Tues June 7th: Election night party

On May 22, 2016June 27, 2016 By potrerohilldemocratsIn Elections, Uncategorized

“It’s not that art & politics don’t mix – I just wanna do more art,” says longtime PHDC president Joni Eisen. (The mix, in the photo at right by FBFE: Supervisor David Campos; Joni; then-candidate, now Judge Daniel Flores; Harvey Milk as a bas-relief cake sculpture).

There were food, drink, and early election returns at Il Pirata early on Election Night, as president-for-almost-a-decade Joni steppedÂ down – not actually going anywhere except into her studio, garden, and grandkids’ lives. People said good bye to Joni and hello to VP-in-the-wings Tony Kelly, ready to take the reins. Below, clockwise from lower left: City Attorney Dennis Herrera, Tony, Angeles Roy, former Supervisor (now DCCC member-elect) Sophie Maxwell, Joni. Photo by John O’Neill.

WHEN: Tuesday, June 7, 7pm
WHERE: Il Pirata, 2007 16th St @ Utah St

Tuesday, April 12th: Democratic County Central Committee candidates from Assembly District 17

On April 10, 2016April 10, 2016 By potrerohilldemocratsIn Elections, Endorsements, Uncategorized

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

On March 24, 2016April 10, 2016 By potrerohilldemocratsIn Elections, Endorsements, Uncategorized

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 – YesÂ – 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

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Tuesday, April 12th: Democratic County Central Committee candidates from Assembly District 17

WHEN: Tuesday, April 12, at 7pm
WHERE: Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, downstairs in the Game Room, 953 De Haro St @ Southern Heights

Tuesday, February 2nd: Guns ‘n’ Sugar

On January 24, 2016February 12, 2016 By potrerohilldemocratsIn Elections, Food politics, Gun control, Uncategorized

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:
âœ§ Members passed an amendment to the Bylaws – an update to comply with a new requirement of the CA Democratic Party.
âœ§ Members passed a resolution supporting an environmental appeal of the permanent shuttle program.
âœ§ 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 LÃ³pez
Officer-At-Large – Monisha Mustapha

WHEN: Tuesday, February 2, 7pm
WHERE: Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, 953 De Haro St @ Southern Hts

PHDC meets at the Yankee: Tuesday, November 3rd – Election Night!

On October 27, 2015November 1, 2015 By potrerohilldemocratsIn Elections, Environment, Uncategorized

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

Tuesday September 15th at 7pm: Endorsement meeting #3

On September 11, 2015September 15, 2015 By potrerohilldemocratsIn Elected official, Elections, Endorsements, Uncategorized

â˜… Proving that Ed Lee is NOT running unopposed, Mayoral candidates Francisco Herrera,Â Amy Farah Weiss, and Dan Kappler (write-in), discussedÂ issues vital to San Franciscans.

â˜… Actually unopposed candidate City Attorney Dennis Herrera spoke briefly about his accomplishments in office.

â˜… These props weree covered (click on titles for summaries):
B – Â Paid Parental Leave for City Employees
G – Disclosures Regarding Renewable Energy
H -Â Defining Clean, Green, and Renewable Energy

Supervisor Katy Tang spoke in favor of Prop B, and a PHDC board member presented the lone Republican opponent’s arguments (this also happened for Prop H). Eric Brooks spoke against Prop G and in favor of Prop H.

â˜… Brent Turner gave an update on Open-Source Voting, endorsed some years ago by PHDC, which is about to come up before the Elections Commission.

The meeting ended with members voting to make the following endorsements:

AMY FARAH WEISS for Mayor
DENNIS HERRERA for City Attorney
JOSÃ‰ CISNEROS for Treasurer
YES on Proposition B
NO on Proposition G
YES on Proposition H

WHEN: Tuesday, Sept 15th at 7pm
WHERE: Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, 953 De Haro St at Southern Hts.

Latest endorsements from PHDC

On September 1, 2015September 7, 2015 By potrerohilldemocratsIn Elected official, Elections, Endorsements, Housing, Uncategorized

The club voted on the following endorsements at its September 1st meeting. Endorsements for propositions or candidates for a single office require at least 60% of votes cast.

San Francisco Propositions
AÂ – YES – General Obligation Bond Election – Affordable Housing
C – YES – Expenditure Lobbyists Ordinance
D – No position – Mission Rock
E – NO – Requirements For Public Meetings of Local Policy Bodies
F – YES – Short-Term Residential Rentals
I – YES -Suspension of Market-Rate Development in the Mission District
J – YES – Establishing the Legacy Business Historic Preservation Fund
K – YES – Surplus City Property Ordinance

District Attorney
GEORGE GASCON

PHDC has already endorsed Ross Mirkarimi for Sheriff and Wendy Aragon for SF Community College Trustee.

Coming Sept 15th: endorsements for Props B, G, and H; Mayor, City Attorney, and Treasurer.

Two (2) September endorsement meetings: 9/1 Ballot measures; 9/15 Mayoral & other candidates, more ballot measures

On August 20, 2015September 7, 2015 By potrerohilldemocratsIn Elected official, Elections, Endorsements, Housing, Money in politics

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1st, 6:30pm. Housing and Good-Government night at PHDC. Props A, D, F, I, J, & K (housing) and C & E (good government) were covered. There were mini-debates on the more contentious propositions: D – Mission Rock, former Mayor Art Agnos vs. Jon Golinger; F – Short-Term Residential Rentals, Dale Carlson vs. George Marshall (photo at right); I – Suspension of Market-Rate Development in the Mission, Edwin Lindo vs. Jay Cheng.Â PropsÂ A and C, whose only known opposition came from a lone Republican, had opposing arguments presented by PHDCÂ board members. Props J and K, also apparently opposed by a lone Republican, actually had another Republican show up at the last minute to debate Supervisor David Campos and Fernando Marti respectively. Prop E’s proponent could not appear, so PHDC filled in. Also, District Attorney George Gascon spoke briefly about his tenure and (unopposed) campaign.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15th, 7:00pm. Ed Lee is NOT running unopposed! Serious candidates for Mayor who have thought long and hard about the issues that matter most to San Franciscans should be afforded the opportunity to share their ideas via public debates and policy discussions. Mayor Lee, are you up to the challenge?Â Mayoral candidate debate/discussion, with Francisco Herrera, Dan Kappler (write-in), Amy Farah Weiss and others invited. We will also hear from two actually unopposed candidates: City Attorney Dennis Herrera and Treasurer JosÃ© Cisneros (surrogate). We will hear about the three remaining ballot measures: B, G, & H.

Both meetings will take place at Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, 953 De Haro St at Southern Hts.

Tuesday, August 4th: Candidates duked it out!

On July 23, 2015August 9, 2015 By potrerohilldemocratsIn Education, Elected official, Elections, Endorsements, Uncategorized

The Community College Board candidate forum included three of the five candidates running for one open seat (left to right): Wendy Aragon, Alex Randolph (appointed incumbent), Tom Temprano – brilliantly moderated by PHDC VP Loretta Lynch (at right).

The Sheriff candidate debate featured all three candidates (left to right): John Robinson, Ross Mirkarimi (incumbent), Vicki Hennessy. Moderating that one – brilliantly of course – was PHDC Secretary J.R. Eppler (at right).

The Neighborhood House theater was packed to the rafters.Â The candidates were all totally engaged, and engaging. After the meeting was adjourned, members turned in their ballots, and board members did the counting while candidates and audience kept the conversations going.

Voting results: Wendy Aragon for Community College Board, and Ross Mirkarimi for Sheriff!

The club also passed a resolution in support of saving Rincon Park (site of Oldenberg’s “Cupid’s Bow” on the waterfront) from being shaded by new towers, and amended the Bylaws about endorsing candidates in multi-seat races (threshold lowered from 60% to 50%).

WHEN: Tuesday, August 4th at 7pm SHARP
WHERE: Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, 953 De Haro St @ Southern Heights

Potrero Hill Democratic Club

Category: Elections