The GrowSF Report: Supervisors Move to Restrict Recalls
The GrowSF Report: Supervisors Move to Restrict Recalls
Plus, who is Bill Scott and why is he fighting with Chesa Boudin?
What You Need To Know
Here’s what happened around the city for the week of February 20, 2022:
- Supervisors Move to Restrict Recalls
- Seeking Competent Replacements for Recalled School Board Seats
- Who is Bill Scott and Why Is He Fighting With Chesa Boudin?
- Now Some Good News for Good Eating
Supervisors Move to Restrict Recalls
More than 80 percent of voters in the Sunset supported the school board recall. But District 4 Supervisor Gordon Mar not only opposed the recall, he donated to the anti-recall effort and voted to make future recalls more difficult.
Mar was one of seven city supervisors to put a measure on the June ballot to restrict recalls, which many residents are calling “undemocratic.” After all, voters get the final say in a recall. But a majority of supervisors want to limit the ability for voters to hold them accountable.
The measure would ban recalls within a year of an official’s re-election and not allow a recall to begin less than one year after taking office. It would also ban anyone temporarily appointed to fill a recall seat from running for the office in the next election.
Seeking Competent Replacements for Recalled School Board Seats
Applications are now being accepted to fill three vacant school board seats after last week’s successful recall. The mayor will appoint temporary replacements until there is an open election in November. Recall organizers want to give the mayor a list of vetted candidates to choose from.
Here’s the process:
Candidates must fill out this online form by 11:59pm Sunday, February 27.
Candidates will be invited to a moderated Q&A in the recall the school board Facebook group.
Members of the Facebook group will vote yes/no to each candidate. Organizers will present the results to the mayor in early March.
Who is Bill Scott and Why Is He Fighting With Chesa Boudin?
San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott is considered one of the nation’s most progressive Black police chiefs. Yet there is a huge rift between Scott and District Attorney Chesa Boudin.
Here’s a timeline of the recent ups and downs:
Things blew up when Scott abruptly ended an agreement with the DA’s office for shared investigations into police use of force cases. Scott said he lost trust with Boudin after court testimony revealed that one of Boudin’s investigators withheld evidence in a case that would have favored the police department.
Boudin hit back by exposing that SFPD had been putting the DNA collected from rape victims into a database used to identify crime suspects. The revelation caused widespread condemnation. Chief Scott announced an “immediate” end to the practice.
Meanwhile, the California Department of Justice released a report that lauded SFPD for its “substantial work” in implementing reforms that “have resulted in meaningful improvement” in its policies, process, training and culture — "the only example of voluntary reform at this level in the United States." A group called “We Stand With Chief Scott” recently launched a website and petition.
Now Some Good News for Good Eating
A yummy bagel shop is finally opening after surviving the hellish bureaucratic gauntlet of starting a business in San Francisco. We wish the permit process wasn’t designed to thwart entrepreneurs, which is why we’re such hard working advocates for small business owners. Read about Shlock’s bumpy journey. We’re working hard to ensure every good business idea has a much smoother launch.
Your Action Plan
Now that you know what’s happening, help us shape what happens next:
Car-free JFK doesn’t need more process
We’ve enjoyed car-free JFK for 2 years now, and we know that so many SF residents love it: 70% of respondents to the official survey from SFMTA and Rec & Parks supported making it permanent. After multiple hearings, studies, analyses, and working groups, permanent car-free JFK is finally on the cusp of getting to a decision at the Board of Supervisors!
But now the Board is considering yet another “working group” on car-free JFK. We’ve had enough process — it’s time for a decision to keep JFK Drive a beautiful promenade permanently.
What you can do:
1. Email your supervisor using our tool.
2. Attend the rally for car-free JFK at the City Hall steps, this Tuesday, 3/1 at 11:30.
Lunar New Year on the Great Highway Park
Come to the Great Highway Park TODAY at 3pm to enjoy a parade with Lion Dancers, Ice Cream, kites, and more!
Support making it easier to replace parking lots with homes
Mayor Breed proposed legislation called “Cars to Casas” that would make it easier to build homes on land zoned for “auto-centric” uses like parking lots, gas stations, and car washes. According to the SF Chronicle, this could save “10-18 months” on these projects.
It’s going to be heard at the Board of Supervisors Land Use committee this Monday, and we think the Supervisors are going to try to water down this modest pro-housing measure. Please sign our petition in support to get updates on how to comment in favor during the hearing!
HOUSINGPALOOZA
Our friends at SF YIMBY are having an open house this Saturday in Duboce Park. Learn about all of the upcoming work on housing this year, including the Sup. Mandelman’s 4-plex bill, Cars to Casas, and the Housing Element (which is going to force SF to upzone for thousands of units of much-needed housing).
Celebrate San Francisco
There’s a lot to love about our city. Here’s what makes it great:
Visit a Secret Coffee Shop
Speakeasy cocktails have been the rage for a while, but what’s the new hot thing? Secret coffee shops. The Chronicle writes about Deathless Coffee, “instead of cocktails in a dark bar, there are oat milk lattes and vegan doughnuts served out of a shipping container in a Mission District alleyway twice a week”.
Check it out (if you can figure out where it is!) and send GrowSF other tips for amazing things to see and eat and drink in SF.
Pancakes on Page this Sunday
Speaking of eating, this Sunday from 9:30-12pm you can enjoy pancakes a the Community Garden next to Page and Buchanan.
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Topical Tweets
Yes, there is good stuff on Twitter. Here’s some of it:
The recall of three Board of Education commissioners was a turning point in San Francisco politics. SF residents demand competence and accountability. This is just the beginning.
