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: Vilaska Nguyen
Phone Number: 415-902-0632
Web site: www.vilaska.com
E-mail: info@vilaska.com
Name of Campaign Manager: Jackie Prager
Are you receiving public financing: Yes
Signed voluntary spending limit: Due to our accepting public financing, we have set spending limits.
2nd, 3rd endorsements in District: I haven't made a second or third place endorsement yet but I have been open to working with other campaigns on a ranked choice strategy.
Major Endorsements: AFT 2121 #1, San Francisco Tenants Union #1, Berniecrats #1, Supervisor Hillary Ronen, Supervisor Dean Preston, Supervisor Matt Haney, Former Assemblymember Tom Ammiano, Chair of the SF Democratic Party David Campos, Public Defender Mano Raju, Former Supervisor John Avalos, Former Supervisor Matt Gonzales
Incumbent Supervisor whose votes most reflect your values: Supervisor Hillary Ronen or Supervisor Matt Haney
Incumbent whose votes least reflect your values: I'm not sure which incumbent Supervisor whose votes least reflect my values.
If the election were held today, who would you support as Board President: Supervisor Hillary Ronen or Supervisor Matt Haney
Who would be your second and third choices: Supervisor Matt Haney, Supervisor Dean Preston
Who did you endorse for Mayor in 2019 (all 3 choices, if applicable): abstained
Who did you endorse for Mayor in 2018 (all 3 choices, if applicable): Jane Kim, Mark Leno
Who did you endorse for Mayor in 2015 (all 3 choices, if applicable): Ed Lee
Who did you endorse for Sheriff in 2015: Abstained

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?

Your response:

I'm supportive of both Instant Runoff Voting and District Elections. Ranked Choice is a much better system than the alternative. From talking with voters, I know that many of our seniors or ESL voters need more support and education surrounding how Instant Runoff Voting works. As a City, we need to increase our voter outreach and make sure that everyone understands this voting system. As Supervisor, I would support measures that make voting more accessible to our constituents, whether that be making Election Day a holiday or, similar to what will be happening this November due to COVID, sending everyone a mail-in ballot.

Multiple choice questions:
+ - ?
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Sub-government such as Neighborhood Assemblies, Networks or District Councils
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Some commissions should be democratically elected
[ ] [ - ] [ ] The Mayor should appoint all commissioners
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Voters' right to recall elected officials
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Residency requirements for elected officials should be strictly enforced
[ ] [ - ] [ ] Ethics Commission should be disbanded
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Ethics Commission meetings should be televised
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Ethics Commission should prioritize investigating violations from well-funded campaigns
[ ] [ - ] [ ] My campaign accepts corporate contributions
[ ] [ - ] [ ] 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.

Your response:

For the last 15 years, I've worked as a Public Defender for San Francisco. I have seen firsthand how strong of a role environmental racism plays in our broken criminal justice system. It's our responsibility to take more aggressive measures in protecting our environment and doing so will have positive impacts in many policy areas for generations to come. But that's only possible if we are really committed to doing what needs to be done. As Supervisor, I'll make sure that environmental justice is a top priority and will support legislation that pursues protecting the environment.

Multiple choice questions:
+ - ?
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Phasing out all diesel buses (e.g., Muni, tour, shuttles)
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Public Power
[ + ] [ ] [ ] City should take over PG&E distribution in SF
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Reducing or eliminating parking minimums in new housing and commercial developments
[ + ] [ ] [ ] As in Bayview, halt all US Navy Treasure Island transfers of lands tested by Tetra Tech, to private developers
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Natural Areas Program
[ ] [ - ] [ ] Tree Removals
[ ] [ - ] [ ] Use of Tier One herbicides in public parks
[ ] [ ] [ ? ] Addition of SF Groundwater to City's potable supply
[ ] [ ] [ ? ] Artificial turf on City-owned athletic fields
[ + ] [ ] [ ] 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?

Your response:

District 7 has a growing population of families and seniors who live in their vehicles. We have an entire student population that is underhoused, or has unreliable housing (couchsurfing).

I am the only candidate in this race who openly supports a Navigation Center for District 7. I'm also one of the only people in the race who have direct experience working to get people out of homelessness, off the streets, and into housing. I'm also proud to have held legal clinics in partnership with the SF LGBT Center, Project Homeless Connect, and City College to help expunge discriminatory or unfair criminal records of San Franciscans so they could re-enter the workforce, get off the streets and into care, and have access to housing.

As a Public Defender, I've seen where the criminal justice system is broken and how it leads to a cycle of homelessness. I've had clients that I've fought to get help who were just abandoned back on the streets. I've worked to get people off the street and change their lives. I will work with anybody who is willing to examine our broken homelessness system and make the big changes that we need.

I also 100% support municipally owned housing, especially on public land. For decades, landlord lobbyist groups have used racist tropes to convince even liberals that public housing is ineffective and dangerous. I know from my work as a Public Defender that stable housing is the first step to bettering anyone's life. Cities need to learn from past mistakes on public housing and invest in funding and building social housing. As Supervisor, I will be unabashedly pro-public housing and will fight for policies to help public housing tenants and to secure land and fight for state and federal dollars to build social housing.

Multiple choice questions:
+ - ?
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Project Homeless Connect
[ ] [ - ] [ ] Care Not Cash
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Community courts
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Healthy SF
[ + ] [ ] [ ] SF's sick leave requirements
[ ] [ - ] [ ] Law against sitting down on SF sidewalks
[ + ] [ ] [ ] More frequent homeless counts
[ + ] [ ] [ ] 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?

Your response:

The term affordable has begun to lose all meaning as AMI rises to almost absurd levels. As a general rule, I believe that a family's rent or mortgages shouldn't be more than ¼ of their income. That said, we can't just build housing that is affordable to the people who are left in the city after a decade of gentrification and displacement, we also need housing that is affordable to people who have been driven out of the city and who we need to return. That means focusing on affordability for students and youth, young families, and the low-wage workers that the city needs to function, as well as housing that is affordable to essential city workers like teachers, nurses, fire fighters, etc.

I am proud to have the #1 endorsement from the SF Tenants Union. As Supervisor, I would work with community organizations like the SFTU to address the housing affordability crisis head-on.

Multiple choice questions:
+ - ?
[ ] [ - ] [ ] Building more market rate housing will lower housing costs for current SF residents
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Impacts of all new development should be paid for in advance by fees on developers
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Community Land Trusts
[ ] [ - ] [ ] Rent Control is too strong
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Elected Rent Board
[ + ] [ ] [ ] HOME-SF (density bonus program)
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Social Housing (similar to https://www.sfcommunityhousingact.com/)
[ ] [ ] [ ? ] Ban on Airbnb and other short term rentals
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Require full disclosure of all corporate/speculative interests in parties purchasing/developing property
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Vacancy tax on empty homes
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Pied-a-terre Tax on residential property owners who do not reside in SF
[ ] [ - ] [ ] Condo conversion is currently too difficult
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Eliminating transfer of entitlements in real estate transfers
[ + ] [ ] [ ] #30RightNow - Fully funding direct access to housing for tenants in supportive housing, to lower rents to 30% of their income

4) Nonviolence: What are your solutions for SFPD accountability while making the streets safer?

Your response:

As a Public Defender, I work closely with police officers every day. I've had police officers who have told me how disgusted they are with what's happening and how badly they want to make changes within the department. If there was ever a time for big, bold solutions to create real community policing, it's now. I can say without a doubt that I am the candidate with the most experience working with the police and I am ready to lead that reform.

Over the past weeks, what little trust was left between the community and the police force has been lost. It's imperative that we demilitarize the police department; our police force should not be armed with military style weapons that can lead to permanent damage or death, as we've seen in the multiple instances of police brutality across the country.

As Supervisor, I would support the Mayor's statement of intent to divert police funding to support Black communities as well as measures that achieve similar equity.

Multiple choice questions:
+ - ?
[ ] [ - ] [ ] Prioritize SFPD enforcement of moving violations
[ ] [ - ] [ ] Support expansion of foot patrols - I would support taking police out of vehicles and converting them to foot patrols, but I would not support increasing the police force.
[ + ] [ ] [ ] 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
[ ] [ - ] [ ] Support a public safety program modeled after NYC's "Stop and Frisk"
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Prosecution of SFPD Officers involved in fatal shooting deaths of San Francisco residents
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Demilitarize SFPD - Removal of tactical military weapons (e.g., tear gas, assault rifles) and vehicles from SFPD's arsenal/fleet
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Defund SFPD - Commit to permanent reduction of the number of SFPD officers

5) Decentralization: What are your thoughts on the Kaufman Charter of 1996? Does it need revisiting?

Your response:

I would absolutely support revisiting the Kaufman Charter of 1996. In the last month, we've had multiple department heads removed from their stations due to corruption. The Kaufman Charter granted more autonomy and authority to the Mayor's Office, but as we've seen in recent news, the Mayor's Office needs much more oversight. In a recent debate, I was the only candidate who said that they would support a Charter Amendment to impose more transparency and accountability on the Mayor's Office. As Supervisor, I will work on legislation that requires all departments and commissions over a certain budget to have citizen oversight through split commissions.

Multiple choice questions:
+ - ?
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Bring the Housing Authority under the Board of Supervisors
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Will you create formal district councils to advise you?
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Charter amendment allowing voters to choose the replacement of an elected official being recalled on the same ballot as the recall vote
[ ] [ ] [ ? ] 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?

Your response:

I firmly believe that the only thing that's going to keep us afloat post-COVID is strong, new revenue sources. San Francisco is an incredibly wealthy city but still suffers from unprecedented levels of homelessness, displacement, and now, corruption at the City Hall. We need to make sure that the programs that we're spending our money on work effectively and efficiently but we also need to expand our array of services. As Supervisor, I will support raising taxes in order to expand and support services for our communities.

I was an early supporter of the Overpaid Executive Tax put forward by Supervisors Haney and Ronen to tax pay inequality in major companies. I also support Supervisor Preston's Housing Transfer Tax which taxes the sale of corporate and residential luxury real estate and creates a fund to build affordable housing and protect renters. Finally, I also support Supervisor Mar's IPO tax, which would tax initial public offerings on companies.

I support reforms to our gross receipts tax which would change to how businesses are taxed in San Francisco. It will raise millions of dollars which will go directly into our general fund. And I am in support of the Supervisors who are pushing for the bond to be used for recovery based projects that serve our communities during and after COVID.

Multiple choice questions:
+ - ?
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Legislation limiting formula retail outlets/chain stores
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Conditional Use permit required for big box stores
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Municipal broadband as a public utility
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Neighborhood cooperatives prioritized as a local supply chain for legalized marijuana
[ ] [ ] [ ? ] I support recreational marijuana stores opening in my district
I am a strong supporter of community-based planning. Community members and organizations need to have a seat at the table and be part of the process to envision the types of development that our communities need.
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Local hiring requirements should be enforced and expanded to include private projects
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Conversion of some golf courses into soccer fields
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Commercial Rent Control

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?

Your response:

I firmly believe that women are underrepresented in city government. There is a great deal of gender-based discrimination across many different industries. It's our responsibility to make sure that we are constantly looking for ways to reduce barriers to employment and career advancement for women, especially women of color. San Francisco needs to prioritize examining our hiring processes, removing implicit biases in our systems, and actively hiring women for leadership positions in city government. As Supervisor, I would support measures that combat gender-based discrimination.

Multiple choice questions:
+ - ?
[ + ] [ ] [ ] The City should help SFUSD provide child care for children of working parents
[ + ] [ ] [ ] The DPH should provide reproductive health services
[ ] [ - ] [ ] Require parental consent for minors seeking an abortion
[ ] [ - ] [ ] 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?

Your response:

For 15 years I've represented San Franciscans from low-income and communities of color in court, fighting against unjust and predatory laws. I've seen countless former clients be forced out of San Francisco. This has become a universal truth that our Black and Latinx communities have been displaced. The communities that we have left are under constant attack from our broken systems.

As Supervisor, I would work to reform our broken systems, especially our unjust criminal justice system in order to protect our BIPOC communities from discrimination. I would work to build housing that is affordable so we can better fight displacement. I would do everything in my power as Supervisor to maintain and build racial diversity in our city.

Multiple choice questions:
+ - ?
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Multilingual government and public education
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Undocumented immigrants should have equal access to education and health care
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Non-citizen residents should be able to vote in all local elections
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Full rights for transgender persons
[ ] [ - ] [ ] Boards and commissions now reflect the ethnic diversity of San Francisco
[ ] [ - ] [ ] Boards and commissions now reflect the political diversity of San Francisco
[ + ] [ ] [ ] 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?

Your response:

As a Public Defender, I've found it important to take unwavering positions on state, national and international issues. I believe that it's equally important for the members of the Board of Supervisors to take positions on state, national and international issues. Cities around the world turn to San Francisco as a leader in innovative, progressive policies so it's important for us to also use our platform to speak out on injustices globally.

Multiple choice questions:
+ - ?
[ ] [ - ] [ ] City government cooperating with the PATRIOT Act
[ ] [ - ] [ ] City government cooperating with ICE/Secure Communities
[ ] [ - ] [ ] City government should boycott Israel until it complies with UN resolutions
[ + ] [ ] [ ] 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)?

Your response:

I believe strongly in community processes. As Supervisor, any political decisions I make would be made in collaboration with unions, community organizations and leaders, and District 7 constituents.

Multiple choice questions:
+ - ?
[ ] [ ] [ ? ] Fleet Week and the Blue Angels flyover
[ ] [ - ] [ ] In a severe recession, environmental regulations should be suspended to create jobs
[ ] [ - ] [ ] Business taxes are too high
Although I don't believe that business taxes are too high, I do believe that we're entering into an economic recession and will need to be flexible in working with our local businesses to ensure that we're not losing our unique mom-and-pop shops to COVID.

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?

Your response:

I'm a supporter of the Transit First City Charter provision. As a city, it should always be our goal to get more people out of cars and into public transit, but for us to achieve that will require that we take a hard look at our current MUNI system. Public transit needs to be advanced enough that people opt into taking it because it's a faster, cheaper, environmentally cleaner option to driving.

For decades, the Westside of the city has been left out of public transportation plans and our transportation needs have been ignored by City Hall. A modern city like San Francisco in 2020 should not have a transportation system at its beginning stages.

I think it's important that we take more aggressive steps to enhance our MUNI system. As Supervisor, I will work with MUNI to ensure that funding is allocated to expanding transit lines to our neighborhoods that don't get regular service. And I will also be pushing for the big, broad, structural transportation changes that our city needs, including bringing subways to the Westside.

Multiple choice questions:
+ - ?
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Muni should be funded sufficiently to replace most car use, and be free to the rider
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Downtown Transit Assessment Tax to support Muni
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Citywide Transit Assessment Tax to support Muni
[ ] [ ] [ ? ] More weekend closures of streets in/near my district to cars (e.g., Car-Free JFK in GGP)
[ ] [ ] [ ? ] Make "Slow Streets" permanent after the pandemic
[ + ] [ ] [ ] State law change that lets bicycles treat stop signs as yield signs and red lights as stop signs
[ ] [ - ] [ ] I ride Muni, bicycle and/or walk instead of driving on a regular basis
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Bus Rapid Transit expanded to all major transit corridors in SF
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Car hailing services like Uber and Lyft should be regulated as taxis, or banned
[ ] [ ] [ ? ] Scooter/similar vehicle rentals should be required to store vehicles on private property
[ ] [ - ] [ ] Allow residents to park on the sidewalk without getting a ticket, unless their neighbors complain
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Congestion pricing for parking
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Power more City vehicles using biofuels (e.g., corn-based ethanol)
[ ] [ ] [ ? ] Residents should be allowed to park in the street in front of their own driveway for free
[ ] [ - ] [ ] 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

Your positions (at the time, if you took a position) on selected
current and past Propositions:
+ - ?
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Nov 2020 Split roll tax assessment (Prop 13 reform)

[ + ] [ ] [ ] March 2020 Prop E (Office development)

[ ] [ ] [ ? ] Nov 2019 Prop C (Vaping regulations)
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Nov 2019 Prop D (Uber/Lyft tax)

[ + ] [ ] [ ] June 2018 Prop F (Eviction Defense)
[ ] [ - ] [ ] June 2018 Prop H (Tasers for SFPD)

[ + ] [ ] [ ] Nov 2016 Prop D (Vacancy appointments)
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Nov 2016 Prop F (16-17 y.o. voting, local elections)
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Nov 2016 Prop N (Non-citizen voting, school board)
[ ] [ - ] [ ] Nov 2016 Prop Q (Prohibiting tents on public sidewalks)
[ ] [ ] [ ? ] Nov 2016 Prop R (Neighborhood crime units)
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Nov 2016 Prop 62 (Ending Death Penalty)

[ + ] [ ] [ ] June 2016 Prop B (Rec and Park legislation)

[ + ] [ ] [ ] 2015 Prop F (Short Term Rental Regulation)
[ + ] [ ] [ ] 2015 Prop I (Mission Luxury Housing Moratorium)

[ + ] [ ] [ ] Nov 2014 Prop H (Natural Grass in Parks)
[ + ] [ ] [ ] June 2014 Prop B (Waterfront Height Limits)