‘The epicenter’: Bay Area donors could help Harris clinch nomination — and beat Trump

With the news Sunday that President Joe Biden is stepping out of the presidential election, Vice President Kamala Harris became the first-ever presumptive candidate of a major political party to hail from the Bay Area.



Northern California’s heavyweight donor class is likely to play a key role in the attempt to propel Harris past any would-be Democratic rivals and into the Oval Office — and deny Donald Trump a return.



An Oakland native who formerly served as chief prosecutor for both San Francisco and California, Harris relied on a network of wealthy contributors, many with ties to Silicon Valley, in her previous bids for office.&nbsp;



“I think the Bay Area is going to become the epicenter of fundraising for this presidential race,” said Manny Yekutiel, whose café in the Mission, Manny’s, has become a salon for San Francisco’s political class. Yekutiel, who held a <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/2024/06/05/san-francisco-kamala-harris-donald-trump-fundraiser/">fundraiser for Harris</a> in June, when Biden was still on the ticket, said he feels “energized and pumped” by the candidate swap.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1999" height="2667" src="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/gettyimages-1229426596-edited.jpg" alt="A woman in a gray coat is smiling behind a podium with two microphones. The background features a blurred, waving flag pattern in red, white, and blue." class="wp-image-293826" srcset="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/gettyimages-1229426596-edited.jpg 1999w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/gettyimages-1229426596-edited.jpg?resize=225,300 225w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/gettyimages-1229426596-edited.jpg?resize=768,1025 768w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/gettyimages-1229426596-edited.jpg?resize=1874,2500 1874w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/gettyimages-1229426596-edited.jpg?resize=1151,1536 1151w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/gettyimages-1229426596-edited.jpg?resize=1535,2048 1535w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The vice president has been to the Bay Area multiple times over the past year to raise Democratic dollars.</figcaption></figure>



“This is a hometown hero,” said Yekutiel.&nbsp;



After the news broke about Biden’s exit, The Standard spoke with donors and elected officials, many of whom said they were committed to standing behind Harris. Gretchen Sisson, a Democratic donor and wife of Facebook co-founder Andrew McCollum, said she was “absolutely” planning on supporting Harris.



“We’re going to win this election,” said Sisson.&nbsp;



Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, one of the Democratic Party’s delegates for the Chicago convention in August, said the choice of Harris as the nominee is the most “democratic” approach.



“If she becomes the next nominee, I think people are going to get to know her the way we in California know her,” said Kounalakis. “And love her.”



State Controller Malia Cohen, also a Democratic Party delegate, said she is a “whole lot more excited” about the November election now that Harris is the presumptive nominee.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2592" height="2592" src="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/20240703kamalabayarea-17_0796f9.jpg?w=2500" alt="Two people in suits are laughing; one points to the other while holding a coffee cup. A &quot;TIME&quot; banner is in the background and another person is in view." class="wp-image-288546" srcset="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/20240703kamalabayarea-17_0796f9.jpg 2592w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/20240703kamalabayarea-17_0796f9.jpg?resize=150,150 150w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/20240703kamalabayarea-17_0796f9.jpg?resize=300,300 300w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/20240703kamalabayarea-17_0796f9.jpg?resize=768,768 768w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/20240703kamalabayarea-17_0796f9.jpg?resize=2500,2500 2500w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/20240703kamalabayarea-17_0796f9.jpg?resize=1536,1536 1536w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/20240703kamalabayarea-17_0796f9.jpg?resize=2048,2048 2048w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/20240703kamalabayarea-17_0796f9.jpg?resize=180,180 180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2592px) 100vw, 2592px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sunday endorsed Harris as the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee, dispelling rumors he was angling for the ticket.</figcaption></figure>



“The choice is obvious,” said Cohen, a former member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. “A tried and true prosecutor would light up Donald Trump and really give him a run for his money.” 



Cohen said Harris’ candidacy could help shore up other Silicon Valley donors who may have been hesitant to contribute to Biden’s campaign. Trump has <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/2024/07/16/angered-by-a-trans-protection-law-elon-musk-says-x-will-leave-san-francisco-for-austin/">recently</a> wooed big names like entrepreneur Elon Musk, but Cohen said the vice president’s entrance could help rally tech behind the Democrats.&nbsp;



On Sunday, LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman said he would back the vice president.&nbsp;



“Kamala Harris is the right person at the right time,” Hoffman wrote in a <a href="https://x.com/reidhoffman/status/1815103689461239892">post</a> on X. “Donald Trump and J.D. Vance are promising an agenda that will wreak havoc on the American people.”



Plans for Bay Area fundraisers weren’t immediately clear. An event for Biden by longtime Democratic Party donors Quinn Delaney and Wayne Jordan had been set for July 27 in the East Bay city of Piedmont. Representatives with the campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.



Harris will likely focus on the issue of reproductive rights as a major source of fuel for Democratic fundraising.



Speeches she has given to donors in San Jose and San Francisco over the past year have painted a stark contrast between the two major parties’ stances on abortion access. The Washington-based Reproductive Freedom for All organization, formerly known as NARAL, <a href="https://reproductivefreedomforall.org/news/reproductive-freedom-for-all-thanks-president-biden-for-commitment-to-reproductive-freedom-endorses-vice-president-kamala-harris-as-he-exits-race/">endorsed</a> Harris on Sunday. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="3344" height="3344" src="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/20240703kamalabayarea-13_88f4e9.jpg?w=2500" alt="A woman speaks at a podium labeled &quot;Oakland Police,&quot; surrounded by five individuals who appear attentive in a formal setting. A microphone is positioned in front." class="wp-image-288542" srcset="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/20240703kamalabayarea-13_88f4e9.jpg 3344w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/20240703kamalabayarea-13_88f4e9.jpg?resize=150,150 150w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/20240703kamalabayarea-13_88f4e9.jpg?resize=300,300 300w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/20240703kamalabayarea-13_88f4e9.jpg?resize=768,768 768w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/20240703kamalabayarea-13_88f4e9.jpg?resize=2500,2500 2500w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/20240703kamalabayarea-13_88f4e9.jpg?resize=1536,1536 1536w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/20240703kamalabayarea-13_88f4e9.jpg?resize=2048,2048 2048w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/20240703kamalabayarea-13_88f4e9.jpg?resize=180,180 180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 3344px) 100vw, 3344px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Harris is the first-ever presumed candidate of a major political party to hail from the Bay Area.</figcaption></figure>



The vice president also got the support Sunday afternoon of Gov. Gavin Newsom.



Ann Ravel, the former chair of the Federal Elections Commission, said the endorsement of Harris made the most sense financially for Biden’s campaign, which recently <a href="https://docquery.fec.gov/cgi-bin/forms/C00703975/1791835/">reported</a> roughly $90 million of cash on hand. Ravel said that because Harris is connected to the campaign, she is entitled to the existing funds.



“She’s already part of the ticket,” said Ravel. “And that’s where the money came in.”



Although with Biden’s backing, Harris is the presumed nominee, there were signs Sunday that the Democratic Party hadn’t fully coalesced around a single nominee.&nbsp;



Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, long seen as one of the behind-the-scenes political chess players of the Democratic Party, <a href="https://x.com/SpeakerPelosi/status/1815102711823548552">applauded</a> Biden on Sunday for dropping out but fell short of endorsing Harris.&nbsp;



Former President Barack Obama similarly was silent on the vice president’s nomination, writing in a Medium <a href="https://barackobama.medium.com/my-statement-on-president-bidens-announcement-1eb78b3ba3fc">post</a> that he had “extraordinary confidence that the leaders of our party will be able to create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges.”

Matt Haney’s boozy campaign fundraisers under investigation by state watchdog

Matt Haney’s <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/2024/06/17/matt-haney-campaign-49ers-warriors-broadway-tickets/">mixing of business with pleasure</a> by holding boozy campaign fundraisers at San Francisco 49ers games, Broadway shows and other sporting events has run the state assemblymember into some hot water.&nbsp;



The California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) launched an investigation into Haney’s campaign this week after The Standard reported on the unusual fundraisers, which were frequently featured on Haney’s Instagram account as he snapped pictures with family and friends.



Haney spent more than $65,000 in campaign funds on 49ers tickets since the beginning of last year. His campaign also spent thousands on tickets, food and drinks while Haney watched the San Francisco Giants, Golden State Warriors and Broadway shows like “The Lion King.”



Many of <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/2024/06/21/matt-haney-campaign-spending-surprises-donors/">Haney’s recent donors</a> said they were not invited to the games, raising questions about who attended.



A spokesperson for the FPPC said the political watchdog’s enforcement division is investigating “alleged improper use of campaign funds.” Haney and his campaign treasurers, Stacey Owens and Denise Lewis, were named as respondents in <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24798949-matt_haney_fppc">the complaint</a>.



Christopher B. Burton, assistant chief of the FPPC’s enforcement division, notified Haney about the probe in a July 8 letter, saying that it was a “commission-initiated investigation” into potential violations of the state’s Political Reform Act.



Investigators will review Haney’s Assembly campaigns for the 2022 and 2024 elections to determine if there was improper use of campaign funds as well as other expenditures associated with holding office.



“Assemblymember Haney’s campaign committees have fully complied with campaign finance laws, and we are confident that the FPPC will reach the same conclusion,” Amber Maltbie, Haney’s campaign attorney, said in a statement.



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Haney, who represents the eastern half of San Francisco, listed all of his sporting event expenses as “fundraisers” in his campaign disclosures with the California Secretary of State. But it’s unclear who attended and how much money was raised—if any.



Multiple campaign experts said that Haney’s frequent use of sporting events as fundraisers—including events attended by his friends and family—was unusual.



“You can’t use your campaign money for vacations or ball games for yourself or your family, that is absolutely not legal,” Ann Ravel, the former chair of the Federal Elections Commission, said in a previous interview. “I don’t go to a lot of football games, but this seems excessive.”



Elizabeth Power, a political consultant for Haney, defended his charges on sporting events, Broadway shows and a membership to the exclusive San Francisco social club The Battery in an interview last month.



“Hosting a fundraiser at a sports event is no different from hosting a fundraiser at a restaurant, bar, or other venue that is rented out,” Power told The Standard. “It’s common for elected officials to host fundraisers at sports events and other cultural events in their district, and these fundraisers are often successful because people enjoy attending these events.”



The Standard contacted more than a dozen of Haney’s non-family-and-friend campaign donors around the time of the 49ers games this past season. No one said they were invited to attend a sporting event fundraiser.

Lawmaker spent $75K in campaign cash on 49ers, Giants, Warriors tix

<a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/2022/04/19/analysis-matt-haney-david-campos-assembly-housing/">Matt Haney</a> had one hell of a weekend in late January. The state assemblymember and avid sports fan partied Saturday evening at <a href="https://www.cavanasf.com/">Cavana</a>, a beautiful rooftop bar in Mission Bay that specializes in <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/2023/02/06/sf-supervisor-parties-at-colombian-hooters-delays-reparations-hearing/">Colombian</a> cuisine and fruity cocktails. Haney dropped a few hundred bucks on food and drinks and also watched LeBron James and Steph Curry duel it out at Chase Center in a double-overtime thriller.&nbsp;



The next morning, Haney got $158 of booze at Tenderloin Liquor and headed down to Santa Clara to watch the San Francisco 49ers battle the Detroit Lions for a trip to the Super Bowl. He pregamed at a tailgate party outside of Levi’s Stadium, smoking a stogie as he took a picture with <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C2qShwlPOZF/">Supervisor Shamann Walton</a>.



In the leadup to kickoff, Haney walked onto the field to hang within reaching distance of the Niners players as they warmed up—an expensive perk. 



After taking more pictures on the field, including one with Robert Rivas, the speaker of the California Legislature, Haney went into the stands and watched the game from lower bowl end-zone seats, cheering the 49ers on to victory with his dad and some of his oldest friends. Haney made sure to enjoy himself responsibly, racking up $148 in Uber charges that day.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2103" height="1314" src="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/inlined04_20240613haney49ers.jpg?w=2103" alt="Matt Haney and his dad, Craig, in red jerseys, with the number &quot;16&quot; visible on one, stand in a crowded football stadium filled with fans wearing red." class="wp-image-283593" srcset="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/inlined04_20240613haney49ers.jpg 2103w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/inlined04_20240613haney49ers.jpg?resize=300,187 300w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/inlined04_20240613haney49ers.jpg?resize=768,480 768w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/inlined04_20240613haney49ers.jpg?resize=1536,960 1536w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/inlined04_20240613haney49ers.jpg?resize=2048,1280 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2103px) 100vw, 2103px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">State Assemblymember Matt Haney poses with his father, Craig, at the NFC Championship game between the San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions in an Instagram post on Jan. 28, 2024.</figcaption></figure>



All of this would make for a pretty baller weekend, but even better for Haney—none of the costs came out of his pocket. Instead, he used funds from his state Assembly campaign for every one of these purchases. In fact, Haney has spent more than $65,000 in campaign funds on 49ers tickets since just the beginning of last year. Haney’s campaign donors have also picked up the tab on thousands of dollars worth of tickets, food and drinks while Haney watched the San Francisco Giants and Broadway shows like “The Lion King.”



Haney, who represents the eastern half of San Francisco, listed all of these expenses as “fundraisers” in his campaign disclosures with the California Secretary of State. But it’s unclear who attended and how much money was raised. Multiple campaign experts said that Haney’s frequent use of sporting events as fundraisers—including events attended by his friends and family—was unusual.



“You can’t use your campaign money for vacations or ball games for yourself or your family, that is absolutely not legal,” said Ann Ravel, the former chair of the Federal Elections Commission. “I don’t go to a lot of football games, but this seems excessive.”



Haney did not respond to multiple interview requests and questions sent by text.



Elizabeth Power, a political consultant who works for Bearstar Strategies and counts both Haney and the 49ers as clients, defended the charges but declined to disclose who attended Haney’s purported fundraisers. She also declined to say how much money he raised as a result of the sporting events.



“Hosting a fundraiser at a sports event is no different from hosting a fundraiser at a restaurant, bar, or other venue that is rented out,” Power said. “It’s common for elected officials to host fundraisers at sports events and other cultural events in their district, and these fundraisers are often successful because people enjoy attending these events.”



Power initially said that Haney did not purchase field passes for the Niners-Lions game on Jan. 28, and he was invited down to the field by Rivas. However, a source with knowledge of the speaker’s activities that day said that was false. Power followed up a short time later to correct her original statement. It’s unclear how Haney got access to the field.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2312" height="1640" src="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/screenshot-2024-06-14-at-5-09-36-pm.png" alt="Four men pose on a football field during a game. The stadium is full of spectators, many wearing red jerseys. The scoreboard and upper stands are visible." class="wp-image-283680" srcset="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/screenshot-2024-06-14-at-5-09-36-pm.png 2312w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/screenshot-2024-06-14-at-5-09-36-pm.png?resize=300,213 300w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/screenshot-2024-06-14-at-5-09-36-pm.png?resize=768,545 768w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/screenshot-2024-06-14-at-5-09-36-pm.png?resize=1536,1090 1536w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/screenshot-2024-06-14-at-5-09-36-pm.png?resize=2048,1453 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2312px) 100vw, 2312px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Assemblymember Matt Haney posted this Instagram photo of him and Speaker Robert Rivas, second from the right, after attending the NFC Championship game between the San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions on Jan. 28.</figcaption></figure>



David Latterman, a longtime political analyst in San Francisco, said that ballgames doubling as fundraisers isn’t unheard of, but the number of events and the amount of money Haney spent on Niners games is stunning.



“You get perks being an elected official, but that’s a huge number,” Latterman said. “It could be a boondoggle if he’s just inviting friends and family. I’m unclear why they need to be there for a fundraiser.”



Jay Wierenga, a spokesperson for the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission, declined comment for this story but pointed The Standard to rules on how campaign funds can be used.



“Campaign funds may not be used to purchase entertainment and sporting event tickets for use by the candidate or officeholder, or staff of the committee, unless attendance at the event is directly related to a political, legislative, or governmental purpose,” the state law reads.



Over the last year and a half, Haney has posted numerous <a href="https://www.instagram.com/matthaneysf/">photos on social media</a> of himself and friends at professional sporting events paid for by campaign funds. One photo from the Jan. 28 game that sent the 49ers to the Super Bowl shows Haney with friends he called his “Day1s,” meaning from back in the day.



But after The Standard contacted Haney for this story, timestamps on Instagram show that he went back and edited the post multiple times.



Power said that Haney only changed the caption on the photo after being contacted for comment because he thought it “may be misleading since he was not actually seated with the friends in the photo.” She added that he watched the majority of the game with supporters who attended his fundraiser.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2309" height="1315" src="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/inlined01_20240613haney49ers.jpg?w=2309" alt="Four men dressed in San Francisco 49ers gear, including jerseys and hats, pose together in a stadium filled with cheering fans. They appear to be celebrating." class="wp-image-283590" srcset="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/inlined01_20240613haney49ers.jpg 2309w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/inlined01_20240613haney49ers.jpg?resize=300,171 300w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/inlined01_20240613haney49ers.jpg?resize=768,437 768w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/inlined01_20240613haney49ers.jpg?resize=1536,875 1536w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/inlined01_20240613haney49ers.jpg?resize=2048,1166 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2309px) 100vw, 2309px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">State Assemblymember Matt Haney poses with friends at the NFC Championship game between the 49ers and Detroit Lions in an Instagram post on Jan. 28, 2024. He changed the caption on the post after being contacted for this story.</figcaption></figure>



James Middleton, a Photoshop expert whose work helped establish that photos of Kate Middleton released by the Royal Family had been altered using AI, told The Standard that the image in Haney’s post appears to have been manipulated. He pointed to unusual markings around the man seen second from the right.



“It is a real, unedited photo,” Power said.



It wouldn&#8217;t be the first time Haney has tried to cover his tracks on social media. Following public rape accusations in 2021 against once-rising political star <a ...

A Chinese citizen is going to help run San Francisco’s elections and Republicans are outraged

Wing Kwan (Kelly) Wong, a Chinese immigrant from Hong Kong, recently found herself in the crosshairs of national conservative media.



Wong, 28, was sworn in as the newest member of San Francisco’s Elections Commission on Feb. 14, where she will help to set policies on the city’s elections. 



But she’s not a U.S. citizen. With China’s Hong Kong passport and a visa to stay in America, Wong cannot vote in the elections she will be involved in as a commissioner. That has sparked a wave of conservative backlash amid geopolitical tension between the U.S. and China, with commentators painting Wong as a symbol of open borders and national security threats.



“It&#8217;s unbelievable,” Republican U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt <a href="https://twitter.com/MorningsMaria/status/1759933399160988116">said on Fox Business</a>, addressing Wong’s appointment. “These people view themselves as global citizens. They view our borders as arbitrary lines on a map.”



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">The 21st century will be defined by who wins this great powers competition between U.S. and China: Sen. Eric Schmitt <a href="https://t.co/fvYUrnIop3">pic.twitter.com/fvYUrnIop3</a>&mdash; Mornings with Maria (@MorningsMaria) <a href="https://twitter.com/MorningsMaria/status/1759933399160988116?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=kelly%20wong%20china">Social media posts</a> on X criticizing Wong’s appointment also blew up, fueling fears that Wong’s appointment is a sign of China’s political infiltration into U.S. politics.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-who-is-she">Who is she?</h2>



Born and raised in Hong Kong, Wong came to the U.S. for graduate school at Tufts University in 2019. She now works for the nonprofit Chinese for Affirmative Action in San Francisco’s Chinatown.



In an interview with The Standard, Wong said immigrant rights are something she’s passionate about.



“I&#8217;m fluent in English, but I still encountered difficulties navigating a new system in the U.S.,” Wong said. “And I definitely felt frustrated and unheard.”



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2130" height="1420" src="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/wechatimg339.png?w=2130" alt="A woman in a black dress holds a bouquet of flowers, standing in an ornate hall with grand lighting." class="wp-image-251561" srcset="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/wechatimg339.png 2130w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/wechatimg339.png?resize=300,200 300w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/wechatimg339.png?resize=768,512 768w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/wechatimg339.png?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/wechatimg339.png?resize=2048,1365 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2130px) 100vw, 2130px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Kelly Wong, a Chinese immigrant from Hong Kong and a non-U.S. citizen, has been appointed to serve on the Elections Commission in San Francisco, sparking a wave of conservative pushback.</figcaption></figure>



She emphasized she wanted to represent an immigrant voice in San Francisco, helping to ensure language access in elections, even though she cannot vote.



Wong pushed back against the xenophobic and anti-immigrant narratives that conservatives have placed on her. Chinese for Affirmative Action also confirmed that the organization has been receiving many anti-China and racist attacks in the wake of Wong’s appointment.&nbsp; Still, Wong said she wants to focus on the positive and make changes for San Francisco immigrant communities.



Ironically—despite accusations that she’s representative of China—Wong has been critical of Beijing. In <a href="https://sfgov.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&amp;ID=12698851&amp;GUID=0DA2AC95-32CE-484B-AFF3-0D2C54FD0968">her personal statement applying for the commissioner seat</a>, she discussed her participation in Hong Kong’s pro-democracy social movement years ago and witnessing the gradual erosion of freedom in Hong Kong.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-can-noncitizens-serve">Why can noncitizens serve?</h2>



In 2020, San Francisco voters passed a charter amendment, in a <a href="https://sfelections.sfgov.org/november-3-2020-election-results-summary">54% to 46%</a> vote, allowing non-U.S. citizens to serve on city commissions. San Francisco voters have embraced noncitizen participation in civic life, also voting to allow noncitizen parents to vote in school board elections.



“This is also in accordance with what the voters of San Francisco have repeatedly stated,” Aaron Peskin, the president of the Board of Supervisors <a href="https://sfgov.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=6460468&amp;GUID=9439D51F-9178-4F04-9FBB-88828E7EDB1B&amp;Options=ID%7CText%7C&amp;Search=kelly+wong">who appointed Wong</a>, told The Standard. “It’s about bringing a diversity of voices that represent different segments of society to the conversation.”



Peskin said he’s proud of Wong and believes she will strengthen San Francisco’s election rules.



It’s unclear how many noncitizens are now serving in San Francisco’s commissions. Both the clerk of the Board of Supervisors and the Mayor’s Office said that they don’t ask for the immigration status of their appointees.



John Dennis, chair of the San Francisco Republican Party, slammed the city’s rule allowing noncitizens to serve on commissions. He also accused the Democratic Party of compromising America’s interests to please China.



“No fair-minded person would support this,” Dennis said. “There are plenty of Republican citizens who can fill this role.”



But Wong just wants to be an example to immigrants.



“I&#8217;m just one of the many immigrants striving to make a difference,” Wong said. “If I can do it, you know, you can do it too.”

Supervisors mull preferences for women, minorities, veterans in city contracts

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors is taking much of this short week off, with no general meeting and many committee meetings canceled. However, other committees and commissions are taking up potentially sensitive matters ranging from equity in city contracts to long-troubled Laguna Honda Hospital. 



And with a <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/politics/in-shock-vote-peskin-elected-board-president-after-17-ballots/">newly elected board president</a> bringing fresh committee assignments soon, this relatively quiet week could be the calm before the storm. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-equity-in-contracting">Equity in Contracting</h2>



The Government Audit and Oversight Committee <a href="https://sfbos.org/sites/default/files/gao011923_agenda.pdf">meets Thursday</a> to consider <a href="http://sfgov.legistar.com/gateway.aspx?m=l&amp;id=39401">a resolution</a> asking the City Administrator&#8217;s Office to conduct a disparity study on San Francisco’s Local Business Enterprise (LBE) contracting program. 



That <a href="https://sf.gov/14b-local-business-enterprise-lbe-program">program</a>, which offers a leg up in the contracting process to local small businesses, supplanted minority-owned business programs after the passage of Proposition 209 in 1996, which banned affirmative-action contracting. 



“With the results of this study, I think that we, the mayor and our city departments will be better equipped to live up to our values and craft public policy that elevates women- minority- and veteran-owned small businesses,” said Supervisor Myrna Melgar when she introduced the resolution on Nov. 29. 



A <a href="https://equaljusticesociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/ejs-impact-prop-209-mwbes.pdf">2015 study</a> by the nonprofit <a href="https://equaljusticesociety.org/aboutus/">Equal Justice Society</a> found that minority- and women-owned businesses lost about $200 million a year in contracts in San Francisco since passage of Prop. 209.&nbsp;



A <a href="https://sfgov.org/cmd/sites/default/files/FY19-20%20Annual%20Report.pdf">2020 report</a> from the city’s contract monitoring division reported over 1400 participating businesses, 35% of which were minority-owned and 25% were women-owned.&nbsp;



In 2021, <a href="https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/story/2021-07-19/study-says-women-minorities-dont-get-their-fair-share-of-billions-in-san-diego-city-contracts">San Diego</a> completed a disparity study of its own programs that revealed businesses owned by women and/or minorities received only 19% of city contracts versus 31% demographic representation.



Last July, the San Diego City Council <a href="https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/story/2022-07-20/city-contracts-diversity-prop-209">voted unanimously</a> to seek “legally defensible policies” that provide preferences to women- and minority-owned businesses for contracting, despite warnings that they could run afoul of Prop. 209.&nbsp;



“Even though Prop. 209 ties our hands, we can certainly ask the question,” Melgar said.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-laguna-honda-hearing-coming">Laguna Honda Hearing Coming</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2500" height="1667" src="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/LagunaHondaEvictions-13-2500x1667.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-50379" srcset="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/LagunaHondaEvictions-13-2500x1667.jpg 2500w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/LagunaHondaEvictions-13-300x200.jpg 300w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/LagunaHondaEvictions-13-768x512.jpg 768w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/LagunaHondaEvictions-13-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/LagunaHondaEvictions-13-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/LagunaHondaEvictions-13-650x433.jpg 650w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/LagunaHondaEvictions-13-370x247.jpg 370w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/LagunaHondaEvictions-13-800x533.jpg 800w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/LagunaHondaEvictions-13-450x300.jpg 450w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/LagunaHondaEvictions-13-20x13.jpg 20w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/LagunaHondaEvictions-13-185x123.jpg 185w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/LagunaHondaEvictions-13-740x493.jpg 740w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/LagunaHondaEvictions-13-400x267.jpg 400w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/LagunaHondaEvictions-13-1600x1067.jpg 1600w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/LagunaHondaEvictions-13-225x150.jpg 225w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/LagunaHondaEvictions-13-900x600.jpg 900w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/LagunaHondaEvictions-13-72x48.jpg 72w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Laguna Honda Hospital patients, residents and staff walk through the hospital and treatment center’s grounds in San Francisco. | Camille Cohen/The Standard</figcaption></figure>



At the board’s last full meeting on Jan. 10,&nbsp; Melgar requested a hearing on the status of Laguna Honda Hospital now set for Jan. 31. Supervisors <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/politics/supes-roundup-next-steps-on-laguna-honda-and-more-scrutiny-for-commissioners-contractors/">approved a settlement</a> with federal agencies that agreed to conditions for the recertification of the troubled facility on Nov. 1.&nbsp;



Laguna Honda <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/public-health/feds-cut-funding-to-laguna-honda-hospital-putting-future-in-doubt/">was decertified last April</a> by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) over what it identified as deficiencies in care, including drug-related contraband and infection-control issues. 



The upcoming hearing would be the last update the board receives before CMS decides whether to extend the current suspension on involuntary discharges and transfers of patients on Feb. 2.&nbsp;



Under the settlement, the facility continues to get federal Medicare and Medicaid funding until Nov. 23.



On Tuesday, the <a href="https://sf.gov/meeting/january-17-2023/january-17-2023-health-commission-meeting">Health Commission</a> will also hear a status update on the situation at Laguna Honda—and will likely approve <a href="https://sf.gov/sites/default/files/2023-01/Policy%20and%20Procedures%20for%20JCC%2012.13.22%20%281%29.pdf">a laundry list</a> of over 80 changes in care policies for the facility.&nbsp;



“As part of the Medicare and Medicaid recertification effort and in close collaboration with regulators, Laguna Honda has reviewed policies and procedures to ensure they meet best practices and current regulations, modifying where necessary,” said the Department of Public Health in a statement.&nbsp;



The health department submitted an action plan to CMS on Jan. 6 that included the proposed changes in care policy.  



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-final-act-of-elections-commission-drama">Final Act of Elections Commission Drama?&nbsp;</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2000" height="1333" src="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/FEATURED_ArntzFolo12052022.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-100262" srcset="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/FEATURED_ArntzFolo12052022.jpg 2000w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/FEATURED_ArntzFolo12052022.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/FEATURED_ArntzFolo12052022.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/FEATURED_ArntzFolo12052022.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">John Arntz, the director of San Francisco&#8217;s Department of Elections, saw his job status go into limbo after the Elections Commission voted last month to conduct a nationwide search. | Courtesy ABC7</figcaption></figure>



Depending on what happens this week, supervisors may finally be able to put the controversy over San Francisco’s Director of Elections to bed.



The Elections Commission meets Wednesday evening, and will likely reverse their much-maligned decision to fire Director of Elections John Arntz. The move <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/politics/messy-drama-san-francisco-elections-director-open-source-voting/">had been widely condemned by all political camps</a> in the city.&nbsp;



The decision not to renew Arntz’ contract was ostensibly based on equity concerns, with commissioners saying they wanted to open the job up to more diverse candidates. However, the real reason may have been animus toward Arntz, who has been in the role for 20 years, <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/politics/messy-drama-san-francisco-elections-director-open-source-voting/">over certain policy decisions</a>. Moreover, Arntz’ department was found in surveys <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/politics/elections-panel-falsely-claims-high-ground-in-racial-diversity-spat/">to be an equity leader</a> in hiring, worker retention and other areas. 



Supervisor Aaron Peskin, who has <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/politics/in-shock-vote-peskin-elected-board-presi...

Leaders cheer San Francisco’s latest anti-racism U-turn

City leaders on Wednesday cheered San Francisco’s continued success in rescinding measures initially billed as ways to fight racism.



“It&#8217;s an irony that sort of perfectly fits this entire situation,” Supervisor Hillary Ronen said Wednesday after a panel reversed plans to replace the city’s straight, white male elections director as a way to promote racial equality.&nbsp;



The Standard <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/politics/elections-panel-falsely-claims-high-ground-in-racial-diversity-spat/">had earlier revealed</a> that under elections chief John Arntz, the agency set a gold standard for advancing the city’s equity goals, with an unusual 97% of staff endorsing those efforts.



Supervisor Aaron Peskin—who supported a measure compelling the Elections Commission to keep Arntz—also endorsed the about-face. He said he doubted the sincerity of anti-racism claims from the Elections Commission, which “wasn&#8217;t concerned with equity when he renewed his contract five years ago.”&nbsp;



This was the latest U-turn away from moves originally promoted as ways to improve the city’s racial climate.&nbsp;



Last April, the San Francisco Unified school board backed off plans to rename schools including Paul Revere Elementary after being shown its mistake <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a/how-san-francisco-renamed-its-schools#:~:text=Last%20month%2C%20San%20Francisco's%20Board,Abraham%20Lincoln%20and%20George%20Washington." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">in believing</a> Revere stole land from Native Americans.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2000" height="1333" src="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/FEATURED_ArntzFolo12052022.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-100262" srcset="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/FEATURED_ArntzFolo12052022.jpg 2000w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/FEATURED_ArntzFolo12052022.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/FEATURED_ArntzFolo12052022.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/FEATURED_ArntzFolo12052022.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px" /><figcaption>John Arntz, the director of San Francisco&#8217;s Department of Elections, saw his job status go into limbo after the Elections Commission voted last month to conduct a nationwide search. | Courtesy ABC-7</figcaption></figure>



In June, the school board reversed a decision to <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/arts-culture/mural-that-helped-ignite-sf-school-board-recall-continues-to-inspire-debate/">chisel away an enormous mural</a> by a famed social realist painter after <a href="https://livingnewdeal.org/the-fight-to-save-the-arnautoff-murals-at-george-washington-hs/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">historians noted</a> that depictions of slaves and Native Americans being abused was meant as criticism, not glorification.



Last month, the Elections Commission voted to let Arntz’s contract expire <a href="https://missionlocal.org/2022/11/john-arntz/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">as a way to</a> “take action on the city’s racial equity plan.” But as The Standard reported earlier this week, public records showed that Arntz’s department has one of the best records in the city when it comes to equity.



Some of his staffers said they felt burned by the now-abandoned move.&nbsp;



“It seems like an excuse,” said Mayank Patel, an elections staffer on the department’s racial equity team. “That&#8217;s the sad part. We’ve done all this work, we have progress, we have data, we have changes over time that we can track. But that’s not really the focus apparently.” 



Norma Agustin, another staffer on the racial equity team, said commissioners missed the big picture.



“When we speak of diversity, we should not look at one person, but we should look at how that one person has influenced a whole department,” she said. “We are not just saying it, we are doing it.”

SF Elections Commission move boss replacement plans to closed meeting

After <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/politics/messy-drama-san-francisco-elections-director-open-source-voting/">receiving condemnation across the political spectrum</a> for its plan to replace Elections Director John Arntz, San Francisco&#8217;s Elections Commission unanimously voted Monday evening to revisit the decision in a closed January meeting.



Arntz is a straight white man, and commissioners originally said the reason for replacing him was that they wanted to “<a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/politics/messy-drama-san-francisco-elections-director-open-source-voting/">expand equitable access</a>” to the post.



However, <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/politics/elections-panel-falsely-claims-high-ground-in-racial-diversity-spat/">records reviewed by The Standard</a> show that Arntz runs a department with one of the best records in the city when it comes to equity, while the commission itself falls short on the very citywide racial equity program used to justify the decision.



In response to the commission&#8217;s earlier decision, the Board of Supervisors&nbsp;had <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/politics/twitter-bedrooms-labor-violations-and-killer-robots-supes-roundup/">blocked funding for the replacement search</a>, effectively giving the commission no way to find a replacement.



Monday&#8217;s meeting was lengthy with dozens of irate comments from residents, most of whom opposed Arntz&#8217;s removal.



Commissioner Lucy Bernholz expressed dismay at the Election Commission&#8217;s &#8220;poor decision making&#8221; and the <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/politics/messy-drama-san-francisco-elections-director-open-source-voting/">media circus that followed</a>.



&#8220;Not only have we inflicted damage on the [elections] department, but we&#8217;ve made ourselves an unreliable, untrustworthy body,&#8221; she said.



But two other commissioners, Cynthia Dai and Renita LiVolsi, defended the commission&#8217;s earlier decision to look beyond Arntz.



&#8220;I think we did the right thing; it was something we discussed over three months,&#8221; said Dai. &#8220;A lot of people think we have found the best person already, but the reality is we haven&#8217;t really looked. My vote was not personal; it was about process. Not everybody agreed but a majority of the commission did agree and that is democracy.&#8221;

Elections panel falsely claims high ground in racial diversity spat

In Brazil, they say, “The dirty talking about the badly washed.”



In Greece, it’s, “The donkey said the rooster had a big head.”



Now, thanks to the people in charge of the city’s Elections Department, San Francisco has, “The bureaucrats who are tardy on their anti-racism homework fired the official with a winning record on equality.”



Last month, the panel overseeing the San Francisco Department of Elections decided to let the contract of Elections Director John Arntz expire to open up hiring and attract diverse candidates and thereby help <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/politics/sf-elections-chief-search-right-wing-thanksgiving-discourse/">the agency meet its goals for equity and inclusion</a>.



But records reviewed by The Standard show that according to the very citywide racial equity program used to justify the decision, the commission itself falls short.&nbsp;



Arntz, on the other hand, runs a department with one of the best records in the city when it comes to equity. Ninety-six percent of respondents to a survey that is required as part of the mayor’s citywide equity program gave a vote of confidence in racial relations in their office. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2000" height="1333" src="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/FEATURED_ArntzFolo12052022.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-100262" srcset="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/FEATURED_ArntzFolo12052022.jpg 2000w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/FEATURED_ArntzFolo12052022.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/FEATURED_ArntzFolo12052022.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/FEATURED_ArntzFolo12052022.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px" /><figcaption>John Arntz, the director of San Francisco&#8217;s Department of Elections, saw his job status go into limbo after the Elections Commission voted last month to conduct a nationwide search. | Courtesy of ABC-7</figcaption></figure>



Mayor London Breed launched the ambitious equity initiative in 2020 to end racial disparity in the San Francisco workforce. The program required all city departments to survey employees about equity and fairness—and the results reflected well on Arntz.&nbsp;



Elections Department employees turned out to be some of the most satisfied in the city. According to the survey, staff overwhelmingly said Arntz should be commended for his leadership on the racial equity.



On paper, the Department of Elections is also one of the most aggressive when it comes to making its workplace more fair. It revamped the rules on hiring, promotion, discipline and worker retention as part of an ongoing push to shed any vestigial discrimination from prior administrations.



“From my first day working at the Department of Elections I have felt included,” said Norma Agustin, a recent Filipina immigrant who serves on the department’s racial equity team.&nbsp;



At the same time, the Elections Commission that wanted Arntz to compete for his job against new candidates has only met a few requirements set by the equity plan, <a href="https://sfelections.sfgov.org/sites/default/files/Documents/Racial_Equity_Action_Plan_Elections_April_18_2022.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a recent draft report noted</a>. The commission said it’s made more progress since that report came out.&nbsp;



That contradiction came into sharper relief with the commission’s vote on the Arntz contract, one election worker said.



“I think the idea of potentially replacing the director as a way for them to meet their requirements on their racial equity plan seems like a cop out,” said Mayank Patel, another member of the department’s racial equity team.&nbsp;



The controversy unfolded last month, when Commissioner Cynthia Dai told The Standard she voted to open the appointment process, which allows Arntz to apply like any other candidate, “to support the mayor’s racial equity plan.”



Robin Stone, commission vice president, agreed with Dai and <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/politics/sf-elections-chief-search-right-wing-thanksgiving-discourse/">explained in a Nov. 21 memo</a> that she, too, hopes to “expand equitable access” to top department jobs. But when asked about her commission’s latest update on those racial equity goals, she said she was unfamiliar with the report.&nbsp;



“Notwithstanding our lack of knowledge with the document, the commission has prioritized several equity initiatives over the last several months,” Stone said.&nbsp;



Commission President Chris Jerdonek said the panel has worked on its own equity goals by rewriting bylaws, listing preferred pronouns on its website, allowing non-citizens on its redistricting task force and affirming that San Francisco stands on ancestral Ohlone land.&nbsp;



He said the department managed to make more progress on equity because it has a bigger budget. And though he joined the vote to open the call for new candidates, he hopes Arntz participates in the hiring process.&nbsp;



Arntz has led the Department of Elections for 21 years, with his latest five-year term ending in May. He did not respond to a request for comment.&nbsp;



Tuesday the Board of Supervisors plans to hold a hearing to consider blocking funds for any candidate search while advocating for Arntz’s reappointment.

Supervisors to close out year by scolding Twitter, grilling Breed on drug crisis

This week’s Board of Supervisors meeting will be the last of an eventful year. When it returns in January, the board will look a bit different: It’ll have a new member, and will elect a new board president and form new committees. 



This week’s kitchen sink session will have an appearance by Mayor London Breed, who will field pointed questions over drugs and homelessness. Supervisors will also dive into yet another Recology settlement, a brewing fight over the Police Commission, a call to rein in a wayward Elections Commission. They’ll also take the opportunity to admonish Elon Musk for his treatment of Twitter’s remaining workers.&nbsp;



As usual, the wonks can check out the whole kit and caboodle in the <a href="https://sfbos.org/sites/default/files/bag121322_agenda.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">agenda</a>. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-question-time-drugs-and-homelessness">Question Time: Drugs and Homelessness</h2>



Supervisor Dean Preston will likely have tough questions for Mayor Breed on the recent closure of the Tenderloin Center and current gap in services while the Department of Public Health works to stand up replacements.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://twitter.com/DeanPreston/status/1601473374907027456
</div></figure>



The Tenderloin Center, formerly called the Linkage Center, <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/public-health/tenderloin-center-clients-warn-of-disaster-as-controversial-drug-site-heads-for-closure/">closed on Dec. 4</a> after barely 11 months of operation. There are fears that, without it, those who frequented the de facto safe consumption site will return to open-air drug use in public spaces. 



Preston has pressed the Breed administration on either creating replacement safe consumption sites, or keeping the Tenderloin center open. That culminated in <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/politics/call-to-keep-tenderloin-center-open-passed-jackie-speier-honored/">a resolution from the board, which passed 6-5</a> on Nov. 8, urging that the center be kept open. 



Meanwhile, the center has attracted a plethora of complaints over <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/public-health/city-funded-survey-says-the-tenderloin-center-improved-the-neighborhood-others-arent-convinced/">crime and behavioral health incidents</a> in the adjacent area.&nbsp;



The health department is planning <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/public-health/sf-to-replace-tenderloin-center-with-wellness-hubs-in-new-overdose-plan/">“wellness hubs” to replace the Tenderloin Center</a>, but they appear to be delayed by legal, logistical or political concerns. The Standard reported last week that the health department drew up a plan for 12 such sites across several neighborhoods, all of which would offer safe consumption. After deadline, however, the Mayor’s Office contacted The Standard to say that opening 12 such sites is <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/public-health/san-francisco-plans-12-new-drug-consumption-sites-despite-legal-hurdles/">not the city’s plan</a>.   



Additionally, Supervisor Myrna Melgar will quiz Breed on alternative responses to behavioral health street incidents, including the <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/politics/city-hall/board-of-supervisors-pledges-to-create-new-homelessness-response-team-but-details-remain-murky/">Compassionate Alternative Response Team</a> (CART), a plan favored by the supervisors and local nonprofits.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">More Supportive Housing Contracts</h2>



Supervisors are expected to approve management and lease agreements for new supportive housing sites in the Mission, Tenderloin and SoMa.



They include contracts of $11.6 million and and $7.4 million to Dolores Street Community Services for to run the former Mission Inn and Eula Hotel; $16.7 million to Five Keys to manage a facility at 835 Turk St., and $20.1 million to the South Bay-based organization Housing for Independent People for a site at <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/housing-development/city-eyes-two-new-buildings/">333 12th St.</a> 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Another Recology Settlement</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2500" height="1667" src="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/recology-18-2500x1667.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-48949" srcset="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/recology-18-2500x1667.jpg 2500w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/recology-18-300x200.jpg 300w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/recology-18-768x512.jpg 768w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/recology-18-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/recology-18-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/recology-18-650x433.jpg 650w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/recology-18-370x247.jpg 370w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/recology-18-800x533.jpg 800w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/recology-18-450x300.jpg 450w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/recology-18-20x13.jpg 20w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/recology-18-185x123.jpg 185w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/recology-18-740x493.jpg 740w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/recology-18-400x267.jpg 400w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/recology-18-1600x1067.jpg 1600w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/recology-18-225x150.jpg 225w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/recology-18-900x600.jpg 900w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/recology-18-72x48.jpg 72w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px" /><figcaption>A Recology driver arrives at Recology on Tunnel Avenue on Jan. 31, 2022. | Camille Cohen</figcaption></figure>



Also on tap is approval of a deal made back in mid-November between the city controller and recalcitrant refuse contractor Recology <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/politics/city-hall/sf-lands-25m-from-recology-to-stabilize-trash-hauling-rates/">to give ratepayers a $25 million credit</a> to offset rate increases and inflation via a “balancing account.”



It’s yet more blowback from investigations inspired by the probe into the Department of Public Works under its <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/politics/city-hall/mohammed-nuru-key-figure-in-sf-corruption-scandal-formally-pleads-guilty/">former Director Mohammed Nuru</a>. As part of that, the city found that Recology had consistently overcharged customers by miscalculating rates since 2017.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Police Commission Fight</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2048" height="1365" src="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/CindyElias1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-102115" srcset="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/CindyElias1.jpg 2048w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/CindyElias1.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/CindyElias1.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/CindyElias1.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px" /><figcaption>Police Commission President Cindy Elias attends at a Police Commission meeting on June 6, 2018. | SFGovTV</figcaption></figure>



One contentious issue to be heard Tuesday is <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/criminal-justice/sf-lawmaker-pushes-2nd-term-for-police-watchdog/">the confirmation of another term on the Police Commission for President Cindy Elias</a>.&nbsp;



Rules Committee Chair Aaron Peskin has moved up the vote on this item from when her term is scheduled to end in April, sparking accusations of political meddling in the commission process.&nbsp;



The assumption is that an early vote to reappoint Elias will be more favorable, given that Joel Engardio, who is viewed as an ally of Mayor Breed and more sympathetic to police, will assume the District 4 seat in January, replacing the progressive Gordon Mar.&nbsp;



Both Breed’s office and Supervisor Rafael Mandelman have already voiced qualms about the move, while the advocacy group Safer San Francisco sent out a mass email urging people to contact supervisors and ask them to reject the early vote.&nbsp;



The email from Safer SF calls the move “a disgusting, crass political move that is designed to disenfranchise all of us who voted for public safety this year,” recalling concerns about crime driving electoral victories for Engardio and District 6 Supervisor Matt Dorsey.



And let’s not forget: The second reading on <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/politics/twitter-bedrooms-labor-violations-and-killer-robots-supes-roundup/">the amended police equipment use policy legislation</a>, minus killer robots, is also happening Tuesday. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Shadowboxing With the Elections Commission</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="8192" height="5464" src="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uplo...

The messy truth behind the drama surrounding SF’s elections director

San Francisco’s elected leaders have reached a rare consensus when it comes to the drama over <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/politics/sf-elections-chief-search-right-wing-thanksgiving-discourse/">the non-reappointment of the city’s elections director</a>.



United in their opposition to the potential ouster of John Arntz, the longtime head of the Department of Elections, neither the mayor nor any of the supervisors wants to spend a nickel on the Elections Commission’s nationwide search to see if better options exist.



On Tuesday, the board will consider a <a href="https://sfgov.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=5952880&amp;GUID=B53E3EAA-6A62-4879-AB4A-4DCF9DDF3F6E" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">resolution</a> from Supervisor Aaron Peskin calling on the city to block funds for the candidate search while also advocating for Arntz’s reappointment. All of Peskin’s colleagues have already signed on in support.



When the commission met in closed session last month and voted 4-2 to launch a search to replace Arntz, condemnation rang out from across the political spectrum. Arntz is a straight white man, and commissioners said the reason for the vote was that they wanted to &#8220;expand equitable access” to the post. The idea that a competent elections head could get passed over for simply having the wrong identity was viewed as offensive and a mistake in priorities.



However, the commission’s controversial vote has more to do with a desire to make San Francisco a national leader on <a href="https://sfelections.sfgov.org/sites/default/files/Documents/CCSF_Open_Source_Voting_System-Feasibility_Assessment.PDF" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">open-source voting</a>, which uses software code that is free for the public to inspect, as well as broken trust between Arntz and certain members of the commission. 



Nothing short of the future of San Francisco elections is at stake.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2500" height="1667" src="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/INLINED_ArntzFolo12052022-2500x1667.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-100259" srcset="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/INLINED_ArntzFolo12052022-2500x1667.jpg 2500w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/INLINED_ArntzFolo12052022-300x200.jpg 300w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/INLINED_ArntzFolo12052022-768x512.jpg 768w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/INLINED_ArntzFolo12052022-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/INLINED_ArntzFolo12052022-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/INLINED_ArntzFolo12052022-650x433.jpg 650w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/INLINED_ArntzFolo12052022-370x247.jpg 370w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/INLINED_ArntzFolo12052022-800x533.jpg 800w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/INLINED_ArntzFolo12052022-450x300.jpg 450w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/INLINED_ArntzFolo12052022-20x13.jpg 20w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/INLINED_ArntzFolo12052022-185x123.jpg 185w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/INLINED_ArntzFolo12052022-740x493.jpg 740w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/INLINED_ArntzFolo12052022-400x267.jpg 400w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/INLINED_ArntzFolo12052022-1600x1067.jpg 1600w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/INLINED_ArntzFolo12052022-225x150.jpg 225w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/INLINED_ArntzFolo12052022-900x600.jpg 900w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/INLINED_ArntzFolo12052022-72x48.jpg 72w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px" /><figcaption>Staff carries out business at the Department of Elections in San Francisco on Aug. 11, 2022. | Benjamin Fanjoy for The Standard</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-butting-heads">Butting Heads&nbsp;</h2>



Up and down, the four commissioners who voted to open up a casting call said they felt it was important for the city to meet its standard for equity and inclusion by having an open hiring process for the department head. This is probably true for some commissioners, but less so for others.



Despite what might have been said publicly, the discontent within the commission comes back to open-source voting, an operating system for elections that uses publicly available code to provide more transparency in results and, ideally, reduce costs.&nbsp;



Open-source voting has its ardent supporters, perhaps none bigger than Chris Jerdonek, who serves as commission president. He and other elections activists—almost 20 spoke out at the meeting in which the commission declined to reappoint Arntz—have been advocating for a shift to open source for nearly two decades. Their patience is now running thin.&nbsp;



Arntz has been seen as dragging his feet when San Francisco, in their view, could be a model for the rest of the nation in moving to open-source voting.



“The rest of the country tends to look at a big state like California for enlightenment for their own process,” said Brent Turner, an elections activist who has been hypercritical of Arntz. “And the fact that we haven’t moved forward in San Francisco, I think, can be attributed to his slow-walking of the process.



“Open-source voting is the one issue that unites both sides of the political aisle.”



No system for open-source currently exists to support San Francisco’s ranked-choice voting method, but supporters of this system say Arntz&#8217;s lackluster efforts are partly to blame. He recently defended his actions on open-source voting to the commission in <a href="https://sfgov.org/electionscommission/sites/default/files/Documents/meetings/2022/2022-11-16-commission/Memo%20-%20Commission%20-%20Overview%20and%20Timeline%20%20-%20Open%20Source%20-%20Nov%202022-final.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a six-page memo</a> laying out his efforts going back to 2011.&nbsp;



“The idea that I’m against open source, and I’m stopping open source is just inaccurate,” Arntz said. “But my actions, from my perspective, have not met a very set perspective by people that support open source.”



Jerdonek previously acknowledged in an interview with The Standard that he and Arntz have “butted heads” for more than a year. But that long-simmering beef didn’t come to a head until this fall when commissioners finally met in closed session for the first time in 2022.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">A Red Line</h2>



Everyone on the commission except Jerdonek is new this year, so none of the other members were around last year when Jerdonek and Arntz went toe-to-toe over a $1.5 million grant to explore internet voting.



Internet voting—the concept of connecting election machines to the web—is illegal in California and a no-go zone for open-source voting boosters, some of whom already suspect election results can be manipulated by Dominion, which holds a contract with San Francisco, and other companies with proprietary software. Under state law, voting systems are not allowed to be connected to the internet due to hacking concerns.



Jerdonek and other open-source supporters were livid when they learned the SF Elections Department had applied for a $1.5 million grant from the Bay Area Urban Areas Security Initiative to explore internet voting instead of focusing more on open-source voting. Arntz said the main goal of the grant was to explore how the internet could be utilized to create better access for people with disabilities.&nbsp;



In a commission meeting in November 2021, Jerdonek and others grilled Arntz over his lack of communication on the grant. Arntz told the commission that he hadn’t seen the request for proposal (RFP).&nbsp;



“I haven’t read the RFP, Commissioner Jerdonek, so I don’t know what’s in there,” Arntz said.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="November 17, 2021 Elections Commission Meeting" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zZhUOFX3LFo?start=7785&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



But a public records search launched by open-source voting supporters would later find Arntz had multiple conversations over email about how to fine-tune the language for the RFP.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/z-pNQRnQszoNKqdhp5oP_0Ej-vkz1T-GahTM00Ug0THrTqvc7YR9SIr29Fm916QXTLpw-pLpqrjQrBRpk4aSbdYL_2EAx7ZTE22dSEA4cdDXYn5znVTHO94Ajjb_wYVSVULlN9U7e8V2NXFpFNqzyIRg-7LRQIJ1k4h_mNDzRMFmPBJD2ip9fDyq3zB3" alt=""/><figcaption>This screenshot shows an email John Arntz sent in March 2021 regarding a $1.5 million grant his department was seeking. Months later, Arntz told the commission he had not read the grant request.</figcaption></figure>



Jerdonek and his open-source voting allies saw Arntz’s statement as a blatant lie.&nbsp;



Trent Lange, president of the elections transparency group <a href="https://www.yesfairelections.org/">California Clean Money Campaign</a>, has been one of Arntz’s fiercest critics, saying the city needs an elections director who “the public knows will always be open and truthful.”



Arntz told The Standard that the emails his opponents are ...

The Elections Commission oversees and approves election plans, ensuring free, fair, and functional elections in San Francisco. It sets policies and administers practices for the Department of Elections, aligning with the San Francisco Charter's fiscal provisions. The commission evaluates election outcomes and reviews budget proposals, making recommendations to ensure effective electoral processes.

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