The San Francisco Ethics Commission will fine a group that campaigned against Proposition K, which closed the Upper Great Highway to cars, for failing to register and report itself as a political committee.
Open the Great Highway, which solicited donations against Prop. K, “violated state and City campaign-finance laws” as it conducted “membership engagement, fundraising, awareness campaigns and city-level advocacy,” according to a settlement agreed to by the group and the city.
The group faces a fine of $2,400, nearly 20 percent of its fundraising total of $12,785, nearly all of which was spent on the campaign. The Ethics Commission will vote this week on accepting the settlement.
After a complaint was filed on Aug. 20, Mission Local reported that Open the Great Highway was campaigning against Prop. K and soliciting donations, but without registering as a political action committee with the California Secretary of State, a requirement for any group soliciting political donations above a certain threshold.
The Great Highway, which the parks department has called “the largest pedestrianization project in California’s history,” officially opens on Saturday as a two-mile, 50-acre park that stretches from Sloat Boulevard to Lincoln Way. It will be officially called “Sunset Dunes” park.
The issue remains top of mind for many. Sunset residents are seeking to recall District 4 Supervisor Joel Engardio over the highway closure and, just this week, District 1 Supervisor Connie Chan wrote to Richmond residents that she is exploring ways to undo Prop. K and reopen the roadway to cars.
The Open the Great Highway group sent an email in June 2024 calling for donations, and included a donation link to its website, stating: “Financial contributions are essential to sustain our campaign against this measure.” The group’s affiliated Facebook page had also posted in June that it was looking to hire a campaign consultant or manager.
According to the Ethics Commission, the group met the $2,000 minimum contribution threshold to register as a committee the same day its initial fundraising email was sent.
Vin Budhai, the founder of Open the Great Highway, and now a lead organizer for the Engardio recall, declined to tell Mission Local how much the anti-Prop. K campaign had raised as of late August 2024. In fact, he told Mission Local at the time, “we’re not raising any money” for the ballot measure or political action.
The Ethics Commission found differently. “In addition to being a community civic organization, [Open the Great Highway] also qualified as a multipurpose organization under state and city law because of its political activity,” the agreement reads.
According to its investigation, the Ethics Commission also said Open the Great Highway’s violations of such rules was “inadvertent,” and lowered the amount owed from potentially tens of thousands to just $2,400.
Budhai, however, has a history in political organizing. He was listed as the agent for “Access for All,” a far more lucrative 2022 PAC that pushed to allow cars back onto John F. Kennedy Drive in Golden Gate Park.
“Campaign finance disclosure laws exist to ensure that this transparency exists,” the document reads. “While [the group] did register as a committee and file the three required statements prior to Election Day, it only did so less than two weeks before the election and weeks or months after the applicable deadlines.”
The agreement, signed in March by Budhai, is expected to be heard by and approved by the Ethics Commission on Friday.
Rich people breaking the law? Say it ain’t so!
Learn which side has the Billionaire dark money backers anytime…
“Rich people” backed Engardio’s developer sham, the Billionaires. Pay attention please.
“Rich people” don’t run grassroots campaigns trying to protect Sunset kids that Engardio ignored.
The YIMBYs don’t appreciate facts killing their BS narratives.
The problem was it was so grassroots they didn’t have the knowledge or team to properly handle it. The rich people’s org that lied and cheated had a well funded legal team that is spearheading this effort.
These groups funded by wealthy money hoarders on a power trip are a huge concern the city of SF. It’s time to stand up and fight to save SF from these mentally ill individuals.
To everyone that is pissed that the east-side residents took your highway, you need to hit back. Take one of their roads from them. Maybe Valencia. Maybe San Jose Ave. (Maybe both!) Turn them into 24/7 bicycle and pedestrian thoroughfares.
As an eeeeeeeeevil bike-riding east-side-inhabiting transplant developer shill of multiple decades of residency, raising a family here in SF, I would be so _completely_ devastated if you turned one of our streets into a pedestrian walkway, westsiders. Please, no! Don’t put that ballot measure up there!
Bernal trying to run Sunset remotely again, disregard…
hahahaha sure do it 😂
But no fine for lying to voters in Prop K’s proponent propaganda, shockingly.
5x blatant and deliberate misstatements + Billionaire dark money to print it… all legal.
SF ethics committee, always such a shining beacon of irrelevance in practice…
Pre-signed resignation letters are in the mail, RSVP.
Jesus Christ, what are you going on about? What is your hypothesis, that billionaire developers conspired to create a park? Walk me through this. I’m really interested in understanding why you’re so adamant about this steal.
” that billionaire developers conspired to create a park? ”
Yes. Or are you of the position that Billionaire developers are above reproach or suspicion generally, in the age of Musk? They pulled this at the same time they’re pushing 8 story skyrises along the entire cityfront. By pushing a last-minute ballot measure with Billionaire PAC dark money backing, having written it up to 2 years prior, they avoided public opposition and input to their Proposition including fundraising to have any chance of matching the Billionaire PACs’ millions. This is the Sunset District, not Pac Heights, not Market, not Cupertino. Prop K is a test case for circumventing ALL valid local opposition and right to organize in opposition politically on a ballot proposition negatively affecting the district, and skipping both reviews of claims (*they lied hugely) and CA State law requiring CEQA study before signing off on such a sweeping change as removing a major evacuation route.
They lied, they continue to lie, and yes it was a conspiracy to bypass CEQA and the will of locals for Big-$ developer benefit, as they attempt to demolish and Manhattanize all of SF for their Billionaire masters. I’m interested why so many Millenials think Billionaires are their trusted friends and benefactors who just throw millions away to make an existing PUBLIC SPACE into something they control and curate on a PRIVATE whim.
If you haven’t been here long enough to notice, just forget it.
tinfoil hat proudly displayed
Take this low-effort drivel back to Twitter. We’re trying to have a conversation.
With respect, I have a point. I don’t attack Jrrd v with BS.
Again, if you have no reply, just hold the brainfart in kids. We have mindless troll YIMBY representation here already, you don’t actually ‘need’ to be the local face of it.
Your lack of argument or point makes you feel pride, doesn’t it YIMBY? Refute anything or just giggle like a mime who doesn’t understand the job.
Take it outside, boys. This back-and-forth is done.
JE
Thanks for the response. You bring up some good points. I’m with you that billionaires have too much power. Personally, I’m of the opinion that they shouldn’t exist — their presence is proof of our society failing to work as a team. That said, I think it’s counterproductive to assume all of their actions are malicious (I know this isn’t exactly what you said).
There’s definitely been a history of ballot measures being deceptively in this city, but I’m more upset at the voters than those who pushed the propositions. We’re always going to have people trying to cheat — that’s just the reality of our world. It’s the responsibility of folks to really understand the ramifications of these proposals and vote accordingly. You may find that you’re in agreement with one or another, but that does not mean that you support those who put forward the measure. That’s where I find myself on this one — I voted yes, but in no way do I support the billionaires who apparently backed this. I’ll also point out, for the record, that I expend a fair amount of energy avoiding ads; political and otherwise. I don’t use social media (other than these forums). My conclusion to support K was based on my experiences as a pedestrian and cyclist living in this city for the past fifteen years. Did it apparently align with billionaire interests? Yes. But I’m not going to cut the nose to spite the face.
Thanks again for your response. It genuinely made me look at your argument differently.
“I’ll also point out, for the record, that I expend a fair amount of energy avoiding ads”
Same. We aren’t so different on any issue, I think.
“That said, I think it’s counterproductive to assume all of their actions are malicious” – Well they didn’t become Billionaires because they won some human decency contests for which the prize was being wealthy. They focus on becoming wealthy and protecting that, pulling the ladder up after.
“You may find that you’re in agreement with one or another, but that does not mean that you support those who put forward the measure. ” – If you agree with a falsehood you refuse to explore, that’s what that’s worth.
It’s exceedingly rare that a Billionaire has anything but contempt for both our system of governance and economic base. They think they’re just more important and the world should get out of their way, they know better. The proof? They’re rich.
“There’s definitely been a history of ballot measures being deceptively in this city,” – Prop K was a master class.
“It’s the responsibility of folks to really understand the ramifications of these proposals and vote accordingly. ” – It’s the responsibility of government to make sure propositions aren’t both chock full o’ lies and bypassing state laws with equal abandon. This one snuck on, I’m saying it’s not part of a normal democratic process by any definition. It is cheating.
” I voted yes, but in no way do I support the billionaires who apparently backed this” – Honest candor, thanks.
” Did it apparently align with billionaire interests? Yes. But I’m not going to cut the nose to spite the face.” – Well that’s very brave to agree with the Billionaires and refuse to demonize them on the basis of that agreement, but even a cursory look at the process and FACTS of the matter would cure most of that generous spirit towards villains. It was not a democratic process. It was lies and Billionaires pushing them with their unregistered funds.
“It genuinely made me look at your argument differently.” – I appreciate your candor and honesty.
Prop K will not be the last of their similar attempts.
“Jesus Christ,” you don’t want to acknowledge the 5x inflated figures the Prop K backers’ propaganda claimed (multiple instances, shameless) or the fact that Billionaire developers (and multi-millionaires, sure) donated the lion’s share of Prop K’s money to circumvent State Law illegally bypassing CEQA?
Is there anything you DO know about this?
does it ever get exhausting yelling at online perceived foes so often? touch grass
Hi. We’re trying to have a conversation here and you just stormed into the room, yelling insults. If you aren’t going to contribute in any meaningful way, please go take a hike.
Thank you for saying that. We can disagree with civility mostly.
Does it ever get exhausting not having a reason to join the discussion you’re already not a part of?
This is precisely why the D4 supervisor waited until the last minute to file the Prop K legislation.. He knew the opposition wouldn’t be able to get properly organized. In a way it feels like your child is getting kidnapped by your soon to be ex spouse. People were in desperate race to figure out how to keep the UGH open. It’s too bad that our neighbors that truly care about the neighborhood are being penalized. There are dick moves and then there’s this one by the D4. supervisor. It’s like dropping in on a wave and then launching your board at the guy who did nothing wrongs head. I’m not really affiliated with no on K or the recall group. I support both but I’m the guy who told the community in no uncertain terms not to vote for this snake in the grass in the first place.
I would rather vote for the Spanish building El Camino Real as California’s largest pedestrianization project. That was also performed over the objections of the local populace by more-distant non-residents.
Well, in the longer run, the ocean will de-pedestrianize this blah-named park and then only boats will be able to traverse that land.