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 November, 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 asked the candidates: How has the L-Taraval project been allowed to go on for so long? Are there any ways in which you think this project could be improved? See their responses below.
The L-Taraval Improvement Project is a plan to update transit infrastructure along Taraval Street. While on time, construction, which began in 2019, is ongoing, and local merchants and neighbors have complained about disruption along the corridor.
Do you have a question for the candidates? Let me know at kelly@missionlocal.com, or come to meet me for coffee. Next week, I’ll be at SFSU Station Cafe (1600 Holloway Ave.) on Thursday, May 30 at 11:30 a.m.
Stephen Martin-Pinto
- Firefighter/major, U.S. Marine Corps reserves
- Age: 46
- Housing: Tenant in SF, Property owner and landlord in Lemon Grove, Ca.
- 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 lack of urgency by the SFMTA and poor judgement in planning has delayed project completion. First, there are too many stops. The industry standard for light-rail stops is no closer than a quarter of a mile apart. The new L-Taraval has stops spaced as close as an eighth of a mile. More stops, most of which were made ADA-accessible, means longer construction time and more parking spaces removed. Secondly, construction should have been approached with urgency — nearly round-the-clock construction, seven days a week, until the L-Taraval is back online, so impact to merchants is mitigated. I wrote about it in detail here.
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
- 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
Infrastructure repairs can be disruptive, and the L-Taraval improvement project is no exception. However, it will be completed on time and within budget. Train service will be restored in September from the ocean to downtown with repaved roads, redone ADA-accessible islands, and safety improvements, which is good for everyone on the Westside. We were able to provide mitigation funds to Taraval businesses for their temporary loss of income. I asked the budget analyst for a study to help us in creating a fund for businesses experiencing disruption during these types of projects in the future.
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.
Matt Boschetto
- Small business owner
- Age: 35
- Housing: Homeowner
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in philosophy, Saint Mary’s College of California
- Residency: Living in District 7 since 2014
San Francisco’s vibrancy depends on thriving small businesses and common-sense planning. The L-Taraval project exemplifies SFMTA’s overreach and lack of due diligence. This issue isn’t confined to Taraval Street; similar experiences occur citywide, marked by contract disputes and unforeseen project additions and, consequently, delays. The worst part is the disregard for small business owners, who suffer the most from these major disruptions. Moving forward, we must ensure the MTA properly vets its projects and considers the interests of all San Franciscans. We need a balance that fosters small business vibrancy and uses common sense when improving our city.
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.
The L Taraval redesign is moronic. Traffic is hidden because of the shelters.The long platforms make it impossible for disabled, seniors and persons with strollers or granny carts to cross the street.Placing large boulders as ornaments in planters will ensure accidents will have more dangerous consequences. The planters look good now,but as the obvious overgrown or dead plants are strewn in planters across SF this is a guaranteed outcome here also.The stealing of public parking in heavily trafficked streets for rent a crap bikes is not ok.
Unfortunately, I have been driving my car more, because of the long-term chopped up street. It has been way too dangerous to navigate on my bike. I sent in a complaint/request to 311, asking that they assure patching of the street, during construction, so that it is smooth enough and safe for bicyclists. I got an e-mail back, with a comment number. When I looked it up, I saw that some staff person had viewed my request, closed it up and never responded to me or did anything to improve the situation. Taraval could be a great commercial street, with a focus on transit, walkers and cyclists (West Portal is better, but is still too car-dominant). Because of the hills and disruptions, it’s good we can put our bikes on the L-Taraval bus right now. But that’s temporary. I cannot figure out why SF can’t facilitate bikes on streetcars/light rail. Big huge strollers are allowed, and dogs — although dogs are not officially allowed, no one stops them. However, any bicyclist is stopped right away. I’m sorry that I can’t do my part for health and environment — and ride my bike to more destinations, more safely and more enjoyably.
It’s good we dug up and replaced the rails, not to mention the wastewater pipes. But don’t try to tell me this debacle will do a thing for pedestrian safety – you still have to walk out into the street to catch a train, only now you’re harder to see! Pedestrian safety could have been more effectively improved with street banners and a single cop car patrolling Taraval. Oh, and the heavy, tracked equipment the contractors keep trundling up and down Ulloa…when do street repairs due to that mess start?