The MetaGrrrl slate card for June 2008 voting 2008

Make up your own mind, but if you're curious how I've made mine up after reading about the different candidates and propositions, here's what I endorse this time around.

U.S. Representative - Nancy Pelosi
I'd prefer that she was firmly anti-war, but otherwise, I think she's doing a solid job and despite her war stance, I'll probably support her against Cindy Sheehan in the fall.

State Senator - Mark Leno
If he and Carole Migden were running for different positions, I'd probably vote for both of them, but I am a strong supporter of Mark Leno and am really excited at the prospect of having him in this role. As my friend Jennifer Granick said in her slate card, he's been effective, principled and pragmatic.

Member, State Assembly District 13 -  Tom Ammiano
Again, Jennifer sums it up nicely: he's worked his ass off for this city. Plus I believe he really listens and really thinks; lovely things in a politician.

Judge of the Superior Court, seat #12 - Mary E. Mallen
I was debating voting for Gerardo C. Sandoval with some reluctance; I was rather revolted by the amount of political junk mail I received from his campaign AND he's a board of supervisors member, which doesn't - at least in this city - suggest to me non-partisan consideration. However, getting Pete Wilson appointee Thomas Mellon off the bench was alluring enough to consider it. But then again Mary E. Mallen's statement in the Voter Information Pamphlet was so very much better than his and Jennifer picked her on her slate card too.

Proposition 98:  End Rent Control, and Then Some: NO NO NO
Proposition 99: Protect Homeowners from Eminent Domain: Yes
Remember we hate 98, 99 is fine.

Proposition A - School Parcel Tax - Yes
Funding schools pays off in increased economic health for communities. This is a good step to begin getting education funding back where it should be.

Proposition B - Changing Qualifications for Retiree Health and Pension Benefits and Establishing a Retiree Health Care Trust Fund - Yes
Changes city retirement rules to reduce city costs while still providing benefits for city employees who've been with the city at least 10 years.

Proposition C - Forfeiture of Retirement Benefits for Conviction of a Crime Involving Moral Turpitude in Connection with City Employment -No
"Moral Turpitude" has no precise definition; this is a ridiculous proposition. I can't say it better than Jennifer:

Not a big enough problem to be worth the litigation over whether something is morally turpitudinous enough to merit the penalty.  And yes, that is a word.

Proposition D - Appointments to City Boards and Commissions - No
A fine sentiment, but non-binding. The City Controller opines that it will have a minimal impact on the cost of government. I opine that it will have a minimal impact on egalitarianism and there are better things our city government can be spending its time on.

Proposition E -  Requiring Board of Supervisors' Approval of Mayor's Appointments to the Public Utilities Commission and Creating Qualifications for Commission Members - No
The Board already has veto rights on these appointments; this will needlessly further politicize this process. (Dudes, our mayor is NOT conservative; in any other city he'd be the farthest left-wing candidate. We're fine with the current controls.)

Proposition F -  No
Proposition G – YES
We already have a community-discussed, funding-provided solution to clean up and improve Hunters Point Shipyard and Candlestick Point: proposition G. The pie-in-the-sky ideas of proposition F will almost certainly guarantee the status quo remains, which helps no one. Sophie Maxwell, the supervisor for Bayview/Hunters Point, is in favor of G; I'm going to listen to her over Chris Daly on what's best for her community. Again, I'm going to quote Jennifer's analysis here:

Affordable housing is really important, as is avoiding gentrification that drives current residents away, as is avoiding the "barbell effect" where the really poor and the super rich can get access to homes in the city, and everyone else has to leave. The Lennar plan provides that housing, maybe not as much as you'd theoretically like [but more than has been provided by past development], in the context of a well-conceived detailed plan that can actually happen.  F puts the kibosh on that progress.  And waiting carries its own price.  Black residents are already being forced out of the Bayview area by a mixture of gentrification and violence.  [see for example] There's always something not to like, but that is not a good excuse anymore.  Vote yes on G and no on F.

So that's flaky F and grounded G; go G, fuck F.

Proposition H - Prohibiting Elected Officials, Candidates, or Committees They Control from Soliciting or Accepting Contributions from Certain City Contractors – No
So, let me get this straight, people contracting with the city are prohibited from making campaign contributions under certain circumstances and this will make it illegal for those already prohibited contributions to be accepted?  Jennifer (did I mention she's a lawyer?) says "This is a poorly crafted rule that does not define the 'controlled committees' that it allegedly regulates.  As a result is will not make government cleaner."

If you like her comments, you may want to subscribe to the Granick slate card.

If you like my comments, just keep readin' my blog, baby.

 

Comments

The MetaGrrrl slate card for June 2008 voting

Make up your own mind, but if you're curious how I've made mine up after reading about the different candidates and propositions, here's what I endorse this time around.

U.S. Representative - Nancy Pelosi
I'd prefer that she was firmly anti-war, but otherwise, I think she's doing a solid job and despite her war stance, I'll probably support her against Cindy Sheehan in the fall.

State Senator - Mark Leno
If he and Carole Migden were running for different positions, I'd probably vote for both of them, but I am a strong supporter of Mark Leno and am really excited at the prospect of having him in this role. As my friend Jennifer Granick said in her slate card, he's been effective, principled and pragmatic.

Member, State Assembly District 13 -  Tom Ammiano
Again, Jennifer sums it up nicely: he's worked his ass off for this city. Plus I believe he really listens and really thinks; lovely things in a politician.

Judge of the Superior Court, seat #12 - Mary E. Mallen
I was debating voting for Gerardo C. Sandoval with some reluctance; I was rather revolted by the amount of political junk mail I received from his campaign AND he's a board of supervisors member, which doesn't - at least in this city - suggest to me non-partisan consideration. However, getting Pete Wilson appointee Thomas Mellon off the bench was alluring enough to consider it. But then again Mary E. Mallen's statement in the Voter Information Pamphlet was so very much better than his and Jennifer picked her on her slate card too.

Proposition 98:  End Rent Control, and Then Some: NO NO NO
Proposition 99: Protect Homeowners from Eminent Domain: Yes
Remember we hate 98, 99 is fine.

Proposition A - School Parcel Tax - Yes
Funding schools pays off in increased economic health for communities. This is a good step to begin getting education funding back where it should be.

Proposition B - Changing Qualifications for Retiree Health and Pension Benefits and Establishing a Retiree Health Care Trust Fund - Yes
Changes city retirement rules to reduce city costs while still providing benefits for city employees who've been with the city at least 10 years.

Proposition C - Forfeiture of Retirement Benefits for Conviction of a Crime Involving Moral Turpitude in Connection with City Employment -No
"Moral Turpitude" has no precise definition; this is a ridiculous proposition. I can't say it better than Jennifer:

Not a big enough problem to be worth the litigation over whether something is morally turpitudinous enough to merit the penalty.  And yes, that is a word.

Proposition D - Appointments to City Boards and Commissions - No
A fine sentiment, but non-binding. The City Controller opines that it will have a minimal impact on the cost of government. I opine that it will have a minimal impact on egalitarianism and there are better things our city government can be spending its time on.

Proposition E -  Requiring Board of Supervisors' Approval of Mayor's Appointments to the Public Utilities Commission and Creating Qualifications for Commission Members - No
The Board already has veto rights on these appointments; this will needlessly further politicize this process. (Dudes, our mayor is NOT conservative; in any other city he'd be the farthest left-wing candidate. We're fine with the current controls.)

Proposition F -  No
Proposition G – YES
We already have a community-discussed, funding-provided solution to clean up and improve Hunters Point Shipyard and Candlestick Point: proposition G. The pie-in-the-sky ideas of proposition F will almost certainly guarantee the status quo remains, which helps no one. Sophie Maxwell, the supervisor for Bayview/Hunters Point, is in favor of G; I'm going to listen to her over Chris Daly on what's best for her community. Again, I'm going to quote Jennifer's analysis here:

Affordable housing is really important, as is avoiding gentrification that drives current residents away, as is avoiding the "barbell effect" where the really poor and the super rich can get access to homes in the city, and everyone else has to leave. The Lennar plan provides that housing, maybe not as much as you'd theoretically like [but more than has been provided by past development], in the context of a well-conceived detailed plan that can actually happen.  F puts the kibosh on that progress.  And waiting carries its own price.  Black residents are already being forced out of the Bayview area by a mixture of gentrification and violence.  [see for example] There's always something not to like, but that is not a good excuse anymore.  Vote yes on G and no on F.

So that's flaky F and grounded G; go G, fuck F.

Proposition H - Prohibiting Elected Officials, Candidates, or Committees They Control from Soliciting or Accepting Contributions from Certain City Contractors – No
So, let me get this straight, people contracting with the city are prohibited from making campaign contributions under certain circumstances and this will make it illegal for those already prohibited contributions to be accepted?  Jennifer (did I mention she's a lawyer?) says "This is a poorly crafted rule that does not define the 'controlled committees' that it allegedly regulates.  As a result is will not make government cleaner."

If you like her comments, you may want to subscribe to the Granick slate card.

If you like my comments, just keep readin' my blog, baby.

 

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