San Francisco Real Estate - Residential

A Lot at Stake in San Francisco's November Election

Real property interests have a lot at stake in every municipal election in San Francisco. A large part of the city's budget is derived from real property taxes collected from real property owners. And, although Proposition 13 controls both the assessed value of real property and the real property tax rate, bond measures passed by the voters can increase the city's indebtedness and the real property tax rate beyond the levels otherwise prescribed by Proposition 13. In addition, there are usually measures on the ballot that, if passed by the voters, can affect how real property owners can use their real property in the city.

The Association every year spends considerable financial and human resources attempting to maintain a political environment in the city that is friendly to the ownership of real property. In that regard, it conducts elaborate public information campaigns to keep REALTORS® and real property owners informed concerning matters of importance to them. This November, voters will fill five vacancies on the Board of Supervisors and decide the fate of 11 ballot measures. A lot is at stake in the election.

To assist REALTORS® in understanding the races a little bit better, the Association has prepared the following election primer. In doing so, it recognizes that not every member will embrace the Association's on the candidates or the issues. Our task, as always, is to adopt positions on issues based on their effect on real estate interests and the city as a whole. It is hoped that you find the following information helpful.

Supervisorial Candidates (This year, vacancies will occur in all of the even-numbered supervisorial districts. What follows is a list of the candidates in each district, with the names of the candidates being or likely to be supported by the San Francisco Association shown in bold.)

(*Note: Districts below are NOT MLS districts, but refer to voting districts!)

District Two (Pacific Heights)

• Incumbent: Michela Alioto-Pier
  Michela Alioto-Pier was appointed to the Board of Supervisors by Mayor Gavin Newsom. Later she was elected to the Board in her own right.
  Michela is a staunch supporter of a fair and balanced approach to the formulation of housing policy in the city. She believes that homeownership leads to more stable neighborhoods and has supported attempts to increase ownership opportunities so that middle class renters are not forced to leave the city in order to find affordable ownership housing elsewhere.
• Challenger:Vilma Guinto Peoro

District Four (The Sunset)

• Incumbent: none. District Four Supervisor Fiona Ma is running for State Assembly.
• Challengers:Douglas Chan
  Doug Chan has been endorsed by Mayor Gavin Newsom, Supervisor Fiona Ma and Supervisor Sean Elsbernd. He is a former police commissioner who is running for office to make the city's neighborhoods safer, improve the city's economy, broaden access to health services and demand the best from our schools.
  If you are interested in assisting Doug, go to his web site:www.electdougchan.com
• Ron Dudum
• David Ferguson
• Edmund Jew
• Jaynry Mak
• Houston Zheng

District Six (The Tenderloin, South Beach)

• Incumbent: Chris Daly
• Challengers:Rob Black
  Rob Black has been endorsed by the San Francisco Association of REALTORS®. Rob formerly was Supervisor Alioto-Pier's legislative aide and, in that capacity, he worked closely and cooperatively with the Association on a host of legislative issues affecting the interests of real property owners in the city. If Rob is able to replace Chris Daly on the Board of Supervisors, the board is certain to take a more balanced and fair-minded approach to the formulation of housing policy.
  If you are interested in assisting Rob, go to his web site: www.robblack2006.com
• George Dias
• Matt Drake
• Viliam Dugovic
• Manuel Jimenez, Jr.
• Davy Jones
• Robert L. Jordan, Jr.

District Eight (Noe Valley)

• Incumbent: Bevan Dufty
  Bevan Dufty's motto in his 2002 campaign was "It's All about the Neighborhood." During his four years as a supervisor, that motto has guided his work on scores of neighborhood concerns, including homelessness, clean streets, neighborhood and park beautification, traffic calming, pedestrian and bicycle safety, youth programs and better schools, small business vitality and funding increases for HIV/AIDS and substance abuse prevention and treatment. Bevan has worked closely with Mayor Gavin Newsom, city department heads and staff to help make San Francisco, its neighborhoods and its economy better and stronger.
  If you are interested in assisting Bevan, go to his web site: www.bevandufty.com
• Challengers: Alix Rosenthal Starchild

District Ten (The Bayview)

• Incumbent: Sophie Maxwell
• Challengers: Sala Chandler
• Rodney Hampton, Jr.
• Marie Harrison
• Espanola Jackson
• Dwayne Jusino
• Charlie Walker

Ballot Measures (Many of the measures on this November's ballot seek funds for various purposes. This year's budget for the City and County of San Francisco is the largest in the city's history—$5.7 billion. In voting on measures with fiscal impacts, ask yourself before casting your vote whether the citizens of San Francisco are getting fair value for the billions the city collects in taxes. Following is a list of the local measures that will appear on the November 2006 ballot and in cases where the measure is either real estate-related or has fiscal impact, a brief description of the measure is provided, along with the position recommendation of the Association, if applicable.

Bond Measures (Requires, in the case of the school bond, a 55 percent vote for passage.)

• Proposition A. School Facilities Bond—Raises $450 million for facilities improvements for the San Francisco School District. (Cost: $33 per $100,000 of assessed value each year.)

Charter Amendments (Requires a two-thirds vote for passage)

• Proposition B. Parental Leave Policies
• Proposition C. Setting Salaries of Certain Elected Officials—Requires the base salaries of the mayor, city attorney, district attorney, public defender, assessor-recorder, treasurer and sheriff to be adjusted every five years based on the average of salaries of comparable officials in other Bay Area counties (Submitted by Aaron Peskin)

Ordinances (Requires a simple majority vote for passage)

• Proposition D. Privacy Protection
• Proposition E. Parking Tax Surcharge—Increase the parking tax rate in the city by 40 percent to make the rate second highest in the nation. (Submitted by Supervisor Chris Daly) Association Recommendation: Vote NO
• Proposition F. Paid Sick Days—Requires San Francisco employers with less than 11 employees to provide five sick days a year per worker and businesses with more than 10 employees to provide nine days a year per worker (Submitter by Supervisor Chris Daly)Association Recommendation: Vote NO
• Proposition G. Small Business Protection Act—Requires a conditional use authorization for the establishment of a formula retail use in neighborhood commercial districts. Also provides that, “Nothing herein shall preclude the Board of Supervisors from adopting more restrictive provisions for conditional use authorization of formula retail use or prohibiting formula retail use in any neighborhood commercial use.” Association Recommendation: Vote NO
• Proposition H. Relocation Benefits for No-Fault Evictions—Requires landlords who evict tenants for capital improvement projects or by invoking the power of State law known as the Ellis Act (allows landlords to evict tenants if they want to get out of the rental business) to pay tenants $4,500 in relocation costs, which is a $3,500 increase. (Submitted by Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi). Association Recommendation: Vote NO

Declaration of Policies (Requires a simple majority vote for passage)

• Proposition I. Monthly Board Appearances by the Mayor. Association Recommendation: Vote NO
• Proposition J. Impeachment of Bush/Cheney
• Proposition K. Housing for Seniors and People with Disabilities—The city would explore ways to meet the need for affordable housing for seniors with limited means and the disabled. (Submitted by Supervisor Chris Daly)

- San Francisco Association of REALTORS®

posted by SFResidence.com @ 3:52 PM