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Eric on the Issues

In 2008 Richmond District voters will be asking the question who they want to represent them on the Board of Supervisors. What changes they would like, what works and what does not at City Hall are key elements of this choice. A district supervisor has to listen, represent and lead.

As voters go through the process of choosing a new supervisor it's time to examine what plans and approaches candidates have to address key issues affecting the Richmond District and all of San Francisco.

Eric’s Platform

Retain and Support Working Families in San Francisco

For years, low to middle income families have been pushed out of San Francisco at an alarming rate. San Francisco has the lowest proportion of families with children of any major metropolitan area of the country. This troubling fact has a profound impact on the make up and vitality of all San Francisco neighborhoods.

• Support continued improvements in San Francisco’s public schools and the creation of high quality schools in every neighborhood
  
• Support private and public initiatives to increase the supply of rental housing and homeownership opportunities that working and middle income families can afford
  
• Promote economic development which provides living wage employment opportunities
  
• Increase public resources for high quality and affordable childcare for working families
  
• Make Healthy San Francisco a reality

Foster thriving, livable neighborhoods throughout San Francisco

From the Richmond District to Bayview Hunter’s Point, San Francisco’s diverse neighborhoods give our City its unique character and vibrancy. Over the past few decades, many neighborhoods have been economically marginalized causing impacts on residents throughout San Francisco. Core issues such as public transit, economic development, and public safety cut across all neighborhoods.

• Support locally owned neighborhood businesses which build community and serve as the foundation of our City’s economy
  
• Improve public transit, expand bike routes and improve pedestrian safety in all neighborhoods to reduce dependence on automobiles
  
• Develop the role of schools as important community-building neighborhood hubs by increasing school and community collaboration
  
• Improve public safety through community policing and more responsive patrols and officers on the street
  
• Enforce San Francisco's move to green building standards
  
• Respect San Francisco's architectural history by making preservation central to planning decisions

Make City government responsive and accountable to Richmond District residents

The City government is in the midst of a severe budget crisis that may likely last through 2009 and beyond. Essential services for neighborhoods and our most vulnerable residents have been threatened with severe cutbacks or outright elimination. We must improve the efficiency and fiscal accountability of City government while maintaining full responsiveness to vital community needs.

• Address the City budget deficit in a balanced way by prioritizing cuts at the upper management level, protecting front line service staff, and exploring new sources of revenue
  
• Convene regular town hall meetings in the Richmond District to facilitate communication between City government and neighborhood organizations and residents
  
• Reform utility rates to encourage conservation
  
• Implement a comprehensive homelessness prevention plan by making shelters safe, funding the leased hotel program,and protecting the San Francisco Rent Ordinance