SF Supervisors Report Card 2017
How Green is Your Supervisor?
This is our report card for the SF Board of Supervisors in 2017. It shows the most important votes in 2017, from a Green Party perspective, and whether each supervisor supported or opposed our position. Some of the votes are on amendments to legislation. Compare to our 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, and 2012 report cards.
2017 was a "go along to get along" year, with few votes breaking down along traditional "progressive" vs "conservative" lines. With conservatives firmly in control of the City, really bad legislation was passed with near unanimity, while potentially good legislation was watered down to the point of ineffectiveness. The lack of progressive leadership at the Board is reflected in the worst scores we've given in years.
Note that some votes in early January that we thought were very important, such as Free City College and the Alex Nieto Memorial, were repeat votes on issues that we already scored in 2016, so we didn't score them again this year.
Key:
Supported Green Party position |
Opposed Green Party position |
Absent (Excused) |
D 1: Sandra Fewer | D 2: Mark Farrell | D 3: Aaron Peskin | D 4: Katy Tang | D 5: London Breed | D 6: Jane Kim | D 7: Norman Yee | D 8: Jeff Sheehy | D 9: Hillary Ronen | D 10: Malia Cohen | D 11: Ahsha Safai | |
Public Employees Testifying Under Oath | Y | N | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y |
Natural Areas Plan | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | - | N | Y | Y | Y | Y |
Gag Affordable Housing Developers | N | Y | N | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N |
Local Income Tax | Y | N | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y |
Jung to Arts Commission | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | Y | Y |
Density Bonus | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y |
Airbnb Settlement | Y | - | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | - | Y |
DeJesus to Police Commission | Y | - | Y | Y | Y | - | Y | Y | Y | Y | N |
Eviction Reporting | Y | N | Y | N | N | Y | Y | N | Y | N | N |
Fake Fossil Fuel Divestment | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
Street Box Fees | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
Bike "Chop Shops" | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y |
Neo-McCarthyism | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
Wells Fargo ATMs | N | Y | N | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | Y | Y |
Recreational Cannabis | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | Y | N | N |
Presidio Terrace | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N | Y | Y |
Overall Score | 44% | 0% | 63% | 13% | 19% | 57% | 50% | 6% | 56% | 27% | 19% |
Resolution in support of Midtown Tenants
SF Green Party Resolution in support of Midtown Tenants
The San Francisco Green Party opposes the proposed demolition of existing homes at Midtown Park. In addition, the San Francisco Green Party supports Midtown residents’ decision to ask for the removal of Mercy Housing as the City’s leaseholder of the property.
In 2007, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors resolved the following guiding principles to afford Midtown residents the opportunity for housing sovereignty: 1) prevent displacement, 2) involve tenants, 3) protect long-term affordability, 4) explore alternative ownership structures, and 5) ensure safe, sanitary, and decent housing. The proposed demolition does not honor this resolution which was passed unanimously by the Board of Supervisors and signed by former Mayor Gavin Newsom. The proposed demolition, in fact, will result in the violation of all of the above guiding principles.
Midtown residents have detailed a problematic relationship with Mercy Housing and as such are aggrieved. Mercy Housing has received these grievances from residents and residents have stated that Mercy Housing has not acted in good faith to address them. These grievances include the following: 1) Reduction of security staff, 2) Creating adverse conditions for seniors—prohibitions from moving to ground-floor apartments, 3) Entering apartments without notice and permission, 4) Unresponsiveness of Mercy on-site manager, 5) Increases in fees for Parking allotment/tow threats, 6) withholding vacant units from seniors and family members on wait-list, 7) “Change of tenancy” threats which would result in rent increases, 8) Deferred maintenance—broken fixtures, mold, improper disposal of renovation debris, 9) failure to keep adequate records, 10) failure to abate nuisance from pests, 11) misuse of property—tenancy by Mercy Housing staff, and 12) harassment—after hours notification/communication.
Midtown was built in response to the razing of the Fillmore—Western Addition in the last Redevelopment era. Residents whose homes were taken by the City using eminent domain were given few relocation options. Midtown Park was one. The last vestiges of the community that was forcibly relocated by Redevelopment remain at Midtown. That community was given assurance that they could buy in and secure their homes for the future. Others have joined them in their endeavor to build and maintain a healthy and vibrant community and work to develop their full potential as such.
Demolition of homes to create “affordable housing” will directly and indirectly displace residents at Midtown. Mercy Housing has proven to be unwilling to address residents’ current concerns while entering into a profitable future agreement with the City. The City and Mercy Housing should not be in the broken social contract business.
The San Francisco Green Party supports the residents of Midtown in their endeavor to keep their homes and to continue to work to maintain and enhance their sense of community and quality of life.
New card on military spending
Just in time for Fleet Week, we have a new piece of literature that highlights the obscene amount the US spends on the military:
Help grow the party in 2017!
We're starting off a summer of building the Green Party with some new literature! The above postcard is the first of several we're printing this year to educate San Franciscans about the Green Party and what we stand for. We're also making postcards on specific issues, such as Improved Medicare for All, Cutting the Military Budget, LGBTIQA+ rights, and local Green accomplishments. If you're good at graphic design and want to help, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
This June, we'll need volunteers at both the Haight St Fair and Pride to help staff our booths, talk about Green issues, and register new Greens. We'll focus at Haight St on building a base of volunteers who can help campaign for Single Payer Health Care (i.e., Improved Medicare for All) in California. Please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you can volunteer.
Haight St Fair - Sun, June 11, 10 am - 6:30 pm. Booth B19S on the south side of Haight between Ashbury & Clayton.
Pride - Sat and Sun, June 24-25, all day. Booth C-002 on Grove near Larkin, across from the main Library.
Opt Out of Standardized Tests
SFUSD Parents,
Starting in the 3rd grade, kids in the SF public schools can spend up to 7 weeks of class time preparing for and taking standardized tests! These tests are no longer "high stakes" but they do replace valuable instruction time and are not the tests used by the teacher to evaluate or teach your child.
Most teachers do not find the majority of these standardized tests to be helpful in educating your kids, because the scores don't give teachers details on what questions were missed or what skills might need more practice. Except for the reading assessments given throughout the year (which teachers use to assign books appropriate for the child's reading level), these tests are an expensive waste of time that only serve the interests of the testing companies.
Fortunately, CA state law allows parents to opt out of any standardized tests, and your school is not penalized in any way! Opt-out forms must be turned in to your school's administrators every year. Here are the forms:
Please print them out for yourself and for other parents in your classroom who are interested!
In particular, parents should consider opting ot of the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) and the Interim District Assessments (IDA) tests, which are given in the spring. Teachers don't even get the scores on these tests until the end of the year, so taking these tests is of no benefit at all to the students.
You can ask your school to provide an appropriate curriculum for your kids while the others are taking tests. If enough kids in a single grade opt out, we will have more sway to get a classroom at each grade level to continue with regular instruction!
SF Supervisors Report Card 2016
How Green is Your Supervisor?
This is our report card for the SF Board of Supervisors in 2016. It shows the most important votes in 2016, from a Green Party perspective, and whether each supervisor supported or opposed our position. Some of the votes are on amendments to legislation. Compare to our 2015, 2014, 2013, and 2012 report cards.
Key:
Supported Green Party position |
Opposed Green Party position |
Absent (Excused/Vacant) |
D 1: Eric Mar | D 2: Mark Farrell | D 3: Aaron Peskin | D 4: Katy Tang | D 5: London Breed | D 6: Jane Kim | D 7: Norman Yee | D 8: Scott Wiener | D 9: David Campos | D 10: Malia Cohen | D 11: John Avalos | |
Rec & Park Set-asides | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
Transit Funding | Y | N | Y | N | N | Y | Y | N | Y | N | Y |
Continue "Google Buses" | - | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
Move Homeless People Around | N | - | N | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | Y | N |
Homeless Shelter Crisis | Y | N | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y |
Youth Voting | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y |
Sunshine Committee | Y | N | Y | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N | Y |
"Affordable Housing" Bonus | N | Y | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N | Y | N |
Real Police Reform | Y | N | Y | N | N | Y | N | N | Y | N | Y |
Let Voters Elect our Electeds | Y | N | Y | N | N | Y | Y | N | Y | N | Y |
More Accountable Muni | Y | N | Y | N | N | Y | Y | N | Y | N | Y |
Non-Citizen Voting | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
Less Mayoral Corruption | Y | N | Y | N | N | Y | Y | N | Y | N | Y |
Free City College | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | - | Y | Y | Y |
Alex Nieto Memorial | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | - | Y | Y | Y |
Overall Score | 93% | 0% | 93% | 33% | 47% | 87% | 73% | 15% | 87% | 27% | 87% |