Welcome back to the “Meet the Candidates” series for District 11, where we ask each candidate to answer one question per week leading up to the election, with answers in about 100 words.
District 11 Supervisor Ahsha Safaí is termed out and running for mayor and, so far, four candidates have thrown their hats in the ring to replace him as the representative of the Excelsior, Oceanview and the Outer Mission.
For our fourth question, we are asking: Which March 5 propositions did you vote for, and which did you vote against?
All of the District 11 supervisorial candidates aligned on a few issues: They said they backed Proposition A, the $300 million affordable housing bond, Proposition D, bolstering ethics laws, and Proposition G, urging the school district to teach algebra in eighth grade.
Only one candidate, Roger Marenco, said he voted for Proposition E, which was the mayor’s measure to loosen police oversight and allow for more surveillance and vehicle chases, as well as Proposition F, yet another one of Breed’s measures that would force some welfare recipients to undergo drug screening and mandated treatment.
Marenco is also the only candidate that said he voted against Proposition B, measure to boost police staffing so long as future taxes pay for the increase and was put on the ballot by District 11 termed-out Supervisor Ahsha Safaí.
The votes were fifty-fifty for the remaining Proposition C. There wasn’t any local ballot measure that all four candidates voted against.
Read their full responses below to see what the District 11 candidates thought of the primary ballot measures.
We want our coverage to engage all of you and make smarter, better informed voters. Ideally, strong news coverage should increase voter turnout. You’ll be seeing Mission Local out in your neighborhoods every week, working on our weekly Meet the Candidate series.
Next week, Xueer Lu will be in District 11 at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, March 26, at Claddagh Coffee, at 951 Geneva Avenue. Join her for coffee, send in questions for the candidates, or just let her know what issues you think are most important in District 11.
Chyanne Chen
- Job: Worker organizer, community facilitator & educator
- Age: 39
- Residency: Homeowner, landlord, living in District 11 since August 2000
- Transportation: Walk, public transportation, rideshare, and car
- Education: Bachelor’s degree from University of California, Davis, master’s degree from Cornell University, doctoral degree in education in progress at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- Languages: English, Mandarin, Cantonese
I voted for Proposition A, B, D and G.
We need affordable housing, and investing in police staff will help make the city safer. Strong ethics laws to combat impropriety by officials is key to a strong democracy. I also believe that providing a quality education, particularly in STEM, is important to prepare our kids for the future.
While I supported parts of C, E, and F, I voted no, as I had serious concerns.
Proposition C will not create the affordable housing our families need, and a potential loss of tax revenue. SFPD made clear current chase policies are effective … read more here
Adlah Chisti
- Job: Public policy analyst, caregiver
- Age: 40
- Residency: Live with parents and caregive for them, born in District 11 in 1983 and lived there since, moved out in 2013 and back in 2017
- Transportation: Public
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in politics and in environmental science, and master’s degree in education from University of San Francisco, master’s degree in public policy from Georgetown McCourt School of Public Policy, juris doctorate from University of California Law, San Francisco
- Languages: English, Spanish, Hindi
Like most voters, I said:
A: Yes to affordable housing.
C: Fiscally responsible tools are necessary to revitalize downtown. We have too many office spaces and we should diversify our industries.
D: Yes to ethics.
G: Anything for the kids. We have more pressing issues, like school budget cuts to staff and teachers. Let’s work together so that our kids continue to have a comprehensive education.
Ernest “E.J.” Jones
- Job: Community advocate
- Age: 38
- Residency: Living in District 11 since November 1985 and has lived here always, except for time away at college
A. Yes. More affordable housing!
B. Yes. I support a fully staffed police force, but it should not be at the expense of other safety positions, like the 911 operators who receive the initial call.
C. Yes. We need to speed up the recovery of downtown. Accelerating office to residential conversions allows for more foot traffic and vibrancy in vacant spaces.
D. Yes. With recent news of corruption, we must accept revised policies that protect the integrity of our government.
E. No. I support smart policing strategies, including the use of technology, to solve crime. I’m supportive of officers having … read more here
Endorsed by: Supervisors Shamann Walton and Myrna Melgar, Assemblymember Matt Haney, Former SF mayor Willie Brown Jr., Transit Workers Union Local 250A… read more here
Roger Marenco
- Job: Transit operator
- Age: 42
- Residency: Tenant, living in District 11 since May 2014
- Transportation: Public
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in environmental sustainability and social justice from San Francisco State University. City College San Francisco
- Languages: English, Spanish
A = YES, because we need to provide affordable housing for families, not “safe-houses” for criminals.
B = NO, because we should help the police, not hinder the police.
C = NO, because rich people do not need more tax exemptions; blue-collar workers need tax exemptions.
D = YES, because politicians operate with too much impunity, and they need to be held accountable.
E = YES, because police should have more rights than criminals.
F = YES, because your tax dollars should not be going into the hands of drug users, homeless vagrants, or criminals.
G = YES because learning algebra early is helpful.
Candidates are ordered alphabetically. Answers may be lightly edited for formatting, spelling, and grammar. If you have questions for the candidates, please let us know at xueer@missionlocal.com.
Read the rest of the District 11 questions here, and the entire “Meet the Candidates” series here.
You can register to vote via the sf.gov website. Illustrations for the series by Neil Ballard.
