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 are asking the candidates about the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency’s proposal to redesign the intersection at West Portal Avenue and Ulloa Street, which is next to where a traffic collision recently killed a family of four.
Requested by Supervisor Myrna Melgar, with the support of Mayor London Breed, the plan involves redirecting traffic, by preventing left turns and through traffic at the intersection. It also proposes designated Muni lanes for one block around the West Portal station. Under the proposal, up to six parking spaces would be removed on Ulloa Street and two on Lenox Way. All parking spaces along West Portal Avenue would remain.
The proposal initially drew backlash from merchants along the corridor, who say this would hurt their businesses by making the intersection more complicated to access by car. Others, namely transportation advocates, have touted the changes as a welcome first step in making the corridor more safe and accessible overall.
On Friday, Melgar’s office, along with the West Portal Merchants’ Association announced a new committee that will work to address some of the community’s initial concerns.
Take a look at the candidates’ responses to the question ‘What do you think of the SFMTA’s safety proposal in West Portal?’ below.
And of course, if you have a question for the candidates, let me know: kelly@missionlocal.com.
Education: UC Davis
Languages: Spanish, Russian
Stephen Martin-Pinto
Firefighter/major U.S. Marine Corps reserves
Age: 46. Housing: Tenant in SF, Property owner and landlord in Lemon Grove, Ca. Transport: Evenly split among all: public/bike/auto/walking
The proposal doesn’t make sense; it’s very complex, confusing, and will lead to more frustration for patrons, merchants, and delivery drivers alike. Furthermore, nothing (besides the addition of bollards at the bus stop) would have prevented the tragic accident. It seems like a “throw everything at the wall and see what sticks” approach to traffic management. West Portal businesses are vulnerable; they have tight profit margins. The SFMTA seems intent on punishing them rather than addressing its own failures, such as the extremely long amount of time it has taken to complete the L Taraval project. I wrote about it more extensively here.
Education: BA, Liberal Arts, Excelsior College, NY, MSUP, Columbia University in the City of New York
Languages: Spanish, French, Sweedish
Myrna Melgar
District 7 supervisor
Age: 56. Housing: Homeowner. Transport: Bike
I requested the West Portal Safety Improvement proposal from the MTA, and am glad to have Mayor Breed’s support. Most folks understand we need to improve safety at that intersection, and support the goals. Over the next few weeks, we will be working with merchants and neighbors to address pain points and concerns, and I am confident the outcome will make the intersection and the corridor better and safer. We are also improving the look of the station, installing cameras and lighting. We want to show SF and the world that West Portal is safe, welcoming and a great place to visit.
Education: Saint Mary’s College of Ca, BA Philosophy
Matthew Boschetto
Small business owner
Age: 35. Housing: Homeowner. Transport: car
The recent tragedy that claimed a young family’s lives in West Portal shocked the entire city. The proposed traffic changes by SFMTA, pushed rapidly without adequate community input, only add to the consternation. While we all desire safer streets, the process must include those it impacts most: Local merchants and residents. At the core of the West Portal community, they seek thoughtful, effective solutions that respect their experiences and contributions to the neighborhood’s vitality. Let’s ensure changes enhance safety without undermining the community spirit that defines West Portal.
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.