Welcome to โMeet the Candidates,โ where Mission Local asks supervisor hopefuls questions in the lead-up to the November election. In District 7 โ which includes the Inner Sunset, Parkmerced and West Portal โ 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.
What is the state of business in District 7 and how do you plan to support businesses? (both big and small) See their individual responses below.
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 Spressa (51 Cambon Dr.) on Tuesday, May 21 at 11 a.m.
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
D7 is home to several neighborhood commercial districts and a very successful Stonestown mall. While still recovering from the pandemic, our commercial corridors are thriving and have low vacancy rates. I have supported the recovery of our neighborhood businesses by: Implementing an ambassador program on West Portal, Irving and Ocean; wrote the legislation for the Graffiti abatement program; worked to codify the rules on shared spaces; got funding for businesses affected by fire on West Portal and Irving, secured funding to support success for the Ocean Ave association, and worked with Lakeside neighbors to support and fund their revitalization efforts.
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
- 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
Small businesses are the heart and soul of San Francisco’s West Side. Being the owners of Matildaโs Bloombox for over eight years, we know how hard it is to succeed here. An open storefront doesnโt alone signify success. Many owners struggle to make ends meet in a city increasingly hostile to small businesses. Failures to address public safety, burdensome planning processes, and excessive taxes have left many struggling. Even worse, people are opening businesses elsewhere. We must ensure our city’s actions protect small businesses, safeguarding San Franciscoโs rich and diverse tapestry.
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 7โs Sunnyside since 2014, and earlier from 1983 to 1998
The state of businesses varies from location to location. Stonestown seems to be thriving despite security concerns. Parkmerced mall was recently victim to a van smashing through a laundromat to steal an ATM machine. West Portal has become the latest battleground in the culture war between activists and local businesses, many of whom have existed for generations. Ocean Avenue is hanging on despite break-ins such as at Luchoโs. Inner Sunset is bouncing back fairly well. Every business district has slightly different concerns, but no matter what, security, street cleanliness, and accessibility remain top priorities for everyone. I will work with … read more 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
Melgar proposed another program at a land use and Traffic committee meeting to have down payment for houses for families that make $200,000 a year.No qualifications named.No plan of where the money came from,no reasons for loan forgiveness. Could some of her friends need jobs where they don’t have to provide anything????