Welcome to “Meet the Candidates,” where Mission Local asks supervisor hopefuls questions in the lead-up to the November election. In District 7 — which includes the Inner Sunset, Parkmerced and West Portal — Matt Boschetto and Stephen Martin-Pinto are running against incumbent Myrna Melgar.
Between now and the November election, Mission Local will ask each candidate one question per week, and candidates will get 100 words to respond. Take a look at all the answers from District 7 candidates here.
This week, we have asked candidates to tell us about their campaign fundraising.
We do not have great insight into fundraising totals: The latest filings from the San Francisco Ethics Commission for the November candidates only have money raised until December 31 of last year. But these responses do give some indication of how the candidates are gathering funds.
Myrna Melgar said that her campaign has already raised more than her last campaign, in 2020. In that election, she raised $425,681, according to the San Francisco Ethics Commission. According to her response, she has also received endorsements from the SF Labor Council and trade unions.
Stephen Martin-Pinto and Martin Boschetto did not mention specific endorsements, but both said their campaigns are reliant on grassroots contributions from everyday citizens. Martin-Pinto said he has gathered donations from both Democrats and Republicans; he was a registered Republican in the 2022 election, but left the party in 2023.
The most recent totals (that are publicly available) to date: Melgar’s committee has raised $71,890, Boschetto’s committee $65,934 and Pinto’s committee $14,661. Each committee is controlled by the respective candidate, subject to a $500 contribution limit, and cannot take corporate donations.
Their answers are below, but I also wanted to let you know that I will be in your district on Wednesday, April 3, at Ballast Coffee (329 West Portal Ave.) at 4 p.m. I’ll be around for an hour, and then in the district, talking to residents and businesses. Check back here to see where I will be next.
And of course, if you have a question for the candidates, let me know: kelly@missionlocal.com.
Matt Boschetto
- Job: Small business owner
- Age: 35
- Housing: Homeowner
- Transport: Car
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in philosophy, Saint Mary’s College of California
- Residency: Living in District 7 since 2014
As a small business owner, I have relied on my community in the West Side and across the city to build a grassroots movement that hopes to be a voice for District 7 and help bring balance back to City Hall. With my family living in Miraloma Park for five generations, I am very thankful for all who know me and have rallied behind our campaign. While challenging the political establishment is tough, we are showing that it is possible for the everyday citizenry to stand up and run a competitive race that has a great shot at victory in November.
Stephen Martin-Pinto
- Job: Firefighter/major, U.S. Marine Corps reserves
- Age: 46
- Housing: Tenant in SF, property owner and landlord in Lemon Grove, California
- Transport: Fairly evenly split between car, Muni and walking
- Languages: Spanish, Russian, Georgian
- Education: University of California, Davis
- Residency: Living in District 7’s Sunnyside since 2014, and earlier from 1983 to 1998
A look at my list of donors would produce no remarkable findings — they are all private citizens unaffiliated with any political-action committee or special-interest group. Furthermore, they include Democrats, Republicans, politically independent moderates and everyone in between. My endorsements, similarly, come from across the political spectrum; I have Democrat, Republican, and No-Party-Preference endorsers, which is unique among candidates. My message transcends political party and goes right to what people care about most: Our city. For many voters, I’m the first non-Democratic candidate they have ever supported. This is precisely why I have the best supporters because they put city over party.
Endorsed by: Former District 7 Supervisor Tony Hall, former Planning Commissioner Michael Antonini, former Police Chief Tony Ribera, drug policy advocate Tom Wolf, BART Board Director Debora Allen … read more here
Myrna Melgar
- Job: District 7 supervisor
- Age: 56
- Housing: Homeowner
- Transport: Bike
- Languages: Spanish, French, Swedish
- Education: Bachelor’s degree, Excelsior College; master’s degree in urban planning, Columbia University
- Residency: Living in Ingleside Terraces since 2011, and lived in District 7 while in college at SF State between 1987 and 1991
As of the end of March, I have raised more money than I did for my entire campaign in 2020. I have early endorsements from the SF Labor Council, and its members, UESF, SEIU 1021, 2015, as well as trade unions: Teamsters, laborers and carpenters. I also got an early endorsement from the SF Tenants Union. I have endorsements from my colleagues on both “sides of the aisle,” and from folks who are endorsing me for the first time, like Senator Scott Weiner and Assemblymember Phil Ting.
Endorsed by: SF Labor Council, SF Tenants Union, Supervisor Aaron Peskin, Supervisor Hillary Ronen, Supervisor Connie Chan, Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, Supervisor Catherine Stefani, Senator Scott Weiner, District Attorney Brooke Jenkins … read more here
The order of candidates alternates each week. Answers may be lightly edited for formatting, spelling, and grammar.
Read the rest of the series here. Illustrations for the series by Neil Ballard.
You can register to vote via the sf.gov website.