San Francisco’s Mayor’s Race Needs to be More than Just a “Cakewalk”
Since I have a big, loud, obnoxious voice in The Bay Area, I figured I’d lend it to my fellow mayoral candidates who also want to see Ed Lee dethroned. Not everyone has the millions of dollars that Lee has or the reach that I do, so it’s only fair to help give them a boost. Our first one up is Amy Farah Weiss.
San Francisco’s Mayor’s Race Needs to be More than Just a “Cakewalk”
by Amy Farah Weiss
A recent Business Insider article framed the San Francisco Mayor’s race as a “cakewalk” re-election campaign for current Mayor Ed Lee in the midst of a “city at war with itself”. Too much is at stake for the future of San Francisco to allow this election to pass us by without debating the issues of our times, such as a housing affordability crisis, current trends of exclusive and unsustainable growth at the local and regional level, a “contractor economy” that chips away at basic worker rights and protections, global climate change, racial bias within the SFPD, the rising epidemic and criminalization of homelessness, and the need to create pathways to prosperity for neighbors through our public education systems and a diversity of industries.
Are you a San Francisco voter? You can shape the 2015 SF Mayoral election by taking this survey and sharing the top issues that you want candidates to be on record debating in this election cycle. Let us know if you agree with this District 3 voter who elaborated on why he would not vote for any candidate who doesn’t agree to participate in at least 3 public debates:
Public debates force candidates to take a stand on issues, articulate their ideas in order to communicate them to the voters. The voters can see who has the most substance and best character compared to how they hold up next to each other. A clash of opinions is a good way to discern the truth and to see the best solutions to a matter. I need this from my candidates. I need need this to make the better choice. Any candidate who would shy away from this just exposes them as someone who should not be running for the job in the first place.
SF voters have choices: Ed Lee is not running unopposed
While the majority of journalists and political insiders would have you believe that Ed Lee is running unopposed in the 2015 Mayor’s race, San Francisco voters will have choices for who will be their next Mayor on the November 2015 ballot. I filed my intent to run for Mayor of San Francisco in early December 2014 because I wasn’t content to stand on the sidelines and witness valued neighbors and neighborhood cultural institutions continue to be displaced in the midst of our city’s rising inequity and exclusive growth. The desire to challenge the status quo of current leadership and shape an equitable and livable future for San Francisco through the democratic process is shared by my fellow candidates, including Broke-Ass Stuart and Francisco Herrera. As a San Francisco voter you can vote for up to three different candidates thanks to our ranked-choice voting system.
My decision to run for Mayor with a “Yes-In-My-Back-Yard” message is similar to what prompted me to found a nonprofit, community-based organization called Neighbors Developing Divisadero in 2011: After working with neighbors to organize at City Hall against a Chase Bank that displaced two local businesses in our neighborhood, I went beyond “just saying no” and tasked myself with identifying and promoting inclusive, culturally enriching, and sustainable development projects. In a democracy we must move beyond complaining and organize in support of our righteous and strategic yes.
Let Them Eat Cake?
It’s up to us to shape the future of the city and region we live in and love through participatory democracy. Share your two cents about the current issues, policies, and ballot initiatives that are important to the future of our city in this survey.
Stay tuned at yimbyformayor.com/cakewalk for a cakewalk event at City Hall in early August where we will share our survey results about the top issues that SF voters want candidates to address in debates, teach-ins, and solutions forums. Be sure to add your voice today!
About the author: Amy Farah Weiss has supported individual and collective well-being through research, education, creativity, and action for nearly 20 years. After graduating with a Master’s degree in Organizational Development and Training from SF State in 2010, Amy started a nonprofit organization called Neighbors Developing Divisadero in support of inclusive, enriching, and sustainable neighborhood development. Amy is now running for Mayor of San Francisco with a Yes-In-My-Back-Yard, solutions-oriented approach to the issues and challenges facing San Francisco and the greater Bay Area.
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