November 2022 Endorsements

San Francisco General Election – November 8, 2022

Thank you so much for your participation and involvement in our November 2022 endorsements process! We heard from a ton of incredible candidates during our August meeting and heard about their plans and priorities, and how they plan on fighting for progressive values across the City. After tallying the votes from our membership, here are our November 2022 Endorsements. Scroll down for more info and explanations!!

More details and explanations about our positions:

Local Ballot Measures / 三藩市市縣提案 / Medidas electorales locales:

Measure A – YES ✅

This measure assures that the very small group of SF retired employees who retired before November 1996 — most of whom are in their nineties now — get the Cost of Living Adjustment they’re contractually owed.

贊成。退休公務員應獲得合同規定的生活成本調整。

Sí. los jubilados deben recibir el ajuste al costo de vida que se les debe por contrato.

Measure B – No Position

This measure repeals November 2020’s Measure B which created a Department of Sanitation and divided the corrupt Department of Public Works responsibilities between the new department and the DPW. This new Measure B will also limit qualifications and duties of the oversight committee created by the 2020 Measure B. The major problem seems to be that the new Department has yet to be created.

無立場 。公共工程部門及衛生和街道部門

Sin posición.

Measure C – No Position

This Oversight of the Department of Homelessness is needed, but having an oversight committee which is dominated by mayoral appointments to oversee the Department which is already run by the Mayor’s office is unlikely to address the need.

無立場 。我們需要加強對市府無家可歸部門的監督,但讓市長監督自己的部門不可行。

Sin posición. Si se necesita la supervisión del Departamento de Personas sin Hogar, pero hacer que el alcalde supervise su propio comité no funciona.

Measure D – HELL NO! ❌

This is a developer/real-estate funded proposal which does nothing to address San Francisco’s need for housing for low income and unhoused residents. It is not union/family/low-income friendly. If passed anything built will likely further the SF income divide.

反對! 這將高收入人群的更昂貴的房居重新定義為“可負擔”。

CLARO QUE NO! Desarrollador/financiado por bienes raíces, no apto para sindicatos/familias/personas de bajos ingresos.

Measure E – HELL YES!! ✅

This is a better solution to meet the housing needs. It will further construction of housing for families and for lower income San Franciscans. It will also assure that the jobs created by building such low-income family housing are union jobs.

贊成! 這將導致更多真正可負擔房居。

¡POR SUPUESTO QUE SÍ! Apoya trabajos sindicales y viviendas para familias de bajos ingresos.

Measure F – YES ✅

Not a new tax. Extends the property tax assessment until 2048, which is currently set to expire. The sole purpose of the assessment is the preservation of our public libraries.

贊成。讓我們保護公共圖書館。

Sí. No es un nuevo impuesto: preservará nuestras bibliotecas públicas.

Measure G – HELL YES!! ✅

All students in the SFUSD deserve success. This will help to ensure that San Francisco public funds support public school student achievement and receive needed social/emotional wellness services.

贊成。我們在舊金山聯合學區的學生應該取得成功。

¡POR SUPUESTO QUE SI! Todos los estudiantes del SFUSD merecen tener éxito.

Measure H – HELL YES!! ✅

Other cities have done similar moves of local elections to even-numbered years, which has resulted in far greater voter participation. It may also be a financial savings as the off-year, low turn-out election of the Mayor and other local offices would be consolidated with other high turn-out statewide and national elections.

贊成。我們希望在偶數年舉行城市選舉,以便有更多的選民參與。

¡POR SUPUESTO QUE SI! Elecciones de la ciudad en años pares = más participación de votantes.

Measure I – NO ❌

This ill-advised & Trump donor-funded proposal will permanently reopen JFK Dr & the Great Highway to dangerous pre-pandemic traffic. There is no guarantee that this measure would address accessibility concerns, and instead, it would increase emissions.

反對。金門公園和高速公路肯尼迪大道上的車輛。

No. No queremos abrir permanentemente JFK Dr & Great Highway al tráfico peligroso previo a la pandemia.

Measure J – No Position

This measure incorporates the Board of Supervisors-instated closure of JFK Dr into the City Charter.

無立場。金門公園肯尼迪大道的娛樂用途。

Sin posición.

Measure L – YES ✅

This measure extends existing taxation of certain businesses for transportation purposes (e.g. safe roads, pedestrian crossings) for an additional 30 years, which was originally implemented in 1989 and extended in 2003.

贊成。運輸當局的銷售稅。

Sí. Impuesto sobre Ventas para la Autoridad de Transporte

Measure M – HELL YES!! ✅

This proposes the taxation of units intentionally kept vacant by their owners for more than half the year. Funds from the tax will be used for low-income and elderly housing subsidies, and to acquire, rehabilitate, and then operate buildings as affordable housing. Let’s tax those vacant units and fund much-needed affordable housing!

非常贊成!空置單位應該是稅收。

¡POR SUPUESTO QUE SI! Que se cobre impuestos a las unidades vacantes: ¡deberían estar ocupadas!

Measure N – No Position

This will transfer authority of Golden Gate Park underground parking from the Concourse Authority to the Recreation and Park Department. However, while it is a good idea to remove private control of the parking garage, this proposal fails to assure that Rec & Park control will make the garage either affordable or accessible.

無立場。金門公園地下停車場。

Sin Posición. Poner el Estacionamiento Subterráneo del Parque Golden Gate bajo Rec & Park puede no hacerlo asequible o accesible.

Measure O – HELL YES!! ✅

This is a minuscule parcel tax which would help fund City College. Let’s save City College by approving this equitable parcel tax!

非常贊成!讓我們通過額外的包裹稅來拯救城市學院

¡POR SUPUESTO QUE SI! ¡Salvemos a City College a través de un minúsculo impuesto a la propiedad!

Local Candidates / 三藩市市縣 / Candidatos Locales:

Board of Supervisors / 三藩市市議會 / Junta de Supervisores:

District 2: No Endorsement / 無背書 / Sin apoyo.
District 4: Gordon Mar 馬兆明
District 6: Honey Mahogany 霍尼‧莫豪格尼
District 8: Recommend* Rafael Mandelman 建議* 孟達文
District 10: Shamann Walton 華頌

Board of Education / 教育委員會成員 / Junta Escolar:

Alida Fisher 阿莉達‧斐義莎
Gabriela Lopez 盧佩思
Karen Fleshman 凱倫‧費雪曼

City College of San Francisco (CCSF) / 社區大學董事會成員 / Colegio Comunitario:

Anita Martinez 安妮塔‧馬丁內茲
Vick Chung 鍾曉雲
Susan Solomon 蘇珊‧莎洛文

City College of San Francisco (CCSF) – 2yr term / 社區大學董事會成員(2年) / Colegio Comunitario – 2 años:

Adolfo Velasquez

Assessor-Recorder // Assesor-Registrador:

No Endorsement. / 無背書 / Sin apoyo.

District Attorney / 地方檢察官 / Fiscal del Distrito:

John Hamasaki 濱崎

Public DEFENDER / 公共辯護律師 / Defendor Publico:

Mano Raju 力儲文

BART Board, district 8 / 灣區捷運董事第8選區 / BART, Distrito 8:

Janice Li 李正元

Read the responses to our candidate questionnaires that were used in our deliberations.

* Recommend :  We recommend, but don’t fully endorse. / 建議: 不等於背書 / Recomendamos, pero no apoyamos completamente.

Candidate Questionnaires – November 2022 Election

The San Francisco Berniecrats’ Endorsement Committee has received the following questionnaires from candidates under consideration for endorsement for the November 2022 Election:

BART Director, District 8:

District Attorney

Public Defender

Board of Education (3 seats):

Community College Board (4 seats)

Board of Supervisors, District 2

Board of Supervisors, District 4

Board of Supervisors, District 6

Board of Supervisors, District 8

Board of Supervisors, District 10

November 2018 Endorsements

Two phone meetings, two regular meetings, hours of debate and discussion. We take our endorsements very seriously.

Here’s the full lineup of our November Endorsements!!!

Click here to download the printable version of our Voter Guide

 

Governor:
Suggest Newsom without endorsement.

Lt. Governor:
Suggest Hernandez without endorsement.

Secretary of State:
No endorsement

Controller:
Suggest Betty Yee without endorsement.

Treasurer:
No endorsement.

Attorney General:
Xavier Becerra

Insurance Commissioner:
Riccardo Lara

Board or Equalization D2:
No endorsement

Superintendant of Schools:
Tony Thurmond

US Senate:
Kevin De Leon

Congress D12:
No endorsement

Congress D14:
Jackie Speier

Assembly D17:
Suggest Fernandez without endorsement

Assembly D19:
No endorsement

State prop 1: Support
State prop 2: Support
State prop 3: No
State prop 4: Support
State prop 5: No
State prop 6: No
State prop 7: Support
State prop 8: Support
State prop 9: Held in court, will not be on the ballot
State prop 10: Support!!!
State prop 11: No
State prop 12: Support

BART Board, District 8:
Janice Li

Assessor-Recorder:
Paul Bellar

Public Defender:
Jeff Adachi

Board of Education (3 seats):
Gabriela Lopez
Alison Collins
No third endorsement

Community College Board (3 seats):
Brigitte Davila
John Rizzo
Thea Selby

Board of Supervisors D2:
No Endorsements

Board of Supervisors D4:
1. Gordon Mar
2. Mike Murphy
3. Adam Kim

Board of Supervisors D6
1. Matt Haney
No other endorsements

Board of Supervisors D8
1. Rafael Mandelman
No other endorsements

Board of Supervisors D10:
1. Tony Kelly
2. Asale-Haquekyah Chandler
3. Gloria Berry

Local ballot measures

A: Embarcadero Seawall Earthquake Safety Bond – no position

B: City Privacy Guidelines – Support

C: Additional Business Taxes to Fund Homeless Services – Support

D: Additional Tax on Cannabis Businesses; Expanding the Businesses Subject to Business Taxes – Support

E: Partial Allocation of Hotel Tax for Arts and Cultural Purposes – Support

June 2018 Endorsements

State Candidates

Governor

Delaine Eastin

Delaine Eastin is an experienced, confident, compassionate, and effective candidate who absolutely supports the values of the SF Berniecrats and is a woman. She has a proven a proven history of standing up to Republican governor Pete Wilson and suing his ass, then using the win to dramatically reduce class sizes across the state. She delivers on her promises, and promises to bring SB562 through the finish line. She has been a champion for public school teachers (our members who have been a lifelong public school teachers say that she was a dream come true!) She has vowed to not take any corporate contributions to her campaign. We are extremely proud to make our endorsement for Delaine. Let’s make her the first female governor of California!

 

Lieutenant Governor

Gayle McLaughlin

Gayle McLaughlin is the co-founder of the Richmond Progressive Alliance (RPA), and served as the Mayor of Richmond 2006-2014, and its city council in 2004 and 2014. Gayle is a movement builder. She has led the fight against Chevron and it’s corporate money, and has fought for rent control in Richmond. Through the RPA, a coalition of progressive across party lines – progressive Dems, Greens and independents that vow to not take any corporate money – Gayle has helped get many other progressives get elected into office. She was endorsed by Bernie Sanders himself back in 2014 for her city council race.

 

Secretary of State

Michael Feinstein

Michael Feinstein (NOT related to Dianne Feinstein!) has a proven track record of building public power to oppose military and corporate interests in CA communities. He understands the necessity for open source but insists on paper ballots and is deeply committed to election integrity. He cofounded the CA Green party and as mayor of Santa Monica was one of the top ranking Green Party officials. This is an opportunity to build further alliances between Berniecrats and Greens across the state.

 

Controller

No endorsement

 

State Treasurer

Vivek Viswanathan

Viable candidate who is on the rather more progressive side of the Democratic establishment.

 

Attorney General

Dave Jones

He’s against the death penalty, whereas Baccera refuses to speak against the death penalty.

 

Insurance Commissioner

No endorsement

 

Board of Equalization, District 2

No Endorsement

 

 

Federal Races


U.S. Senate

Kevin de León

Viable candidate who supports single payer healthcare in California and the US. The club was very torn between David Hildebrand and Kevin DeLeon. But Hildebrand doesn’t have a real statewide campaign, thus making DeLeon the only viable candidate to replace Feinstein, who reallyneeds to go.


U.S. Congress

District 12 – Stephen Jaffe, Shahid Buttar(choose one on your ballot)

Stephen Jaffewas a legal volunteer for the Bernie Sanders campaign in Nevada during the Democratic primaries, and has fought against dark money in San Francisco by introducing disclosure requirements to the San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee (DCCC).

Shahid Buttarhas been a long time activist, artist and media spokesperson around the country in the anti-war movement, immigrants rights movement, and the internet free and privacy movement, working with the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

District 14 – Jackie Speier

 

State Assembly, District 17

No Endorsement

Phil Ting has been very disingenuous in our demands for Medicare for All. Despite the SB Berniecrats and healthcare allies meeting with him repeatedly, he has done nothing to advocate for Single Payer Healthcare, but claims he is in support of it and says that none of his constituents discussed the issues with him. He has no viable opponent.

State Assembly, District 19

No Endorsement

David Chiu claims he’s in support of repealing Costa Hawkins (a 1995 Realtor’s Association-backed bill to prevent the strengthening of rent control), but he announced his bill he only notified landlord groups and not tenant groups, and after facing protests, immediately said he would compromise at the end of the press conference. This is a microcosm of the kind of politician David Chiu is.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction

Tony Thurmond

 

San Francisco

Mayor

#1 Jane Kim

#2 Amy Farah Weiss

#3 Mark Leno

 

Jane Kimhas lead the fight for a $15 minimum wage in SF, for Free City College for all SF residents, has negotiated the highest rates of affordable housing in the country, and is currently working on Universal Early Childhood Education for children under 5 years old. She was endorsed by Bernie Sanders himself in 2016 for her State Senate bid.

Amy Farah Weissis the founder of the St Francis Homelessness Challenge, with a focus on improving the conditions of encampent residents and creating safe, organized space for them to live.

Mark Lenohas been a pretty decent progressive voice in the State Senate, raising the minimum wage and strengthening renter protections. His endorsements in the past, however, have sometimes been disappointing.

 

Board of Supervisors

District 8: Rafael Mandelman

He has been a long time progressive ally while on the City College Board of Trustees.

Superior Court Judges

Seat 4: Phoenix Streets
Seat 7: Maria Evangelista
Seat 9: Kwixuan Maloof
Seat 11: Niki Solis

Our criminal justice system is broken. These African American & Latinx Public Defenders are running to challenge the status quo and provide a balance on the bench.

 

 

Local Measures

 

Prop APublic Utilities Revenue Bonds: Yes. Extends hydroelectric power into SF without PG&E infrastructure.

Prop BProhibiting Appointed Commissioners from Running for Office: Yes. It would diminish opportunities for pay-to-play politics and soliciting donations for favors.

Prop CAdditional Tax on Commercial Rents Mostly to Fund Child Care and Education: YES!Provides universal affordable Early Childhood Education to kids 0-5 and increases salaries of childcare workers through a gross receipts tax on large businesses. Authored by Norman Yee and Jane Kim.

Prop DAdditional Tax on Commercial Rents Mostly to Fund Housing and Homelessness Services: No. Also a gross receipts tax measure, generating less revenue. Much of the housing would go to people earning over $100k-$150k/year, and not really enough funding to make a dent in the lack of affordable housing. Most importantly, the measure has a poison pill to kill Prop C if it passes with more votes. Prop C was announced in September 2017, Prop D in February 2018, after the Mayor’s race was in full swing. If Ahsha Safai cared about both children and housing, he could have worked with Jane Kim to combine these measures (which is very common), but he didn’t. This was probably a politically motivated measure to sway the Mayor’s race and put Jane Kim in a difficult position.

Prop EProhibiting Tobacco Retailers from Selling Flavored Tobacco Products: Yes. The Tobacco industry is pouring money into the NO campaign.

Prop FCity-Funded Legal Representation for Residential Tenants in Eviction Lawsuits: YES!This measure provides a right to counsel to any tenant served with an eviction notice!

Prop GParcel Tax for San Francisco Unified School District: Yes. Teachers need funding. Flat parcel tax on all private land, shops, or homes, with exemption for anyone over 65yo, but no exemptions for low income.

Prop HPolicy for the Use of Tasers by San Francisco Police Officers: No. Takes regulatory power from an appointed government body and gives it to a private corporate entity. Tasers can are deadly weapons, and the measure gives the Use of Force guidelines to the Police Officers Association, which says that verbally resisting arrest can be cause for using tasers. It’s no a deescalation tool, but an “attitude check” weapon that’s used on black and brown bodies.

Prop IRelocation of Professional Sports Teams: Yes. Even though the measure won’t do anything substantial right now. The Warrior’s stadium is a done deal.

 

Regional Measures

 

Regional Measure 3Bay Area Traffic Relief Plan: No. It’s a regressive way to fund public transit, and 40% of funds go to highway widening, so much of the money really isn’t public transit at all. The folks driving into SF are also predominantly lower income and more communities of color, and would exempt the Golden Gate bridge, which is where all the rich people from Marin come through.

 

State Measures

Prop 68California drought, water, parks, climate, coastal protection, and outdoor access for all act of 2018: Yes

Prop 69Motor vehicle fees and taxes: restriction on expenditures: appropriations limit: Yes. It’s a legislative work-around that allows us to spend gas tax money on public transit and roads even in years of recession, despite the Gann Limit (a ratio of people:dollars that automatically cuts spending in recession years).

Prop 70Greenhouse gas reduction reserve fund: No. It would require a higher 2/3rds threshold every time money from the cap-and-trade fund would be used. It’s very difficult to get to 2/3rds, so this would weaken our ability to use the money for progressive measures, forcing compromise with Republicans.

Prop 71Ballot measures: effective date: Yes.Makes it so ballot measures go into effect 5 days after certification of Secretary of State, instead of whenever specified by the measure.

Prop 72Property tax: new construction exclusion: rain water capture system: Yes.

 

SF Berniecrats Endorse Jane Kim #1, Weiss #2, Leno #3 for Mayor

SF Berniecrats are proud to endorse Jane Kim #1 for SF Mayor.

Jane Kim has lead the fight for a $15 minimum wage in SF, for Free City College for all SF residents, has negotiated the highest rates of affordable housing in the country, and is currently working on Universal Early Childhood Education for children 0-4 years old. She has now also been endorsed by the national Our Revolution.

Jane Kim is fighting against lots of big money interests, so please donateand volunteer! If you’d like a chance to see her speak, check out upcoming events.

 

SF Berniecrats Endorse Michael Feinstein for Secretary of State

Michael Feinstein (NOT related to Dianne Feinstein!) has a proven track record of building public power to oppose military and corporate interests in CA communities. He understands the necessity for open source but insists on paper ballots and is deeply committed to election integrity. He cofounded the CA Green party and as mayor of Santa Monica was one of the top ranking Green Party officials. This is an opportunity to build further alliances between Berniecrats and Greens across the state.

SF Berniecrats Endorse Delaine Eastin for Governor!

Delaine Eastin is an experienced, confident, compassionate, and effective candidate who absolutely supports the values of the SF Berniecrats and happens to be a woman. She has a proven a proven history of standing up to Republican governor Pete Wilson and suing his ass, then using the win to dramatically reduce class sizes across the state. She delivers on her promises, and promises to bring SB562 through the finish line. We are extremely proud to make our endorsement for Delaine. Let’s make her the first female governor of California!

 

SF Berniecrats Endorse Tony Kelly for Supervisor

The SF Berniecrats voted unanimously to endorse Tony Kelly for SF District 10 Supervisor! Tony has been a neighborhood activist and organizer for 15 years, fighting for schools, parks, affordable housing, the homeless and environmental cleanup. He is the only major candidate who is not accepting corporate developer money, and is a member of the SF Berniecrats and Democratic Socialists of America.

As president of the Potrero Boosters, Tony lead efforts to save schools like Daniel Webster Elementary in 2006 and prevented public spaces like Starr King Open Space from become privatized in 2009. He co-created the city’s first Green Benefit District began operating in 2015. He’s been leading a coalition in the environmental cleanup of Bayview Hunter’s Point. For 10 years he has been working on efforts to create a public municipal bank in SF to fund affordable housing and resources for those left out of for-profit financial institutions. He has been pushing for more affordable housing out of developers, and has been working with the Coalition on Homlessness to ending family homelessness and increase funding for the arts through a hotel tax. He is also working with homeless advocates to create solutions for those on the street.

The SF Berniecrats are excited to support Tony Kelly, and look forward to volunteering for his campaign.

Jovanka Beckles for CA Assembly District 15

SF Berniecrats proudly endorse Jovanka Beckles for CA Assembly District 15!

As a member of the Richmond Progressive Alliance elected to the Richmond City Council, Jovanka helped pass rent control in Richmond, raised the minimum wage, ‘banned the box’ so the formerly incarcerated have a second chance, helped create IDs for undocumented immigrants, and fought against Chevron’s big money, pollution, and control over city hall. Jovanka was an educator, councilor and continues to work as a mental health specialist.

The SF Berniecrats are very excited to support Jovanka – someone who will fight for the voiceless against big money interests in Sacramento. Jovanka is running a corporate-money-free campaign, so it’s vital that we the grassroots support her candidacy by donating and volunteeringfor her!

Stephen Jaffe for Congress

The San Francisco Berniecrats are very proud to announce our early endorsement for Stephen Jaffe for Congressional District 12 in San Francisco!

Stephen Jaffe was a legal volunteer for the Bernie Sanders campaign in Nevada during the Democratic primaries, and has proven his progressive credentials through action. As president of the South Beach D6 Democratic Club, he fought against dark money in San Francisco by introducing changes to the San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee (DCCC) bylaws, requiring Democratic Clubs to disclose their funding sources to the DCCC. This came on the heels of an intense election in which the SF ‘RFK Democratic Club’ laundered close to $1 million from Ron Conway, Airbnb and other investors to fund PACs for corporate Democrats in San Francisco. Stephen Jaffe is also an attorney who has fought for the disenfranchised. An example is that he represented six African American police officers against the City of Richmond for race-based discrimination.

Stephen is a staunch supporter of single payer healthcare for all (which Nancy Pelosi is against), getting the U.S. out of unnecessary wars, holding police accountable for their killings of unarmed people of color, ending the school to prison pipeline, fighting for affordable housing and against gentrification, defending women’s rights, and fighting against climate change with clean energy. We look forward to supporting Stephen’s campaign and finally giving speaker Pelosi “a run for her money”!