January 3rd meeting: Ranked-Choice Voting

On By potrerohilldemocratsIn Elections

Our first meeting of 2012 featured a lively panel about Ranked-Choice a.k.a. Instant Runoff Voting, in recent and future San Francisco elections. Experts on the subject discussed its strengths and weaknesses, what alternatives there are, and why we should – or shouldn’t – pursue them. There were of course lots of audience questions. Click here for some video coverage of the panel. And here’s another video. Click here for photos by Linda Post.

Panelists:
Jason Benlevi, tech industry veteran and author of Too Much Magic, who opposes it
Steven Hill, author and political reformer who led the 2002 campaign to pass instant-runoff voting in San Francisco
Tony Kelly, political activist who ran for Supervisor under the system in 2010 and still supports it
Clay Shentrup, Director, Center for Election Science, who wants to replace it

Moderator: John Wildermuth, San Francisco Chronicle Staff Writer

Nominations for 2012 officers (election to be held in February) are open.

WHEN: Tuesday, January 3, 7pm
WHERE: Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, 953 De Haro St

Party Dec 11th, NO meeting Dec 6th

On By potrerohilldemocratsIn Uncategorized

DruidsStonehengePotrero Boosters and PHDC, together again: HOLIDAY PARTY! Come celebrate the season with your neighbors. After a rather successful collaboration on the Mayoral Debate, the two clubs are joining forces again.

Eat, drink and be merry, at least for a couple hours. There will be savories and sweets, wine and other holiday goodies from Axis Café. Renew your PHDC membership for the next year, and consider joining the Boosters as well. And you are welcome to bring friends who may be interested in joining either club. See you there!

WHEN: Sunday, Dec 11th, 3:30 to 6:30pm
WHERE: Axis Café, 1201 8th St at 16th St

Meeting Nov. 1 (Day of the Dead) – Move Your Money: Break up with your Mega-Bank!

On By potrerohilldemocratsIn Elections, Endorsements, Uncategorized, Wall Street

What better way to spend Day of the Dead than to contemplate Death to the Mega-Banks? Too big to fail? Uh-uh. Too big to exist. Just in time for Bank Transfer Day, PHDC presents a panel discussion on how to let your money work for the good of the community, instead of for the benefit of a mega-bank’s corporate profits. Representatives from a community bank and two credit unions will explain the differences, and answer your questions.

SmallHangerThe election is November 8th. Find out at the meeting how you can help PHDC’s endorsed candidates Get Out The Vote!

WHEN: Tuesday, November 1st, 7pm
WHERE: Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, 953 De Haro St

October 4th: Endorsed candidates & campaigns, Sharp Park revisited

On By potrerohilldemocratsIn Elections, Endorsements, Environment, Uncategorized

Dennis Herrera for Mayor, David Onek for District Attorney, and Chris Cunnie for Sheriff, plus Ken Tray of UESF for Yes on A and No on H came by to touch base, to thank the Club for its endorsement, and to let us know how we can help their campaigns. We previewed our door hanger and took signups for precinct-walking and Potrero Hill Festival tabling. We revisited the Sharp Park Golf Course issue, but this time, the discussion was strictly limited – unlike the out-of-control Aug 2 meeting (scroll down for info), at which the vote was tabled so members could have time to learn more. The motion to endorse Supervisor Avalos’s legislation to restore Sharp Park passed. The meeting ended with an update from Megan Hamilton, aide to Supervisor Cohen, who was still in a BOS meeting.

WHEN: Tuesday, October 4th, 7pm
WHERE: Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, 953 De Haro St

PHDC’s Endorsemments for the November 8, 2011 Municipal Election

On By potrerohilldemocratsIn Elections, Endorsements, Uncategorized

Mayor
DENNIS HERRERA

District Attorney
DAVID ONEK

Sheriff
CHRIS CUNNIE

San Francisco Propositions

A – YES School Bonds
B – YES Road Paving and Street Safety Bonds
C – No position City Pension and Health Care Benefits
D – NO City Pension Benefits
E – No position Amending or Repealing Legislative Initiative Ordinances and Declarations of Policy
F – No position Campaign Consultant Ordinance
G – YES Sales Tax
H – NO School District Student Assignment

TWO (2) September endorsement meetings

On By potrerohilldemocratsIn Elections, Endorsements, Uncategorized

DistrictAttorneySEPT 6th at 6:30pm: CANDIDATES. The District Attorney candidate forum featured (above, left to right) George Gascón, Sharmin Bock, Bill Fazio, and David Onek. Their submitted questionnaires are here. PHDC Secretary, attorney J.R. Eppler, moderated. Photo by Jean Bogiages. There were then separate presentations, each followed by Q&A, from candidates for Sheriff, Chris Cunnie, Ross Mirkarimi, and Paul Miyamoto. Members in good standing voted that night on endorsements for Mayor, District Attorney, and Sheriff. All qualified candidates were on the ballot. To be endorsed, a candidate had to get 60% of the votes cast. As we have done since the Club formed in 2007, we used ranked-choice voting.

PHDC’s endorsed candidates are:

Mayor – DENNIS HERRERA
District Attorney – DAVID ONEK
Sheriff – CHRIS CUNNIE

TUES. SEPT 13th at 6:30pm: PROPOSITIONS. Speakers pro and con, plus Q&A, for the eight measures appearing on the November 8th ballot. Members in good standing voted on endorsing them that night. To be endorsed, a ballot measure had to get 60% of the votes cast.

The location of both meetings was the Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, 953 De Haro St.

August 30th: Potrero Hill Mayoral Candidate Debate + straw poll

On By potrerohilldemocratsIn Elections, Uncategorized

MayoralDebateIt really was a lively and informative evening! All seven candidates were in top form. There were four rounds of candidates asking questions of other candidates, plus opening and closing statements. Each round had a particular subject:
• Creating Careers for San Franciscans (Jobs, the Economy)
• Preventing Cuts to Our Services (Budget, Transit, Parks)
• Keeping Families Here (Housing, Schools)
• Supporting Livable Neighborhoods (Health, Safety)
Candidates had 3 bonus minutes each, which they used when they felt compelled to give a longer answer, to rebut someone else’s words, or to lengthen a closing statement. The debate was co-sponsored with Potrero Boosters Neighborhood Association. Both Linda Post and Cris Rys shot videos of the proceedings. Find Linda’s here, and Cris’s here.

Participating candidates were (above, left to right) Terry Baum, Bevan Dufty, Michela Alioto-Pier, Dennis Herrera, David Chiu, Joanna Rees, John Avalos. Photo by Linda Post. Boosters President Tony Kelly moderated. Find out more about the candidates:
Candidate questionnaires as submitted
Candidates’ responses to each question side-by-side (recommend opening in Firefox).

At the end of the evening, audience members who thought they could answer the question, “Who won the debate?” voted in a straw poll. Here are the the results:
Dennis Herrera – 30%
Terry Baum – 17%
David Chiu – 17%
John Avalos – 16%
Bevan Dufty – 10%
Joanna Rees – 6%
Michela Alioto-Pier – 4%

When: Tuesday, August 30, 6:30 – 9pm.
Where: International Studies Academy, 655 De Haro St

August 2nd Meeting update, with links

On By potrerohilldemocratsIn Uncategorized, Water Issues

Neal DesaiMichelle MyersDawn Kamalanathan (below) of SF Recreation & Parks duked it out with Neal Desai (left) of National Parks Conservation Association and Michelle Myers (right) of Sierra Club SF Bay Chapter over the future of Sharp Park Golf Course. Members tabled a vote on the issue, needing more information. Here are the links to information received:

• From the Sierra Club and Wild Equity Institute:
Summary fact-sheet of the campaign and what the legislation they are crafting (with Supervisor Avalos and the City Attorney’s office) would do
Executive summary of all the studies, reports, and articles that have been published on the issue
• From SF Public Golf Alliance (absent a response from Rec & Parks, a member of the audience sent this): Frequently-Asked Questions Memo
Dawn Kamalanathan
Supervisor Malia Cohen unfortunately had a family emergency and had to reschedule. Tom Gallagher presented a resolution in support of Barbara Lee’s Afghanistan withdrawal bill, which passed unanimously. We’re looking forward to our August 14th Members Party & Auction. Rebecca Shearin photos.

July 4th “Meeting”

On By potrerohilldemocratsIn Uncategorized

Kate & J.R. being patriotic, July 4th in Dolores Park
Kate & J.R. being patriotic, July 4th in Dolores Park

Our July meeting was a field trip. We gathered in Dolores Park on July 4th with the patriotic purpose of protecting democracy itself. How? By registering voters; by campaigning for the California DISCLOSE Act: Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light On Spending in Elections; and by supporting the SF Mime Troupe in their 52nd year of smart, satirical musical theater. We had the old ironing board as our base of operations, moved among the crowd with our petitions and voter registration materials, and then 8 of us stayed to enjoy the SF Mime Troupe show “2012 – The Musical!” and a fabulous potluck picnic. Activism should be fun! Photo by Scott Cole.

WHEN: Monday, July 4th, 12:30pm meet & register voters, 2pm picnic & show
WHERE: Dolores Park, Dolores in from 19th St

Tuesday, June 7th: BETTER FOOD starts with the Farm Bill…

On By potrerohilldemocratsIn Uncategorized

…and ultimately may lead to people growing their own. We got the whole picture from Food & Water Watch‘s Adam Scow‘s presentation, “Sowing the Seeds of a Fair Farm Bill” in Congress: regulation of the multinational corporations; supporting family farmers; increasing access to healthy food in urban communities. Then we bought it home with comments from various neighbors who source food locally and sell it, grow it themselves to eat or give away, or provide other resources for healthy eating and would-be urban farmers.FoodPolitics1FoodPolitics2

WHEN: Tuesday, June 7th, 6:45pm sign in & socialize, 7:00pm start
WHERE: Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, 953 De Haro St