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: Shamann Walton
Phone Number: (707) 332-3225
Website: shamannwalton.com
E-mail: natalie@shamannwalton.com
Campaign Manager: Natalie Gee
Are you receiving public financing: Yes
Signed voluntary spending limit: Yes
2nd, 3rd endorsements in District: N/A
Major Endorsements:
I am endorsed by eight Supervisors: President Malia Cohen, Sandra Lee Fewer, Aaron Peskin, Vallie Brown, Norman Yee, Rafael Mandelman, Hillary Ronen, and Ahsha Safai, all the commissioners of the San Francisco Board of Education, four members of the City College Board of Trustees, several members of the SF Democratic County Central Committee, Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom, Mayor London Breed, San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi and more elected leaders. These are leaders of our community who know my work and know that I can bring people together to lead.
Additionally, I have been endorsed by: the United Educators of San Francisco, the California Nurses Association, LiUNA! Local 261, San Francisco Firefighters Local 798, SEIU Local 1021, Carpenters Local 22, and, as a testament to my ability to bring people together to solve issues, both the SF Realtor's Association and the SF Tenants' Union.
Incumbent Supervisor whose votes most reflect your values:
I work with a number of supervisors on the issues that are important to all of us as San Franciscans. I have worked most closely with Supervisors: President Malia Cohen, Sandra Lee Fewer, Aaron Peskin, Norman Yee, Hillary Ronen, Rafael Mandelman and Ahsha Safai.
Incumbent whose votes least reflect your values:
I have not had the chance to work as closely with the remaining Supervisors over the years.
If the election were held today, who would you support as Board President:
I can't make that decision without the new full board being selected.
Who would be your second and third choices:
I can't make that decision without the new full board being selected.
Who did you endorse for Mayor in 2018 (all 3 choices, if applicable):
#1 London Breed, #2 Mark Leno, #3 Jane Kim
Who did you endorse for Mayor in 2015 (all 3 choices, if applicable):
Ed Lee
Who did you endorse for Sheriff in 2015:
Vicki Hennessey
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?
Ranked Choice, or Instant Runoff Voting, has both positive and negative consequences. In a perfect world where every voter ranks their choices sincerely, the system will theoretically, more often than not, produce the most satisfactory outcome for everyone in an efficient and cost-effective way.
I have given this some sincere thought and there are other proposed methods of voting (most notably "Approval Voting") that would also given minority parties more opportunity for representation. Alternatively, the Approval method of voting requires equally weighted votes for each candidate a voter approves of. Whichever candidate receives the most votes of approval wins, even if there was another candidate who was the favorite of the majority of voters.
My record of bringing people together demonstrates why I should receive the endorsement of the SF Green Party. I have always put an emphasis on listening to everyone, finding similarities between differing viewpoints, and promoting unity in the places where we can find agreement. The diverse political support I have received is a testament to this approach. I believe that my approach - based on the idea that unifying communities over shared experiences allows us all to be empowered instead of living separated, focused on differences, and tyrannized by the majority viewpoint - is the best method for effectively incorporating the Green Party's 10 Key Values into actionable legislative solutions.
+ - ?
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Sub-government such as Neighborhood Assemblies, Networks or District Councils
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Some commissions should be democratically elected
[ ] [ ] [ ] The Mayor should appoint all commissioners
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Voters' right to recall elected officials
[ ] [X ] [ ] Ethics Commission should be disbanded
[ 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.
The southeastern part of San Francisco has historically been disproportionately affected by environmental injustice. Our neighborhoods, which have the most low-income and working class residents in the entire City, bear the brunt of San Francisco's environmental issues. We have the most industrial facilities, truck routes, a sewage treatment plant that treats over 80% of San Francisco's wastewater, as well as the the biggest polluter, the Hunter's Point Naval Shipyard. I believe these environmental issues in District 10 are civil rights issues, and I should have your endorsement because I have an unwavering dedication to addressing this reality, the most public service experience, and a team that is ready to take on these challenges.
It would be my priority as District 10 Supervisor to make sure the Navy and Tetra Tech are held accountable and pay for a complete and immediate clean-up of the Shipyard, as well as to ensure they provide adequate healthcare for our residents living on or near the Shipyard. It is a travesty that the Navy allowed a company to provide false information about harmful toxins in our community. Tetra Tech and the Navy should be held accountable for falsifying information and misleading the public about the toxicity of the Shipyard. I am currently in talks with the San Francisco City Attorney to investigate suing Tetra Tech, exploring potential criminal punishment for their falsifications, and developing ideas to hold the Navy accountable. The Navy and Tetra Tech have still not offered an adequate explanation to the community, and this is unacceptable.
I also believe it is critical that San Francisco's roads, transit system, and other vital infrastructure expand as housing units are added. It does the City little good to grow our population without simultaneously making changes to accommodate those residents comfortably. As Supervisor, I will monitor and ensure that developers comply with the Transportation Sustainability Fee by paying for their impacts on SF's transportation system and entire urban ecosystem. This would include investing in fossil-free public transportation that reduces and minimizes any increase in our carbon footprint resulting from increases in population. If developers want to build here, they need to work with our existing residents by demonstrating this minimal level of care and concern for the health of the City instead of just being concerned with their profits.
I also believe that zoning should remain in the hands of the local leadership and community because we are the ones affected by environmental impacts of developments. There is a balance that can and must be struck between maintaining open spaces and implementing creative solutions like increasing height limits for affordable housing projects near transit hubs. If we want to solve the housing crisis, it is imperative we work towards achieving this balance rather than simply stake out positions on either side of these issues.
As Executive Director of Young Community Developers, I negotiated and built 100% affordable housing while holding developers responsible for community benefit packages that support walkability, mixed-use, and environmental concerns. As Supervisor, I will use this experience to ensure that the communities surrounding proposed developments are consulted in development negotiations, have a chance to have requests included and/or concerns heard, and that the developers are then held accountable.
Lastly, since SFPUC's Large Landscape Grant program is available to any customer with 2.5 acres or more of irrigated landscape, I would also advocate for expanded use of this grant and of SF's Non-potable Water Ordinance throughout the City. In combination with the SF Groundwater Supply Project that will disinfect and blend groundwater into our drinking water supply, these measures can significantly enhance San Francisco's internal water resiliency and reduce our dependence on imported water. I believe District 10 deserves a Supervisor with the experience and knowledge needed to immediately begin managing and expanding these efforts.
+ - ?
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Phasing out all diesel buses (e.g., Muni, tour, shuttles)
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Public Power
[ ] [ ] [ X ] Install local/regional clean energy, efficiency, and battery storage to supply 50% of our electricity by 2030
[ ] [ ] [ X ] Reducing or eliminating parking minimums in new housing and commercial developments
[ X] [ ] [ ] As in Bayview, halt all US Navy Treasure Island transfers of lands tested by Tetra Tech, to private developers
[ ] [ ] [ X ] Natural Areas Program
[ ] [ ] [ X ] Tree Removals
[ ] [ X] [ ] Use of Tier One herbicides in public parks
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Addition of SF Groundwater to City's potable supply
[ X] [ ] [ ] Artificial turf on City-owned athletic fields
[ X] [ ] [ ] Managed retreat and Coastal Zone protection in response to Global Warming
3) Social Justice:
A) What is your assessment of homelessness in San Francisco, and what solutions do you propose?
This City's officials must recognize that it is our job to fix the homelessness crisis. This can be done, in part, by increasing the resources available for strategically creating transitional and permanent housing for our homeless population. In the short-term, this includes creating more Navigation Centers with: pathways to permanent housing, substance abuse treatment, mental health treatment, jobs programs and also acquiring/utilizing abandoned buildings to house and provide supportive services. In the long-term, this will involve building additional affordable housing, using some of our public land to build affordable projects or supportive housing, increasing the City's mental health and addiction treatment services, and ending the practice of releasing non-violent, mentally ill and/or addicted individuals from jail directly back to the street.
As mentioned, San Francisco owns several public lots that have the potential to be developed and converted into supportive housing that can help address homelessness through public private partnerships with non-profit developers. It's not necessary for public land to generate a profit when it provides benefits to the surrounding community. Funding sources can include taxes from the cannabis industry and our local tech companies. Additional funding could come from a small percentage of revenue generated by museums, aquariums, exercise facilities and other places that provide benefit along with employment opportunities.
+ - ?
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Project Homeless Connect
[ ] [ ] [ X ] Care Not Cash
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Community courts
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Healthy SF
[ X ] [ ] [ ] SF's sick leave requirements
[ ] [ X ] [ ] Law against sitting down on SF sidewalks
[ X] [ ] [ ] I support more homeless navigation centers in my district
B) What are your views on housing affordability, what public sector strategies have worked, which have failed, and what are your proposals?
As a renter myself, I understand the plight of this City's tenants. We have a housing crisis that is causing seniors, low-income families, and working class people to be forced out of the City. Bayview and Visitacion Valley are one of the last remaining "affordable" areas where working class families can survive in San Francisco. While canvassing in these neighborhoods, I often come across households with multiple generations of family and housemates living together, and, I have heard about worst case scenarios where people stay in abusive relationships for housing. San Franciscans deserve better and this is not the reality that we should be accepting.
We need to prioritize building affordable housing that can address the needs of low-income and working class residents, and, as Supervisor, I plan to build thousands of new affordable units for all income levels over the next 4 years. As Executive Director of Young Community Developers, I have experience negotiating and building 100% affordable housing while holding developers responsible for community benefit packages that support walkability, mixed-use, and environmental concerns. I have also brought back Neighborhood Certificate of Preference Holders, which helps people who were forced to move out of the City come back into affordable housing units. As Supervisor, I will use this experience to ensure that communities are consulted during development negotiations, have a chance to have their requests included and/or concerns heard, and that the developers are then held accountable. Neighborhood Preference Legislation will also play a big role in keeping communities indigenous and help us to fight outmigration and family flight of specific populations here in San Francisco.
We also must preserve our existing rent-controlled units and create legislation that expands rent control throughout the city. I support the idea of municipally owned or controlled housing, and there are plenty of opportunities for the city to develop or convert publicly owned lots for affordable and below market rate opportunities for families. This can be done through securing financing through loans insured by the City itself. The public land can also be used to build affordable projects such as housing to support our local public school teachers.
As previously mentioned, I also believe that zoning should remain in the hands of the local leadership and community because we are the ones affected by the impacts of developments. There is a balance that can and must be struck between maintaining open spaces and implementing creative solutions like increasing height limits for affordable housing projects near transit hubs. If we want to solve the housing crisis, we must work towards achieving this balance rather than simply stake out positions on either side of these issues.
+ - ?
[ ] [ ] [ X ] Building more market rate housing will lower housing costs for current SF residents
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Impacts of all new development should be paid for in advance by fees on developers
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Community Land Trusts
[ ] [ X] [ ] Rent Control is too strong
[ ] [ ] [ X ] Elected Rent Board
[ X ] [ ] [ ] HOME-SF (density bonus program)
[ ] [ ] [ X ] Social Housing (similar to https://www.sfcommunityhousingact.com/)
[ ] [ X ] [ ] Ban on Airbnb and other short term rentals
I think that a complete ban will actually negatively impact some people who have grown to rely on income from hosting people through Airbnb. There should, however, be legislation that differentiates between "hosted" Airbnb stays in a person's home and Airbnb rentals of empty units. I believe the former should be more leniently allowed and the latter more regulated.
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Require full disclosure of all corporate/speculative interests in parties purchasing/developing property
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Vacancy tax on empty homes
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Pied-a-terre Tax on residential property owners who do not reside in SF
[ ] [ ] [ X ] Condo conversion is currently too difficult
4) Nonviolence: What are your solutions for SFPD accountability while making the streets safer?
Safety is a top concern in every community across District 10. Every family deserves to feel safe and secure in their home and neighborhood. To reach that goal, we must both lower the epidemic levels of petty theft / property crime and make sure that all residents feel safe while interacting with our police officers.
First we must provide alternatives to crime for residents in San Francisco. When people have opportunities, this allows them to have the hope needed to understand that violence is unnecessary. The more skills and education an individual has, the better choices they will make, which leads to leading productive lives. Programs that connect residents to jobs and educational opportunities have been statistically proven to reduce crime and violence. I have seen first-hand the positive influences a job has made on individuals and the correlation to decreases in recidivism when offenders and people in the justice system are working.
We also need to reduce the amount of negative interactions our youth have with law enforcement to begin with. I've been fighting to make sure that our young people have the opportunity to make decisions so that they don't have so much police contact. Right now we're working on a community safety initiative that connects our young people with careers in the public sector such as in the court system, police department, Sheriff's department, the Adult probation department, and the Public Defender's office so that they will get to know the people who work in our city and build those relationships.
In addition, we spearheaded a documentary (The Chop Shop) that brought the community and law enforcement together to discuss how each viewed each other and what are the solutions to bridging the gaps between community and law enforcement. As a result of that project, we wrote a White Paper that lists concrete solutions and are now working with the San Francisco Police Department to inform strategies that will address the 272 recommendations from the Department of Justice around police accountability and Community Policing strategies. As Supervisor, I will continue to provide these outlets for community and law enforcement and push better relations.
This also speaks to the need for more community policing strategies: police attending community events like Little League games, being involved with neighbors on a day to day basis, and becoming part of the fabric of the community. We all know that crimes are not committed when police are present, but it has also been demonstrated that crime is reduced when relationships are built between police and community. When you know somebody's grandmother, Auntie, and Uncle, it's unavoidable that you will have a different relationship with that community. Unfortunately, this doesn't occur often because a lot of our officers don't live in the communities anymore. As Supervisor, I would advocate for providing resources to encourage police officers to come into our communities on off-days, participate in community activities, and spend time getting to know the people in the neighborhoods they serve. I will be laser-focused on implementing community policing strategies to bridge the gap between our neighbors and law enforcement.
One way to encourage relationships between police and neighborhoods is by creating more community-centered substations like the one I recently work with Supervisor Hillary Ronen to open on San Bruno Ave. Prior to the substation's opening, there were no officers in the area who spoke Chinese or regularly walked the beat. Thanks to the new substation, there are now 3-4 Chinese-speaking and Spanish-speaking police officers with local cultural knowledge integrating themselves into that community. As Supervisor, I would advocate for expanding this model of community-based, culturally sensitive policing into additional neighborhoods.
+ - ?
[ ] [ X ] [ ] Prioritize SFPD enforcement of moving violations
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Support expansion of foot patrols
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Demand stricter accountability in future MOUs with the SFPD
[ ] [ ] [ ] The Board of Supervisors should be able to set policies and priorities for the SFPD through legislation
[ ] [ X ] [ ] Support a public safety program modeled after NYC's "Stop and Frisk"
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Prosecution of SFPD Officers involved in fatal shooting deaths of San Francisco residents
In cases where deadly force was not necessary or reasonable under the circumstances.
5) Decentralization: What are your thoughts on the Kaufman Charter of 1996? Does it need revisiting?
My first thoughts about the Kaufman Charter of 1996 is that it has become far less organized and simple as time as gone on. The appendices are now 423 pages long by themselves, making that section over 70 pages longer than the entire Los Angeles Charter (which is a total of 352 pages long). For a little perspective, San Jose, which has over 160,000 more residents than San Francisco, has a Charter that is a total of only 81 pages long. We need a Charter that is well organized and simple.
In terms of decentralization, I do believe there are some areas where the Charter should be revisited. For example, there are ways that the Board of Supervisors should exercise more control over appointments within the executive branch of San Francisco's government. There are currently about 25 departments, appointive boards, commissions and other units of government that fall under the Mayor's executive branch, and not all of them require that the Board of Supervisors confirm the appointments that are made to them.
Of particular concern to me is the fact that none of the appointees to SF's Human Rights Commission, Health Commission, Human Services Commission, Recreation and Park Commission, Port Commission, Commission on the Environment, Commission on the Status of Women, and to the Aging and Adult Services Commission have to face confirmation or approval from the Board of Supervisors. These are vitally important bodies of our government that are tasked with overseeing the equity of public services, access to open space, and level of environmental protection afforded to San Franciscans. It does not make sense to me that the Board of Supervisors has no oversight over appointments made to these bodies while the appointments made to the Entertainment Commission and the Historic Preservation Commission require Board approval. This should be revisited.
+ - ?
[ ] [ ] [ 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?
In District 10 specifically, economic policies are tied up with better public transit. We need to have more Public Transit that brings people into our economic corridors. Our neighborhood merchants need the opportunity to work together on plans and strategies of how to activate each of our neighborhoods and communities. I would focus on bringing merchants associations together quarterly to devise a plan to increase food traffic and make our community businesses destination locations. In addition (like most of San Francisco's commercial corridors), I would focus on building more housing on top of retail, which allows the businesses to use resources from the housing development to make improvements and repairs, while creating more patrons and food traffic in the business corridors as well.
Also, in areas where communities have been blighted or movement of populations has led to decreases in economic viability, I would work to create "economic empowerment zones". This would allow small/community businesses an opportunity to compete while employing members of its own community. Within this, I would also fight for local mandatory hiring for all sectors of employment (much like we have on construction projects here in San Francisco).
+ - ?
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Legislation limiting formula retail outlets/chain stores
[ ] [ ] [ X ] Conditional Use permit required for big box stores
[ X] [ ] [ ] Municipal broadband as a public utility
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Neighborhood cooperatives prioritized as a local supply chain for legalized marijuana
[ X ] [ ] [ ] I support recreational marijuana stores opening in my district
So long as there are equal opportunities for local residents and they are not just large chains.
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Local hiring requirements should be enforced and expanded to include private projects
[ ] [ ] [ X] Conversion of some golf courses into soccer fields
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Prop 13 limits on tax increases should apply only to residential properties
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Commercial Rent Control -For small and local businesses only.
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?
While we currently have a female Mayor, a female President of the Board of Supervisors, female city administrator, female Sheriff, female Assessor-Recorder, and women currently hold 7 of the 11 Board of Supervisor seats and half of the 54 department head posts, I still believe that women have historically been underrepresented in our city's government. Women have always been over 50% of the population, yet London Breed is only the second female mayor in San Francisco's history. It is due to this historic underrepresentation that I know we have a long way to go for equal representation for women.
I have spent years working closely to increase opportunities for women in leadership and in general. As an employer, the majority of my Leadership Team is made up of women and the majority of people who hold coordinator and top level positions in my organization are women. I have personally donated to women's causes and I have co-hosted several fundraisers for Emerge California (which focuses on providing women with the tools needed to run for public office). Raised by a single mother and the father of a daughter, I know the importance of women in leadership and providing that space is something that I am committed to.
As Supervisor, and even as a candidate for Supervisor, there are ways that I can continue to personally work to remedy this historic gender inequity. I am proud to say that three out of the four members of my campaign staff, including my campaign manager, are women. If elected, I will monitor the membership of City Commissions and consider gender diversity when appointments come to the Board of Supervisors for approval. In addition, I will continue to employ female staff members to promote the elevation of women within our City's government and hopefully contribute to continuing the current trend of female leadership in the process.
+ - ?
[ 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 part of San Francisco's diversity is that we genuinely have many characteristics of a international or cosmopolitan city. There have been many studies that have shown that the more differing cultures or perspectives an individual is exposed to, the more socially liberal they tend to become. I think San Francisco's historic diversity is part of what has led to our being a haven for many civil liberty movements, and I worry about what will happen to this part of our culture if the current trends of gentrification continue.
While it is difficult to identify a negative part of diversity, I do think that, particularly in District 10, there are still remnants of historic racism and segregation that are present in everyday life. The Shipyard travesty is one of the most undeniable examples of environmental racism I can think of, and the lack of funding for public transportation to many of the District's working-class communities continues to isolate the residents of Potrero Hill, Bayview, and Visitacion Valley from the rest of the City. Furthermore, while it can be said that several parts of the city have segregated areas, there is no other District where different demographics are separated as dramatically as they are here in District 10.
Many of the ways to protect the positive aspects of our City's diversity while combating these negatives are things that I have already discussed. We must learn to balance our city's need for more housing with protecting the environment and making sure that we don't lose the diversity of communities like the Mission and Bayview. To do this, we need to urgently prioritize building affordable housing for all income levels. Our government needs to start acquiring and developing abandoned buildings and unused public land, securing the financing for building affordable housing, and expanding our basic infrastructure so that every resident can easily move around the City using public transportation.
We can achieve this balance, but only if we listen to each other and find common ground rather then focus on scoring political points. I have demonstrated throughout my career that I have the capacity to bring people together even when they rarely agree on any major philosophical issue, and I hope to continue building those kinds of bridges on the Board of Supervisors.
+ - ?
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Multilingual government and public 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?
I have no problem with the Board of Supervisors taking positions on state, national, or international issues - and in fact think it is often a good or necessary way to protect San Francisco's values.
For example, as President of the Board of Education, I co-sponsored additional protections for undocumented students and their families in the wake of DACA being rescinded. In addition, when Trump rescinded Obama-era federal protections for transgender students, I wrote and put out a public statement reaffirming the Board of Education's commitment to maintaining all of the additional protections for transgender students within San Francisco public schools. In instances such as those, I believe it is important for local officials to take a stand and let San Franciscans know we will do everything we could to continue supporting our residents despite what is happening in the rest of the country.
As Supervisor of District 10, I would continue to take these kind of public positions when I felt it necessary to protect San Francisco and the civil liberties of my constituents.
+ - ?
[ ] [ ] [ X ] City government cooperating with the PATRIOT Act
[ ] [ X] [ ] City government cooperating with ICE/Secure Communities
[ ] [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)?
I allow the information I receive from community stakeholders and data to drive my governing and legislative decision making. I believe it is easy to come up with legislation that makes people feel like we are making progress, but often far more difficult to do what actually makes the most progress happen.
First, I always consult with my colleagues and with community leaders to see what experience they may have on the topic. I do not try and claim that I have the most expertise or knowledge on every topic or even every variation of a topic that may arise, so I try to talk to colleagues and leaders that may have focused a great deal of their career on that particular policy area to see if they have a different view of the issue at hand then I do.
I will also talk to all stakeholders that have an interest in the topic to see what similarities exist between their desired outcomes. This can and has included businesses, unions, neighborhood groups, parent associations, students, constituents, investors, community advocates/activists, and experts in the field. I also work to build off of the commonalities when there are disagreements among stakeholders and constituents.
Lastly, I will take all the information and opinions I have gathered and then look at the data and any forecasted outcomes before making a decision.
+ - ?
[ ] [ ] [ 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?
It is critical that San Francisco's roads, transit system, and other vital infrastructure expand as housing units are added. It does the City little good to grow our population without simultaneously making changes to accommodate those residents comfortably. This includes investing in more public and alternative transportation options so our roads are less congested, fixing our sidewalks and repaving some streets, building more schools, and increasing energy efficiency throughout the city so we can still reach the goals in our City's Climate Action Plan.
Public transportation is severely lacking or nonexistent in many parts of D10, and, as a result, most residents of District 10 have to drive almost anywhere they go in the city. As Supervisor, I will continue to work directly with the leadership of SFMTA to bring reliable and accessible transportation to District 10 residents, including implementing rapid bus lines, creating efficient connections from east to west neighborhoods, expanding the T-Line, and eliminating the practice of switch-backs. San Francisco will simply not succeed in becoming a Transit First City until more attention and resources are put into providing public and alternative transit options for the residents of District 10.
We also need to put more focus on improving pavement conditions, street lighting, and bike safety in neighborhoods that are underserved by public transit. I have collaborated with the SF Bike Coalition to bring safer bike routes to District 10 in the past and would be interested in expanding this work with them as Supervisor. Vision Zero and SFMTA have plans to expand the bike-share area and traffic calming measures into District 10, but this must be accompanied with street surface improvements to keep the additional bikers and pedestrians it creates safe.
+ - ?
[X ] [ ] [ ] Muni should be funded sufficiently to replace most car use, and be free to the rider
[ X] [ ] [ ] Downtown Transit Assessment Tax to support Muni
However I would want to make sure it would not disproportionately affect people in D10 who do not have access to reliable public transit.
[X ] [ ] [ ] Citywide Transit Assessment Tax to support Muni
However I would want to make sure it would not disproportionately affect people in D10 who do not have access to reliable public transit.
[ ] [ ] [ X ] More weekend closures of streets in/near my district to cars (e.g., Car-Free GGP)
Would disproportionately affect people in D10 who do not have access to reliable public transit.
[ ] [ ] [ ] State law change that lets bicycles treat stop signs as yield signs and red lights as stop signs
[ ] [ X] [ ] I ride Muni, bicycle and/or walk instead of driving on a regular basis
I would like to, but the lack of public transit in district 10 means that I have to drive almost everywhere I go.
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Bus Rapid Transit expanded to all major transit corridors in SF
[ ] [ ] [ X ] Car hailing services like Uber and Lyft should be regulated as taxis, or banned
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Scooter/similar vehicle rentals should be required to store vehicles on private property
[ ] [ ] [ X ] Allow residents to park on the sidewalk without getting a ticket, unless their neighbors complain
[ ] [ ] [ X ] Congestion pricing for parking
Again, I would need to make sure this would not disproportionately affect people in D10 who do not have access to reliable public transit.
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Power more City vehicles using biofuels (e.g., corn-based ethanol)
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Residents should be allowed to park in the street in front of their own driveway for free
If you mean that a resident should be able to park in the street in way that blocks their own driveway for free,
[ ] [ X ] [ ] Support expanding parking meter hours to include later evening hours and weekends
[ ] [ ] [ ? ] Remove parking spots and car lanes to create dedicated bike and bus lanes or wider sidewalks
My answer to this question would have to depend on the area where it is being proposed. Along the 3rd St. corridor in District 10, for example, I don't believe that this is a feasible option given the amount of the street currently used by the T-line. However, there are certainly other areas of the District and City where this would be a good transit strategy for reducing congestion.
Your positions (at the time) on selected current and past Propositions:
+ - ?
[ X] [ ] [ ] June 2018 Prop F (Eviction Defense)
[ ] [X] [ ] June 2018 Prop H (Tasers for SFPD)
[ ] [ X] [ ] Nov 2016 Prop D (Vacancy appointments)
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Nov 2016 Prop F (16-17 y.o. voting, local elections)
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Nov 2016 Prop N (Non-citizen voting, school board)
[ X ] [ ] [ ] Nov 2016 Prop Q (Prohibiting tents on public sidewalks)
[ 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)
[ ] [ ] [ ] 2010 Prop L (Ban on Sitting on Sidewalks)
[ ] [ ] [ ] 2010 Prop M (Foot Patrols)