The GrowSF Report: Ranked choice voting will be essential this November
The GrowSF Report: Ranked choice voting will be essential this November
PLUS: Police Department not making traffic stops
What You Need To Know
Here’s what happened around the city for the week of April 8, 2024:
- Ranked choice voting will be essential to November election victories
- Police Department not making traffic stops
- City College needs to get its house in order
- District Attorney Brooke Jenkins files charges in drive-by Mission shooting
- Saving Castro Theatre leads to discovery of historic gold arch
Recent & upcoming openings:
- IKEA’s food hall has arrived on Market Street
Ranked choice voting will be essential to November election victories
With at least five serious candidates now in the running for mayor, it’s likely that no single candidate will secure more than 50% of first-choice votes in November—making it more important than ever that voters understand how ranked choice voting works in practice.
Ranked choice voting (RCV) – or Instant Runoff Voting – allows voters to rank more than one candidate in order of preference. If any candidate wins a majority of the first-choice votes, they win the election. But if no candidates win an outright majority, the candidate with the fewest first-choice votes is eliminated, and their second-choice votes are counted. This process repeats until one candidate has a majority.
At GrowSF, we believe it’s important to understand how ranked choice voting works regardless of who you intend to vote for. We’re committed to educating San Franciscans about RCV and what it means for their vote in the November election. Read more about RCV on the GrowSF blog, and stay tuned for our endorsements later this year!
Police Department not making traffic stops
SFPD is massively understaffed, which has forced them to prioritize responding to emergencies rather than enforcing traffic laws. Between 2014 and 2023, police traffic citations fell by 96% — from 130,000 in 2014 to 5,100 in 2023.
Unfortunately, this may have contributed to a rise in vehicular fatalities: there have already been a dozen traffic fatalities this year, and the city is on track to surpass 2023’s total of 26, according to Noah Baustin at the Standard.
“I want traffic enforcement so that people are obeying traffic laws. I want there to be certainty that if you’re speeding or doing something dangerous on a San Francisco road that there are consequences for it,” Supervisor Matt Dorsey said to the Standard.
There is some hope on the horizon: last week the Board of Supervisors approved legislation introduced by Mayor London Breed to streamline the deployment of automated speed enforcement cameras (ASE).SFMTA is leading the installation of more than 30 cameras along San Francisco's “High Injury Network” throughout the city. While more cameras would be better, we welcome this new enforcement tool!
City College needs to get its house in order
City College is at risk of being taken over by the state due to mismanagement by the Board of Trustees. The school received a warning letter from the state’s accrediting commission, which declined to renew the school’s accreditation for poor financial decision-making and thwarting the authority of the chancellor, who had just balanced the budget for the first time in decades.
Unfortunately the board has not learned from the mistakes of the past: in 2012, the commission threatened to revoke the college’s accreditation because it was in financial disarray and couldn’t reconcile its revenue and spending with student enrollment.
“Based on our conversation with Susan Solomon, a retired teacher and the only trustee on the board majority who spoke with us — Board President Alan Wong agreed to an interview and then canceled without explanation — the majority faction is in denial about just how dire City College’s financial situation is,” writes the Editorial Board of the Chronicle.
Failure to comply with the commission’s requests by March 2025 could mean the death of an institution that is a ladder up for students hoping to eventually transfer to some of the best four-year public schools in the state.
City College of San Francisco should be a crown jewel of the city. Voters have the power this November to elect four board members who can align good governance with fiscal management and create a controlling majority in support of common sense.
District Attorney Brooke Jenkins files charges in drive-by Mission shooting
District Attorney Brooke Jenkins charged Richmond suspect Alexander Martinez with the murder of 23-year-old Alberto Rafael Vargas Quero. Quero was killed in a drive-by shooting on Mission Street on the first day of his new job at a barbershop. He is the first homicide victim in the Mission this year, according to SFPD data.
“This shooting has shaken the Mission District, and my office will do everything in our power to ensure that justice is served to the victim and the community in this case,” Brooke Jenkins stated, according to Jessica Flores at the Chronicle.
Quero had moved to San Francisco from Arkansas two days before he was killed. He was the provider for his extended family back in Colombia. If convicted, the suspect will serve life in prison with the possibility of parole. We are thankful for the swift work of SFPD and our DA to keep our city safe!
Saving Castro Theatre leads to discovery of historic gold arch
Renovations are underway at the Castro Theatre, and the meticulous restoration has uncovered a “gold-painted stage arch, or proscenium,” that has been covered since the 1950’s, shared Astrid Kane at the Standard. This ornate, gold-leafed arch framed the original silent movie screen.
Last year, our anti-growth Board of Supervisors tried to block this project. But without an upgrade and modern amenities, the 1,400-seat theatre would not have the business needed to survive.
The Castro Theatre can’t be locked in the past. We’re thankful to Another Planet Entertainment for investing in this project so future generations can enjoy this beautiful theatre, and thank you for supporting our campaign to allow the renovations. We want San Francisco to be a city that works – with leaders who are visionaries. If we have that, we might just discover more gold. 🙂
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Recent & upcoming openings
A great city is constantly changing and growing, let’s celebrate what’s new!
IKEA’s food hall has arrived on Market Street
WHERE: 945 Market St.
WHEN: Smörgåsland: Wednesday-Sunday; 8am-10pm; all other vendors: Wednesday-Sunday; 11am-10pm
This week “Saluhall” opened at IKEA on Market Street. It boasts nearly a dozen places to eat and drink and spans 23,000 square feet and two floors, according to Elena Kadvany of the Chronicle. Smörgåsland is an IKEA concept that offers Danish pastries, including cinnamon swirl and a cardamom bun with muscovado sugar (yum!). There are a range of mostly vegetarian dining options, and visitors can expect “stuffs pastelillos” – a crispy, half-moon-shaped pastry at Casa Borinqueña; Sichuan egg noodles at Momo Noodle; and meatless carne asada and carnita burritos at Taqueria la Venganza. We’re excited to visit the many restaurants and bars and look forward to eating more than Swedish meatballs at IKEA!
Your Action Plan
Now that you know what’s happening, help us shape what happens next:
Support more homes in San Francisco!
San Francisco is currently undergoing a state-mandated rezoning as part of its Housing Element. The city needs to adopt a rezoning map that will result in the construction of roughly 36,000 new homes by 2031. Send a letter to Planning to support the Mayor’s proposal. Approximately 11,000 letters have already been sent..help us hit the target of 12,800!
Sign up for TogetherSF’s SF Politics Trivia Night
Love trivia as much as you love San Francisco? Put your knowledge about the city to the test, and join your friends and neighbors for political trivia night at TogetherSF! This interactive event will quiz you about politics, the way City Hall really works, and the history of San Francisco. Sign up for an evening of fun.
The Spirit of San Francisco
There’s a lot to love about our city and the Bay Area. Here’s what makes it great. Brought to you by The Bold Italic.
What we’re doing this week
Cherry Blossom Festival in Japantown
Since 1968, the San Francisco Cherry Blossom Festival has played a crucial role in fostering the enduring bond between Japan and the United States through cultural exchange. Drawing over 220,000 attendees annually, the festival captivates visitors with its vibrant displays, showcasing the rich colors and elegance of Japanese culture, and highlighting the diverse Japanese American community in San Francisco’s Japantown.
We also think the Japantown Center is awesome. Definitely stop by there, too.
WHEN: April 13–21, with the parade at 1 p.m. on the 21st
WHERE: 1610 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA
“Show of Hope” gala for Community Health Center
This event honors the Community Health Center’s commitment to providing essential healthcare services to underserved communities. We love how queer it is, and ABC7 sponsors the event, so the morning crew that attends is always a hoot. Honorees this year include Dr. Anthony Fauci and Asia SF.
WHEN: April 19, 2024 beginning at 5:30 p.m.
WHERE: Hyatt Regency San Francisco, 5 Embarcadero Ctr.
Also coming up: Into the Wonkyverse
Join a wildly diverse collection of creators for an evening of artful absurdity! Dress up and join hundreds of Sad Oompa Loompas, ‘The Unknowns’ and Wonkas! We’ve got amazing DJ’s, tasty performances & sweet surprises. All on a giant Candyland gameboard!
WHEN: May 3, 2024
WHERE: The Midway, 900 Marin Street, San Francisco, CA, 94124
What we’re writing about
San Francisco Ferry Building guide 2024: What to eat and drink now
San Francisco’s historic Ferry Building is a landmark since 1898 and home to Foodwise’s unparalleled Farmers Market and programs. Inside, the stalls are permanent though some restaurants, shops and purveyors rotate out.
Yes, you can weave from creative ice creams at the great Humphry Slocombe, breads from legendary Acme Bread since 1983, on to tea at Imperial Tea Court. But there are stalwarts it’s easy to forget are still there and better than ever — like Boulettes Larder — alongside brand new openings like A16 La Pala, both reviewed here.
‘Dos Mujeres’ is a triumphant celebration of Latin culture at SF Ballet
In her first season as artistic director at San Francisco Ballet, Tamara Rojo has proven she is a force to be reckoned with — a creative pushing boundaries and heralding an era of firsts. One of these firsts was observed on April 4, with the opening of Dos Mujeres, a double bill featuring a new version of Carmen, and the North American premiere of Broken Wings, a ballet about Frida Kahlo.
First time’s the charm at 2024 de Young Museum Gala
Last week’s soirée raised nearly $1.5 million for the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, which encompasses both the de Young and Legion of Honor. This is good news for anyone who enjoys a wide offering from artifacts to contemporary masterpieces, and of course the fashion exhibits. The annual gala’s itinerary divided into three segments — cocktails, dinner, and after party — drawing notables like artist Lee Mingwei, Mayor London Breed, and talked-about philanthropist Dede Wilsey.
‘Odd Salon’ serves up very San Francisco conversations over cocktails
“Odd Salon” curates lectures that highlight strange-but-true stories from history, science, art, and adventure, live on stage and served with cocktails. Its founders Annetta Black, Tre Balchowsky, and Rachel James began the series in 2014 out of their collective hunger for the bizarre, the overlooked, and the downright eccentric. Participants do not need a fancy résumé to grace Odd Salon’s stage.
This 1960's drag murder mystery is a campy romp in the Mission
In this day and age, when even run-of-the-mill drag shows feel like you’re watching competitive auditions for RuPaul’s Drag Race rather than anything edgy — or dare we say exciting — seeing something this raw and unpolished is frankly a breath of fresh air. While the whole show has a bit of a rag-tag vibe, its charming “hey let’s put on a show!” spirit more than makes up for its more amateur qualities.
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