July 4th: Patriotism, a picnic, and a political play

On June 29, 2016June 29, 2016 By potrerohilldemocratsIn Uncategorized

Spend July 4th, Independence Day, being super-patriotic: Register voters! (Note that we are NOT meeting on our normal first Tuesday of the month, which would be July 5th. July 4th is Monday.)

Then stick around Dolores Park to picnic, whileÂ taking in the world-changing, Tony Award-winning SF Mime Troupe‘s opening of its 57th season: the premiere of Schooled. (“With privatization on the line, and a Wall Street heavy hitter lined up to fold the entire district into his conglomerate, suddenly the next School Board election is more about a hidden agenda than the open curriculum. And when did the hall monitors start wearing brown shirts and arm bands?”)

Email contact_us@phdemclub.org or call 415-283-6607 to volunteer, just to join us for a picnic, or both.

WHEN: Monday (NOT Tuesday!), July 4, 2016 at noon (show begins at 2)
WHERE: Dolores Park, meet near 19th St, exact location TBD

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

The PHDC slate card hits door handles around the neighborhood

On May 10, 2016 By potrerohilldemocratsIn Uncategorized

PHDC endorsements for SF DCCC, District 17

On April 12, 2016April 15, 2016 By potrerohilldemocratsIn Uncategorized

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

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

Tuesday, January 5th: City College, schoolyards, pin-the-issue-on-the donkey, more

On December 21, 2015January 25, 2016 By potrerohilldemocratsIn Education, Elected official, Environment, Uncategorized

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).
donkey dots
Members pinned dots on the donkey to vote for the topics & issues they would most like the Club to take on or revisit.Â 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.