Tuesday, September 14, 2010

DISTRICT 2 DEBATE & SEPTEMBER ENDORSEMENTS MEETING, 9/30/10


District 2 Debate at Golden Gate Yacht Club at 6:30pm on September 30th
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What else can we say?
The headline says it all!
Our long-delayed District 2 debate WILL happen!
Courts have affirmed that incumbent Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier may not stand for re-election, so there will definitely be a new supervisor for Sea Cliff and Pacific Heights starting in January 2011.
Please join us at 6:30pm at the Golden Gate Yacht Club to get a first hand look at the candidates.

Roundtable DiscussionEndorsement Vote at 8pm September 30th
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Right after the D2 debate, paid members will vote our club's endorsements for the Fall election.
Members who have been current within the last two years can renew at the time of vote, so bring your checkbook!
The Issues & Endorsement Committee met with candidates and initiative proponents and opponents for several hours on August 22.
The committee's recommendations are as follows:
County Supervisors
District 2 - (To be voted on 9/30/10 after the debate)
District 4 - Carmen Chiu - 12
District 6 - Debra Walker- 8 / Theresa Sparks -4
District 8 - Rebecca Prozan-8/ Scott Wiener-4
District 10- Lynette Sweet-7/ Steve Moss-3/ Chris Jackson-1


Community College Board
Anita Grier & Lawrence Wong
-received the committee's recommendation by unanimous consent

Board of Education
Margaret Brodkin, Emily Murase, & Natasha Hoehn
-received the committee's recommendation
Local Measures
Our club bylaws stipulate a 60% supermajority for a yes or no recommendation. Between 12 and 13 members were present for various votes taken throughout the day. Measures and candidates were not seen in sequential order.

AA - Vehicle Registration Fee: SUPPORT (11-2)
To increase the vehicle license fee by $10 for each motor vehicle registered in the city and county to fund transportation-related projects and programs that mitigate motor vehicle congestion and pollution in the county.

A - Earthquake Safety Retrofit Deferred Loans and Grants: SUPPORT (12-1)
$46 Million General Obligation Bond to provide deferred loans and/or grants to pay the costs of seismic retrofits to multi-story wood structures that are at significant risk of substantial damage and collapse during an earthquake.

B - City Retirement and Health Plans: SUPPORT (8-Yes 4-No 1-Abstained)
This measure's proponent is Public Defender Jeff Adachi. It would increase the amount city employees contribute to the pension plan. Supervisor David Chiu is the official opponent.

C - Mayoral Appearance at Board Meetings: OPPOSE (11-2)
This is the infamous "question-time" proposal that has been floated before to require the mayor to appear monthly before the board of supervisors for questioning akin to how the British prime minister appears before Parliament. Supervisor Chris Daly is the official proponent of this CHARTER AMENDMENT. Opponents say this measure would weaken the separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches.

D - Non-citizen Voting in School Board Elections: OPPOSE (11-2)
Would allow San Francisco residents 18 and older who are the parents, legal guardians or caregivers of children in the San Francisco Unified School District to vote in the elections for the Board of Education, regardless of whether such residents are United States citizens. Supervisor David Chiu is the official proponent of this CHARTER AMENDMENT, which, like measure C, was previously proposed at the Board of Supervisors but not enacted.

E - Election Day Voter Registration: NO RECOMMENDATION (7-6)
Would establish Election Day voter registration solely for municipal elections. The California Elections Code stipulates a deadline of 15 days before an election. In the 2008 election, the 5 states that allow Election Day registration had the highest turnout.

F - Health Service Board Elections: SUPPORT (10-3)
Amends the terms of two sitting directors on this board, on a one time basis, shortening one from 5 to 3 years and the other from 5 to 2 years, so that board terms will expire in pairs in the future. Proponents portray this as a good-government measure, but opponents say it unfairly penalizes the two sitting members with foreshortened terms for an insignificant improvement in governance by this obscure board.

G - Transit Operator Wages: SUPPORT (13-0)
Deletes the current provision in the CITY CHARTER that grants MUNI operators the second highest wages for transit operators and returns to collective bargaining like all other city employee unions.

H - Elected Officials on Party Committees: SUPPORT (9-Yes 3-No 1-Abstained)
Mayor Gavin Newsom is the official proponent arguing that it would "promote good government" to forbid elected officials from serving simultaneously on a political party central committee. This measure is a reaction to the recent trend (since 2008) of elected supervisors also running for seats on the DCCC. In this year's election some candidate ads have said they were paid for by both their supervisor and DCCC committees. In the June election, some democratic clubs (including ours) discussed whether they should or should not endorse such "dual candidates."

I - Saturday Voting: SUPPORT (8-5)
This initiative would create a pilot program in connection with the November 8, 2011 General Municipal Election whereby the Department of Elections would be required to open satellite locations for early voting at each of the approximately 400 polling places throughout the county, on the Saturday before the election.

J - Hotel Tax Clarification / Temp. Increase: OPPOSE (2-Yes 9-No 2-Abstained)
This measure would increase the hotel tax by 2 percentage points and eliminate the loophole by which major online travel agencies evade paying the hotel tax on their "commissions." Mayor Gavin Newsom and the downtown business community are opposed to this measure because they feel the increase will potentially drive tourists away. The mayor has proposed measure K (below) which contains a "poison pill" that kills measure J if K also passes.

K - Hotel Tax Clarification and Definitions: SUPPORT (12-Yes 0-No 1-Abstained)
This is the mayor's measure opposing measure J. It clarifies the "third-party tax" issue without raising the existing hotel tax of 14%. Both measures restate protections for SRO occupants, so they will remain exempt from the hotel tax.

L- Sitting or Lying on Sidewalks: SUPPORT (10-3)
This is the infamous "sit-lie" measure, officially proposed by the Mayor, but in reality the brainchild of residents and merchants in the Haight District. Proponents say it would give the police a needed tool to move miscreants along, while opponents decry it as "criminalization" of the poor.

M - Community Policing and Foot Patrols: OPPOSE (11-2)
Supervisor Mirkarimi is the official proponent of this measure which would formally require the police commission to establish a "Community Policing Policy" and, by the way, includes a poison pill that kills measure L. "Take that, 'Sit Lie!' "

N - Real Property Transfer Tax: SUPPORT (11-2)
Increases the transfer tax on properties valued between $5 Million and $10 Million to $10 for each $500 of value from $7.50, and adds a new bracket of $12.50 per $500 for properties above $10 Million. Does not affect the current rates for properties valued at less than $5 Million. This measure enjoys broad support: its proponents include supervisors Avalos, Campos, Chiu, Daly, Dufty, Mar, Maxwell and Mirkarimi. Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier is opposed.
California State Propositions*
19 - Legalizes Marijuana Under California but Not Federal Law: SUPPORT (10-3)
20 - Redistricting Congressional Districts: OPPOSE (1-Yes 11- No 1-Abstained)
21 - Vehicle Fee to Fund Parks & Wildlife: OPPOSE (2-Yes 10- No 1-Abstained)
22 - Prohibit State Taking Local Funds: NO REC (6-Yes 5- No 2-Abstained)
23 - Suspending Air Pollution Control Law (AB 32): OPPOSE (13-0)
24 - Repeals Business Tax Cut Statute: NO REC (7-Yes 2- No 4-Abstained)
25 - Elim 2/3 Rule for Budget/ Not for Tax: SUPPORT (12-Yes 0- No 1-Abstained)
26 - Requiring Certain Business Fees Be Approved by 2/3 Votes: OPPOSE (13-0)
27 - Eliminates Commission on Redistricting: OPPOSE (3-Yes 8- No 2-Abstained)
* Titles edited due to space constraints.
Please refer to the California Secretary of State Voter Guide for exact details.
Please also remember to vote for the primary-winning Democrats in Statewide and Legislative races, even uncontested Local races.