Patrick Siegman – California issues

sfchronicle.comSan Francisco will soon decide on the Great Highway’s fate — again. How are voters feeling?This will be the third time in four years that San Franciscans are voting on whether to open or close the Great Highway to cars.

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"park supporters have argued that opening the highway to cars on weekdays would require removing all the park infrastructure, including a playground and art installations, functionally destroying it" Yup, that's what we say, because it's true!

Patrick Siegman – California issues@patricksiegmanca.bsky.social

No on G. Sunset Dunes is a wonderful park, part of a key effort to protect neighborhoods from rising seas & coastal erosion. The last thing we should do is turn it back into a high-speed highway (that, when it still existed, was often closed by drifting sand & erosion). www.spur.org/voter-guide/...

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For example, to rebuild the highway, we'd have to remove this: "Several hundred kids, parents, and people of all walks came to Sunset Dunes at Kirkham Street Saturday afternoon to celebrate the opening of the park’s newest feature: the pirate-themed Shipwreck Cove playground."

sfchronicle.comEndorsement: S.F. school board needs leaders who will make tough decisions. Here are our picksOPINION: SFUSD has had a year. The school board needs members who are willing to make the bold but necessary choices the district has been putting off.

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“Kim, Brown Garibay and Tung are the candidates most willing and able to handle the depth of the district’s challenges. They deserve the vote of San Franciscans.”

Patrick Siegman – California issues@patricksiegmanca.bsky.social

Tung, Kim & Garibay for Board of Ed. With enrollment declining, budget woes and the threat of state takeover looming, we need people willing to make tough choices. These three are the best candidates to do that, right the ship & improve student learning. For more info: www.autumnforschoolboard.com

timtung.comTim Tung For School BoardI’m Tim Tung - an SFUSD parent, public finance professional, and lifelong believer in public education.

sfchronicle.comEndorsement: Is California coming for your retirement account? That’s what Prop 42 asks you to believeOPINION: Is California coming for your retirement account? That’s what the backers of Proposition 42 on the November ballot would have you believe. The editorial board weighs in.

“In reality, it’s just another poison-pill measure aimed at killing Prop 40, the billionaire wealth tax. You don’t have to support the billionaire wealth tax to realize the potential collateral damage Prop 42 could cause.”

Patrick Siegman – California issues@patricksiegmanca.bsky.social

“Prop 42 papers over its real purpose by cynically appealing to middle-class worries about retirement security. Reject this appalling tactic and disincentivize its further use by voting no.” 🎁link:

cal.streetsblog.org/2026/10/06/c...

cal.streetsblog.orgCalifornia Needs More Ways to Fund Transit, Not Fewer. Streetsblog Urges You to Vote No on 43 - Streetsblog CaliforniaProp. 43 would make it harder for Californians to fund transit and transportation projects by giving just over 1/3 of voters the power to block locally backed tax measures.

Patrick Siegman – California issues@patricksiegmanca.bsky.social

No on 43. 43 would “undermine the basic principle of majority rule” by letting a one-third minority block the will of the people, & would “eliminate one of the few viable ways to raise local revenues at a time when local governments' fiscal needs are especially acute." www.spur.org/voter-guide/...

sfchronicle.comProp 45 would make major changes to CEQA. But many CEQA reformers don’t support itKey CEQA reformers are concerned about Prop 45’s unintended consequences, in particular that it could lead to more suburban sprawl in California.

I've long advocated for reforming #CEQA to speed up environmentally-beneficial projects, from bicycle, pedestrian and transit improvements to apartments near transit. But I'm opposing Prop 45. Many other CEQA reformers are too. Here's why (🎁link):

Patrick Siegman – California issues@patricksiegmanca.bsky.social

No on 45: No fast-tracked freeways. 45 shortens environmental review “for projects deemed ‘essential’ — including new highways. While CEQA has, at times, been used to slow or halt housing development, this proposition would streamline many projects that are outright bad for people & the planet.”

transformca.orgTransform 2026 Ballot Proposition Guide - TransformTransit is on the ballot this year, with Measure RTM a must-win to save Bay Area transit from a death spiral. Other state and local measures dealing with equity, housing, and active transportation are...

sfchronicle.comHow to vote on Prop 40: Will a billionaire tax actually help California?OPINION: There’s no denying the visceral satisfaction of a billionaire bloodletting, the Chronicle’s editorial board writes. But will Prop 40’s wealth tax actually help California?

"Is Prop 40 so flawlessly executed that California has nothing to lose if it passes? Opposition from the California Teachers Association, Planned Parenthood, California Medical Association, the NAACP, California Professional Firefighters & the State Building & Construction Trades Council..." 🎁link

Patrick Siegman – California issues@patricksiegmanca.bsky.social

Given America's huge wealth gap & the harm done by Republican’s cuts to health care for the poor, I was tempted to vote for Prop 40. But I concluded this tax is large enough that the risk it will cause some to leave, depriving us of long-term income tax $, is too high. www.spur.org/voter-guide/...

"By some estimates, California lost an estimated $2.5 billion in capital gains revenue from one stock transaction in the first year of Musk’s move."

"In a state where 40% of state dollars are required by law to go to public education, that’s a $1 billion hole in California’s school budget from one man alone. This answers why the formidable California Teachers Association—never one to shy away from a back-alley tax brawl—doesn’t support Prop 40"

Patrick Siegman – California issues@patricksiegmanca.bsky.social

"This gets at the real questions surrounding Prop 40 and why so many otherwise progressive organizations oppose the tax: Will billionaires leave the state if the measure passes, & will they take their companies with them? 'Good riddance' is the popular retort among online commentators. But that..."

"...attitude is childish and self-defeating. A recent case study explained why. The world’s wealthiest man, Elon Musk, left California in 2020, citing high taxes as one of his reasons. He took Tesla’s corporate headquarters with him to Texas the following year."

Patrick Siegman – California issues@patricksiegmanca.bsky.social

"...of California suggests not. Let’s start with the healthcare organizations, which would effectively receive 90% of Prop 40’s funds. Why are they opposed? ....Prop 40 puts the money Hicks can count on in jeopardy. That’s because..."

"...California’s budget is overly dependent on income taxes — roughly half of which historically come from the ultra-wealthy top 1% of taxpayers. Studying the impacts of Prop 40 'was an eye-opening experience for what California’s tax structure is and how the wealthy are a part of it,' Hicks said."

sfchronicle.comEndorsement: S.F.’s Prop J is hard to love. But it closes a loophole that needs fixingOPINION: There are few feelings worse than getting to the end of a long ballot only to find an in-the-weeds tax measure like San Francisco’s Prop J waiting for you, the editorial board writes.

The Chronicle says YES on Prop J: "San Francisco needs a coherent transfer tax policy... Preserving an exemption that has effectively become a loophole to be exploited is difficult to justify."

Patrick Siegman – California issues@patricksiegmanca.bsky.social

Yes on J. SPUR notes, "This measure generates up to $150 million annually to bolster the city’s General Fund at a time of fiscal distress...Closing this transfer tax loophole simplifies SF's tax code & makes the transfer tax fairer..." Prop J is a reasonable way to sustain important public services

sfchronicle.comEndorsement: CEQA is a mess. Prop 45 is even messierOPINION: There is no question that CEQA needs fundamental reform. But California’s Prop 45, at its core, is poll-tested nonsense in service of sprawl, the Chronicle’s editorial board writes.

The SF Chronicle recommends you vote NO on Prop 45: "Lawmakers need to craft more fundamental CEQA reforms, particularly when it comes to housing, transportation and green energy projects. Some of those solutions are contained within Prop 45."

But the measure as written would lock California into a regulatory regime that makes it easier to build the same environmentally ruinous projects that gave us CEQA in the first place. Prop 45 is poll-tested political Swiss cheese, not a thoughtful effort to produce better outcomes. Vote no. "

sfchronicle.comEndorsement: CCSF is in trouble. Help is on the way with these trustee candidatesOPINION: San Francisco is lucky to have several incredibly strong candidates to choose from for the City College Board of Trustees. Here are the Chronicle editorial board’s picks.

Hey, the San Francisco Chronicle editorial board agrees with me.😊 “Ultimately, we believe Ball, Lace and Tam have the most polished skills to steer the board in the right direction.“

Patrick Siegman – California issues@patricksiegmanca.bsky.social

Ball, Lace & Tam for Community College Board. Due to declining enrollment and a board unwilling to make the cuts needed to balance its budget, CCSF has neared insolvency & loss of accreditation. Ball, Lace & Tam are the best picks to face reality and take the actions required to keep CCSF alive.

elijahforcitycollege.comElijah Ball for City College Board of Trustees

“San Francisco voters are lucky to have three incredibly impressive candidates ready for this challenge: Elijah Ball, Monroe Lace and Erwin Tam.“

“Ball is a campus planning consultant who advises college systems. Tam is director of finance for the California Housing Finance Agency. Lace is a San Francisco public school teacher who in 2023 became the first trans woman to win the Miss San Francisco beauty pageant.“

sf.streetsblog.orgEndorsement: Vote 'Yes' on Prop. D - Streetsblog San FranciscoAnd 'No' on Prop. G of course. Because if Great Highway vs. Sunset Dunes has taught us anything, it's that it's too easy in San Francisco to force endless re-votes.

"Vote ‘Yes’ on Prop. D And 'No' on Prop. G of course. Because if Great Highway vs. Sunset Dunes has taught us anything, it's that it's too easy in San Francisco to force endless re-votes."

motherjones.comThe housing wars that could decide California's hottest racesIn Los Angeles and San Francisco, Democrats are battling over what "affordable" really means.

A succinct summary of two key races:

Mother Jones@motherjones.com

Nithya Raman and Scott Wiener believe voters want more homes. Karen Bass and Connie Chan believe voters want more homes…somewhere else.

cayimby.orgCalifornia YIMBY Endorses Xavier Becerra for GovernorCalifornia YIMBY is excited to announce our endorsement of Xavier Becerra to be the next Governor of California.This election will be pivotal for California’s future. And the choice could not be any c...

“Xavier Becerra is the best candidate to take on the tough fights to build the housing California needs. His opponent, Steve Hilton, is positioning himself as a NIMBY, opposing SB 79 & wrongly claiming there is some kind of ‘war on single family homes.’” We need a housing supporter, not a NIMBY.

monroelace.orgMonroe Lace for City College Board of Trustees

For more info, see also: www.monroelace.org www.erwintam.com

sfchronicle.comEndorsement: S.F.’s District 8 race is wide open. Here’s our pickOPINION: As the political fallout from Manny Yekutiel’s exit continues, District 8 residents must look at the three remaining candidates with fresh eyes.

Gary McCoy for Board of Supervisors, District 8. "District 8 needs a supervisor who can turn ambition into workable policy. McCoy is best equipped to do that." I agree. Gary's been a strong voice for more housing and better transit.

timtung.comTim Tung For School BoardI’m Tim Tung - an SFUSD parent, public finance professional, and lifelong believer in public education.

Patrick Siegman – California issues@patricksiegmanca.bsky.social

Kim “has the care, intellectual rigor and attention to detail that the position demands. A former educator who has spent 12 years in kindergarten through 12th-grade education, he was unanimously elected board president in 2025.” He's clearly qualified and has earned the respect of his colleagues.

sfchronicle.comEndorsement: Phil Kim for San Francisco school boardChronicle editorial board: San Francisco school board President Phil Kim has the care, intellectual rigor and attention to detail that the SFUSD position demands.

elijahforcitycollege.comElijah Ball for City College Board of Trustees

sfchronicle.comYes or no? The Chronicle’s endorsements for California Supreme and appeals courtOPINION: Deciding whether to retain judges appointed by California’s governor is an important yet perplexing job. Here are the Chronicle editorial board’s recommendations for the 2026 ballot.

Yes on retaining all the judges. The Chron says “Given that there are no reported issues or problems with the 11 judges currently up for retention in the 1st District, the five judges in the 6th District & the two California Supreme Court justices, we recommend a ‘yes’ vote on all of them.” I agree.

sfchronicle.comEndorsement: This outcomes-driven progressive should be California’s superintendent of public instructionOPINION: In an era where vibes increasingly trump outcomes, Richard Barrera is a progressive with the thoughtful temperament to get things done for California kids, the editorial board writes.

Barrera for Supe. of Public Instruction. He's a "progressive who brings all parties to the table — and has managed to win the respect and endorsements of groups that are frequent political opponents, such as teachers unions and charter school advocates.” He’s won widespread support, including mine.

sfchronicle.comEndorsement: The Board of Equalization shouldn’t exist. This candidate is willing to finally get rid of itOPINION: For his willingness to eliminate his own job, John Pimentel is the best candidate for the Board of Equalization District 2 seat, argues the Chronicle’s Editorial Board.

Pimentel for Board of Equalization. This board shouldn’t exist: “the whittled-down agency is little more than a cushy political jobs program — with a commensurately cushy salary.” Pimentel is “open to dissolving the board & has the political sophistication to make such a case to the Legislature.”

sfchronicle.comEndorsement: Who should replace Nancy Pelosi in Congress? It’s not even a choiceOPINION: The most intriguing thing about the race between Scott Wiener and Connie Chan to fill Nancy Pelosi’s House seat is that it has become a race at all, the editorial board writes.

Wiener for Congress. I’ve known him since he was my local Supervisor. I've worked with him to craft traffic safety policies. The Chron describes him as “the state’s most relentless and effective legislator.” Having seen him up close, mastering policy & deftly negotiating with colleagues, I agree!

sfchronicle.comEndorsement: There’s only one candidate worthy of being California’s top copOPINION: The California AG’s duties are expansive. This candidate has done them well enough that he’d be a top candidate for governor if he had chosen to run, the Editorial Board writes.

Bonta for Attorney General. He’s done a fine job of fighting back against Trump’s illegal efforts to deprive California of federal funding, won landmark antitrust cases, successfully sued cities who illegally block housing, and much more. As the Chronicle puts it, “Bonta is the obvious choice.”

sfchronicle.comEndorsement: Ben Allen for California insurance commissionerOPINION: In a race with no Republican, some California voters may see an opportunity to take a chance on a radical candidate for state insurance commissioner. That would be a terrible mistake.

Allen for Insurance Commissioner. As a state Senator, Allen has “built a reputation in Sacramento as a thoughtful legislator who takes the time to understand all sides of an issue.” His main opponent, Kim, is pushing a crackpot scheme that even ratepayer advocates reject.

sfchronicle.comEndorsement: A cautious recommendation for California state controllerOPINION: Californians should keep a close eye on the controller’s office to make sure the positive momentum keeps going, the Chronicle Editorial Board writes.

Cohen for Controller. I’d like to have seen her investigate more boondoggles (highway expansions that don't deliver relief, etc.) but I agree: “With Cohen largely grounded in the duties of the job, it makes little sense to switch to another candidate who will take time to come down to earth.” 🎁link:

sfchronicle.comEndorsement: Eleni Kounalakis for California treasurerChronicle Editorial Board: With her thorough grasp of the treasurer’s complex duties and the political gravitas to get things done, Eleni Kounalakis deserves your vote.

Kounalakis for Treasurer. She’s served capably as Lt. Governor and an ambassador. “With her thorough grasp of the treasurer’s complex duties and the political gravitas to get things done, Kounalakis deserves your vote.”

sfchronicle.comEndorsement: Our choice for California lt. gov. comes with serious reservationsOPINION: Gloria Romero and Fiona Ma are highly accomplished women with deep experience in Sacramento. But both also come with significant baggage, the Chronicle’s editorial board writes.

Ma for Lt. Gov. “Ma is far from the perfect candidate. But she has the competence and experience to smoothly assume the duties of the state’s No. 2 office. Given the ramblings of her opponent, we cautiously recommend Ma for lieutenant governor.” I agree, so I'll hold my nose and vote for Ma. 🎁link:

sfchronicle.comEndorsement: Shirley Weber for California secretary of stateOPINION: California is no ocean of calm when it comes to elections. The need for steady and trustworthy leadership from our secretary of state cannot be understated, the editorial board writes.

“Weber’s breadth of experience, willingness to do the right thing and fierce advocacy for voting rights make her the strongest candidate in the race. She deserves to be reelected.” Yup. Over and over, she’s shown independence and respect for the law. 🎁link:

Patrick Siegman – California issues reposted

Chris Meyer

@chrisjohnmeyer.bsky.social

I'm visiting San Francisco to help the @scottwiener.bsky.social campaign for congress, in the seat that Pelosi is retiring from. The race is a YIMBY v NIMBY showdown, and I view it as one of the most important elections in the country for the future of housing and transportation policy.

sfchronicle.comEndorsement: ‘When everyone is in charge, no one is in charge.’ Yes on S.F.’s Prop FOPINION: San Francisco’s City Charter kneecaps the mayor’s ability to run city departments. That makes no sense, the Chronicle’s editorial board writes.

SF‘s “charter has accumulated so much organizational detail that about 90% of city departments the mayor is supposed to manage are effectively solidified in amber. The city’s 43 department heads are required to report directly to the mayor” In a 40-hour week, that’s less than 1 hour/department head

Patrick Siegman – California issues@patricksiegmanca.bsky.social

Yes on F. This measure gives the mayor (the one elected official most voters can actually name) authority to select department heads and hold them accountable, and to restructure departments, while retaining important limits on the Mayor's power by exempting key oversight boards.

“…Ethics Commission, Civil Service Commission and Board of Appeals — would remain untouched.”

“Former city Controller Ben Rosenfield, a supporter of Prop F, told the editorial board the measure’s organizational powers are ‘the standard in many cities. If something doesn’t work, you can undo it. Here, (in San Francisco) we need a vote every time we want to do something small.’”

Patrick Siegman – California issues@patricksiegmanca.bsky.social

Measure F “would take most hiring and firing decisions for department heads from independent commissions and give them to the mayor. It would also let the mayor delegate supervision of department heads to deputy mayors — and reorganize or consolidate departmental responsibilities.“