Instructions:
1. There are 10 sections to this questionnaire. Each section
corresponds with the 10 Key Values of the Green Party.
2. Each section begins with a written question and ends with several
multiple-choice questions. Please don't skip the written question.
3. The multiple-choice questions are answered by checking the box in the
appropriate column to indicate which is closest to your position:
+ = Support / Agree / Yes
- = Oppose / Disagree / No
? = Undecided / Don't know / No opinion
4. The world is too complex to always break down neatly into
yes/no/maybe choices, so feel free to clarify any answers to multiple
choice questions with a few words.
Candidate Name: Berta Hernandez
Phone Number: 415-988-7192
Web site: https://bertahernandezforsupervisor2016.com
E-mail: info@bertaforsupervisor.com
Name of Campaign Manager: Berta Hernandez
Are you receiving public financing: No
Signed voluntary spending limit: Yes
Campaign Manager: Self.
2nd, 3rd endorsements in District: None. I don't support Democrats, and Francisco Herrera has too conciliatory of an attitude towards the Democrats.
Major Endorsements: Working class and poor community members and the Peace and Freedom Party.
Favorite Incumbent Supervisor: None. Because they are all Democrats.
Least favorite: Scott Wiener. Because of his work on behalf of the developers and against the homeless.
If the election were held today, Who would you support as Board President: None of them. I don't support Democrats.
Who would be your second and third choices: None of them and none of them.
Who did you endorse for Mayor in 2015 (all 3 choices, if applicable): No one. I don't support Democrats, and Francisco Herrera has too conciliatory of an attitude towards the Democrats.
Who did you endorse for Sheriff in 2015: No one. I am opposed in principle to the existence of the Sheriff's Department, so I was quite literally in favor of no one for sheriff.
1) Grassroots Democracy: What are your thoughts on Instant Runoff
Voting, and District Elections? How have they worked to date? What
would you change in the future?
Well, I supported these measures as needed political reforms, and I continue to support them. However, I don't think they have really helped very much as far as looking out for the interests of workers and the oppressed because the machine adapted to the reforms and continued to control local politics through the Democratic Party and its organizations. That's why the housing situation is worse than ever. Rents and property values are insanely overvalued, and many of our friends, family members, and neighbors have been driven from the City. Cops are killing people of color in the streets. Everyone knows the police are racist as heck, and the SFPOA obliquely threatens with violence anyone who dares to criticize the police. The whole City is going to Hell and government is unresponsive.
Maybe some other democratic reforms would help. I like the idea of increasing the number of supervisors per district to maybe increase representation. I like the idea of making it much easier to recall elected officials. But the most important reform I would like to make is creating the District 11 Community Council, to be made up of community residents elected by precinct to oversee disbursement of funds to the District and the work of District 11 Supervisor in order to make the Supervisor directly accountable to District residents.
Making members of the District Council responsible for both determining policy for the District and guaranteeing its execution in order to empower those with the most at stake.
Making membership to the council open to all District residents 14 years of age or older, regardless of immigration status or whether or not they have been convicted for a committing a prior felony. This is in order to ensure that their voices are heard and their needs are met.
Making voting for the council to be open to all District residents 14 years of age or older, regardless of immigration status or whether or not they have been convicted for committing a prior felony.
Granting voting rights to non-citizens and felons in District 11 and all municipal elections. As a first step, we want to create voting places for disfranchised District residents on Election Day.
Lowering the voting age in District 11 and all municipal elections to fourteen years of age to encourage civic engagement at an early age and to force elected officials to take the needs of future generations seriously.
Making the District Supervisor formally accountable to the District Council for participation in city policy.
Making members of the District Council subject to immediate recall at any time by district residents.
Making all District and citywide officeholders subject to immediate recall
+ - ?
[ X] [ ] [ ] Sub-government such as Neighborhood Assemblies, Networks or District Councils Yes, as long as they are elected councils. In fact, my key proposal for reforming the political process is the creation of an elected council to decide policy, disburse funds, and implement programs in the neighborhood, as well as basically supervise the work of the supervisor, as noted above.
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Some commissions should be democratically elected ALL commissions should be democratically elected.
[ ] [ X] [ ] The Mayor should appoint all commissioners ALL commissions should be democratically elected.
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Voters' right to recall elected officials Should be strengthened and expanded. I am for all elected officials being subject to immediate recall by their constituents.
[X ] [ ] [ ] Residency requirements for elected officials should be strictly enforced.
[ ] [ X ] [ ] Ethics Commission should be disbanded The Ethics Commission should be expanded and have more power. And, like all commissions, it should be elected.
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Ethics Commission meetings should be televised
[ X] [ ] [ ] Ethics Commission should prioritize investigating violations from well-funded campaigns
[ ] [ X ] [ ] My campaign accepts corporate contributions
[ ] [ X ] [ ] My campaign accepts contributions from paid lobbyists or related entities having any interest in City and County of San Francisco
2) Ecological Wisdom: Please outline your view of the major
environmental and ecological issues facing San Francisco and your
proposed policies to address them.
Climate change is the most important problem facing the world. If we don't take immediate, serious action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, like revamp our transportation infrastructure, reduce our dependence on fossil fuels for energy production to practically nothing, find new ways to feed ourselves that do not rely on extremely destructive farming and meat production practices, restore the severe damage we have done to our environment while conserving what remains, the odds are that the Earth will become unfit for humans to live on within a few centuries, if not sooner. Meanwhile, big corporations are trying to implement a set of regulations that will allow them to present an image of being pro-environment while reaping huge profits off of the marketing of "green" technology and the selling of dwindling resources. We would be foolish to trust these people with their profit system to save the planet they have almost destroyed.
We must take responsibility for reducing and repairing the damage we as a species have done our planet. This means dispossessing the big corporations and treating the world as a common treasury for humans to share with one another as well as all other forms of life - birds, bugs, flowers, trees, and so on. We must find a way to take what we need from the Earth while also allowing for the replenishing of the natural systems we depend on for our survival. Very importantly, we must prepare our children to face the challenges of their changing world.
We begin by recognizing that these are problems that must be addressed on every scale - global, national, statewide, and citywide, to say nothing of at the district, household and individual levels. A member of the Board of Supervisors only has limited jurisdiction over policy for the City and County of San Francisco and our district. A true solution to climate change requires the mobilization of those with the most at stake: workers and the oppressed. Nevertheless, we can make some definite and valuable changes at the District and citywide levels that can perhaps contribute to the solving of the problems posed by climate change to our state, nation, and world.
We see the creation of our District Council of empowered neighborhood residents as described above as being a critical element of this plan. Part of the District Council's responsibilities will be to identify the people in our neighborhood with the knowledge, skill, and energy to confront the many different aspects of fighting climate change at a local level and providing them with authority and resources to lead the rest of us in the struggle. We think that, as an empowered district, we can use the adaptation of our infrastructure as an opportunity to create city jobs at union wages for the people who live here. Furthermore, we can pair the transformation of our infrastructure with education, teaching children about ecosystems and environmental feedback through hands-on work with tree planting, gardening, etc.
Specific proposals for our district include but are not limited to:
A community-based transit plan democratically developed and decided upon that will work towards reducing fossil fuel powered transit and replacing it with clean energy transit, like bicycles and skateboards and so on. It is, however, of critical importance that something that will have such a profound effect on transit in the district not be imposed from the outside; otherwise it is bound to fail.
Designating certain streets for public transit, pedestrians, and non-motorized vehicles only and diverting private autos to freeways and parallel streets, with perhaps certain times designated for deliveries.
Free, safe, high-quality bicycles on demand, made to order for all who desire them. In the meantime, the City should provide subsidies and incentives to increase the bike share program, as well as bike repair shops where District 11 residents, kids and youth especially, can learn how to fix bikes.
Increasing bus service to mitigate overcrowding.
Re-designing transit routes to make access easier, including the addition of feeder lines to main lines.
Re-designing the interiors of the buses so they are not so uncomfortable and dangerous.
Relentlessly pressuring vehicle vendors for reduced emission engines for coaches.
Making public transportation free for all.
Granting subsidies for household energy production; e.g. free installation of solar panels and small in-home electricity generators. This will help cut into wasteful long-distance transportation of dirty, coal, gas, and nuclear generated electricity through power grids. Incidentally, this will also help San Francisco to recover more quickly in the event of a catastrophic earthquake that cuts off the supply of power to the city from the south.
Increasing emphasis on community gardening. We already have the expertise in our community to supply more of our own food, and we should begin doing it by opening up unused public open spaces for community gardening in partnership with schools and urban farming organizations. This will also reduce the need to transport food long distances in vehicles that burn fossil fuels as well as the petroleum-based packaging that makes our children sick and degrades marine ecosystems.
Conserving water. Although 2016 was a year of slightly above average rainfall for California, early indications are that the historic drought will continue in the coming year. We need to continue to reduce our water usage, and we should find ways to encourage neighborhood residents to collaborate on creating water catchment systems that can help meet household water needs. Furthermore, as climate change progresses, rainfall will likely tend to arrive in large quantities with long dry spells in between. We need to find ways to capture this water for urban use while also channeling it so as to minimize the damage it might cause. This can be done by increasing the implementation of bio-swales in the streets and permeable pavement and sidewalks to increase groundwater penetration, while also using native and benevolent migrant plant landscaping in public areas and providing incentives to do this in private homes, which will also be good for local birds and bugs. We also should find ways to streamline the use of gray water and caught water for irrigation and street cleaning.
Greening the district. We should plant drought-tolerant native plants and trees for carbon sequestration and to provide infrastructural support for the native insects and birds. We should also identify underground creeks to open to the surface. These proposals will not only offset some of the district's carbon emissions from transportation and housing and reduce water use, but will also support the varieties of native insects, birds, and mammals in the district, which will make it a more beautiful and interesting place to live.
Waste removal. We need to identify residents of our community who have the skill and enthusiasm and empower them to lead us to build on the progress made by garbage separation in San Francisco. We need a broader definition of "recycling", one that relies more heavily on the repurposing of materials found in the garbage without processing. We also need to find ways to process and utilize the compost generated within San Francisco for the purposes of local gardening and landscaping. We are for outlawing the sale of individual plastic water bottles and looking for ways to phase out and replace most plastic and paper beverage containers.
+ - ?
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Phasing out diesel tour buses
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Public Power The means of producing and distributing energy should be under the full democratic control of the workers who produce it and the consumers who consume it, with any profits generated invested into shifting to environmentally sustainable generation practices.
[ X] [ ] [ ] Community Choice Aggregation But see above.
[ X] [ ] [ ] Tidal power that might be harnessed in San Francisco Bay should be publicly controlled I'm a little uneasy about the potential impact of tidal power on the habitat of marine species.
[ ] [ ] [ X ] Reducing or eliminating parking minimums in new housing and commercial developments In general, I support the objective of reducing private cars and increasing housing implied by this proposal, but it is a very sensitive and complex issue, and if public transit is not up to taking on the increased load, as it is now, then this will just make the parking situation even more of a nightmare than it is now. We need a democratically developed community based plan to achieve the goals of reducing cars and increasing housing, and this approach seems too absolutist and top-down. In other words, it must be done in consultation with residents.
[ ] [ X ] [ ] Congestion tolls on Doyle Drive This is a regressive taxation measure. We should explore other ways to meet the goal of reducing congestion on Doyle Drive.
[ X] [ ] [ ] Natural Areas Program
[ ] [ X ] [ ] Artificial turf on City-owned athletic fields
3) Social Justice:
A) What is your assessment of homelessness in San Francisco, and what
solutions do you propose?
Homelessness cannot be tolerated. It should be City policy to guarantee housing for everyone.
All human beings deserve a decent place to live, nutritious and adequate food, adequate clothing, quality health care and quality education. We cannot accept less than this for anybody.
With this in mind, we should declare a housing emergency and a moratorium on evictions so we don't increase the homeless population.
I am also for redefining the City's homeless population as "tenants in transition", because we will make it policy to house these people as soon as possible.
In the meantime, we can assert and protect the rights of tenants-in-transition to appropriate pieces of public land to live on while they are waiting to be housed - I am strongly against Proposition Q, by the way, the ordinance against tents on the sidewalk. In a way, I almost have to respect the tenacity with which these reactionaries continue to advocate these completely failed policies that criminalize poverty and try to hide its visible effects by having the cops chase people out of town, put them in jail, or kill them. But mostly the people who propose measures like these seem like they suffer from a sociopathic lack of empathy and failure of compassion, and I either feel sorry for them or disgusted by them. In any case, we need to fight this measure and make sure it fails.
We must also defend all places where tenants-in-transition have formed encampments to protect themselves and one another from police harassment and make sanitation, health, and case management services available to those who want and need them in these encampments.
We should also make other plots of unused public land available for further encampments for tenants-in-transition.
In the meantime, we declare housing a public good and look into acquiring housing and land for conversion to 100% affordable housing.
+ - ?
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Project Homeless Connect
[ ] [ X ] [ ] Care Not Cash
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Community courts
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Healthy SF This should be expanded to be the basis for how healthcare is provided in the City. I especially like the residence requirement for qualifying for services rather than basing it on immigration status.
[ X ] [ ] [ ] SF's sick leave requirements
[ ] [ X ] [ ] Law against sitting down on SF sidewalks In a way, I almost have to respect the tenacity with which these reactionaries continue to advocate these completely failed policies that criminalize poverty and try to hide its visible effects by having the cops chase people out of town, put them in jail, or kill them. But mostly the people who propose measures like these seem like they suffer from a sociopathic lack of empathy and failure of compassion, and I either feel sorry for them or disgusted by them. In any case, we need to fight all measures like this - like Prop Q on the ballot this November - and make sure they all fail or are repealed.
B) What are your views on housing affordability, what public sector
strategies have worked, which have failed, and what are your proposals?
Everything that the Democratic Party establishment has done has failed or made things worse. Obscenely high rents and real estate prices that go up quickly and never go down are driving long-time residents from San Francisco and destroying the economic and cultural diversity of the City. In response, the so-called "progressive" wing of the Democratic Party establishment looks for ways to increase affordable housing in San Francisco by meekly ordering developers to make slightly higher contributions to the affordable housing fund or to slightly increase the percentage of affordable units in their market-rate (read: luxury) developments, all while using a depreciated definition of "affordable housing" that makes it unavailable to many of those who need it most.
We need to boldly face the fact that the housing market in San Francisco is driving people out of San Francisco rather than guaranteeing them homes. The market has failed, and we need a different system, one based on collective ownership of housing as a public good. With this in mind, we call for:
Declaring a housing emergency. We call for an immediate halt to all evictions in the Excelsior, Ingleside and Outer Mission as well as in all working class neighborhoods in the City and County of San Francisco.
No more condo conversions.
The aggressive implementation of means-based rent control laws that limit rents to 30% or less of tenants' income.
Reducing allowable annual percentage rent increase to the amount that Social Security payments increase every year.
Strict limits on the ownership of housing in San Francisco. No one should own more than one rental property.
The City of San Francisco to go into the business of developing housing in San Francisco without private developers.
Legalize all homeless encampments and find places to locate others. Provide materials for makeshift housing, including tents. Make services available in those encampments, including public toilets, showers, needle exchange, counseling, etc. Develop homeless shelters with sufficient space and with appropriate support aimed at transitioning people into public housing.
Occupy all empty buildings in the District in order to transform them into 100% affordable housing or spaces to address other community needs, like educational services, health clinics, cultural expression (galleries, studios, theatres, rehearsal spaces, etc.) to be paid for with taxes on corporations doing business in San Francisco.
Local government assistance for low-income homeowners to support badly needed home repairs and for a reduction of 50% on all property taxes for properties currently assessed below $700,000.
The City and County of San Francisco to begin implementation of a policy of public land trusts in housing.
+ - ?
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Impacts of all new development should be paid for in advance by fees on developers Until we can get rid of all of the developers and make housing development an entirely public enterprise, I can say I support this proposal, which makes no sense under capitalism.
[ X] [ ] [ ] Community Land Trusts I think housing is a public good, and that the City has the responsibility to maintain it. In D11, I want to advocate that the City invest in this housing, partnering with small and low-income homeowners to make badly needed repairs as well as make upgrades, like solar panels and water efficiency measures and even landscaping in order to fight against climate change. Under this scheme, homeowners would have the opportunity to share equity with the City in their homes, for which in return they would receive City-provided repairs and maintenance and the guarantee that the property would be held in trust for them and their descendants. Tenants, too.
[ ] [ X ] [ ] Rent Control is too strong I am for the aggressive implementation of means-based rent control laws that limit rents to 30% or less of tenants' income. In fact, I am planning to put this on the ballot in the next year or two.
[ X] [ ] [ ] Elected Rent Board
[ ] [ ] [ X ] Condo conversion is currently too difficult
4) Nonviolence: What are your solutions for SFPD accountability while
making the streets safer?
SFPD cannot be reformed. In solidarity with Black Lives Matter, I am for demilitarizing, defunding, disarming, and disbanding the police.
Given the increasing public awareness and outrage at the murderous institutional racism in the justice system that starts with metropolitan police forces, we must seize the opportunity to do something about our own. The forced resignation of Chief Greg Suhr, while positive, was only a cosmetic change to this department. We need to go deeper. As a community member, I propose that the SFPOA, which violently and publically opposes every criticism that anyone ever makes of the police, should be expelled from the Labor Council.
The fact is that San Francisco is a city with a very low crime rate. Many of the crimes that take place in the City are crimes that attempt to address the economic disparity brought about by the massive siphoning of social wealth into the upper classes of society. This disparity should be addressed with resources and services paid for by progressive taxation, not by jailing people. We think most of the crime will go away. I am for:
Prosecuting all cops who have committed murder, all those who have covered for them, and all those who have stood by while these murders were committed.
Firing Mayor Ed Lee for his support for Chief Greg Suhr and this department that has, with the publication of the findings of the Blue Ribbon Panel, been found to be a racist institution by its own very low standards.
Implementing a massive program to address the impoverishment and suffering of San Francisco's workers, African-American, and immigrant communities that are the motivation of most of the City's petty crime, often held to be the justification for the maintenance of the police force, paid for with funds appropriated from the police department.
Given that the firings will effectively leave us without police, and the social programs will eliminate any pretense of a need for them, dismantle and abolish the San Francisco Police Department and the Sheriff's Department.
The police budget to be put to far more productive use creating jobs at union wages and funding full education from pre-school to university for people of color and members of traditionally underserved communities.
Replacing the functions of the police, sheriff's department, and courts with the community arbitration of justice based on the elected community council of district residents.
+ - ?
[ ] [ X ] [ ] Prioritize SFPD enforcement of moving violations
[ ] [ X ] [ ] Support expansion of foot patrols
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Demand stricter accountability in future MOUs with the SFPD Until we can abolish the police.
[ X ] [ ] [ ] The Board of Supervisors should be able to set policies and priorities for the SFPD through legislation Until we can abolish the police.
[ ] [ X ] [ ] Support a public safety program modeled after NYC's "Stop and Frisk." Absolutely not!
5) Decentralization: What are your thoughts on the Kaufman Charter
of 1996? Does it need revisiting?
The Kaufman Charter, which gave SF the strong mayor system that has allowed the Willie Brown faction of the Democratic Party to dominate the executive branch, has been an unmitigated disaster for San Francisco. So yes, it needs revisiting, or, more specifically, to be eliminated and replaced. I think something on the order of a municipal constituent assembly is on order, with representatives elected at the district level to come and re-draft the City Charter.
+ - ?
[ X] [ ] [ ] Bring the Housing Authority under the Board of Supervisors
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Will you create formal district councils to advise you?
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Charter amendment allowing voters to choose the replacement of an elected official being recalled on the same ballot as the recall vote
[ X] [ ] [ ] Immediately implement open-source voting system on the local level
6) Community Based Economics: What economic policies, including
taxation and land use, would you propose that would drive capital into
our communities and keep that capital here for residents?
I have tons of ideas for this. I think the best investments we can make are into our people, in the form of housing, healthcare, education, and services.
The City needs to make a thorough audit of all City service providers and for all bond-funded programs. I suspect there are quite possibly hundreds of millions of dollars being lost in patronage payments and all manner of malfeasance. This money should be recuperated and invested in housing, healthcare, education, and services.
I am also for assessing all properties, especially downtown properties, for the benefit they receive from City services and taxing them accordingly. Likewise, I think property taxes for small homeowners and small businesses should be waived in perpetuity. I am for raising wages to a minimum wage of $50/hour, freezing rents where they are for people who are paying 30% or less of their income, and passing a rent control ordinance that makes all rents 30% or less of the tenants' income, and making it so that rents can never be increased on an annual basis by more than the percent that Social Security payments increase. I am also for waiving small business taxes and property taxes for homeowners.
I think the City should invest in housing and become a developer. But the development of housing should start with existing buildings. This housing I envision being operated like a cross between a land trust and a rent to own program, with the tenants building equity through their rent payments and the City retaining part ownership through an agreement to hold the space in trust for the tenants.
Similarly, the City could partner with homeowners for repairs, becoming part owner of the property in exchange for taking responsibility for repairs and improvements to LEED Gold at a minimum. This way both the City and the community could gain capital at the expense of the bloodsucking real estate speculation machine.
The list goes on!
+ - ?
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Legislation limiting formula retail outlets/chain-stores
[X] [ ] [ ] Conditional Use permit required for big box stores
[X] [ ] [ ] Municipal broadband
[X] [ ] [ ] Local hiring requirements should be enforced
[X] [ ] [ ] Conversion of some golf courses into soccer fields
[X] [ ] [ ] Prop 13 limits on tax increases should apply only to residential properties
7) Feminism: Do you believe women are underrepresented in city
government? If so, why do you believe this is the case? Is this a
bad thing, and if so, what would you do to remedy the situation?
Well, we live in capitalism - so this is a patriarchal society where women are a commodity and private property. This is why they can be pushed around and made to work double and triple shifts with no pay, with this oppression all excused for historical, cultural, and religious reasons. This is why they are disposable and can be paid less etc.
I don't think the solution is to elect random women to office. The question is how to elect radical socialist women to city government positions - or to campaign for them - or for any other radical socialist male or transgender, who will question the root causes of women oppression - class society based on private property.
+ - ?
[ X ] [ ] [ ] The City should help SFUSD provide child care for children of working parents
[ X ] [ ] [ ] The DPH should provide reproductive health services
[ ] [ X ] [ ] Require parental consent for minors seeking an abortion
[ ] [ X] [ ] Require parental notification for minors seeking an abortion
8) Respect for Diversity: Tell us what you believe are the best and the
worst aspects of San Francisco's diversity. How would you try to
protect the best while trying to change the worst?
The best aspects of San Francisco's diversity are the cultural strengths that it imparts - the cultural cross-pollination and the wide range of ideas and viewpoints that we can all learn and grow from together. The worst aspects are the way that the machine exploits cultural differences to privilege one community over another community and get everyone fighting over crumbs while the ruling class takes the whole loaf.
I want the D11 Council to become a place where elected representatives from all working class and poor communities can come together to share experiences and identify their common interests so that their different viewpoints can become ways of developing winning strategies against the Democratic Party political machine that wants to kick them out of their homes and drive them out of town.
+ - ?
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Multilingual government and education
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Undocumented immigrants should have equal access to education and health care
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Non-citizen residents should be able to vote in all local elections
[ X] [ ] [ ] Full rights for transgender persons
[ ] [ X ] [ ] Boards and commissions now reflect the ethnic diversity of San Francisco
[ ] [ X ] [ ] Boards and commissions now reflect the political diversity of San Francisco
[ X ] [ ] [ ] My campaign reflects the diversity of San Francisco
9) Global and Personal Responsibility:
A) What are your thoughts on the
Board of Supervisors taking positions on state, national and
international issues?
Absolutely the Board should take positions on state, national, and local issues. A number of our local issues - climate change, housing, the police, and immigration - are all but local expressions of state, national, and international problems. We need to find solutions to these problems, and share what we find with others as well as learn and grow from the successes and failures of other cities, states, and nations. Where we can, we should lead, and where we must, we should follow. This means we need to take positions on state, national, and international issues.
+ - ?
[ ] [ X ] [ ] City government cooperating with the PATRIOT Act If by this question you mean do I support City government cooperating with the PATRIOT Act, then the answer is "No." I think it should be the City's position to not cooperate with the PATRIOT ACT and it should take the lead in advocating that other cities not cooperate with them.
[ ] [ X ] [ ] City government cooperating with ICE/Secure Communities If by this question you mean do I support City government cooperating with ICE, then the answer is "No." I think it should be the City's position to not cooperate with ICE or Secure Communities and it should take the lead in advocating that other cities not cooperate with them.
[ X ] [ ] [ ] City government should boycott Israel until it complies with UN resolutions
[ X ] [ ] [ ] SF supervisors should take a position on offshore oil drilling outside CA
B) Please describe how you make your political decisions. What is the
main basis for your decision making (e.g., consultation with your
constituents, political consultants, colleagues, unions, businesses,
donors, or your gut feelings)?
Consulting with my constituents and gathering all available information, discussing it with my political collaborators, and coming to agreements based on majority votes on major questions of political platform and strategy.
[ ] [ X ] [ ] Fleet Week and the Blue Angels flyover
[ ] [ X ] [ ] In a severe recession, environmental regulations should be suspended to create jobs
[ ] [ X ] [ ] Business taxes are too high
10) Sustainability: What does the Transit First City Charter provision
mean to you? How has Transit First fared in recent years, and how would
you enforce that Charter Provision if elected?
If you read my transit plan, you will see that it is a lot like the Transit First charter amendment, which still needs to be enforced. I will look to the creation of a district council that can democratically engage the community in developing and implementing a transit plan that we all agree on.
My transit plan - a work in progress - looks like this:
MUNI does not presently meet the needs of District 11 residents. In order to reduce emissions, we need to make riding transit easier and more comfortable than taking private automobiles, ideally to the point where people actually prefer transit to driving private automobiles for getting places. This means increasing service so that the buses aren't so crowded; re-designing the routes to make access easier, including the addition of feeder lines to main lines; and re-designing the interiors of the buses so they are not so uncomfortable.
We also believe the development of high quality bicycle infrastructure can reduce dependence upon private automobiles within the district, therefore improving the air quality and the health of many district residents. All of these things must be done in collaboration with the community to make sure that the general thrust is towards the improvement of everyone's transit experience. There is lots of room for creativity, compassion, and applied science on this issue. This is the kind of expertise we hope to access with the creation of a democratically elected council of District 11 residents to decide policy, disburse funds, and implement solutions to transit problems, among many others.
We call for:
A community-based transit plan democratically developed and decided upon that will work towards reducing fossil fuel powered transit and replacing it with clean energy transit, like bicycles and skateboards and so on. It is, however, of critical importance that something that will have such a profound effect on transit in the District not be imposed from the outside; otherwise it is bound to fail.
Designating certain streets for public transit, pedestrians, and non-motorized vehicles only and diverting private autos to freeways and parallel streets, with perhaps certain times designated for deliveries.
Coming up with ways to enforce speed limits and protect pedestrians and cyclists that do not rely on police, like more civilian crossing guards, for instance. People are more accountable to their community than to the police, so we must identify community members with the energy and enthusiasm to carry out education programs and confront people for their bad driving and empowering these people with resources through the District 11 Council to do this work.
Free, safe, high-quality bicycles on demand, made to order for all who desire them. In the meantime, the City should provide subsidies and incentives to increase the bike share program, as well as bike repair shops where District 11 residents, kids and youth especially, can learn how to fix bikes.
Increasing service so that the buses aren't so crowded.
Re-designing the routes to make access easier, including the addition of feeder lines to main lines.
Re-designing the interiors of the buses so they are not so uncomfortable and dangerous.
Relentlessly pressuring vendors of vehicles for reduced emission engines for coaches.
Making public transportation free for everyone.
Adding MUNI service after midnight for workers returning to the neighborhood after night shifts.
+ - ?
[ X ] [ ] [ ] MUNI should be funded greater levels and be free to the rider
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Downtown Transit Assessment Tax to support MUNI Strongly agree. In fact, I think re-assessing all downtown properties based on the benefits they receive from public
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Citywide Transit Assessment Tax to support MUNI
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Higher residential construction along neighborhood transit corridors, which may include raising height limits by two to three stories.
[ X ] [ ] [ ] State law change that lets bicycles treat stop signs as yield signs and red lights as stop signs But the bicyclists should be liable if they get hurt behaving in this manner, sort of like with motorcycles and lane splitting.
[ X ] [ ] [ ] I ride MUNI, bicycle and/or walk instead of driving on a regular basis I am a proud pedestrian. I have never had a driver's license.
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Bus Rapid Transit on Geary
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Allow residents to park on the sidewalk without getting a ticket, unless their neighbors complain I hadn't thought of this one, but I like it. ADA should be respected, though.
[ ] [ X ] [ ] Congestion pricing for parking Regressive measure similar to the congestion toll on Doyle Drive. We should look to other, more democratic and compassionate ways to reduce auto traffic in town.
[ ] [ ] [ X ] Power more City vehicles using corn-based ethanol I am inclined to support this one because the fuel is cleaner, but the massive production of corn required for this type of fuel is not very ecologically sound on a larger scale.
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Residents should be allowed to park in the street in front of their own driveway for free
[ ] [ X ] [ ] Support expanding parking meter hours to include later evening hours and weekends I am against regressive measures like this. See above.
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Remove parking spots and car lanes to create dedicated bike and bus lanes or wider sidewalks Yes, but it must be done democratically and in consultation with the community and the transportation services need to be improved at the same time, maybe even a little before.
Your positions on selected current and past Propositions:
[ ] [ X ] [ ] Nov 2016 Prohibiting tents on public sidewalks
[ ] [ X ] [ ] Nov 2016 Neighborhood crime unit
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Nov 2016 Vacancy appointments
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Nov 2016 16-17 y.o. voting, local elections
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Nov 2016 Non-citizen voting, school board
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Nov 2016 Prop 62 (Ending Death Penalty)
[ ] [ X ] [ ] June 2016 Prop B (Rec and Park legislation)
[ X] [ ] [ ] 2015 Prop F (Short Term Rental Regulation)
[ X ] [ ] [ ] 2015 Prop I (Mission Luxury Housing Moratorium)
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Nov 2014 Prop H (Natural Grass in Parks)
[ X ] [ ] [ ] June 2014 Prop B (Waterfront Height Limits)
[ ] [ X ] [ ] 2011 Prop C (Mayor's Pension measure)
[ ] [ X ] [ ] 2011 Prop D (Adachi's Pension measure)
[ ] [ X ] [ ] 2010 Prop L (Ban on Sitting on Sidewalks)
[ ] [ X ] [ ] 2010 Prop M (Foot Patrols)