Oct 5, 2016 — Local races heat up – it’s OurCity vs Real-estate/Company-town; SF ballot props; Jane Kim’s new kickass ad
What is ReCoTown? This blog recently wrote about “Moderates” and several readers pointed out they are anything but moderate. They are real estate, tech and corporate interests whose first priority is making money off of San Francisco real estate, and making sure the city will continue to house their high-paid workers while pushing out regular folks who have lived here for decades if not their whole lives. The word ReCoTown (Real-estate/Company-town folks) comes from Real-estate and “Company Town,” the title of a new documentary about a divided San Francisco in the 2015 election.
Since last week things have heated up in SF elections for Supervisors, State Senate, and ballot measures. Check out the numerous election news items.
Supervisor races
Keep the OurCity majority on the Board of Supervisors
The BoS progressive (OurCity) majority depends a lot on the “Three Moms” winning their races — Sandra Fewer in District 1, Hillary Ronen in District 9, and Kim Alvarenga in District 11. Lately, all three have been getting hit hard by ReCoTown who have put tremendous financial resources into supporting their chosen candidates and opposing the “Three Moms.” For example, Kim Alvarenga recently learned that Real-Estate interests had pooled $400K to promote her opponent, Ahsha Safai, also supported by Mayor Lee.
Read this Op-ed by the three moms.
Kim Alvarenga for District 11 Supervisor. supported by her neighbors, not by the Mayor or real-estate interests.
The best way to combat the huge ReCoTown financial advantage is “feet on the ground,” talking to voters. An hour of your time canvassing or phoning is probably worth a few thousand slick ReCoTown mailing pieces, and working with the well-organized OurCity campaigns is a blast. Volunteer for one or more of the “Three Moms” campaigns this weekend:
Kim Alvarenga (D11 – Excelsior) Early GOTV – Get-Out-the-Vote Sat/Sun, 08/09 October 2016 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm 4458 Mission St. @ Excelsior Ave. Come for a few hours or all day. Visibility, Doorknock, or Phonebank.
Sandra Fewer (D1 – Richmond Dist), Doorknock & Phonebank, 4239 Geary Blvd @6th Ave., Sat 10am, Sun 3pm.
Hillary Ronen (D9 – Mission, Bernal, Portola), Doorknock & Phonebank, 3417 Mission St @30th St., Sat 10am, Sun 4pm.
See the Calendar for other volunteer times and locations.
The OurCity slate of Supervisor candidates for the Nov 8 election:
* Sandra Fewer D1 Website Donate
I Aaron Peskin D3 Website Donate
Dean Preston D5 Website Donate
I Norman Yee D7 Website Donate
* Hillary Ronen D9 Website Donate
* Kim Alvarenga D11 Website Donate
* Progressive candidates running to fill termed-out Supervisor seats.
I – incumbent
State Senate – Jane Kim
This has been a contentious race since it began late last year, and even though her ReCoTown-backed opponent Scott Wiener had three times the financial resources, Jane Kim won in the June 7 Primary. The latest estimates indicate this is still a close race:
Kim-Wiener dead heat – Paywall – State Senate race locked in furious dead heat between Kim, Wiener
Jane Kim – Will Wiener Attacks Sink Kim?
Watch Jane Kim’s new TV ad – Jane Kim: Fight the Evictions – “Kicking ass so we don’t get kicked out.”
Weds 10/5 Jane Kim – Town Hall on Homelessness Wed, 05 October 2016 @ 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm County Fair Building, Golden Gate Park, 1199 9th Ave @Lincoln Way
Stand for Solutions – Homelessness Community Forum See more details
Volunteer for Jane this weekend:
Canvassing:
Sat 10/8, 11am at Harvey Milk Plaza
Sun 10/9, 10am at 37 Grove St
Phone banking:
Sat/Sun 10/8-9, 10am – 6pm at 37 Grove St
San Francisco Ballot measures
Vote Yes on Props D, H, L and M — Better government measures
The well-researched Pissed-Off Voters Guide for the Nov 8 election appropriately renames the ballot measures and recommends:
Prop D: Let’s Elect Our Elected Officials – Yes (ends mayor’s executive branch appointment of legislative branch BoS member)
Prop H: Create a Public Advocate – Yes
Prop L: Shift 3 of 7 MTA Board Appointments from Mayor to the BoS – Yes
Prop M: Create Oversight Commission & Kill Realtor Props P & U – Yes (Prop P: Snarl Affordable Housing in Red Tape; Prop U: Developer $ Grab from Affordable Housing)
The City has been bought by developer, real-estate, and other wealthy interests. To stem the flow of sold-off influence, measures D, H, L and M have been put before the voters on the November ballot. Tempering the City’s give-away to wealthy interests and returning more control to residents’ interests can be accomplished by voting Yes on Props D, H, L and M.
Of course the Chronicle, the voice of wealthy interests and itself owned by the Hearst Corporation, a huge SF real-estate developer, recently posted: The Chronicle recommends: Vote No on S.F. Propositions D, H, L and M
Contrast this with the San Francisco Democratic Party’s Official Nov 2016 Ballot Endorsements which recommend Yes on D, H, L and M.
More at SF ballot measures.
Important dates
Fri, Oct 7 Absentee ballots mailed to voters
Tues, Oct 11 Early voting begins, City Hall rm 48. M-F 8–5, Sa-Su 10–4.
Mon, Oct 24 Last day to register to vote. Do it online.
Tues, Nov 8 Election Day