Author: potrerohilldemocrats
Tuesday, May 3rd: Socializing with DCCC candidates, solidarity with hospitality workers
Some of our endorsed candidates for the SF DCCC came for a meet-and-greet. The SF Democratic County Central Committee, the governing body of the SF Democratic Party, registers voters and makes endorsements. Their citywide election mailers powerfully influence Democratic voters to support or oppose particular candidates and ballot measures. But we believe the DCCC has veered off-course in recent years, and needs reform. Real reform, not real estate rule.
Also, Antonio Arenas of UNITE HERE! Local 2, which represents over 12,000 hospitality workers in San Francisco and San Mateo, discussed the boycott at non-union hotels Le Meridien and Hyatt Fisherman’s Wharf.
WHEN: Tuesday, May 3rd at 7pm
WHERE: Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, 953 De Haro @ Southern Heights
PHDC endorsements for SF DCCC, District 17
After a lively – as usual for PHDC – endorsement meeting for DCCC candidates, featuring the candidates in small groups interacting with each other as well as the audience, thirteen candidates received at least the requisite 50% of votes cast:
Alysabeth Alexander, Tom Ammiano, David Campos, Petra DeJesus, Bevan Dufty, Jon Golinger, Pratima Gupta, Frances Hsieh, Jane Kim, Rafael Mandelman, Sophie Maxwell, Aaron Peskin, Cindy Wu
Heartfelt thanks to everyone who participated!
Tuesday, April 12th: Democratic County Central Committee candidates from Assembly District 17
Candidates who have submitted completed questionnaires will appear in small groups at regular intervals, to present and answer questions. Come and meet them! Ballots are due at the end of the meeting, and will be counted immediately.
WHEN: Tuesday, April 12, at 7pm
WHERE: Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, downstairs in the Game Room, 953 De Haro St @ Southern Heights
April 5th & April 12th: Endorsement results, future meeting
Tuesday, April 5th: Judicial candidate forum, Presidential primary, ballot measures – RESULTS
The forum of candidates for Superior Court Judge, Office #7 – Paul Henderson, Victor Hwang, Sigrid Irias (counterclockwise from left, photo by John O’Neill)- was moderated by attorney & PHDC board member J.R. Eppler. Presidential Primary candidates Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton were represented by Gustav Feldman and Susan Pfeifer, respectively; presentations and audience Q&A were moderated by PHDC V.P. Tony Kelly.
ALL the candidates & surrogates were so strong and compelling that no judicial candidate and no presidential candidate got the 60% of votes necessary for endorsement. So:
SF Superior Court, Office 7 – No position
U.S. President – No position
Both of the above races will be voted on again (top two for judge, Democratic nominee for President), in the General Election in November.
After presentations by Club officers, members voted the following endorsements on six local & regional ballot measures and one statewide measure:
Prop A – Yes – Public Health and Safety Bond
Prop B – No – Park, Recreation and Open Space Fund. Charter Amendment.
Prop C – Yes – Affordable Housing Requirements. Charter Amendment.
Prop D – Yes – Office of Citizen Complaints Investigations. Initiative Ordinance.
Prop E – Yes – Paid Sick Leave. Initiative Ordinance.
Measure AA – Yes – Clean and Healthy Bay Parcel Tax. Regional Measure.
Prop 50 – Yes – Suspension of Legislators Amendment. CA Constitutional Amendment.
WHEN: Tuesday, April 5, at 7pm
WHERE: Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, 953 De Haro St @ Southern Heights
☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
Tuesday, April 12th: Democratic County Central Committee candidates from Assembly District 17
Candidates who have submitted completed questionnaires will appear in small groups at regular intervals, to present and answer questions. Come and meet them! Ballots are due at the end of the meeting, and will be counted immediately.
WHEN: Tuesday, April 12, at 7pm
WHERE: Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, downstairs in the Game Room, 953 De Haro St @ Southern Heights
Tuesday, March 1st: Homelessness in San Francisco
We’ve heard about the problems. We’ve seen the problems. At this meeting, the conversation was about SOLUTIONS – real, imagined; happening, never tried; possible, impossible; short-term, long-term; direct action, legislation; good, perfect…
The amazing panel consisted of (left to right in photo above):
- Emily Cohen, Deputy Director, Mayor’s Office of HOPE
- Shira Noel, Policy and Advocacy Coordinator, Homeless Youth Alliance
- Julie Leadbetter, Director, San Francisco Navigation Center
- Amy Farah Weiss, Founder/Director, Saint Francis Homelessness Challenge*
- Ken Fisher, Founder/Designer, RouteHome
PHDC Vice-President Tony Kelly moderated. The program opened with Melodie, reading a letter she had written about some of the trauma she and her fellow vehicle dwellers have experienced.
In addition to their own organizations, panelists recommended some resources to find out more and get involved. In San Francisco: HandUp online fundraising to help an individual in need; volunteering with Project Homeless Connect at events offering many services under one roof; Downtown Streets team. Also: Dignity Village in Portland, OR.
* Amy Weiss requests that you take the online quiz/survey to test your knowledge about the status quo of homelessness in SF and learn more about the Saint Francis Homelessness Challenge. Thanks.
WHEN: Tuesday, March 1, at 7pm
WHERE: Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, 953 De Haro St @ Southern Heights
Tuesday, February 2nd: Guns ‘n’ Sugar
Guns and sugar – how sadly American is that? We took up both topics, and more.
Robyn Thomas, left, Executive Director of the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, has been keeping up the good fight in the face of daunting challenges. It’s been about three years since she appeared at our club, it was time for another conversation. Photo: John O’Neill.
Robin Dean, activist for the soda tax last time around, spoke about the new, revised and possibly more passable version now gathering signatures in San Francisco, The Sugary Drinks Distributor Tax Ordinance. Members voted to endorse the proposed measure.
In addition:
✧ Members passed an amendment to the Bylaws – an update to comply with a new requirement of the CA Democratic Party.
✧ Members passed a resolution supporting an environmental appeal of the permanent shuttle program.
✧ 2016 officers were elected:
President – Joni Eisen
1st Vice-President (membership) – Tony Kelly
2nd Vice-President (political action) – Bob Boileau
Secretary – Gary Horowitz
Treasurer – Audrey Cortes
Tech Officer – John O’Neill
Officer-At-Large – Kim Christensen
Officer-At-Large – J.R. Eppler
Officer-At-Large – Eliana López
Officer-At-Large – Monisha Mustapha
WHEN: Tuesday, February 2, 7pm
WHERE: Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, 953 De Haro St @ Southern Hts
Tuesday, January 5th: City College, schoolyards, pin-the-issue-on-the donkey, more
City College Trustee John Rizzo, recently returned from testifying in DC against the deservedly disgraced accrediting commission, gave an update on the situation at CCSF. With the help of PHDC’s mascot. Photo: John O’Neill.
District 2 Supervisor Mark Farrell discussed the Shared Schoolyard Project, which he revamped in 2012 to open playgrounds to the public on weekends, with the goal of expanding it to 80 schools. Club members voted to endorse the program.
PHDC Executive Committee member Audrey Cortes gave her impressions of the Paris Climate Change Conference, which she attended with Oakland Mayor Libby Schaff. PHDC president Joni Eisen talked about the Voters Right to Know Act and collected signatures to help put it on the November ballot.
Nominations opened for 2016 Club Officers (election to be held in February).
Members pinned dots on the donkey to vote for the topics & issues they would most like the Club to take on or revisit. Top dot-getters (in alphabetical order): affordable housing crisis, Black Lives Matter, homelessness, income gap, labor issues, overturning Citizens United, preventing gun violence, voter education via endorsement meetings.
Holiday Party Dec 5th, NO meeting Dec 1st
There will be no regular PHDC meeting in December. Instead, come celebrate the season with us and our friends in the Potrero Boosters Neighborhood Association. Local beer, local snacks, local friends. (Please bring something for the local Food Bank, too.) Age 21 and older only please.
WHEN: Saturday, December 5th, 3pm to 5pm
WHERE: Triple Voodoo Brewery, 2245 3rd St (19th/20th St)
ADMISSION: a non-perishable item for the SF-Marin Food Bank
PHDC meets at the Yankee: Tuesday, November 3rd – Election Night!
VOTE!!! Since our regular venue, the Neighborhood House theater, will be used as a polling place, PHDC will hold its monthly meeting in the back room of the Connecticut Yankee. After you vote – and get out the vote – come enjoy snacks on us, no-host bar, camaraderie and a couple of brief presentations:
- SF PUC with an update on CleanPowerSF
- A representative from BART to talk about the Better BART Initiative
Then, rest assured we will have a selection of election-night parties for you to head out to.
WHEN: Tuesday, November 3rd at 7pm
WHERE: Connecticut Yankee (back room), 100 Connecticut at 17th
Potrero Hill Democratic Club 