Instructions:
1. There are 10 sections to this questionnaire. Each section corresponds to the 10 Key Values of the Green Party.
2. Each section contains one or more written questions and ends with several multiple-choice questions. Please don't skip the written questions.
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: Dean Preston
Phone Number: (415) 685-3596
Web site: dean2024.com
E-mail: info@dean2024.com
Name of Campaign Manager: De'Marea Brandy
Are you receiving public financing: Yes
Signed voluntary spending limit: Yes
2nd, 3rd endorsements in District:
Major Endorsements:
San Francisco Labor Council, California Nurses Association, United
Educators of San Francisco, Community Tenants Association, Tenderloin
Chinese Rights Association
CA Working Families Party, Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club, San Francisco
Tenants Union, Affordable Housing Alliance, Community Tenants Association,
SF Rising, Evolve California, AFT Local 2121, National Union of Healthcare
Workers , The Committee of Interns and Residents SEIU, SEIU 1021, SEIU
2015, SEIU Local 87, IFPTE Local 21, UNITE HERE Local 2, Teamsters Joint
Council 7, Teamsters Local 350, Teamsters Local 665, OPEIU Local 29,
International Union of Elevator Constructors Local 8, Democratic Socialists
of America (San Francisco), Democratic Socialists of America (National),
Small Business Forward
Incumbent Supervisor whose votes are most similar to the way you would vote:
Me.
Incumbent who votes least similarly to the way you would vote:
Catherine Stefani
If the election were held today, who would you support as Board President:
Aaron Peskin - He deserves to finish his two year term as BOS President.
Who would be your second and third choices:
Who did you endorse for Mayor in 2019 (all 3 choices, if applicable):
Mark Leno & Jane Kim
1) Grassroots Democracy:
A) What are your thoughts on Instant Runoff Voting, and District
Elections? How have they worked to date? What would you change in the
future? What about Proportional Representation?
I support both Instant Runoff Voting and District Elections. Generally,
instant runoff works, though there is a great need for education on it. I
would like to see additional efforts, like making Election Day a holiday
and getting lobbyist and special interest money out of elections.
+ - ?
[x] [ ] [ ] Sub-government such as Neighborhood Assemblies,
Networks or District Councils
[x] [ ] [ ] Voters' right to recall elected officials
[x] [ ] [ ] Residency requirements for elected officials should
be strictly enforced
B) What strategies would you employ to reduce corruption in the San
Francisco government?
Create a public advocate or inspector general as soon as possible. Also, as
chair of the Government Audit and Oversight Committee, I led the charge to
expand the Budget and Legislative Analyst office to add an anti-corruption
unit, and I've commissioned audits that have led to policy reforms and
saved the city millions. I also authored legislation to ban the Mayor's
corrupt practice on controlling commissioners by requiring them to provide
undated resignation letters prior to taking their commission seats. But
the most important thing we can do this year to reduce corruption in SF is
to elect a new mayor.
+ - ?
[ ] [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 is supported or promoted by a Super PAC
[ ] [x] [ ] My campaign has attended events sponsored by
"Neighbors for a Better SF", "TogetherSF", "GrowSF" and/or "YIMBY"
[x] [ ] [ ] Remote public comment at board and committee
meetings
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 pressing environmental issue facing the nation,
city, and District 5. We need a Green New Deal for San Francisco that
centers public transportation, freedom from fossil fuels, municipalizing
PG&E, and launching a robust Green Jobs program. We must lead the nation on
these issues.
I have been a consistent, strong vote for the environment on the board of
supervisors and environmental work is a high priority for my office. In
particular, we've led on public transit, slow streets, establishing a green
bank, and many other environmental issues.
I'm especially proud of the transportation work my office has done which
includes: Leading Transit First efforts at the board, including restoration
of suspended lines and service during the pandemic, stopping fare hikes,
making Free Muni for Youth permanent; Leading the way on eliminating
parking at over 1000 bus stops so Muni riders have uninhibited access to
transit; establishing Fell Street parking-protected bike lane along the
Panhandle; approving pilot to transition app-based delivery drivers to
E-bike delivery; Pushing MTA to create a citywide network of car-free and
slow streets; Leading on the establishment of Slow Streets in D5, including
Lyon, Golden Gate & Page; Championing shared spaces, including closure to
cars of Hayes Street in Hayes Valley and the Golden Gate Greenway in the
Tenderloin; and unequivocally advocating for Car-Free JFK and the Great
Walkway.
+ - ?
[x] [ ] [ ] Phasing out all diesel and biodiesel transit
(e.g., Muni, tour, shuttles)
[X] [ ] [ ] Public Power with 100% local/regional clean energy
mandate and elected utility board
[x] [ ] [ ] Install local/regional clean energy, efficiency,
and battery storage and microgrids to supply 100% of our electricity by 2035
[x] [ ] [ ] Reducing or eliminating parking minimums in new
housing and commercial developments
[x] [ ] [ ] In the Bayview and on Treasure Island, halt all US
Navy land transfers to the city or developers, and halt all development,
until all sites are retested and cleaned to Residential Standards
[ ] [ ] [x] Non-native Tree Removals
[ ] [x] [ ] Use of herbicides in public parks
[ ] [x] [ ] Artificial turf on City-owned athletic fields
[x] [ ] [ ] Managed retreat, Coastal Zone protection, and
restoring wetlands in response to Global Warming
3) Social Justice
A) What is your assessment of homelessness in San Francisco, and what
solutions do you propose?
Eviction prevention and affordable housing are the most immediate solutions
to homelessness, accompanied by supportive services where needed. Stable
housing must also be paired with free higher education, healthcare, mental
health, job training, living wages, and a strong social safety net and more
equitable society. Ultimately homelessness is a failure of our system to
take care of our people. That is why I wrote Prop. F to guarantee a right
to counsel for tenants facing eviction, and Prop I â€" the transfer tax on
property sales over $10 million to fund the creation of affordable, social
housing. I also believe we need to fully fund and implement Prop C and
expand shelters, supportive housing, and all forms of affordable housing
throughout the city, including in District 5. We cannot continue to
criminalize and further victimize those who are homeless.
In my first term in office, we've moved dozens of women and families in D5
into a hotel when the Administration would not, championed the acquisition
of the 114-unit Gotham Hotel for supportive housing, launched the city's
most successful Safe Sleeping Site in the Haight in collaboration with the
Homeless Youth Alliance, and stopped thousands of evictions â€" a leading
cause of homelessness. We will continue and expand on these efforts in a
second term.
+ - ?
[x] [ ] [ ] Project Homeless Connect
[ ] [X] [ ] Care Not Cash
[X] [ ] [ ] Healthy SF
[X] [ ] [ ] Housing As A Right
[X] [ ] [ ] Housing First for Homeless, Addiction, Mental Health
[ ] [X] [ ] Law against sitting or camping 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?
I worked as a tenants rights attorney for over 20 years to keep vulnerable
low-income residents in their homes.
I first ran for office to pursue a vision for housing, economic and racial
justice driven by working class residents and activists instead of
corporate interests. To stop further displacement of low-income residents
and people of color, I believe that we must invest in housing that is truly
affordable, and reject false solutions offered by the same profit-seeking
real estate lobby that created this crisis in the first place. In 2020, I
passed Prop K, a measure to authorize 10,000 units of low-income social
housing in San Francisco. We led the fight to establish the largest ever
dedicated fund for community land trusts. We championed an unprecedented
$112 million affordable housing deal that funded site acquisitions, public
housing repairs, SRO repairs, and educator housing. If re-elected, I will
dedicate my efforts to rapidly expand affordable and social housing, paid
for by taxing the wealthiest in this city. We need to make sure that we
prioritize our affordable housing goals and do everything possible to
ensure that real estate industry profits are not achieved by displacing
currently housed residents.
In addition, to address economic disparities in San Francisco, I've backed
efforts to create the first municipal bank in the nation to serve the
interests of underbanked and underserved communities. I look forward to
continuing working with the San Francisco Public Bank Working Group to
create the San Francisco Public Bank.
+ - ?
[ ] [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, Housing Co-ops
[ ] [X] [ ] Rent Control is too strong
[ ] [X] [ ] Waive Environmental Review to build Moderate and
Low Income Housing
[X] [ ] [ ] Social Housing (similar to
https://www.sfcommunityhousingact.com/)
[X] [ ] [ ] Ban on Airbnb and other short term rentals
[X] [ ] [ ] Vacancy tax on residential property and
"pied-a-terre" homes
[X] [ ] [ ] Flipping taxes on housing speculation
[ ] [ ] [X] 10-year waiting period before corporate and
nonresident owners can sell purchased housing properties
[ ] [X] [ ] Condo conversion is currently too difficult
4) Nonviolence: What are your solutions for SFPD accountability while
making the streets safer?
My office has pushed SFPD to address racial disparities that persist
despite reforms, and we have voted against massive polic budget increases.
We also led the fight to stop SFPD from getting killer robots. We stood up
to wasteful police spending and led efforts to invest in community safety
alternatives like community ambassadors and street teams. We need to invest
in crime prevention, address poverty, house people, and pursue evidence
based public safety strategies. Too often, SF City leaders pursue headlines
to the detriment of real community safety.
One final point: It's essential to have a strong independent police
commission. I wrote the legislation to ban the Mayor's practice of
requiring commissioners to submit undated resignation letters in order to
serve. I opposed Prop. E and I believe in strong police oversight.
+ - ?
[ ] [ ] [X] Prioritize SFPD enforcement of moving violations
[x] [ ] [ ] Support expansion of foot patrols
[X] [ ] [ ] Demand stricter accountability in future MOUs with
the SFPD
[ ] [ ] [x] 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 violent
attacks on, and fatal shooting deaths of, SF residents and visitors
[X] [ ] [ ] End cash bail for nonviolent crimes
[X] [ ] [ ] Cut police funding and increase social program
spending, and establish community control of neighborhood policing
5) Decentralization:
A) What are your thoughts on the Kaufman Charter of 1996? Does it need
revisiting? Would you support replacing the Strong Mayor system with
commissions where the majority of members are appointed by the Board of
Supervisors, or directly elected?
I support split appointments for all major commissions. Our current system
is too heavily weighted toward mayoral power.
+ - ?
[x] [ ] [ ] Elected Rent Board
[x] [ ] [ ] Elected Public Utility Board
[ ] [ ] [X] Bring the Housing Authority under the Board of
Supervisors
[ ] [ ] [X] Will you create formal district councils to advise
you?
B) The city currently uses nonprofits to provide social services. Do you
think this is an appropriate model? Why or why not?
Generally, I think the government should provide services. Where the
government cannot, or where a nonprofit has greater cultural competence, it
may be appropriate to utilize community based nonprofits to provide the
services. However, I believe in pay equity, and to the greatest extent
possible, we should encourage nonprofit workers to be paid a comparable
wage. It's problematic when city services get outsourced to save money by
underpaying workers, a situation which undermines both public sector
workers and nonprofit workers.
[X] [ ] [ ] Expand Participatory Budgeting to at least 5% of
the District Budget
[ 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 for
SF elections
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?
We need strong progressive taxes, like our Prop. I that taxed sellers of
$10m+ properties, and a public bank to invest locally in affordable
housing, small businesses, and green infrastructure. We also need to fight
at the state level to change Prop. 13 which has been an absolute disaster
for our state.
+ - ?
[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
[x] [ ] [ ] Local hiring requirements should be enforced and
expanded to include private projects
[x] [ ] [ ] Strong preference for union jobs
[ ] [ ] [x] Conversion of some golf courses into soccer fields
[ ] [ ] [x] Conversion of some golf courses into wild open
space
[x] [ ] [ ] Prop 13 limits on tax increases should apply only
to residential properties
[x ] [ ] [ ] Commercial Rent Control
[ ] [ ] [ ] Transition all residential and small business
rental
properties into not-for-profit trusts and co-ops
[x] [ ] [ ] Vacancy and flipping taxes on local small business
property
[x] [ ] [ ] Transaction/Flipping taxes on all asset
speculation to increase city budget
[ x ] [ ] [ ] San Francisco Public Bank by 2027
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?
Yes, women are underrepresented in city government in leadership positions.
We do better as a city when it comes to representation on commissions and
working groups, but overall there's still an issue of underrepresentation.
The Department on the Status of Women does a regular report on
representation across City government.
+ - ?
[X] [ ] [ ] The City should help SFUSD provide child care for
children of working parents
[X] [ ] [ ] The DPH should provide reproductive health
services to both residents and visitors
[ ] [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?
Our diversity is our greatest strength as a city. With escalating housing
costs, many low-income and working class people are forced out of the City.
To be truly inclusive and diverse, we need a government that prioritizes
the needs of the most vulnerable, combats racism, and takes on income
inequality. This is what I've spend my career doing.
+ - ?
[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 and non-gender-binary
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
[ ] [X] [ ] End Drag Queen Story Hour and K-12 School Education
on Gender Spectrum Differences
9) Global and Personal Responsibility:
A) What are your thoughts on the Board of Supervisors taking positions on
state, national and international issues?
I think it's fine for the Board of Supervisors to take positions on state,
national, and international issues, something we don't do often, but it's
especially important when those issues impact our residents and our city.
+ - ?
[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 and international law
[x] [ ] [ ] SF supervisors should take a position on offshore
oil drilling outside CA
[x] [ ] [ ] SF should refuse to purchase PG&E's nuclear power
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 make my decisions based on what I feel is right and based on the input of
my constituents. I also try to be in sync with grassroots organizations â€"
like tenant associations, labor unions, environmental activists, to the
greatest extent possible.
+ - ?
[ ] [X] [ ] Fleet Week and the Blue Angels flyover
[ ] [X] [ ] JROTC in the public schools
[ ] [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?
I've been an everyday muni rider for 30 years. I'm the only supervisor who
is an everyday muni rider. I've led Transit First efforts at the board,
including successfully championing the restoration of suspended lines and
service during the pandemic, stopping fare hikes, making Free Muni for
Youth permanent, and writing the resolution that led to MTA's commitment to
eliminate parking at over 1000 bus stops so Muni riders have uninhibited
access to transit. I'm proud to be endorsed by TWU 250A, and look forward
to continuing to partner with SF Transit Riders, TWU 250A, neighborhood
groups, and riders from across the City to improve transit in San Francisco.
+ - ?
[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
[x] [ ] [ ] Citywide Transit Assessment Tax to support Muni
[X] [ ] [ ] More weekend closures of streets in/near my
district to cars (e.g., Car-Free GGP)
[x] [ ] [ ] 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
[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
[ ] [ ] [] 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
[ ] [ ] [x] Support expanding parking meter hours to include
later evening hours and weekends
[x] [ ] [ ] Remove parking spots and car lanes to create
dedicated bike and bus lanes or wider sidewalks
Your positions (at the time) on selected current and past Propositions
(skip any for which you didn't live or vote in SF, or didn't take
a position at the time):
+ - ?
[ ] [X] [ ] March 2024 Prop E (More Police Chases)
[ ] [X] [ ] March 2024 Prop F (Drug Test Poor People)
[x] [ ] [ ] June 2022 Prop C (Recall Reform)
[ ] [X] [ ] June 2022 Prop H (Boudin Recall)
[x] [ ] [ ] Nov 2020 Prop G (16-17 y.o. voting, local
elections)
[X] [ ] [ ] Nov 2020 Prop I (Real Estate Transfer Tax)
[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 N (Non-citizen voting, school board)
[ ] [x] [ ] Nov 2016 Prop Q (Prohibiting tents on public
sidewalks)
[x] [ ] [ ] Nov 2016 Prop 62 (Ending Death Penalty)
Due Date: Friday, June 21, 11:59 pm
Please submit by email to cc@sfgreens.org. For more information, call Barry Hermanson at 415-255-9494. Please return your answers in plain text (not HTML, PDF, or Word format), so that we can post all candidates' answers in the same format.
The SF Green Party will invite selected candidates who return completed questionnaires on time to speak and answer questions at our candidate forum and endorsement meeting. To be given time on our agenda, each candidate needs at least three active Green Party members
to request their invitation. This will be a hybrid meeting, so invited candidates may also speak with us via Zoom.
Our endorsement meeting is scheduled for Wed, June 26 from 6:30-9:30 pm at our office, 2973 16th St, #300, SF - note that this is across the street from our old office in the Redstone Building. The first two hours will be for interviews of selected candidates, and the last hour will be for decision making.
Completed questionnaires will be posted on our website, https://sfgreenparty.org.