What We’ve Done
For the Nov. 2016 elections, we printed and distributed 12,000 voter guides and mobilized phone banks and canvassing for progressive candidates like Jane Kim, Dean Preston and Preston Picus.
In Dec. & Jan. 2017 we worked with representatives from a coalition of progressive organizations to form a SF Reform Democrats slate for the CA Assembly District Election Meetings (ADEMs). The SF Berniecrats’ mobilizations were instrumental in getting a majority of progressive delegates elected in Assembly District 17 and 19 (SF), despite being dramatically outspent by the Democratic establishment and real estate powers.
What We’re Working On
Taking On the Establishment
- Organizing and coordinating with Bernie-progressives up and down CA Dem Party Convention to push the state legislature in a progressive direction
- Holding our elected officials accountable by organizing People’s Town Halls
- Developing progressive candidates for 2018 and beyond
Medicare for All – Single-Payer Healthcare
- The SB 562 Healthy California Act was introduced on Feb 17 by State Senators Lara and Atkins. We are working closely with the Coalition for Healthy California (w/ CA Nurses Association), Physicians for a National Health Program, and Single Payer Now! to push for universal, single-payer healthcare in CA.
Affordable Housing
- We want to save our teachers, nurses, low income families and communities of color from being displaced. We want repeal Costa Hawkins and reform the Ellis Act, tax real estate speculation and build more affordable housing for the working and middle class. We’re working with Tenants Together and Neighbors United to achieve those goals.
Creating a Public Bank of San Francisco
- What if San Francisco decided to keep its approximate $10B in annual cash flow of taxpayer money in a bank that prioritizes people over profit? The SF Board of Supervisor’s Budget and Analyst Report has found that it is very feasibly for San Francisco to create a public bank. We want to create a public bank that will fund affordable housing, public infrastructure, healthcare, and support marginalized communities in San Francisco.
Police Accountability
- We need to have effective police reform, holding officers accountable for killing unarmed civilians, particularly in black and brown communities. We have been working with Wealth and Disparities in the Black Community: Justice for Mario Woods and the Justice for Mario Woods Coalition to achieve those goals.
The Environment
- We want to push San Francisco to divest from financial institutions that fund the Dakota Access Pipeline, just like Seattle did. We’re lobbying heavily with anti-DAPL coalitions and some of our SF supervisors to ensure that the city properly divests.
- We want to reduce SF’s carbon footprint by improving public transit availability and affordability. We also support a carbon tax.
Campaign Finance Reform / Clean Money
- We want an open and accountable government that is responsive to the needs of the PEOPLE, not just the billionaires and special interests. We achieve this by lobbying to pass legislation, resolutions, and ballot measures for full disclosure and full public funding of election campaigns.
- Locally, we support the South Beach Democratic Club’s proposal of requiring Democratic clubs to disclose donors on a quarterly basis. Statewide, we are helping the passage of two bills – AB 14 and SB 651, requiring the disclosure of funding for political ads on TV and paid circulators collecting signatures for ballot initiatives, referendums, and recall petitions respectively.
Immigration
- We support the California Values Act will expand protections for undocumented immigrants. Under the Trump administration’s attack on immigrants, we need to make sure that California is a sanctuary state where undocumented immigrants can live safely with their families, without fear of deportation by ICE.
Election Integrity
- We will be providing independent oversight of the SF Elections Department, as we did in 2016. We plan on attending department meetings and monitoring the progress of the Open Source Project to ensure that integrity, transparency, and voter rights are prioritized.