Proposition AA

Vehicle Registration Fee – Yes

This $10 fee will fund local road repairs, pedestrian safety improvements and transit reliability improvements throughout the City. It’s good public policy supported by the entire Board of Supervisors.

Proposition A

Earthquake Retrofit Bond – Yes

District 2 contains some of the city’s most seismically vulnerable neighborhoods. It is crucial that we be prepared for a major earthquake in order to prevent the potential loss of life and property. Retrofitting reduces the chance that a soft story building will collapse in an extreme earthquake from 35% to 3%.

Proposition B

City Retirement and Health Plans – No

Our unfunded pension and health care liabilities are serious problems that absolutely must be addressed. However, I believe that Proposition B is a clumsy approach to a very complex problem that will have real ramifications for thousands of employees and their families. Pension reform should be handled carefully, not through the ballot box. I welcome the opportunity to take on this problem if elected Supervisor.

Proposition C

Mayoral Appearances at Board Meetings – No

This is an unnecessary gimmick that will produce no real benefit for the citizens of San Francisco while distracting the Mayor from his or her executive duties. These types of initiatives are precisely the reason people are fed up with City Hall.

Proposition D

Non-Citizen Voting in School Board Elections – Yes

Currently, non-citizens make up 1/3^rd of all San Francisco parents. The overwhelming majority are here legally and contribute substantially to our economy and our communities. I believe we should encourage all of our residents to take an active role in their children’s education whenever possible. Other cities, such as Chicago and New York City, have done this without issue.

Proposition E

Election Day Voter Registration – No

Although I believe that we should consider plans like Election Day registration as a means of increasing turnout and participation in our democracy, the effort must come at a reasonable price. At the present time, the cost is simply too great. It’s still an interesting option to consider down the road when better technology is available and government budgets are more stable.

Proposition F

Health Service Board Elections – Yes

Prop F will save the City approximately $150,000 over a five-year period and make the election process more efficient.

Proposition G

Transit Operator Wages – Yes

Currently, Muni transit operator base salaries are guaranteed by the City Charter to be the second highest in the nation, regardless of performance. This is unacceptable and must end. The pay scale for city employees belongs in a collective bargaining agreement, not the City Charter. In a time of service cuts and historically low rider satisfaction with Muni, we need to restore flexibility to our bargaining process.

Proposition H

Local Elected Officials on Political Party Committees – No

This measure is more about political infighting than good government. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that public officials are active in their party. This is a solution in search of a problem.

Proposition I

Saturday Voting – Yes

Again, anything reasonable we can do to increase voter turnout should be seriously considered. Many people find it difficult to make it to the polls on Tuesday, or they have jobs or familial obligations that make it impossible. Saturday voting would help remedy that problem and this limited pilot project – which will not be taxpayer funded – is a laudable test.

Proposition J

Hotel Tax Clarification and Temporary Increase – No

San Francisco’s hospitality industry is a major component of our city economy. While proponents of Prop J argue that we’re just taxing out-of-towners, the truth is that excessive hotel taxes – San Francisco currently has the second highest in the nation – are a disincentive to large conventions, which bring major revenue to the city. New taxes are not the answer to our budget problems, and we need a healthy tourism and convention industry if we’re to move forward as a city.

Proposition K

Hotel Tax Clarification and Definitions – Yes

Everyone should play by the same rules. Proposition K will close the loophole that is currently costing the city approximately $12 million in revenue.

Proposition L

Sitting or Lying on Sidewalks – Yes

I believe in the “Broken Windows” theory of law enforcement, which holds that persistent quality of life infractions create an environment conducive to more serious crimes. San Francisco’s economy depends largely upon the large influx of visitors and tourists to the city, so aggressive panhandling and chronic vagrancy impact both our economy and our quality of life. A strong sit/lie law is a useful tool for police to crack down on these quality of life crimes and is used in many other cities, such as Los Angeles, Berkeley, Santa Cruz and Seattle.

Proposition M

Community Policing and Foot Patrols – No

The ballot box is not the place to create policing strategy, nor is it the place for political gamesmanship. A vote for Prop M is actually a vote to override your vote for Prop L. This is precisely the type of political behavior that prevents us from executing long-term solutions to our problems. Setting policing strategy is the job of our Chief of Police.

Proposition N

Real Property Transfer Tax – No

Although times are difficult, we are not going to tax our way out of our fiscal mess. We need long-term structural budget reforms to put the city back on a path to fiscal responsibility. Raising the real property transfer tax even though it is among the highest in the state is bad policy when businesses are struggling.

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