The fallout from Cesar Chavez bombshell. Plus: Wiener’s China views lost in translation

<p>This article is from Power Play, a twice-weekly newsletter rounding up the latest City Hall and local politics gossip. To sign up, visit The Standard’s  newsletter page . In a city where 95-year-old labor legend  Dolores Huerta  isn’t just an inspirational figure who appears in children’s books and sidewalk murals but an active force of nature who regularly walks arm-in-arm with striking workers — Wednesday’s report in  The New York Times  of her allegations of rape at the hands of the late Cesar Chavez shook the labor movement to its core.  Already, Chavez’s alleged sexual abuse of girls and women connected to the farmworkers movement is spurring whispers of a reckoning for other labor leaders who have long been suspected of exploiting their power over members. As several organizers told Power Play, difficult discussions are already taking place. Olga Miranda , president of SEIU Local 87, said the movement needs time to heal before any discussion of next steps — but in the end, abusers will be outed. “Is there any other motherfucker who hasn’t been named?” she said. “I’m sure there are many jumping at an opportunity [to accuse abusers]. But I’m saying, give us time to process this.” Miranda called women a “force” who have long powered the labor movement. “I have the privilege of having chosen the kind of job where the strength of my personality and the veracity of my voice carries to make company supervisors, business owners, regret the moment they fuck with any of our janitors in this industry,” she said. “Not a lot of people get to say they get to fight back.” While it’s too early to tell if there will be a “me too”-style reckoning within the labor movement,  the reverberations  are being felt, especially considering Chavez’s local ties.  Rudy Gonzalez , secretary-treasurer of the San Francisco Building & Construction Trades Council, said he remains proud of his Mexican American family’s legacy in the agricultural industry — but he worries about the darker story that Chavez now represents.  “We’ve found inspiration in a small number of very significant Mexican American leaders,” he said. “But that’s harder right now. I want young Mexican American leaders, I want my son, to have people to look up to. It was never Cesar’s union; it was a workers’ union. That doesn’t erase the legacy, or the ongoing struggle, of the people who literally feed us every day.” In addition to Chavez’s name being plastered across San Francisco institutions, his son-in-law,  Richard Ybarra , is CEO of a Mission-based community organization, MNC Inspiring Success. The Times’ reporting states that Ybarra, who married Chavez’s daughter, was one of the labor leader’s bodyguards in the 1970s after federal authorities discovered an assassination plot.  The Times reported that a different bodyguard drove Chavez and one of his underage victims,  Debra Rojas , to a motel, where the 15-year-old was allegedly raped. Ybarra declined to comment for the Times article. Power Play emailed Ybarra and was referred to a comment from the Chavez family that said, “This is deeply painful for our family.” As for Huerta’s legacy, it’s still being forged in real time. Her name is on a school and a parade in San Francisco. In January, she stood with LiUNA! Local 261 street cleaning workers on the steps of City Hall to fight for fair wages. Last year, she advocated for Proposition 50, Gov.  Gavin Newsom ’s redistricting measure. For that reason and many others, the local labor movement is  coalescing  around Huerta as the new icon of the 60-year fight for farmworkers’ and immigrants’ rights. As one labor insider told Power Play, “My hot take: Soon everything  with Cesar Chavez’s name on it  in San Francisco will have Huerta’s instead.” —  Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez and Gabriel Greschler Got tips? Send to us at  powerplay@sfstandard.com . DON’T GET ME WRONG : State Sen.  Scott Wiener , who you may have heard is running for Congress, obviously does not want to get caught in any geopolitical snafu after his  viral Gaza genocide moment  from a candidate forum in January. But Saturday’s Chinatown congressional forum appeared to briefly send him into panic mode — this time over Taiwan. The moderator of the forum, hosted by Asian community groups and conducted in Chinese and English, asked whether the candidates agree with Rep.  Nancy Pelosi ’s  high-profile and controversial 2022 trip  to the democratic island, a region claimed by China as part of its territory. Wiener voiced his support while carefully avoiding overreach. “I do not think Taiwan should be conquered,” Wiener said. “But we also have to make sure we don’t get to the point where there is any kind of war.” However, the interpreter hired by the organizers to provide live translation twice misstated Wiener’s position, saying the candidate supported Taiwan’s independence. Wiener, who does not speak Chinese, was unaware of the gaffe, which would fly in the face of his and other Democrats’ longtime endorsement of a “One China” policy. But soon,  Wiener was seen  looking at his phone and becoming upset, glancing around, then grabbing the microphone. “Apparently, I was misinterpreted saying that I support Taiwanese independence,” Wiener said. “I did not say that.” The event’s organizer, Ed Lee Democratic Club president  Thomas Li , immediately apologized and had a member of Wiener’s team correct the interpretation. Li said organizers had hired a professional interpreter and regretted the slip-up. Wiener’s campaign told Power Play that a Chinese campaign staffer alerted Wiener that his answer was inaccurately interpreted, and Wiener immediately corrected the record. “He supports Taiwan’s democracy, not Taiwanese independence,” Wiener’s spokesperson  Joe Arellano  said. “We appreciate the organizers allowing for the correction. It’s not easy to translate an entire debate, and it was an honest mistake.” Taiwan remains a sensitive geopolitical topic and could be a vote-decider for some in the Chinese community. Among the candidates, Wiener struck the most hawkish tone on China, expressing support for Tibet and Uyghurs. According to Mission Local, Wiener  got booed  when he stated that he supported Pelosi’s trip.  Saikat Chakrabarti , a former tech founder, said he opposed Pelosi’s visit. Supervisor  Connie Chan , a Chinese immigrant who grew up in Taiwan, is arguably the most qualified to weigh in but chose to sidestep the question — an apparent move to avoid triggering controversy or inflaming partisans. The fourth candidate on the dais, political activist  Marie Hurabiell,  said she supported Pelosi’s trip but remains largely neutral on the issue.  — Han Li CHOPPING COMMISSIONS : After a year of endless deliberations, the effort to streamline San Francisco’s complex board and commission system has reached the part of the process when things get really feisty: Yes, it’s the Board of Supervisors’ turn to weigh in.  The Commission Streamlining Task Force, mandated by 2024’s Proposition E, has  presented its final report  to the board. The plan would reduce the city’s 152 advisory bodies to 87 by eliminating some and merging others. At the meeting Tuesday, a nearly three-hour discussion over the task force’s recommendations turned contentious. While many of the report’s diagnoses for eliminating repetitive or inactive bodies are considered noncontroversial, some speakers still voiced opposition, warning of weakened public oversight. At least one supervisor expressed strong dissatisfaction. “You exceeded the mandate and inserted opinions and politics into the process,” Supervisor  Shamann Walton  told task force chair  Ed Harrington . Walton is especially concerned that changes to the Police Commission  would strip some of its authority . Walton also criticized the task force for a lack of diversity. “The task force was about as diverse as a stack of $1 bills,” he quipped.  Harrington said he understands the criticisms and expects the board to modify the recommendations. He noted that some of the loudest opposition is not about eliminating commissions but about proposals to move them from the city charter to the administrative code — a shift that critics believe to be a downgrade and would give the mayor and supervisors more power to remove the boards. Those include the Status of Women, Human Rights, Environment, and Youth commissions. There is also opposition to proposals involving the merging or elimination of advisory bodies focused on homelessness, aging and disability, and children and families. If the process moves forward, charter-related changes must go before voters, with a final version potentially appearing on the November ballot. Expect plenty more fireworks before Election Day.  — H.L.</p>

Ready to rumble: The 37 most powerful labor leaders in San Francisco

Remember the $1.7 million toilet? Lurie seeks to fix rules that led to SF embarrassment

<p>It was slated to be the country’s most expensive way to relieve yourself. The estimated $1.7 million to build a public commode  in Noe Valley  drew  national headlines,  producing an embarrassing pants-down moment that drew eyeballs to San Francisco’s long, convoluted purchasing processes.  Now, Mayor Daniel Lurie is trying to flush the rules that produced the exorbitant potty in the first place. The mayor will propose giving the city administrator’s office sole authority over San Francisco’s purchasing laws as part of his charter reform package heading to the ballot in November, The Standard has learned. Last year,  Lurie announced an effort  alongside Board of Supervisors President Rafael Mandelman, and the release of an analysis by the urbanist think tank SPUR, to craft a 2026 ballot measure that would reform the maze of rules in the city charter — the 500-plus-page tome that essentially serves as the city’s constitution.  A working group composed of labor and business leaders is considering other wonky yet impactful recommendations to change the charter, including allowing the mayor more authority over commissions. The group’s next meeting is Wednesday. While the ballot measure’s passage wouldn’t change San Francisco’s purchasing laws overnight, it would give authority to City Administrator Carmen Chu to begin hacking away at the red tape that has led the city to pay inordinately higher prices than others do for many goods.  If voters approve Lurie’s measure, the city administrator’s proposals could be rejected by the mayor or the majority of the Board of Supervisors. According to sources familiar with the matter, the board would retain authority over setting wages, crafting rules to help minority and women-owned businesses, and setting labor standards for projects.  Rudy Gonzalez, secretary-treasurer of the San Francisco Building & Construction Trades Council, said the proposal initially didn’t retain the board’s ability to protect labor by setting worker benefits, apprenticeship opportunities, or pay standards. Lurie changed that, Gonzalez said. “With that, we saw no downside with how the mayor is packaging things,” Gonzalez said. “We’re ready to offer our full-throated support.” Ed Harrington, a retired city controller and former director of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, has firsthand experience of the difficulty of contracting in the city.  He recalled when the PUC wanted to build a pump house for power and had to go to his own commission three separate times “because they didn’t like the roof.” His staff went back and forth between their architects and the commission until they hit the sweet spot. “I remember my staff going crazy about it,” he said. “It took an extra six months to do it.” Sometimes, the time and costs balloon just because a contractor has to figure out who in city government they need to talk to. There are more than 9,000 references to the word “contracts” or “procurement” scattered across more than 100 sections of San Francisco’s administrative code, according to a 2026 report from SPUR. The report, called “ Charter for Change ,” urged the mayor to empower the city administrator to streamline those laws.  The proposal would also increase the dollar threshold for city contracts requiring approval from the Board of Supervisors. Any contract over $10 million triggers a Board of Supervisors review; the new threshold would be $25 million and would keep rising alongside the consumer price index, sources said. While there may be little opposition to the contracting changes, Lurie may propose other charter reforms alongside this one. Other parts of that package — including raising the number of voter signatures, or number of supervisors, required to place propositions on the ballot — have drawn criticism.  “We feel it’s an equity issue for working people,” said Kim Tavaglione, executive director of the San Francisco Labor Council, of the proposed changes to the ballot measure threshold. “It becomes harder to help the citizens band [together] to do what they want.” On Monday, the San Francisco Labor Council voted to oppose the mayor’s charter proposal around ballot measures, which could put the rest of his reforms in the crosshairs as well.</p>

State Treasurer Fiona Ma files for divorce from firefighter husband

<div class="content-grid article-content"><div class="Metadata_container__fxAzw"><div class="flex flex-row gap-x-md"></div><div class="Metadata_metadata__W_0LF"><span>By <a class="" href="https://sfstandard.com/author/han-li/">Han Li</a></span><time datetime="2026-01-06T22:14:09.325Z">Published Jan. 06, 2026 • 2:14pm</time></div></div><div class="floats"><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Amid her campaign for lieutenant governor, State Treasurer Fiona Ma has filed for divorce, according to San Francisco Superior Court records.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">In a text message, Ma confirmed the split from Jason Hodge, a former firefighter, and described it as amicable.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">“After 15 years, we have grown apart but remain good friends,” said Ma, 59. She filed the position Monday.</p></div><div class="!p-0 !m-0"></div><div class="floats"><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">The couple have no children. Ma’s <a href="https://fionama.com/about/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">campaign website<span class="sr-only"> (opens in new tab)</span></a> stated that she and Hodge “are the proud parents of three adopted rescues,” with a photo of three dogs.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Ma <u><a data-post-id="8501c6ee-d937-4e18-8295-312478d72857" href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/10/10/sunset-supervisor-gender-appointment/">began her elected career</a></u> as a member of San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors in the early 2000s, representing the Sunset. She later served in the state Assembly and on the Board of Equalization before winning statewide office as treasurer in 2018.</p></div><div class="floats"><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">In 2021, Ma was sued by a former staffer, Judith Blackwell, who alleged sexual harassment, racial discrimination, and wrongful termination. Chief among the allegations were that Ma exposed herself and crawled into bed with Blackwell when they shared a hotel room while on a business trip. Ma denied the allegations, and a court dismissed some of the claims. Blackwell dropped the lawsuit in 2024. The state later <u><a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/08/29/fiona-ma-sexual-harassment-drop-00176784" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">reached a separate settlement<span class="sr-only"> (opens in new tab)</span></a></u> with Blackwell for $350,000.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Ma is considered a front-runner in the race for lieutenant governor. If elected, she will be the first Asian American to hold the position.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Ma and Hodge, an elected member of the Oxnard Harbor Commission, met in 2010 and were married the following year, according <u><a href="https://www.sfgate.com/style/article/It-only-takes-a-spark-for-Fiona-Ma-Jason-Hodge-2288821.php" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">to a Chronicle story<span class="sr-only"> (opens in new tab)</span></a></u>.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">“He is a 6-foot-5 American Indian. She is a 5-foot-4 Chinese American,” <a href="https://www.sfgate.com/author/carolyne-zinko/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Carolyne Zinko<span class="sr-only"> (opens in new tab)</span></a> wrote. “He is a firefighter. She is a politician. He lives in Southern California. She spends most of the week in Sacramento. And they have not spent more than three days together during the 1 1/2 years they’ve dated except for one vacation shortly after they met.”</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">“We never argue, we agree on the same things, and we have the same passions — and passionate debates without attacks,” Hodge was quoted as saying.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Ma and Hodge were married at her home on Nov. 11, 2011, in a private ceremony officiated by California Democratic Party Chairman John Burton, who <a data-post-id="18f03522-abba-486f-a816-144ef85d7f15" href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/09/07/john-burton-san-francisco-dies-92/">died in September.</a></p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">It’s been a rough several months for Ma, who <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CA.Fiona/posts/pfbid0ziz6smAYZXL97zCAwe2WKkv6X3a4F2Jm7fqmp9VDtHzJ7JnscBp7AuvKomne9Hgtl" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">mourned her father’s death in October.<span class="sr-only"> (opens in new tab)</span></a></p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">In her text to The Standard, Ma expressed excitement for her political prospects, in spite of the personal setbacks. “It’s my Fire Horse Year!” she wrote. “I was born in the year of the horse and won my first race in 2002 (year of the horse), state board of equalization (2014 another horse year), and this year is Fire Horse Year.”</p></div></div>

Supervisor pushes 2026 measure barring ex-lawmakers from running again … and again

<div class="content-grid article-content"><div class="Metadata_container__fxAzw"><div class="flex flex-row gap-x-md"></div><div class="Metadata_metadata__W_0LF"><span>By <a class="" href="https://sfstandard.com/author/han-li/">Han Li</a></span><time datetime="2025-12-15T14:00:00.000Z">Published Dec. 15, 2025 • 6:00am</time></div></div><div class="floats"><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">A San Francisco supervisor wants to permanently lock the doors to City Hall for termed-out colleagues who boomerang back into their old jobs after a break from politics. </p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Freshman Supervisor Bilal Mahmood said he will announce a 2026 ballot measure Monday alongside members of the San Francisco Young Democrats that would limit supervisors and mayors to two four-year terms, arguing that the current rules make it difficult for fresh faces to get into politics. </p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">“This is about the next generation and equal access to the opportunity to run for office,” he said. </p></div><div class="!p-0 !m-0"></div><div class="floats"><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">The city charter bans former supervisors and mayors from serving more than two consecutive terms but allows them to run for office again after sitting out an election cycle. </p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Mahmood noted that last year’s elections ushered in several new members on the board, which now includes <u><a data-post-id="7e1f4feb-62aa-4f51-b7b8-e81a74846fa5" href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/11/18/sf-board-of-supervisors-2024/">six millennials</a></u>. He said the younger board has already helped balance a budget, while passing laws to build more housing and increase public safety.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">The measure appears to target former Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin, an old-school progressive who termed out this year after dominating San Francisco politics for two decades. Peskin remains a thorn in the sides of Mayor Daniel Lurie and other moderate Democrats at City Hall, and his opponents worry that he could stage a comeback in 2028.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Mahmood denied that his proposal is about Peskin. “No one should be able to exploit the loophole to run for a third term,” he said. </p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Supervisors have the authority to place a measure on the ballot, normally with four votes. Because Mahmood’s proposal would amend the charter, he needs five cosponsors, which he claims he has secured. </p></div><div class="!p-0 !m-0"></div><div class="floats"><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">The measure would not apply to other citywide elected offices, including district attorney, city attorney, treasurer, sheriff, public defender, and assessor-recorder.</p></div><h2 class="heading-block article-body text-left">Peskin: ‘I’m flattered’</h2><div class="floats"><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">While Mahmood is pitching his measure as a much-needed reform, it’s unclear how much of an effect it would have, considering how rare it is for former supervisors and mayors to term out and return to the same City Hall position. </p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Since San Francisco returned to district elections 25 years ago, Peskin has been the only supervisor to <a href="https://sfbos.org/former-supervisor-aaron-peskin" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">serve more than two terms<span class="sr-only"> (opens in new tab)</span></a>. He was first elected in 2000 and served on the board for eight years, then took a seven-year hiatus before returning in 2015. He unsuccessfully ran for mayor last year after terming out again, and moderates fear he might challenge his successor, Supervisor Danny Sauter, in 2028.</p></div><figure class="ImageBlock_ImageFigure__ZnquR inset-image mobile-grid-full mobile-grid-full" data-align="none"><div class="relative"><div><img alt="Aaron Peskin presides over a Board of Supervisors meeting." class="block lazyloaded" data-nimg="1" decoding="async" height="1707" loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 1001px) 600px, (min-width: 768px) 700px, 100vw" src="https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_r4bul2p779657f7tm2orh3ar2d/-S3840x2561-FPNG" srcset="https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_r4bul2p779657f7tm2orh3ar2d/-S640x427-FPNG 640w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_r4bul2p779657f7tm2orh3ar2d/-S750x500-FPNG 750w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_r4bul2p779657f7tm2orh3ar2d/-S768x512-FPNG 768w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_r4bul2p779657f7tm2orh3ar2d/-S828x552-FPNG 828w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_r4bul2p779657f7tm2orh3ar2d/-S1024x683-FPNG 1024w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_r4bul2p779657f7tm2orh3ar2d/-S1080x720-FPNG 1080w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_r4bul2p779657f7tm2orh3ar2d/-S1200x800-FPNG 1200w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_r4bul2p779657f7tm2orh3ar2d/-S1920x1280-FPNG 1920w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_r4bul2p779657f7tm2orh3ar2d/-S2048x1366-FPNG 2048w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_r4bul2p779657f7tm2orh3ar2d/-S3840x2561-FPNG 3840w" style="color:transparent;background-size:cover;background-position:50% 50%;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-image:url(&quot;data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 2560 1707'%3E%3Cfilter id='b' color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'/%3E%3CfeColorMatrix values='1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 100 -1' result='s'/%3E%3CfeFlood x='0' y='0' width='100%25' height='100%25'/%3E%3CfeComposite operator='out' in='s'/%3E%3CfeComposite in2='SourceGraphic'/%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'/%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage width='100%25' height='100%25' x='0' y='0' preserveAspectRatio='none' style='filter: url(%23b);' href='data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw=='/%3E%3C/svg%3E&quot;)" width="2560"/></div></div><figcaption class="basis-full mt-[10px] text-xs text-gray-550 font-inter leading-[18px]">Former Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin dominated local politics for two decades and remains a thorn in the sides of Mayor Daniel Lurie and other moderates.<span class="image-caption-divider"> | </span><span class="image-credit"><span class="sr-only">Source: </span>Justin Katigbak/The Standard.</span></figcaption></figure><div class="floats"><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Peskin on Friday told The Standard he feels targeted by Mahmood’s effort. </p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">“If it only applies to one person, it seems like a huge waste of space on the ballot,” Peskin said while enjoying a brownie at Caffe Trieste, his de-facto clubhouse in North Beach. “But I’m flattered. I have no plans to run for any office.”</p></div><div class="floats"><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Former Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier, who served two terms representing the Marina and Pacific Heights from 2004 to 2011, was rumored this year to be eyeing a 2026 campaign for her old seat. She said in an interview that she wouldn’t run again but criticized the proposal as limiting voter choice.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">“Further restricting term limits in San Francisco only serves to restrict candidate debate and the ultimate choice of the voters,” Alioto-Pier said. “At the end of the day, voters choose who they want to represent them, and nothing plays a bigger role than a well-organized campaign and a well-fought race.”</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Mahmood’s effort coincides with a campaign by two board members of the San Francisco Young Democrats to <u><a data-post-id="1a9157ff-4839-4dd4-a731-a81759d3b487" href="https://sfstandard.com/opinion/2025/12/12/term-limits-loophole-san-francisco-politicians/">change the city’s term-limit rules</a></u> with a June 2026 ballot measure, an effort the pair announced Friday in an op-ed in The Standard.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">The coalition behind the effort is holding a rally Monday at City Hall to “end this practice once and for all.” Mahmood is expected to attend and announce his proposal. </p></div><div class="w-full bg-warm-gray-50 border border-warm-gray-300 rounded-xl flex flex-col gap-md px-lg py-[20px]"><div class="flex flex-row text-medium leading-[1.1] text-black font-inter gap-xs"><span class="italic font-normal">More about</span><a href="https://sfstandard.com/tag/board-of-supervisors/"><span class="font-bold underline decoration-highlight decoration-[3.2px]">Board of Supervisors</span></a></div><ul class="flex flex-col gap-md"><li class="flex flex-row gap-sm pb-md border-b border-warm-gray-300"><a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/12/15/moderate-political-group-attacks-supervisors-who-voted-lurie-s-upzoning-plan/" tabindex="-1"><div class="flex-none w-[90px] h-[60px] overflow-hidden"><img alt='Four serious-faced people, three women and one man, appear in a panel discussion with a red "VOTED NO" stamp and the "grow SF" logo in the corner.' class="object-cover w-full h-full lazyloaded" data-nimg="1" decoding="async" height="1222" loading="lazy" src="https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_accani85ud2cvfn5q67q4j6p25/-S3840x2168-FPNG" srcset="https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_accani85ud2cvfn5q67q4j6p25/-S3840x2168-FPNG 1x" style="color:transparent;background-size:cover;background-position:50% 50%;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-image:url(&quot;data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 2164 1222'%3E%3Cfilter id='b' color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'/%3E%3CfeColorMatrix values='1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 100 -1' result='s'/%3E%3CfeFlood x='0' y='0' width='100%25' height='100%25'/%3E%3CfeComposite operator='out' in='s'/%3E%3CfeComposite in2='SourceGraphic'/%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'/%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage width='100%25' height='100%25' x='0' y='0' preserveAspectRatio='none' style='filter: url(%23b);' href='data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw=='/%3E%3C/svg%3E&quot;)" width="2164"/></div></a><a class="h-fit" href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/12/15/moderate-political-group-attacks-supervisors-who-voted-lurie-s-upzoning-plan/"><h3 class="text-medium sm:text-lg leading-[1.3] font-medium text-warm-gray-900 font-ivar-headline">Moderate political group attacks supervisors who voted against Lurie’s upzoning plan</h3></a></li><li class="flex flex-row gap-sm pb-md border-b border-warm-gray-300"><a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/12/12/san-francisco-daniel-lurie-budget-donald-trump-layoffs/" tabindex="-1"><div class="flex-none w-[90px] h-[60px] overflow-hidden"><img alt="A man with short dark hair and a serious expression faces right, with two blurred figures in the background." class="object-cover w-full h-full lazyloaded" data-nimg="1" decoding="async" height="666.6666666666666" loading="lazy" src="https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_bic0blmc6d2i37opt5nl266g3b/-C100.00%25x100.00%25%2C0.00%25%2C0.00%25-S2048x1365-FPNG" srcset="https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_bic0blmc6d2i37opt5nl266g3b/-C100.00%25x100.00%25%2C0.00%25%2C0.00%25-S1024x683-FPNG 1x, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_bic0blmc6d2i37opt5nl266g3b/-C100.00%25x100.00%25%2C0.00%25%2C0.00%25-S2048x1365-FPNG 2x" style="color:transparent;aspect-ratio:1.5;background-size:cover;background-position:50% 50%;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-image:url(&quot;data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 1000 666.6666666666666'%3E%3Cfilter id='b' color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'/%3E%3CfeColorMatrix values='1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 100 -1' result='s'/%3E%3CfeFlood x='0' y='0' width='100%25' height='100%25'/%3E%3CfeComposite operator='out' in='s'/%3E%3CfeComposite in2='SourceGraphic'/%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'/%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage width='100%25' height='100%25' x='0' y='0' preserveAspectRatio='none' style='filter: url(%23b);' href='data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw=='/%3E%3C/svg%3E&quot;)" width="1000"/></div></a><a class="h-fit" href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/12/12/san-francisco-daniel-lurie-budget-donald-trump-layoffs/"><h3 class="text-medium sm:text-lg leading-[1.3] font-medium text-warm-gray-900 font-ivar-headline">Lurie orders $400M in city budget cuts amid worsening deficit</h3></a></li><li class="flex flex-row gap-sm"><a href="https://sfstandard.com/opinion/2025/12/09/commissions-streamlining-task-force-unions/" tabindex="-1"><div class="flex-none w-[90px] h-[60px] overflow-hidden"><img alt='A large crowd holding signs that read "FIX OUR CITY" during a protest or rally, with many wearing blue and purple.' class="object-cover w-full h-full lazyloaded" data-nimg="1" decoding="async" height="2001" loading="lazy" src="https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_lj6dj16ss152l6sdbrmsunh93u/-S3840x2561-FPNG" srcset="https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_lj6dj16ss152l6sdbrmsunh93u/-S3840x2561-FPNG 1x" style="color:transparent;background-size:cover;background-position:50% 50%;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-image:url(&quot;data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 3000 2001'%3E%3Cfilter id='b' color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'/%3E%3CfeColorMatrix values='1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 100 -1' result='s'/%3E%3CfeFlood x='0' y='0' width='100%25' height='100%25'/%3E%3CfeComposite operator='out' in='s'/%3E%3CfeComposite in2='SourceGraphic'/%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'/%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage width='100%25' height='100%25' x='0' y='0' preserveAspectRatio='none' style='filter: url(%23b);' href='data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw=='/%3E%3C/svg%3E&quot;)" width="3000"/></div></a><a class="h-fit" href="https://sfstandard.com/opinion/2025/12/09/commissions-streamlining-task-force-unions/"><h3 class="text-medium sm:text-lg leading-[1.3] font-medium text-warm-gray-900 font-ivar-headline">Voters wanted SF government to change. These powerful interests want the opposite</h3></a></li></ul></div><div class="floats"><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">“San Francisco stands for progress. But our city charter stands for something else: a policy that lets termed-out politicians wait in the wings and reclaim their seats, again and again,” the petition’s organizers, Ruth Ferguson and Adrianna Zhang wrote. </p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Mahmood said working with the coalition that’s pushing the 2026 measure has inspired him to clear a path for a new generation that wants change. </p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">While Mahmood said his effort is about creating more opportunities to shape the city’s political future, he noted President Donald Trump’s public musings about seeking a third term as part of his motivation.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">“San Francisco leadership is committed to two terms,” Mahmood said. “We want to send a clear message to Washington: Two terms, and you’re done.”</p></div></div>

Supervisors put Lurie’s ‘family zoning plan’ under construction

<div class="content-grid article-content"><div class="Metadata_container__fxAzw"><div class="Metadata_metadata__W_0LF"><span>By <a class="" href="https://sfstandard.com/author/gabriel-greschler/">Gabe Greschler</a></span><time datetime="2025-10-21T00:37:12.668Z">Published Oct. 20, 2025 • 5:37pm</time></div></div><div class="floats"><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">San Francisco supervisors debated <u><a data-post-id="aa0e6722-97e9-47b4-bdc3-a32b302b5d92" href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/09/11/family-zoning-upzoning-planning-vote/">Mayor Daniel Lurie’s “family zoning” plan</a></u> during an hours-long hearing on Monday, when they presented a list of changes they’d like to see before they authorize his vision for tens of thousands of new units in the city.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">The Land Use and Transportation Committee’s hearing was the first time supervisors have considered Lurie’s rezoning proposal, which has sparked an intense fight over where San Francisco should prioritize development amid a severe shortage of housing and skyrocketing rents. The plan could help San Francisco meet a state mandate to add housing capacity in the city over the next several years, most notably in west-side and northern neighborhoods.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Several supervisors took the opportunity to submit amendments to the proposal, which range from minor to moderate changes to the plan. Lurie’s proposal is still expected to pass the full, 11-member Board of Supervisors when it’s up for a vote in the coming months. But the suggested amendments highlight the work ahead for Lurie to finalize one of his most important policy goals of the year.</p></div><div class="!p-0 !m-0"></div><figure class="ImageBlock_ImageFigure__ZnquR inset-image mobile-grid-full mobile-grid-full" data-align="none"><div class="relative"><div><img alt="" class="block lazyloaded" data-nimg="1" decoding="async" height="2001" loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 1001px) 600px, (min-width: 768px) 700px, 100vw" src="https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_b6gtbn7dpp55hcq0lclqevfd16/-S3840x2561-FPNG" srcset="https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_b6gtbn7dpp55hcq0lclqevfd16/-S640x427-FPNG 640w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_b6gtbn7dpp55hcq0lclqevfd16/-S750x500-FPNG 750w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_b6gtbn7dpp55hcq0lclqevfd16/-S768x512-FPNG 768w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_b6gtbn7dpp55hcq0lclqevfd16/-S828x552-FPNG 828w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_b6gtbn7dpp55hcq0lclqevfd16/-S1024x683-FPNG 1024w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_b6gtbn7dpp55hcq0lclqevfd16/-S1080x720-FPNG 1080w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_b6gtbn7dpp55hcq0lclqevfd16/-S1200x800-FPNG 1200w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_b6gtbn7dpp55hcq0lclqevfd16/-S1920x1281-FPNG 1920w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_b6gtbn7dpp55hcq0lclqevfd16/-S2048x1366-FPNG 2048w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_b6gtbn7dpp55hcq0lclqevfd16/-S3840x2561-FPNG 3840w" style="color:transparent;background-size:cover;background-position:50% 50%;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-image:url(&quot;data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 3000 2001'%3E%3Cfilter id='b' color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'/%3E%3CfeColorMatrix values='1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 100 -1' result='s'/%3E%3CfeFlood x='0' y='0' width='100%25' height='100%25'/%3E%3CfeComposite operator='out' in='s'/%3E%3CfeComposite in2='SourceGraphic'/%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'/%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage width='100%25' height='100%25' x='0' y='0' preserveAspectRatio='none' style='filter: url(%23b);' href='data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw=='/%3E%3C/svg%3E&quot;)" width="3000"/></div></div><figcaption class="basis-full mt-[10px] text-xs text-gray-550 font-inter leading-[18px]">The state requires San Francisco rezone its neighborhoods to allow for more housing.<span class="image-caption-divider"> | </span><span class="image-credit"><span class="sr-only">Source: </span>Jason Henry for The Standard</span></figcaption></figure><div class="floats"><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Supervisor Myrna Melgar, who chairs the committee, introduced an amendment that would exempt a large segment of rent-controlled buildings from Lurie’s plan. “I am keenly aware that families need a place to go,” said Melgar, who is often considered a swing vote between the board’s moderate and progressive blocs. The mayor last week said he <u><a href="https://missionlocal.org/2025/10/rent-control-exempted-sf-upzoning/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">supported<span class="sr-only"> (opens in new tab)</span></a></u> Melgar’s suggested change. </p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Supervisors Stephen Sherrill and Danny Sauter, both moderate allies of Lurie, put forth amendments that focus on spurring development of two- to three-bedroom units. Sherrill acknowledged that the mayor’s proposal won’t instantly fix the city’s housing shortage.  “Rezoning is just one step,” he said. “Much more will be needed.”</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Lurie’s current proposal would modify zoning rules to allow for buildings up to 10 stories along some transit-rich west-side commercial corridors that city officials have identified as prime areas for more development. Other parts of the city, including in northern commercial neighborhoods, could see even taller buildings. </p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">YIMBY advocates have endorsed the plan, while progressive organizations and neighborhood preservationists have raised concerns about protecting affordable housing and low-income tenants from displacement. The supervisors’ proposed changes on Monday were aimed at addressing all those concerns. </p></div><div class="!p-0 !m-0"></div><div class="floats"><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Board President Rafael Mandelman, another moderate who has aligned himself with Lurie, proposed stronger protections for historic buildings. “I think we can grow and create the housing capacity we need and still preserve our heritage,” he said. “I think the great cities of the world have done that.”</p></div><figure class="ImageBlock_ImageFigure__ZnquR inset-image mobile-grid-full mobile-grid-full" data-align="none"><div class="relative"><div><img alt="A man in a dark suit and green tie speaks smiling at a clear podium with a microphone against a blurry outdoor background." class="block lazyloaded" data-nimg="1" decoding="async" height="3335" loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 1001px) 600px, (min-width: 768px) 700px, 100vw" src="https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_578lg7e7gl4dneiop2ja9qin52/-S3840x2561-FPNG" srcset="https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_578lg7e7gl4dneiop2ja9qin52/-S640x427-FPNG 640w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_578lg7e7gl4dneiop2ja9qin52/-S750x500-FPNG 750w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_578lg7e7gl4dneiop2ja9qin52/-S768x512-FPNG 768w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_578lg7e7gl4dneiop2ja9qin52/-S828x552-FPNG 828w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_578lg7e7gl4dneiop2ja9qin52/-S1024x683-FPNG 1024w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_578lg7e7gl4dneiop2ja9qin52/-S1080x720-FPNG 1080w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_578lg7e7gl4dneiop2ja9qin52/-S1200x800-FPNG 1200w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_578lg7e7gl4dneiop2ja9qin52/-S1920x1281-FPNG 1920w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_578lg7e7gl4dneiop2ja9qin52/-S2048x1366-FPNG 2048w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_578lg7e7gl4dneiop2ja9qin52/-S3840x2561-FPNG 3840w" style="color:transparent;background-size:cover;background-position:50% 50%;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-image:url(&quot;data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 5000 3335'%3E%3Cfilter id='b' color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'/%3E%3CfeColorMatrix values='1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 100 -1' result='s'/%3E%3CfeFlood x='0' y='0' width='100%25' height='100%25'/%3E%3CfeComposite operator='out' in='s'/%3E%3CfeComposite in2='SourceGraphic'/%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'/%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage width='100%25' height='100%25' x='0' y='0' preserveAspectRatio='none' style='filter: url(%23b);' href='data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw=='/%3E%3C/svg%3E&quot;)" width="5000"/></div></div><figcaption class="basis-full mt-[10px] text-xs text-gray-550 font-inter leading-[18px]">Lurie’s zoning plan would increase building heights along commercial corridors.<span class="image-caption-divider"> | </span><span class="image-credit"><span class="sr-only">Source: </span>Benjamin Fanjoy for The Standard</span></figcaption></figure><div class="floats"><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Meanwhile, opponents of the mayor’s rezoning plan, including progressive Supervisors Chyanne Chen and Connie Chan are pushing amendments that they said will safeguard low-income residents. Chen said she would like to ensure the city’s less wealthy areas, which include neighborhoods in the Bayview and Mission neighborhoods, earn an exemption from rezoning. </p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">“I believe the path to meeting our state housing obligations is not simply a math problem,” said Chen. “If we rezone without an affordability strategy, we run the risk of not actually solving the housing affordability crisis.” </p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Chan’s changes include bolstering protections against demolitions and the establishment of a “shot clock” for developers to speed up housing production.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">San Francisco faces pressure from the state to pass a qualified plan to build more or face severe penalties that include yanking millions of dollars for affordable housing and transportation. The city must make room for 36,000 new units of housing under the state’s mandate. </p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Lurie has argued that more development will lead to lower housing prices, while his progressive opponents see the rezoning as a boon for developers that could lead to an erosion of affordable housing options. </p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">While Monday’s hearing was only a first review of Lurie’s plan, more than 100 residents packed into the board’s chambers to express their support or concerns, which required setting up overflow seating. </p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Before the meeting, critics held a news conference in front of City Hall to protest parts of Lurie’s proposal. The group included progressive activists, historic preservationists, and union members, including Rudy Gonzalez, secretary-treasurer of the San Francisco Building and Construction Trades Council; Lori Brooke, a candidate for District 2 supervisor; and Albert Chow, who is considered a potential replacement for the open District 4 supervisor seat. </p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">“This isn’t anti-development, it’s pro-neighborhood,” said Brooke, who is challenging Sherrill in 2026 to represent District 2, which includes neighborhoods traditionally opposed to more development, such as the Marina and Presidio Heights. “We believe in building real housing for real people, not luxury towers for absentee owners.”</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">The city faces a January deadline to receive state approval of the plan. If a blueprint is rejected, the city could see a Sacramento takeover of its housing plans, which Lurie and others supporting his proposal warn would be far more sweeping than the current option.</p></div></div>

As Lurie weighs Sunset appointment, history offers guidance: Pick a woman

<div class="content-grid article-content"><div class="Metadata_container__fxAzw"><div class="Metadata_metadata__W_0LF"><span>By <a class="" href="https://sfstandard.com/author/han-li/">Han Li</a></span><time datetime="2025-10-10T13:00:00.000Z">Published Oct. 10, 2025 • 6:00am</time></div></div><div class="floats"><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">If you believe in gender curses — or superpowers — Sunset politics offers a neat case study.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">As Mayor Daniel Lurie considers whom to appoint as District 4 supervisor, history suggests that there’s a clear divide in how successful women have been in the role (and in the years after leaving City Hall) compared with men.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Since San Francisco returned to district supervisor elections in 2000, seven people have represented the Sunset (currently part of District 4). Of the women, all three — Fiona Ma, Carmen Chu, and Katy Tang — have gone onto higher office or become department heads in the current administration. Of the men, two (Leland Yee and Ed Jew) have done jail time, one (Gordon Mar) was booted after a single term, and one (Joel Engardio) didn’t even make it that far, being recalled in a landslide election last month.  </p></div><div class="!p-0 !m-0"></div><div class="floats"><div class="block-aside align-right align-right-overflow"><aside class="py-lg px-md md:px-xl bg-warm-gray-100 text-text-primary"><h2 class="pb-md mb-md font-bold border-b border-b-warm-gray-300 text-heading-xl">The Sunset gender divide: Women thrive…</h2><div class=""><ul class="list-block ListBlock_List__NF3JL article-body"><li>Fiona Ma, supervisor from 2002 to 2006, was elected to the state Legislature and Board of Equalization. She now serves as state treasurer and is running for lieutenant governor.<br/></li><li>Carmen Chu, appointed supervisor in 2007, later became the city’s assessor-recorder and is now city administrator — SF’s highest-ranking non-elected official. <br/></li><li>Katy Tang, appointed in 2013, now heads the city’s Office of Small Business.</li></ul></div></aside></div><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">“I don’t think it’s a coincidence,” said Caryl Ito, a former president of the San Francisco Commission on the Status of Women. “There is clearly a gender disparity in who succeeds and who doesn’t. It appears the men have failed.”</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Ito doesn’t necessarily think Lurie’s appointment to the supervisor role should be gender-motivated. But she noted that women frequently enter office with stronger credentials and a focus on community connection.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Alondra Esquivel Garcia, copresident of the San Francisco Women’s Political Committee, said women “have to work twice as hard to be taken seriously.” Female supervisors, she added, “have proved to be qualified leaders who can unify the district.”</p></div><figure class="ImageBlock_ImageFigure__ZnquR grid-wide inset-image mobile-grid-full mobile-grid-full" data-align="wide"><div class="relative"><div><img alt="" class="block lazyloaded" data-nimg="1" decoding="async" height="1707" loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 1001px) 800px, (min-width: 768px) 100vw, 100vw" src="https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_28fpefa8m17jrcdkh37vpgjv5b/-S3840x2561-FPNG" srcset="https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_28fpefa8m17jrcdkh37vpgjv5b/-S640x427-FPNG 640w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_28fpefa8m17jrcdkh37vpgjv5b/-S750x500-FPNG 750w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_28fpefa8m17jrcdkh37vpgjv5b/-S768x512-FPNG 768w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_28fpefa8m17jrcdkh37vpgjv5b/-S828x552-FPNG 828w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_28fpefa8m17jrcdkh37vpgjv5b/-S1024x683-FPNG 1024w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_28fpefa8m17jrcdkh37vpgjv5b/-S1080x720-FPNG 1080w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_28fpefa8m17jrcdkh37vpgjv5b/-S1200x800-FPNG 1200w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_28fpefa8m17jrcdkh37vpgjv5b/-S1920x1280-FPNG 1920w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_28fpefa8m17jrcdkh37vpgjv5b/-S2048x1366-FPNG 2048w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_28fpefa8m17jrcdkh37vpgjv5b/-S3840x2561-FPNG 3840w" style="color:transparent;background-size:cover;background-position:50% 50%;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-image:url(&quot;data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 2560 1707'%3E%3Cfilter id='b' color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'/%3E%3CfeColorMatrix values='1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 100 -1' result='s'/%3E%3CfeFlood x='0' y='0' width='100%25' height='100%25'/%3E%3CfeComposite operator='out' in='s'/%3E%3CfeComposite in2='SourceGraphic'/%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'/%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage width='100%25' height='100%25' x='0' y='0' preserveAspectRatio='none' style='filter: url(%23b);' href='data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw=='/%3E%3C/svg%3E&quot;)" width="2560"/></div></div><figcaption class="basis-full mt-[10px] text-xs text-gray-550 font-inter leading-[18px]">Joel Engardio and Gordon Mar at a debate in 2022.<span class="image-caption-divider"> | </span><span class="image-credit"><span class="sr-only">Source: </span>Paul Kuroda for The Standard</span></figcaption></figure><div class="!p-0 !m-0"></div><div class="floats"><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Ma — who served as supervisor from 2002 to 2006, currently acts as California’s state treasurer, and is running for lieutenant governor in 2026 —  said it often takes women “a lot longer to decide to run for office,” and they are usually inspired to do so “because of some main issue or cause near and dear to our hearts.” </p><div class="block-aside align-right align-right-overflow"><aside class="py-lg px-md md:px-xl bg-warm-gray-100 text-text-primary"><h2 class="pb-md mb-md font-bold border-b border-b-warm-gray-300 text-heading-xl">…while men stumble</h2><div class=""><ul class="list-block ListBlock_List__NF3JL article-body"><li>Leland Yee, who was elected as the first D4 Supervisor in 2000, was convicted of corruption charges and <u><a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndca/pr/former-state-senator-leland-yee-sentenced-five-years-imprisonment-racketeering" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">sentenced to five years in prison in 2016<span class="sr-only"> (opens in new tab)</span></a></u>.<br/></li><li>Ed Jew, supervisor from 2006 to 2007, served jail time on extortion and bribery convictions.<br/></li><li>Gordon Mar, elected in 2018, <u><a href="https://sfstandard.com/2022/10/20/sf-district-chinese-american-supervisors/">lost reelection four years later</a></u>, becoming the first elected incumbent to be ousted since 2000. Mar now serves on the San Francisco Democratic Party County Central Committee.<br/></li><li>Joel Engardio, who bested Mar in the 2022 election, was <u><a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/10/07/joel-engardio-exit-interview-recall-sunset-dunes/">recalled</a></u> last month in a landslide election spurred by his support for closing the Great Highway.</li></ul></div></aside></div><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">“So when we finally do run, we want to do a good job, and not because of fame or fortune,” she added. </p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Lurie has faced pressure to appoint a woman to the D4 post after Engardio leaves office Oct. 17. The San Francisco Women’s Political Committee in September <u><a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/26175257-sfwpc-letter-d4-supervisor/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">sent a letter<span class="sr-only"> (opens in new tab)</span></a></u> to Lurie urging him to appoint a female supervisor, citing past supervisors Ma, Chu (now city administrator), and Tang (now head of the Office of Small Business) as examples of successful leadership.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">“With the rich history of successful District 4 women supervisors,” the letter read, “we firmly believe that a woman is essential not only for representation, but for restoring stability, accountability, and community trust.”</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Garcia said the group isn’t backing a specific candidate but wants the mayor’s office to elevate women’s voices in the appointment process</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Lurie’s office has been interviewing potential D4 candidates in recent weeks but has not set a time frame for an announcement. At a recent town hall in the Sunset, the mayor confirmed that several people have expressed interest in the role and that the process is moving quickly.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Among the contenders is small business owner Albert Chow, who was a key figure in the campaign to recall Engardio. Chow said women are great leaders, but he’s ready to break the gender curse against male D4 supervisors. He compared his background to that of women who’ve held the role.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">“I feel like I’m more like Katy and Carmen — they didn’t expect the role and got appointed,” Chow said. “I want to bring a small-business and true-resident approach. I don’t think there’s anyone quite like me in the mix.”</p></div></div>

Alameda County boldly votes to take a moral stance sometime in the future

<div class="content-grid article-content"><div class="Metadata_container__fxAzw"><div class="Metadata_metadata__W_0LF"><span>By <a class="" href="https://sfstandard.com/author/max-harrison-caldwell/">Max Harrison-Caldwell</a></span><time datetime="2025-10-07T00:58:16.828Z">Published Oct. 06, 2025 • 5:58pm</time></div></div><div class="floats"><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Governments across the Bay Area have issued resolutions or policies meant to oppose Israel’s two-year-long assault on Gaza.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">The Alameda County Board of Supervisors last week became the latest to do so — but not really.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">The board voted to adopt its “ethical investment plan” but not implement it, pushing a decision down the road. The plan won’t go into effect until further review, which could take months. The policy doesn’t directly name Israel, but supporters and opponents understood it as an effort to divest from companies that facilitate the nation’s war in Gaza. </p></div><div class="!p-0 !m-0"></div><div class="floats"><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Israel’s military has been pummeling the Gaza Strip since Hamas militants killed 1,200 Israelis on Oct. 7, 2023. Israel has killed more than 66,000 Palestinians in Gaza since then, while about 2,000 Israelis have died, according to <u><a href="https://www.ochaopt.org/content/humanitarian-situation-update-327-gaza-strip">figures reviewed by the United Nations</a></u>.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">The plan proposed last week by Alameda Treasurer Henry Levy would “discourage” the county from investing $1 billion of its $10 billion investment fund in companies that facilitate human rights abuses. The plan outlines other investment no-nos — including fossil fuel companies and firearm manufacturers — but the crowd at Friday’s meeting was there to talk about Israel and Palestine. More than 200 people signed up for public comment.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">The vote came less than a year after Alameda County <u><a href="https://oaklandside.org/2024/12/12/alameda-county-divestment-caterpillar-israel-war-gaza/">divested from Caterpillar</a></u> because it sells bulldozers to the Israeli military. Hayward became the first city in the country to cut companies with ties to Israel from its investment portfolio, in January 2024, and Richmond followed suit four months later. Also in January 2024, San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors passed a <u><a data-post-id="686120bb-c270-4a6c-9b32-2623dba79c5c" href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/01/08/gaza-cease-fire-resolution-san-francisco-board-of-supervisors/">resolution</a></u> calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. </p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Some might say the resolutions from California cities and counties urging a distant country to stop bombing its neighbor are performative, but the boycott, divestment, and sanctions strategy has shown success. Indeed, Alameda County voted to divest from apartheid South Africa in the 1990s. </p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">In this case, though, the four-hour meeting ended in a 4-1 decision to decide on it later.</p></div><div class="!p-0 !m-0"></div><div class="floats"><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">“It’s a crime to support Israel during this genocide,” one resident said. “Everything that we do here comes back around.”</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Opponents said the plan would embolden antisemites. “People use Israel as a pretext to hate and kill Jews,” one commenter said.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Board of Supervisors President David Haubert tried to play mediator. “Some people are rightly concerned about genocide,” he said. “Unfortunately, this has been very politicized.”</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">One of the only comments that was not about Israel and Gaza came from Chris Moore, a self-described “public finance watchdog” who helped lead the recall campaigns of District Attorney Pamela Price and Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. </p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Moore claimed Treasurer Henry Levy’s investment strategy led to bigger-than-anticipated losses. Levy rejected the accusation, describing Moore’s comments as misleading and uninformed.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">“Anytime you implement a policy that is going to limit your investments, any finance professional would say you’re bound to impact your returns,” Moore said in a phone interview Monday. “It’s a political thing he’s doing.”</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Levy dismissed Moore’s comments at the meeting as “lies and innuendo,” and repeatedly said Moore did not know how the investment of public funds works.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">The meeting’s lukewarm conclusion initially seemed to dissatisfy everyone.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Supporters of the investment plan, including Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas, were disappointed that the board did not adopt the plan outright; opponents were disappointed that they passed it at all. </p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">But in a true bit of comity, everybody was quick to claim victory in the aftermath.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">“Palestine organizers win,” <u><a href="https://bayareacurrent.com/palestine-organizers-win/">proclaimed</a></u> Bay Area Current, an outlet funded by the Democratic Socialists of America. The anti-Zionist organization Jewish Voice for Peace said county leaders adopted the policy “with broad Jewish support.”</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Meanwhile, the local chapter of the Jewish Community Relations Council, in an <u><a href="https://x.com/SFJCRC/status/1974249473246118309">X post</a></u>, called the decision to delay implementation a “constructive development” and thanked the supervisors who recognized that “the measure was causing division.” </p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">The plan will move to the county’s Finance Committee for further review, but at the meeting, there was confusion from the supervisors about who was actually on it. </p></div></div>

Exclusive: Top official suspended after Standard investigation into alleged bid-rigging

<div class="content-grid article-content"><div class="Metadata_container__fxAzw"><div class="Metadata_metadata__W_0LF"><span>By <a class="" href="https://sfstandard.com/author/josh-koehn/">Josh Koehn</a></span><time datetime="2025-09-25T22:38:29.902Z">Published Sep. 25, 2025 • 3:38pm</time></div></div><div class="floats"><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">A lucrative contract to help manage San Francisco’s $2.6 billion in business taxes has imploded and a top city manager has been suspended after The Standard launched an investigation into whistleblower allegations of conflicts of interest and bid-rigging at the tax collection agency.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Officials for the city attorney and controller’s offices confirmed they are initiating an independent review after San Francisco’s chief assistant treasurer, Tajel Shah, was placed on paid leave Thursday. The suspension came one day after Mechanical Orchard, a self-described “AI-native technology company,” walked away from a nearly $10 million contract to replace the business tax system used by the office of the treasurer and tax collector.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">The fallout comes after The Standard requested interviews with Mechanical Orchard executives regarding whistleblower allegations about Shah’s personal relationships with company officials, as well as decisions she made in favor of Mechanical Orchard during two and a half years of discussions over contracts.</p></div><div class="!p-0 !m-0"></div><div class="floats"><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Treasurer José Cisneros, who had said Shah would not be suspended before city officials reversed course, acknowledged to The Standard in an interview Wednesday that the cancellation of the contract “is a setback for our office’s work to modernize our business tax system.” There is urgency in finding a new contractor, as the technology the city uses to process taxes for roughly 90,000 businesses could be inoperable in several years.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Regarding the potentially rigged bidding process, Cisneros said, “I intend to investigate and make sure we get to the bottom of how everything was done.”</p></div><figure class="ImageBlock_ImageFigure__ZnquR grid-wide inset-image mobile-grid-full mobile-grid-full" data-align="wide"><div class="relative"><div><img alt="A person in a suit waving from a convertible, with trees and high-rise buildings in the background." class="block lazyloaded" data-nimg="1" decoding="async" height="1707" loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 1001px) 800px, (min-width: 768px) 100vw, 100vw" src="https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_0a4o93ldll5pt3mj6tmhgffp18/-S3840x2561-FPNG" srcset="https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_0a4o93ldll5pt3mj6tmhgffp18/-S640x427-FPNG 640w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_0a4o93ldll5pt3mj6tmhgffp18/-S750x500-FPNG 750w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_0a4o93ldll5pt3mj6tmhgffp18/-S768x512-FPNG 768w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_0a4o93ldll5pt3mj6tmhgffp18/-S828x552-FPNG 828w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_0a4o93ldll5pt3mj6tmhgffp18/-S1024x683-FPNG 1024w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_0a4o93ldll5pt3mj6tmhgffp18/-S1080x720-FPNG 1080w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_0a4o93ldll5pt3mj6tmhgffp18/-S1200x800-FPNG 1200w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_0a4o93ldll5pt3mj6tmhgffp18/-S1920x1280-FPNG 1920w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_0a4o93ldll5pt3mj6tmhgffp18/-S2048x1366-FPNG 2048w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_0a4o93ldll5pt3mj6tmhgffp18/-S3840x2561-FPNG 3840w" style="color:transparent;background-size:cover;background-position:50% 50%;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-image:url(&quot;data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 2560 1707'%3E%3Cfilter id='b' color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'/%3E%3CfeColorMatrix values='1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 100 -1' result='s'/%3E%3CfeFlood x='0' y='0' width='100%25' height='100%25'/%3E%3CfeComposite operator='out' in='s'/%3E%3CfeComposite in2='SourceGraphic'/%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'/%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage width='100%25' height='100%25' x='0' y='0' preserveAspectRatio='none' style='filter: url(%23b);' href='data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw=='/%3E%3C/svg%3E&quot;)" width="2560"/></div></div><figcaption class="basis-full mt-[10px] text-xs text-gray-550 font-inter leading-[18px]">A whistleblower says Treasurer José Cisneros may have been asleep at the wheel on a contract to manage business taxes. | Eloise Kelsey</figcaption></figure><div class="floats"><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Late last year, The Standard received a copy of a whistleblower complaint sent to the city’s Ethics Commission alleging that Shah failed to disclose her close friendship with Roque Versace, who at the time was Mechanical Orchard’s chief revenue officer. The complaint also alleged that Mechanical Orchard’s sister company, Ratio PBC, hired Shah’s niece just weeks before the city began accepting bids to replace its business tax system. </p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">The Standard subsequently filed a public records request for all communications involving the city and Mechanical Orchard, resulting in the production of more than 1,100 emails and internal documents. A review of these documents and additional internal records appears to show that Shah, who oversees contracts and negotiations for the treasurer’s office, took steps that helped Mechanical Orchard win the bid to replace the business tax system. </p></div><div class="!p-0 !m-0"></div><div class="article-body grid-wide"><figure class="pullquote-block"><blockquote><p>“Equally concerning is Treasurer Jose Cisneros’s role in this matter. If he was unaware of Ms. Shah’s actions, it reflects a serious failure of oversight. If he was aware, it suggests complicity.”</p><cite>Whistleblower complaint</cite></blockquote></figure></div><div class="floats"><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">More than a year of discussions between Mechanical Orchard officials and the treasurer’s office culminated in an open bidding process in the spring of 2024, in which companies submitted proposals and were ranked based on experience and pricing. Only the top three scorers were supposed to move on to the final round. One company finished in first place, three tied for second, and Mechanical Orchard finished third — or technically fifth, as a rival bidder, Vynyl, noted in a November 2024 letter to the city protesting Mechanical Orchard winning the contract. (Vynyl came in second overall in the final bidding process.)</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">According to the whistleblower allegations, Shah’s efforts helped Mechanical Orchard advance out of the first round of the competition, and she also instructed staff to revise the bidding process in order to reduce the scores of all finalists except Mechanical Orchard. An internal cost-assessment report obtained by The Standard shows that last-minute changes to the price of cloud infrastructure and IT support added roughly $1.7 million to proposals from all finalists — except Mechanical Orchard.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">In an interview Tuesday, Shah said she was not aware that Ratio PBC had hired her niece, and only vaguely recalled that Ratio PBC was involved in the process that led to Mechanical Orchard’s winning bid. Shah said Versace was a friend but compared him to any employee for a company that has had longtime dealings with the city. However, a Facebook post from 2017 shows that Shah commented on a photo of Versace’s family, “My favorite peeps!” </p></div><figure class="ImageBlock_ImageFigure__ZnquR grid-wide inset-image mobile-grid-full mobile-grid-full" data-align="wide"><div class="relative"><div><img alt="Recommendation for Anjali Mehta from Eric Guroff praising her data strategy skills and project leadership on a health data engineering engagement." class="block lazyloaded" data-nimg="1" decoding="async" height="3000" loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 1001px) 800px, (min-width: 768px) 100vw, 100vw" src="https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_cev7q0j4tl7fp7icsmjmasfo3i/-S3840x2560-FPNG" srcset="https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_cev7q0j4tl7fp7icsmjmasfo3i/-S640x427-FPNG 640w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_cev7q0j4tl7fp7icsmjmasfo3i/-S750x500-FPNG 750w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_cev7q0j4tl7fp7icsmjmasfo3i/-S768x512-FPNG 768w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_cev7q0j4tl7fp7icsmjmasfo3i/-S828x552-FPNG 828w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_cev7q0j4tl7fp7icsmjmasfo3i/-S1024x683-FPNG 1024w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_cev7q0j4tl7fp7icsmjmasfo3i/-S1080x720-FPNG 1080w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_cev7q0j4tl7fp7icsmjmasfo3i/-S1200x800-FPNG 1200w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_cev7q0j4tl7fp7icsmjmasfo3i/-S1920x1280-FPNG 1920w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_cev7q0j4tl7fp7icsmjmasfo3i/-S2048x1365-FPNG 2048w, https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_cev7q0j4tl7fp7icsmjmasfo3i/-S3840x2560-FPNG 3840w" style="color:transparent;background-size:cover;background-position:50% 50%;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-image:url(&quot;data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 4500 3000'%3E%3Cfilter id='b' color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'/%3E%3CfeColorMatrix values='1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 100 -1' result='s'/%3E%3CfeFlood x='0' y='0' width='100%25' height='100%25'/%3E%3CfeComposite operator='out' in='s'/%3E%3CfeComposite in2='SourceGraphic'/%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'/%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage width='100%25' height='100%25' x='0' y='0' preserveAspectRatio='none' style='filter: url(%23b);' href='data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw=='/%3E%3C/svg%3E&quot;)" width="4500"/></div></div><figcaption class="basis-full mt-[10px] text-xs text-gray-550 font-inter leading-[18px]">The CEO of Ratio PBC gave the niece of a top San Francisco official a glowing endorsement on LinkedIn within two weeks of its sister company winning a bid on a major city contract. 
</figcaption></figure><div class="floats"><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Joan Harrington, a former director and current fellow at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University, called Shah’s alleged dealings and lack of transparency throughout the contracting process “extraordinary.” </p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">“At the very least, she violated her duty as an employee by not being transparent in the process, and it obviously had an impact,” Harrington said.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Mechanical Orchard was supposed to begin the work of replacing the city’s business tax system in January. However, this process has been mired in protracted contract negotiations that appear to be a mystery even to Cisneros.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">“I’m not aware of a single reason [for the delay],” the treasurer said. “I didn’t inquire about a particular thing, because I don’t suspect there’s a failure here.”</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">The whistleblower complaint alleged that Cisneros’ leadership is “concerning.”</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">“If he was unaware of Ms. Shah’s actions, it reflects a serious failure of oversight,” the complaint states. “If he was aware, it suggests complicity.”</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">An email from Feb. 16, 2023, shows that Shah initially tried to help Versace and Mechanical Orchard get a contract to help manage the city’s property tax system by emailing Simone Jacques, who handles contracts in the assessor-recorder’s office.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">“My friend and I were chatting about the company that he just joined,” Shah wrote to Jacques. “As we geeked out on old mainframe and new cloud issues, he told me about what his company does in that space. … I think it might be worth discussing your efforts with them.”</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Shah then forwarded the email to Versace and wrote: “FYI.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-wide"><figure class="pullquote-block"><blockquote><p>“At the very least, she violated her duty as an employee by not being transparent in the process, and it obviously had an impact.”</p><cite>Joan Harrington, ethics expert</cite></blockquote></figure></div><div class="floats"><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">The assessor-recorder’s office did not contract with Mechanical Orchard, but Shah quickly pivoted to discussions with Versace about subcontracting with a vendor in her shop and replacing San Francisco’s business tax system. Shah and staff in the treasurer’s office shared numerous meetings and emails in 2023 with Versace and Ratio PBC CEO Eric Guroff.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Guroff would give Shah’s niece, Anjali Mehta, a glowing LinkedIn endorsement just 12 days after the June 2024 deadline for companies to submit proposals to replace the city’s business tax system.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Attempts to reach Roque Versace, who no longer works for Mechanical Orchard, were unsuccessful. Guroff did not respond to requests for comment.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">In an email to staff this month, Shah wrote that she had been enlisted by Mayor Daniel Lurie to help handle <u><a data-post-id="6bc57da4-49ac-47c1-a28a-e2e352d5f52a" href="https://sfstandard.com/opinion/2025/08/25/daniel-lurie-permitsf-opengov/">contracting with OpenGov</a></u>, a software company that was recently given a sole-source contract to overhaul San Francisco’s labyrinthian permit system.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">The mayor’s office did not respond to a request for comment on Shah’s suspension or her role in the OpenGov contracting.</p></div></div>

A tax on fun? SF charging more for playing in parks


<p>No more free parking in Golden Gate Park. Charges for reserving tennis and pickleball courts. Higher fees at golf courses.</p>



<p>These are just a few of the ways that having fun in San Francisco will get more expensive under a <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/07/16/san-francisco-budget-mayor-daniel-lurie-supervisor-vote/">plan approved by the Board of Supervisors</a> last week, meant to cope with the city&#8217;s budget woes.</p>



<p>The board also approved higher surcharges on outdoor event spaces, picnic areas, and athletic fields. The proposed changes must be approved by Mayor Daniel Lurie.</p>



<p>Perhaps the most drastic change will be the launch of paid parking in Golden Gate Park. Starting in 2027, a spot in the park will cost about $3 per hour from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week. The <a href="https://sfgov.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&amp;ID=14313082&amp;GUID=1222AE7E-397F-4711-9556-4FD0609EF313">Recreation and Parks Department estimates</a> that the park’s 3,100 parking spots will net $4.9 million in six months.</p>



<p>For the first time, there will be a $6 charge to play 18 holes of golf, and it will cost $1 per hour to rent athletic fields. Picnic areas will run $5 to $25, and a 10% surcharge will be levied on the price of outdoor venues. These surcharges — which would take effect 30 days after Lurie signs the ordinance — are expected to bring in about $1.2 million this fiscal year, which will go toward covering 10% of the costs of power, water, and wastewater for these areas.</p>



<div class="wp-block-sf-standard-related-posts-container">
<div class="wp-block-sf-standard-related-post"></div>



<div class="wp-block-sf-standard-related-post"></div>



<div class="wp-block-sf-standard-related-post"></div>
</div>



<p>Residents are not thrilled.</p>



<p>&#8220;It just doesn&#8217;t make sense to charge everybody more for everything,&#8221; said Oxama Arafeh, 26, who was visiting Golden Gate Park. &#8220;Everybody&#8217;s struggling to begin with to afford rent and afford parking everywhere else. This just seems like a cash grab on people who can&#8217;t afford it.&#8221;</p>



<p>“I feel like most things are cost-prohibitive at this point for an average family,&#8221; said Anne Keller as she returned with her children from a day at the park. “Just going out for little outings, everything, everywhere. You&#8217;re paying for every little thing, and everything is hiking up.&#8221;</p>



<p>The charges don’t stop there. Tennis and pickleball players will pay $5 for reservations at 28 of the city’s 66 locations. (Previously, only the Goldman Tennis Center in Golden Gate Park charged for reservations.) If players make reservations more than a week in advance, the price goes up to $20-$40 per hour.</p>



<p>Greens fees at some city golf courses are going up. A round of 18 holes at Sharp Park on the weekend will cost city residents $60, up from $43. At TPC Harding Park, the marquee course that hosted the 2020 PGA Championship, the weekend price for residents jumps from $91 to $109. Additionally, the more expensive weekend rate will be extended to Fridays at all six city courses. The added charges are expected to generate $4 million over two years for the Recreation and Parks Department.&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" height="1667" width="2500" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12162025_ggphomeless_aar_99.jpg?w=2500" alt="A serene pond scene with ducks and seagulls floating. The backdrop features lush greenery and a person standing near two green benches on the grassy shore." class="wp-image-363086" srcset="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12162025_ggphomeless_aar_99.jpg 7879w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12162025_ggphomeless_aar_99.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12162025_ggphomeless_aar_99.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12162025_ggphomeless_aar_99.jpg?resize=2500,1667 2500w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12162025_ggphomeless_aar_99.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12162025_ggphomeless_aar_99.jpg?resize=2048,1366 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Lloyd Lake in Golden Gate Park.</figcaption></figure>



<p>“We understand there is a budget crisis, but the golfers are being hit very hard,” said Richard Harris, president of the San Francisco Public Golf Alliance. “There are real affordability problems.”</p>



<p>The alternative to these fees would have been drastic service cuts, according to the Parks Department. Closing pools, shortening rec-center hours, and reducing park ranger positions have all been on the table.</p>



<p>“These modest, targeted fees are a critical step toward protecting the services San Franciscans love and rely on, Parks Department spokesperson Tamara Barak Aparton said. “They allow us to maintain safe, well-kept parks in every neighborhood, preserve cherished programs like summer camps and senior classes, and continue offering affordable, enriching activities for families across the city.”</p>



<p>All this is particularly painful for residents contending with <a href="https://www.sfmta.com/notices/muni-fare-changes-effective-january-1-2025">higher fares on Muni</a> and <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/recology-garbage-rates-about-to-go-up-20396166.php">higher costs for Recology</a> to pick up the garbage.</p>



<p>The city has previously prioritized eliminating some fees, which are shown to disproportionately hurt low-income and minority communities, through its Financial Justice Project, which is part of the Treasurer &amp; Tax Collector’s office.&nbsp;</p>



<p>San Francisco was the first county to eliminate fees for electronic monitors, probation, and jail bookings. Traffic fines can be reduced based on a person’s ability to pay.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The public library system stopped charging for overdue books, which has correlated with increased usage among lower-income and Black and Latino families, according to Amanda Fried, chief of policy and communications for the Treasurer &amp; Tax Collector’s office.</p>



<p>But to counteract the city’s bleak fiscal situation, significant spending cuts will be likely in future budgets, according to Nicole Neditch, the government and economy policy director for SPUR.</p>



<p>“There are a lot of things that are hitting residents now in terms of increased costs,” said Neditch. “The biggest thing is that they’re going to do permanent cost-cutting, and that is going to be difficult.”</p>


Asian Art Museum

Office of the City Administrator

Adult Probation Department

Airport

Arts Commission

Office of the Assessor-Recorder

Board of Appeals

Office of the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors

Office of the City Attorney

Department of Children, Youth and Their Families

Controller's Office

Planning Department

Civil Service Commission

District Attorney's Office

Department of Building Inspection

Department of Early Childhood

Department of Emergency Management

Department of Police Accountability

Department of Public Health

Department of Public Works

Office of Economic and Workforce Development

Environment Department

Ethics Commission

Fine Arts Museums

Fire Department

Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing

Human Rights Commission

Department of Human Resources

Human Services Agency

Health Service System

Juvenile Probation Department

Public Library

Municipal Transportation Agency

Office of the Mayor

Public Defender's Office

Police Department

Port

Public Utilities Commission

Recreation and Park Department

Department of Elections

Retirement System

Rent Board

Sheriff's Department Office of Inspector General

Sheriff's Department

Department of Technology

Office of the Treasurer & Tax Collector

War Memorial

Department on the Status of Women

General City Responsibilities

General Administration & Finance

Culture & Recreation

Community Health

Human Welfare & Neighborhood Development

Public Works, Transportation & Commerce

Public Protection

SF Civil Grand Jury

The Abatement Appeals Board provides a final review process for City permitting decisions. It ensures fair and efficient adjudication of permit-related disputes before an impartial panel. The board holds authority to make binding decisions on appeals concerning notices of abatement.

Abatement Appeals Board

Abatement Appeals Board Commissioner 1

Abatement Appeals Board Commissioner 2

Abatement Appeals Board Commissioner 3

Abatement Appeals Board Commissioner 4

Abatement Appeals Board Commissioner 5

Abatement Appeals Board Commissioner 6

Abatement Appeals Board Commissioner 7

The Access Appeals Commission provides final reviews for a wide range of City permitting decisions. It ensures an efficient, fair, and expeditious permit issuance process through an impartial panel. The commission holds authority to make binding decisions on appeals related to City permits.

Access Appeals Commission

Access Appeals Commission Commissioner 1

Access Appeals Commission Commissioner 2

Access Appeals Commission Commissioner 3

Access Appeals Commission Commissioner 4

Access Appeals Commission Commissioner 5

The Adult Day Health Care Planning Council advises on the development and improvement of adult day health care services. It provides expertise in healthcare planning, policy recommendations, and program evaluation. Key responsibilities include assessing community needs and advising on service delivery enhancements.

Adult Day Health Care Planning Council

Adult Probation Department supervises individuals on probation and facilitates their reintegration into the community. It provides reentry and rehabilitative services, including victim restitution and financial assistance for crime victims. The department values public safety, offender rehabilitation, and community partnerships.

Cristel Tullock

The Advisory Committee of Street Artists and Crafts Examiners evaluates arts and crafts applicants and monitors program compliance. It conducts studio visits and public screenings to ensure adherence to established criteria. Members also revise program criteria and undertake additional tasks as needed.

Advisory Committee of Street Artists and Crafts Examiners

The Advisory Council on Human Rights advises on anti-discrimination laws and racial equity initiatives. It provides expertise on reparations and public policy impacts on Black communities. It guides efforts to establish partnerships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities in San Francisco.

Advisory Council on Human Rights

San Francisco Airport manages air traffic operations and ensures safe aircraft movement. It provides parking facilities and maintains airport infrastructure to accommodate travelers and staff. The department oversees ground transportation and coordinates with airlines for efficient passenger services.

Mike Nakornkhet

The Airport Commission oversees policy and strategic planning for San Francisco International Airport. It makes key decisions on airport development projects and financial management. It ensures compliance with regulations and collaborates on initiatives like terminal naming.

Airport Commission

Airport Commission Commissioner 1

Malcolm Yeung

Jose F. Almanza

Mark Buell

Susan Leal

Airport Director

Animal Care and Control Department manages animal sheltering, adoption, and emergency response services. It enforces animal-related laws and regulations, ensuring the humane treatment and safety of animals. The department also provides public education on responsible pet ownership and animal welfare.

Animal Care and Control Department

Virginia Donohue

Animal Care and Control Department, Director

The San Francisco Arts Commission oversees the integration of arts into city life and ensures public access to cultural experiences. It makes decisions on public art programs and allocates grants to support local artists and performances. The commission actively shapes policies affecting the arts ecosystem in San Francisco.

Arts Commission Commissioner 1

Arts Commission Commissioner 2

Arts Commission Commissioner 3

Arts Commission Commissioner 4

Debra Walker

Suzanne Ferras

Jessica Rothschild

Seth Brenzel

JD Beltran

Marcus Shelby

J Riccardo Benavides

Nabiel Musleh

Charles (Chuck) Collins

Lydia So

Arts Commission Commissioner 15

San Francisco Arts Commission invests in a vibrant arts community and shapes cultural policy. It enlivens the urban environment through public art programs and supports diverse artistic expressions. The commission facilitates meetings and discussions to engage the community in cultural development.

Ralph Remington

Arts Commission, Director of Cultural Affairs

The Asian Art Commission determines policy and administers the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco. It oversees museum operations and collaborates with the Asian Art Museum Foundation on fundraising efforts. Commissioners ensure the museum's strategic direction and financial sustainability.

Asian Art Commission

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 1

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 2

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 3

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 4

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 5

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 6

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 7

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 8

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 9

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 10

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 11

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 12

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 13

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 14

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 15

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 16

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 17

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 18

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 19

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 20

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 21

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 22

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 23

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 24

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 25

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 26

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 27

Asian Art Museum showcases Asian art and culture through exhibitions and educational programs. It offers diverse collections and hosts special events to engage the community. The museum fosters cultural appreciation and understanding by providing access to its extensive art collections.

Dr. Soyoung Lee

Asian Art Museum, Director

The Assessment Appeals Board #1 hears property tax assessment appeals in San Francisco. It evaluates evidence presented by taxpayers and the Assessor to determine property values. The Board has the authority to make final decisions on assessments regardless of property type or value.

Assessment Appeals Board #1

Assessment Appeals Board #1 Commissioner 1

Assessment Appeals Board #1 Commissioner 2

Richard Lee

Stephen Wasserman

Adena Gilbert

Paul Bellar

Quirina Mitchell

Hilary Winslow

The Assessment Appeals Board #2 adjudicates property tax assessment appeals for San Francisco taxpayers. It evaluates evidence presented by taxpayers and the Assessor to determine accurate property values. The Board exercises authority to render final decisions on residential properties and specific real estate assessments.

Assessment Appeals Board #2

Assessment Appeals Board #2 Commissioner 1

Assessment Appeals Board #2 Commissioner 2

Assessment Appeals Board #2 Commissioner 3

Claire Ervin Lee

Louisa Mendoza

Joyce Lewis

Nicholas Goldman

Michelle Domingo

The Assessment Appeals Board #3 provides a platform for San Francisco taxpayers to contest property tax assessments. It conducts hearings where evidence from both taxpayers and the Assessor is evaluated. The Board makes binding decisions on property assessments based on presented evidence.

Assessment Appeals Board #3

Assessment Appeals Board #3 Commissioner 1

Assessment Appeals Board #3 Commissioner 2

Assessment Appeals Board #3 Commissioner 3

Marc Dickow

Assessment Appeals Board #3 Commissioner 5

Assessment Appeals Board #3 Commissioner 6

Assessment Appeals Board #3 Commissioner 7

Assessment Appeals Board #3 Commissioner 8

Assesses property, applies exemptions, collects transfer taxes, and records official documents.

Assessor-Recorder

Joaquín Torres

The Ballot Simplification Committee ensures voter materials are clear and understandable. It reviews and revises ballot language to accurately reflect propositions and measures. The committee advises on simplifying complex legal and technical terms for voter comprehension.

Ballot Simplification Committee

The Bayview Hunters Point Citizens Advisory Committee provides policy advice on planning and land use matters in Zone 2 of Bayview Hunter's Point. It offers expertise in land use policies, zoning issues, and urban development. The committee advises the Board of Supervisors, City Boards, and commissions on relevant projects and initiatives.

Bayview Hunters Point Citizens Advisory Committee