Josh Wolf for Mayor

General Questions: Please write a brief response (less than 150 words) to each question. You will have additional opportunities to address these issues.

1. Why are you running? Why should we vote for you?

I am running for mayor of San Francisco to end machine politics, to create a new democracy. My campaign’s focus is to empower the people of San Francisco to determine our city’s future. By working together and tapping our collective wisdom we’ll define better solutions and be more powerful. This has been demonstrated through my work with the candidates collaborative and organizing our weekly mayoral forums in front
of City Hall. Moving forward we will continue to neighbor with existing groups
that have demonstrated community self-organization and we are building a
website at SFDemocracy.net to facilitate that collective process. Howard Dean’s
presidential campaign ignited the reality that internet tools can catalyze and
sustain democracy through the use of Deanspace and meetup and we are building upon that model with SFDemocracy.

2. What sets you apart from your opponents?

As I see it, I only have one opponent and that is the San Francisco Machine and its pawn Gavin Newsom. What sets me apart from Gavin Newsom? Just about everything. Over the past few weeks I have gotten to know most of the other mayoral candidates through the Candidates Collaborative and feel that each of them offers a distinct voice in the political dialogue. It is that dialogue, not just amongst candidates but
from all San Franciscans, that I wish to foster. That is precisely what Gavin
Newsom continues to avoid, because with open discussion will come oversight,
responsibility, and accountability to the people.

3. What are the top three issues facing San Francisco? What will you do about those issues?

When people in our community are silenced, and denied justice it is an injustice to us all. Hunters Point has been subjected to environmental racism for decades and our failure to respond to the needs of this community and its people is deplorable. The people of Hunters Point have organized and are rising up and the time has come for the city to protect our public commons and not sell them off to the highest bidder (or in the case of Lennar a no-bid contract). Hunters Point has organized
itself, and we should look to them as a model for how we should organize our
respective communities.

Crime is a symptom of poverty and alienation. The city must do more to promote and establish sustainable economic opportunities for our people, especially those who are at-risk and put others at risk. We also need to transform the police’s relationship with the community. The dominant form of policing should be foot patrols with the same officers in the same neighborhoods consistently. The police must become a part of the community and not be perceived as an occupying force.

It all comes down to community democracy.

4. SF4D is committed to grassroots involvement. Please explain how you have involved ordinary citizens in your campaign.

My campaign consists entirely of “ordinary citizens.” We welcome everyone and have not actively solicited anyone from inside the political machine. Our campaign is established on the principle that anyone should be able to harness their own skills to promote their messages and ideas.

5. San Francisco for Democracy endorses fiscally responsible and socially progressive candidates. Please give examples of how you fit these
criteria.

San Francisco has provided the means for many businesses to flourish; some of these businesses are not even based in San Francisco and the money they earn goes elsewhere. Corporations whose wealth is derived from our city, have a responsibility to sustain our city. As mayor I will support progressive taxation that provides the means to
implement progressive legislation and supports our people in need.

Issue Questions:

1. Violent crime in San Francisco is at its highest rate in over a decade. What will you do to reduce crime in San Francisco?

Crime is a symptom of poverty and alienation. The city must do more to promote and establish sustainable economic opportunities for our people, especially those who are at-risk and put others at risk. We also need to transform the police’s relationship with the community. The dominant form of policing should be foot patrols with the same officers in the same neighborhoods consistently. The police must become a part of the community and not be perceived as an occupying force.

2. If elected Mayor what should San Francisco city government do to make housing more affordable in San Francisco?

It is increasingly impossible to afford to live in San Francisco. We must act now before our working people are forced out. Future developments must include housing that is affordable to low and middle income San Franciscans. Rent control should be strengthened, and supplemented with vacancy laws to insure that the housing stock is being used to its full potential. This alone will not solve the issue of affordable
housing, and the city should look into offering incentives to promote cooperative housing solutions.

3. As a transit-first city, what actions would you take to improve public transportation in San Francisco?

The Transit First City Charter
expresses the unified view that alternatives to private automobiles need to be
promoted, expanded, and protected. The charter has not fared well in recent
years, and the abominable state of MUNI is testament to that fact. In order for
Transit First to be successful, the City must establish a public transit system
that is equitable to traveling by car and develop bike routes which are safe so
that people feel comfortable relying on bicycle to traverse the city. As mayor
I would expand bike lanes onto all major traffic thoroughfares and work to
create a public transit system that is free to all residents and provides the
means for the people to travel as effectively by public transit as they can
through private automobiles.

4. Do you support or oppose the following Propositions on the November ballot?

Proposition
E _X__support ___oppose: why?

The mayor
should make himself available for discussion at the board of Supervisors
meetings at least once a month.

Proposition
H ___support __X_oppose: why?

Proposition H
takes neighborhood planning away from the communities and puts it in the hands
of the San Francisco machine and big business.

Proposition
J ___support __X_oppose: why?

I have opposed
the Google Earthlink partnership since inception, and now that it is dead in
the water, I see no reason to change my mind.

5. Do you support SB 1019
(Romero)? Please explain your
reasoning.

I am a strong proponent of SB 1019; transparency is crucial
to building a democracy and the police must be held accountable. I am also a
proponent of equipping the police with cameras that can reviewed by the
officers, the city, and any individuals involved.