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

On 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.  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

On By potrerohilldemocratsIn Community service, Uncategorized

Santa beer

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 5pmBeer Santa
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!

On By potrerohilldemocratsIn Elections, Environment, Uncategorized

Doorhanger frontDoorhanger backVOTE!!! 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

Coming Tuesday, Oct 6th: The drought and climate change

On By potrerohilldemocratsIn Environment, Uncategorized, Water Issues

droughtWhat is the impact of the worst drought in 1300 years on San Francisco, its residents and the Bay environment? Are we doing enough? Come hear and question the experts on anything related to the current (and future?) drought. The panel:

  • Jennifer Clary, Water Program Manager, Clean Water Action
  • Barry Nelson, Bay Conservation & Development Commissioner; Principal, Western Water Strategies
  • Adam Scow, California Director, Food & Water Watch

 

Moderator: Loretta Lynch, former president, CA Public Utilities Commission

WHEN: Tuesday, October 6th at 7pm
WHERE: Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, 953 De Haro at Southern Heights

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

On By potrerohilldemocratsIn Elected official, Elections, Endorsements, Uncategorized


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

★ Actually unopposed candidate City Attorney Dennis Herrera spoke briefly about his accomplishments in office.

★ These props weree covered (click on titles for summaries):
B –  Paid Parental Leave for City Employees
G – Disclosures Regarding Renewable Energy
H - 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.

★ 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
  • JOSÉ 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 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
A  – 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 By potrerohilldemocratsIn Elected official, Elections, Endorsements, Housing, Money in politics

Prop F mini-debateTUESDAY, 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.  Props  A and C, whose only known opposition came from a lone Republican, had opposing arguments presented by PHDC  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?  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 José 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 By potrerohilldemocratsIn Education, Elected official, Elections, Endorsements, Uncategorized

CCSF candidate forum at PHDCThe 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).

Sheriff candidate debatte at PHDC

 

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.  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