 6’ x 5’ x 40”
Looking up from the Excelsior side of the heart sculpture.
Statewide Offices
The Democratic party has a lock on statewide offices, which isn’t so healthy. I wish there were stronger challenges from the left to keep them more honest. The League of Pissed Off Voters and the SF Bay Guardian can give you more details about these candidates and their records.
Governor: Leave it blank
Newsom finally did (reluctantly) sign a bill protecting farm workers’ organizing rights, but his current campaign against Prop 30 shows that this haircut in a suit is still beholden to his richest friends. He’ll coast to victory without our votes.
Lt Governor: Leave it blank
Eleni Kounalakis is a real meh.
Secretary of State: Shirley Weber
Weber has helped to increase the percent of registered voters in the state and is mailing us all our ballots, so that’s good.
Controller: Leave it blank
Treasurer: Leave it blank
Attorney General: Rob Bonta
Insurance Commissioner: Leave it blank
Superintendent of Public Instruction: Tony Thurmond
I was hoping for better leadership from Thurmond, but his opponent is horrendous, so Thurmond gets my vote again.
Board of Equalization, District 2: Sally Lieber
An actual non-incumbent on the ballot! And she has progressive record and great endorsements.
State Assemblymember, District 17: Leave it blank
Again!? We’ve already voted on this seat 3 times this year and Haney won by a landslide which means he gave up his Board of Supervisors seat so London Breed replaced him with a guy whose last job was lying for the SFPD. Campos isn’t campaigning, so Haney will win this again.
State Assemblymember, District 19: Leave it blank
Phil Ting is running unopposed. I’m still pissed at him for trying to deprive the school district of state funds because they were being more COVID-cautious than he wanted.
Supreme Court Judges: Yes to all
Appeals Court Judges, First District: Yes to all
Every 12 years, or when they are first appointed, California voters are basically asked if they would like to recall judges. I’ll trust the Bay Guardian and League of Pissed Off Voters who say all of these judges are fine. This includes confirming Justice Patricia Guerrero as the first Latina on the California Supreme Court.
Federal Offices
US Senator: Alex Padilla
We haven’t seen what he can do yet with this senate seat. Let’s hope he shows us something.
US Representative, District 11: No Endorsement
I’ve expressed my anger at Nancy Pelosi before. As the leader of the Democratic party in the House of Representatives for nearly 20 years, Pelosi has spectacularly failed to make the case for even moderately progressive values. She and her husband continue to profit from the stock market while blocking any attempts to put a stop to Congressional insider trading. This is the type of BS that undercuts arguments that the Democratic Party is a less corrupt option nationwide. It’s very frustrating that we don’t get to have real elections for San Francisco’s congressional representative.
She has promised to not run for Speaker again (assuming Democrats keep the house) - but will she keep that promise?
US Representative, District 15: David Canepa
In the race to replace Jackie Speier, Canepa seems like he is a little more grounded than his opponent Kevin Mullin. They both endorse good progressive policies (Green New Deal and Medicare for All). Canepa has expressed a willingness to criticize Israel while Mullin has not.
Local Offices
For San Francisco supervisors, my first question is if they are holding the police department accountable, because if we can’t trust the police what does it matter what the laws are? I also want to know that they will protect tenants, support workers, and respect the rights of all residents.
Crime, homelessness, drug abuse are all symptoms of poverty and income inequality. Punishing people for their poverty will fix nothing, but proposals to do so make politicians sound tougher. The actual experts, including people who have been unhoused, advocate for the CART (Compassionate Alternative Response Team) plan which would send care professionals to help people on the street as opposed to the current system of sending the police and public works department to harass and steal from them.
For more detailed information about these candidates and their records, check the League of Pissed Off Voters and the SF Bay Guardian voter guides.
Supervisor, District 2: No Endorsement
Stefani represents the most conservative district in the city by taking the most conservative position on every issue.
Supervisor, District 4: Gordon Mar
Mar has been a sensible smart representative for the Sunset. His first leading opponent, Leannie Louie, was removed from the ballot because she lied about living in the district. It’s really absurd how blatant her lies about this have been. She would likely be facing criminal charges if she hadn’t helped the current DA, Brooke Jenkins, in the campaign to recall Chesa Boudin.
That leaves Joel Engardio who promotes Reaganesque “tough-on-crime” policies. He’s a failed school board candidate who was an early school board recall advocate. He was arguing for schools to reopen in person in July 2020, well before we had any vaccination.
Supervisor, District 6: #1 Honey Mahogany, #2 Cherelle Jackson
District 6 was drastically reshaped during the recent redistricting process, separating the Tenderloin from 6th street and dividing the Transgender Cultural District in a clear attempt to give the new wealthier condominium neighborhoods of the “East Cut” and “Mission Bay” more power. When Matt Haney was voted to the assembly, Mayor Breed appointed Matt Dorsey to replace him.
Dorsey’s last job was as a spokesperson for the SFPD. So when the police killed someone, he would be the one releasing a statement that the police feared for their life. When a local reporter made up stories about Chesa Boudin dropping charges against an assault perpetrator, Dorsey texted her to say thank you.
Honey Mahogany, on the other hand, is a local star who became well-versed in the issues of this district as an Aide to Matt Haney and a co-owner of the Stud. She spent 20 years as a social worker for unhoused people. She was the first Black person to be Chair of the San Francisco Democratic Party and would be the first transgender supervisor. She is the obvious choice to represent this district.
Cherelle Jackson is a union leader who I know less about, but will follow the League of Pissed Off Voters lead and recommend them as a #2 choice. As they say, “she’s a longtime community activist who worked tirelessly for a non-corrupt redistricting plan. Jackson is a CA Assembly District 17 ADEM member, and the co-chair of the Workers with Disabilities committee of SEIU 1021. Is she a rising star in the SF political scene? We want to give Cherelle props, recognize all her hard work, and see where she lands!”
Supervisor, District 8: No Endorsement
When Rafael Mandelman first got elected to this seat, he had positioned himself as a progressive candidate, but has shown a more conservative bent in office. His signature “A Place for All” policy sounds good at first, until you realize that it has the city spending more on temporary solutions at the expense of cheaper permanent solutions for housing people (see “A “shelter for all” policy sounds good, but it takes resources away from long term solutions”).
His opponent, Kate Stoia, doesn’t seem to have the track record, endorsements, or ideas to qualify her as a serious challenger.
Supervisor, District 10: Shamann Walton
Walton has been one of the strongest voices for accountability in city government. He has stood up to Breed on the rights of the Board of Supervisors to question her underlings. Breeds appointments to the Redistricting Task Force tried to cut Potrero Hill from this district to divide Walton’s supporters, but had to back down as many Black leaders rallied to stop that move.
City College Board of Trustees, 4 Year Term: Vick Chung, Anita Martinez, William Walker
@theartdontstop just me painting a #HeartsInSanFrancisco #FourHillsHeart sistine chapel style. #WIP #artiststruggles #GROUNDED ♬ On My Back - Sinan Orta
The Board of Trustees has done a terrible job in recent years. The students have felt fully neglected and unheard as the board has closed campuses, canceled classes, and fired teachers with little notice. They have been squandering the investments they’ve made in building community and setting up art rooms. So I’m saying ‘no’ to the incumbents.
Anita Martinez is a teacher and union leader who has been a favorite of the City College students collective. I saw her in a debate during the last election and she is brilliant and definitely a top choice. Martinez is campaigning along with Vick Chung and Susan Solomon, who would both be great choices.
But I wanted to include William Walker on my ballot. I learned of him from his advocacy during the redistricting process and have watched him on Twitter have consistently great ideas about SF politics and transit. He was a student trustee in 2012-14 and has since developed an impressive resume in education and government planning.
Vick Chung has experience with multiple aspects of what City College has to offer and continues to mentor younger people about how to connect with the community there. I will choose her fresh ideas over the (totally qualified) Susan Solomon, who has been active in local politics as a leader of UESF (SFUSD’s teacher union).
Absolutely no to Marie Hurabiell, who was a Trump appointee to the Presidio Trust and has tweeted against Critical Race Theory.
City College Board of Trustees, 2 Year Term: Adolfo Velasquez
I know less about Velasquez, but he’s on the slate with Anita Martinez, so he’ll get my vote.
SFUSD Board of Education: Alida Fisher, Karen Fleshman, Gabriela López
I’ve been following the SFUSD BOE for years now and was very frustrated by the recall of three board members and their replacement by Mayor Breed. The current board is being marketed as “no drama,” for their more hands-off approach to running the district - but the teacher payment system has been broken for nearly a year now and the board has barely addressed it. Teachers I know are still posting to Facebook looking for accountants to help them figure out what’s wrong with their paychecks.
When these mayoral-appointee school board commissioners talk about “student outcomes” that means they want to teach to the tests and deprioritize teaching the whole child.
I attended a forum (held via Zoom) where I got to ask each of the candidates about arts education, and their answers confirmed that the endorsements of progressive groups are correct.
Alida Fisher is the best possible candidate. She is revered for how well she has advocated for students with disabilities in parent committees. Her answer about how to provide arts education to each student demonstrated a fully nuanced understanding of what is happening and what is possible in the classrooms.
Gabriela López is one of the commissioners who was recalled in a misguided campaign. What has she been doing since then? Working on a doctorate at Stanford. She has been a teacher at San Francisco schools (a position she had to leave when she joined the school board the first time). López authored the arts education equity resolution to point the SFUSD toward getting arts education for all students.
I don’t know Karen Fleshman as well, but have liked what I have seen. She has the endorsement of Khafre Jay from Hip Hop for Change and that means a lot to me.
Absolutely NO to Ann Hsu. Hsu apologized for the racist comments she put in writing on a candidate questionnaire, but has more recently said that she’s not interested in closing the “achievement gap” for Black and Brown students. When asked about arts education, she talked about the School of the Arts and then she told me that arts education will not be a priority. This fixation on focusing on the “top” tier of students to the detriment of others is vile and toxic.
Laine Motamedi continues to campaign with Hsu. She told me that she doesn’t think the district has the budget to provide arts education equitably.
Lisa Weissman-Ward is a less bad mayoral appointee who managed to get an endorsement from the teachers union, but she’s not making my top three.
Assessor-Recorder: Leave it blank
Joaquín Torres is an appointee running unopposed.
District Attorney: John Hamasaki
Brooke Jenkins, who Mayor Breed appointed after Chesa Boudin was recalled, did not get a single endorsement vote from the San Francisco Democratic Party. This is probably because she lied to them regarding how she was paid to campaign for the recall when she said she was volunteering and may have violated a variety of campaign laws. That’s not a good look for the person in charge of law enforcement.
After being appointed, Jenkins immediately fired 15 prosecutors including those running an innocence commission (to revisit cases where innocent people may have been incarcerated), investigating police corruption, and the director of data, analytics and research. Another attorney resigned after Jenkins took her off cases she was working on - going after ghost guns and polluters.
Hamasaki was recruited to run to represent progressive ideals. He was president of the Asian American Bar Association and a fierce advocate for reform as a police commissioner. He will be a fantastic DA who cares about people’s rights and who pays attention to the data and research about what actually prevents violence.
Joe Alioto Veronese is from a local political dynasty who doesn’t have a track record in criminal law. I don’t trust him enough to add to him to my ballot even as a #2 choice.
Public Defender: Mano Raju
Raju has been fighting for his clients and calling out injustice when he sees it. He has all the endorsements. Absolutely yes to another term.
BART Director, District 8: Janice Li
This will be on the ballot in the north and west parts of San Francisco and down the coast a bit.
Li is terrific. You can count on her to make all the smart decisions to make BART more accessible to everyone and to lead toward more sustainable transit in general.
State Propositions
Four Hills, Four Towers, Three Birds, One Butterfly
acrylic on heart sculpture, 6’ x 5’ x 40”
This view features Bernal Hill topped by “Sutrito Tower” and Twin Peaks with Sutro Tower just visible around the curve of the sculpture.
Prop 1: Constitutional Right to Reproductive Freedom. Legislative Constitutional Amendment: Yes
Absolutely, obviously, YES.
Prop 26: Allows In-Person Roulette, Dice Games, Sports Wagering on Tribal Lands. Initiative Constitutional Amendment and Statute: Yes
This is the one that expands what gambling is allowed on tribal lands and keeps gambling in these more controlled settings. Each of the 75 tribal governments would need to renegotiate their compacts with the state. Prop 26 would allow those tribes to make more money, which is cool.
Prop 26 would also allow individuals to sue places if they violate gambling laws which could affect “cardrooms” that operate on the edge of current rules and make money for some small towns.
Prop 27: Allows Online and Mobile Sports Wagering Outside Tribal Lands. Initiative Constitutional Amendment and Statute: No
Prop 27 would just make it legal for companies like FanDuel and DraftKings to take online bets and make billions of dollars. I’ve found myself getting addicted to Quordle and TikTok on my phone, so one can only imagine how harmful this could be for a gambling addict.
Ten percent of that money would go to the state (hence the claim that this would raise money to fight homelessness). Under Prop 27, each gambling app would need a California based tribe as a partner, so that’s how they can say that it would help Native Americans here.
Prop 28: Provides Additional Funding for Arts and Music Education in Public Schools. Initiative Statute: YES
Absolutely, definitely, lock in money for arts education. That will improve all education in the state. Currently 89% of California public schools are breaking the law and not offering arts education as mandated in the California Education Code.
Students with an arts education are:
5X less likely to drop out of school
4X more likely to be recognized for academic achievement
4X more likely to receive a bachelor’s degree
30% more inclined to pursue a professional career
The arts can help all young people learn better, and for some kids, the arts will literally save their lives.
Prop 29: Requires On-Site Licensed Medical Professional at Kidney Dialysis Clinics and Establishes Other State Requirements. Initiative Statute: Yes
Sound familiar? Yeah, this is the 3rd time that United Health Care workers have been using the ballot process to go after the dialysis corporations to make them spend hundreds of millions of dollars on campaigns, to push them to negotiate with the union, or get the state to come up with regulations. It’s a weird strategy, but I’m not going to vote with these dialysis vultures. John Oliver has an episode about how venal this industry is. See Dialysis: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO).
Prop 30: Provides Funding for Programs to Reduce Air Pollution and Prevent Wildfires by Increasing Tax on Personal Income Over $2 Million. Initiative Statute: Yes
This measure was developed by organizers who are most concerned about the health effects of air pollution. If you make over $2 Million a year, you will have to pay a little more money to build the infrastructure to decrease air pollution from cars and help fight wildfires.
Here is a little background on the impact of air pollution in the Bay Area. “More than 2,500 lives are lost and 5,200 children develop asthma every year due to traffic-related air pollution (nitrogen dioxide) exposure in the Bay Area.”
Governor Newsom’s choice to campaign against Prop 30 is a shameful admission that he is committed to protecting the wealthiest people in the state. He is trying to say that this proposition came from Lyft. Lyft is supporting it because it will help them go electric easier (something they promised the state they would do), but Lyft did not create this proposition. (Thanks to KQED for giving us the background of this measure.)
Prop 31: Referendum On 2020 Law That Would Prohibit the Retail Sale of Certain Flavored Tobacco Products: Yes
San Francisco already banned flavored tobacco. Then the state passed a bill to ban it and the tobacco companies said “no, let the voters decide”. I’ll trust the health experts who say that these flavored products are marketed to kids and create new nicotine addicts. Before the San Francisco ban I was seeing wrappers from flavored vape pens all over middle schools. Often these products were engineered to get more nicotine into the body.
Maybe bans aren’t the best policy and an illegal market will replace the legal one, but it’s more likely that this will help many young people avoid a lifetime of addiction.
Local Propositions
Prop A: Retiree Supplemental Cost of Living Adjustment: Yes
Four Hills, Four Towers, Three Birds, One Butterfly
acrylic on heart sculpture, 6’ x 5’ x 40”
I painted the Filbert steps onto this side of the heart leading up to Telegraph Hill underneath views of Sutro Tower and the Golden Gate Bridge.
Shall the City amend the Charter to allow City employees who retired before November 6, 1996, to receive a supplemental cost of living adjustment to their pensions even if the retirement system is not fully funded and allow the Retirement Board to have an individual employment contract with its executive director?
“Prop. A fixes a loophole that prevents some city employees who retired before 1996 from getting an annual Cost of Living Adjustment in their pensions. All 11 supes supported putting it on the ballot, and it has no visible opposition.” (copied from the Bay Guardian)
Prop B: Sanitation & Streets Public Works Reorg: Yes
Shall the City amend the Charter to eliminate the Department of Sanitation and Streets and transfer its duties back to the Department of Public Works and to retain the Sanitation and Streets Commission and Public Works Commission?
In 2020 we voted to divide the Department of Public Works and create a new Department of Sanitation and Streets with new oversight systems. The supervisors have decided that the new department would just make it all more expensive and that the goal of reducing corruption will be achieved with the added oversight. Okay.
Prop C: Homelessness Oversight Commission: Yes
Shall the City amend the Charter to establish a Homelessness Oversight Commission to oversee the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing and require the City Controller to conduct audits of services for people experiencing homelessness?
I’m a little worried about this one. Yes, this department needs more oversight. They spend too much money on temporary solutions instead of taking advantage of state and federal funds to just put people into actual housing. They’re giving multi-million dollar no bid contracts to Urban Alchemy (a relatively new organization with political connections) while not implementing the CART (Compassionate Alternative Response Team) plan.
My worry is that the mayor gets to appoint 4 of 7 members for the commission which is meant to oversee a department that is also run by the mayor’s office. Will this commission just be a sideshow to absorb complaints and activists’ energy while not having an interest in actually holding anyone accountable?
At least the hearings will be public, so let’s give it a try.
Prop D: Affordable Homes Now, Redefine “Affordable”: No
Shall the City amend the Charter to streamline approval of affordable housing that provides (1) housing for households with income up to 140% of area median income (AMI) but where the average household income is no more than 120% of AMI, (2) additional affordable housing units equal to 15% of the required number of affordable on-site units, or (3) housing for households that include at least one School District or City College employee, with certain household income restrictions; and to no longer require Board of Supervisors' approval for those types of projects if they use City property or financing?
VS.
Prop E: Homes for Families and Workers: Yes
Shall the City amend the Charter to streamline approval of affordable housing that provides (1) housing for households with income up to 120% of area median income (AMI) but where the average household income is no more than 80% of AMI, (2) additional affordable housing units equal to 8% of the total number of units in the entire project, or (3) housing for households that include at least one School District or City College employee, with certain household income restrictions; and to continue requiring Board of Supervisors' approval for those types of projects if they use City property or financing?
The idea for both of these competing measures is that developers who want to build housing that is more affordable and generally beneficial to the city should get to skip a couple of steps in the approval process.
What is so infuriating about Prop D is that it defines affordable to include households making up to 140% of the median income. That is a very cynical move by the builders chasing profit, and it’s not going to create housing that is actually affordable.
Prop E is a better version of providing incentives for builders. It expedites housing for people making 80% - 120% of the median income without taking away all oversight. It also rewards housing projects that will serve teachers and promotes use of local union workers.
Prop E also requires construction to happen within 2 years of approval while Prop D has no such requirement.
Prop E has the endorsement of the SF Tenants Union, while Prop D does not.
No on “D”, yes on “E”.
Prop F: Library Preservation Fund: Yes
Shall the City amend the Charter to renew the Library Preservation Fund for 25 years, allow the City to temporarily freeze the annual minimum funding for the Library when the City anticipates a budget deficit over $300 million, and require the Library to increase the minimum hours the Main Library and its branches must be open per week?
Definitely yes renew this small set-aside for the library system.
Prop G: Student Success Fund: Yes
Shall the City amend the Charter to provide additional funding for grants to the San Francisco Unified School District for 15 years to improve student academic achievement and social/emotional wellness?
School funding in California is very convoluted. San Francisco sends property tax to the state to fund schools and then the funding comes through the state to the SF Unified School District. Each year, the state sends about $300 million of money the city collected, called the EARF (Education Revenue Augmentation Fund) back to the city’s general fund. You would think that the City of San Francisco would just hand that money over to the school district, which offers some of the lowest teacher salaries in the Bay Area. This proposition would use $11 million - $60 million of the ERAF to provide grants to schools (especially ones where the PTA can’t do much fund-raising).
Prop H: Voter Participation Act: Yes
Shall the City amend the Charter to hold elections for Mayor, Sheriff, District Attorney, City Attorney and Treasurer in November of presidential election years, extend the current terms of these officials by one year to January 2025, provide that there would be no regularly scheduled election in 2023, hold elections for local ballot measures only in even-numbered years or in special elections, and change the minimum number of signatures required for voters to place ordinances and declarations of policy on the ballot?
Move elections for city offices to years with higher turnout. We’ll elect our mayors at the same elections where we elect our president. This is good for democracy.
River of Joy
acrylic on canvas, 8” x 8”, 2021
JFK Drive without cars has had a steady flow of joy for people of all ages. This painting was purchased by an advocate for safe streets and given away at the Ride and Roll Slow Street Art Hunt.
Prop I: Open JFK Drive + Great Highway to Cars: No
Shall the City allow private motor vehicles on John F. Kennedy Drive and connector streets in Golden Gate Park at all times except from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays and legal holidays year-round, as well as on Saturdays in April through September, allow motor vehicles in both directions at all times on the Great Highway and not allow the City to remove the Great Highway between Sloat and Skyline boulevards as proposed?
VS.
Prop J: Keep JFK Drive Closed to Cars: YES
Shall the City affirm the ordinance the Board of Supervisors adopted in May 2022 reserving portions of John F. Kennedy Drive and certain connector streets in Golden Gate Park as open recreation spaces, closing those streets seven days a week to private motor vehicles with limited exceptions?
Have you been to the car-free version of JFK Drive in Golden Gate Park? There is often a festival atmosphere with dancing and skating and kids riding bikes.
JFK Drive used to be on the “high injury network” which was the 13% of city streets where 75% of severe and fatal traffic collisions happened. The change is fantastic and the demand for this type of play space was real.
To keep the park accessible for people with mobility issues, the parks department has added to the free shuttle system with more stops and transit connections. There’s a parking garage near the museums that is barely used. Prop N will allow the city to make that garage more affordable or free so people who need to drive to the park will be taken care of.
The Great Highway currently is closed to car traffic on the weekends, but it’s often closed on weekdays because of sand blowing onto it. In a few years, we’ll probably need to redesign Ocean Beach to account for more climate change.
Prop K: Removed from ballot
Prop L: Renew Half Cent Sales Tax for Transit: Yes
Shall the City continue a one-half cent sales tax to 2053 and generate estimated annual revenue of $100–236 million to pay for transportation projects described in a new 30-year spending plan, allow the Transportation Authority to issue up to $1.91 billion in bonds to pay for these projects, and increase the total amount of money the Transportation Authority may spend each year for the next four years?
Our transit system needs this funding. Renew this tax.
Prop M: Empty Homes Tax: Yes
Shall the City tax owners of vacant residential units in buildings with three or more units, if those owners have kept those units vacant for more than 182 days in a calendar year, at a rate between $2,500–5,000 per vacant unit in 2024 and up to $20,000 in later years with adjustments for inflation, to generate estimated annual revenue of $20–37 million, with the tax continuing until December 31, 2053, and use those funds for rent subsidies and affordable housing?
There are more than 40 thousand vacant homes in San Francisco. City Budget and Legislative Analyst “estimates that this tax would move as many as 4,500 units back into the market for sale or rent as homes and generate some $38 million annually to be split between rental subsidies for seniors and low-income families, and a new city program to buy and renovate vacant properties as affordable housing.” (from Prop. M a Good Step Toward Easing Housing Crisis.”
This will make housing available way quicker than any building incentive. Vote yes and smile.
Prop N: City Funding for Golden Gate Park Parking Garage: Yes
Shall the City be allowed to use public funds to acquire, operate or subsidize public parking in the underground parking garage below the Music Concourse in Golden Gate Park, and direct the Golden Gate Park Concourse Authority to dissolve, transferring management of the garage to the City's Recreation and Park Commission?
There’s a giant parking garage under the museums in the park that is usually empty. Maybe because it’s so expensive? The parks department will figure out how to put these parking spots to use while we play in the streets above ground.
Prop O: City College Parcel Tax: Yes
Shall the City establish an additional parcel tax on some San Francisco property owners based on the square footage and use of their properties, at rates between $150–4,000 per parcel with adjustments for inflation, to generate approximately $37 million in annual revenue, beginning on July 1, 2023 and continuing until June 30, 2043, and transfer those funds to City College for student and workforce development programs?
City College is a vital institution that keeps cutting classes and firing teachers. Let’s help them get on better financial ground by passing this tax and by voting in new trustees.
My Reference Materials
Some of the tabs I had open while writing this guide include these ballot guides: The League of Pissed Off Voters guide, The SF Bay Gaurdian endorsements, San Francisco Rising, the San Francisco Tenants Union endorsements, KQED’s voter guide, Bay Curious Prop. Fest, and United Educators of San Francisco endorsements, as well as articles in The SF Examiner, The San Francisco Chronicle, The San Francisco Standard, Richmond Review / Sunset Beacon, CREATECA.org, and Mission Local. I get much of my news from those sources and by following local officials and journalists on Twitter, and sometimes observing meetings myself.
I painted this giant heart sculpture in a neighbor’s garage. The heart was commissioned to raise money for the San Francisco General Hospital Foundation.