Welcome back to our “Meet the candidates” series, in which District 9 supervisorial hopefuls respond to a question in 100 words or fewer. Local politico h brown has joined the contest, bringing the total number of candidates to eight.
The question for week four: What will you do to curtail corruption in city government?
Julian Bermudez
Transparency and accountability: Two values that I will hold true to myself as District 9 supervisor. I plan to have a social media platform where I — and potentially other supervisors, government officials, and residents — can share and discuss city politics, coming straight from the source.
From a small reel informing people of a new policy in place, to a podcast-type interview where a public official comes in to explain their plan in a neutral environment. It is important that the people of San Francisco are aware and well-informed about everything that is happening out of City Hall.
h brown
Voters: Greed is genetic and has many children, of which ‘corruption’ is but one. I propose the City get ahead of the curve, and create a “‘Cybre Cop” to detect as many of the signs of a dirty player as an unleashed AGI program can find.
Knowing their applications will be subjected to screening by our “‘SFCF” system will discourage bad actors. Acronym is for: “San Francisco Cybre Filter.” It’s really an electronic Law Enforcement Auditor that constantly upgrades itself as Public Records become available.
You think the FBI is good? Wait til you see the AGI. Go Niners!
Trevor Chandler
The fact that the role of “Permit Expediter” even exists epitomizes a system that encourages and legitimizes corruption.
Using the proven structure from the federal False Claims Act, we will empower citizens to file lawsuits on behalf of the government against corrupt public officials and contractors who have defrauded taxpayers, allowing them to receive a portion of the recovered funds as a reward. This has resulted in more than $2 billion in awards and settlements at the federal level in 2022 alone.
The time for action is now. San Francisco deserves a City Hall that operates with integrity and accountability.
Jackie Fielder
The Nuru saga, the building-inspector scandals, and now a police nonprofit financing a Tahoe getaway when it should be giving free security assessments to small businesses. The amount of corruption that’s been swirling around the mayor’s administration is unacceptable.
Every single department head reports to the mayor. The mayor has the majority of appointment power over the city’s more than 100 departments, boards, and commissions. We need a new mayor who can clean house and put real public servants in charge. We also need stronger contract auditing protocols, whistleblower protections, and more democratic RFP reviews for contracts.
Jaime Gutierrez
Corruption in city government exists: DPW, DBI, nonprofit expenditures and some members of government profit from flipping properties. Any person or affiliated company committing a crime against the public integrity of the city needs to be punished beyond just prison or financial penalty. We must preserve civic integrity.
The individual and their connections past or present must be held accountable. They should be banned from any further business with the city. I will fight to expose those involved to bring integrity and security to San Franciscans. Transparency is the key to a city government that is accountable to its citizens.
Roberto Hernandez
Corruption in City government, or by those doing business with the City, is unacceptable. The Board of Supervisors can send a strong message there will be consequences for such conduct.
I pledge to support current Board efforts and work on anti-corruption legislation. Within 45 days of taking office in District 9, I will introduce an ordinance requiring City departments to adopt anti-corruption operating procedures governing their internal operations and contract processes, including penalties for non-compliance.
These procedures will be filed with the Board, and departments must affirm their compliance with the procedures whenever seeking Board approval for any matter.
Michael Petrelis
I’d start by continuing to file many public records requests for the calendars of elected officials and department heads, to learn who they’re meeting with and what topics are being discussed. Calendars of all public servants required to keep a Prop. G [publicly accessible daily calendar] must be shared on their City-funded sites, on a weekly basis.
Next, I want annual forensic audits performed of all City agencies and bi-annual audits of nonprofits receiving $250,000 or more in municipal funds. A website containing the findings would be established for much needed public inspection. More transparency equals less corruption at City Hall.
Stephen Torres
Curtailing corruption in city government should be constant, and lies in more reform, transparency and oversight, not less.
I have seen how the various oversight bodies that have been implemented within our government have strengthened citizen representation and voice over what happens in this city. It is not perfect — there are still trappings built into some that facilitate corruption, and this is where the reform needs to happen. The idea, however, that what we need is to lessen community and board oversight, and consolidate more power for the mayor as a means for reform should be met with serious concern.
Note: Nine candidates have officially declared their candidacy for the District 9 race. However, Rafael Gutierrez told Mission Local that he is withdrawing from the race, so he is not included in these questions.
Candidates are ordered alphabetically. Answers may be lightly edited for formatting, spelling, and grammar. If you have questions for the candidates, please let us know at will@missionlocal.com.
Read the rest of the series here. Illustrations for the series by Neil Ballard.
You can register to vote via the sf.gov website.
Jackie Fielder is not wrong about SF’s current mayor and the corruption around her. It is one of the reasons even a lot of non-progressives have abandoned her for the other candidates.
However, the Mayor is only part of the problem. Even if you vote London Breed out, the vast majority of corruption will still persist unless major structural reforms are enacted.
There are more than 100 city departments. Plenty of corrupt people are protected through strong networks. The weaker networks are the ones that are being busted.
JB,
“unless major structural reforms are enacted”
You said that.
I’m contending that advancements in AI over the last 6 months have made it possible for the City to install a Cybre Filter able to detect crooks and their schemes.
These new things don’t just arrange lunch for you at Carlins Cafe at 14th and Valencia.
They tie vast numbers of systems together and they will not only tell you if someone is a crook, they will tell you if they have cancer.
There’s a device for $199 with more bang that a high end computer and I’ve watched them work with people like David Shapiro and Connor Leahy and Musk and Suskever all saying basically to get ready because all of a sudden there’s gonna be a new Sheriff in Dodge and their name is AGI.
Whether you like it or not as someone said …
All you have to do is get a BOS hearing or you can do this …
Go to ChatGpt and ask it …
“I’m trying to create a program that will detect whether or not a person is trustworthy as in should I hire them to be a police officer or give them a contract to repair a giant bridge and I want you to be my Prompt Engineer. Please tell me what kind of questions I should be asking and then answer them and get back to me cause I’m gonna smoke a joint and listen to the Last Waltz for the thousandth time …
If you’re a candidate for _supervisor_, and your plan to fight corruption is “We need a new _mayor_”, then you don’t really have a plan to fight corruption.
Marcos,
Help me out here.
We’ve both had close friends who were Presidents of the Sunshine Task Force and I think that they sent over a hundred cases to Ethics over a period of years and Ethics did not move on a single one. Instead they went after the Gonzalez campaign and Matt’s good buddy, Tony Hall.
Make all of the laws you want and here’s what true power says …
Franklin Roosevelt to the Supreme Court ruling his New Deal Programs unconstitutional:
“OK, you’ve made your ruling. Now let’s see you enforce it.”
(he really said that)
And, Stalin I think it was about criticism from the Vatican:
“How many armies does the Pope have ?”
These are serious people Marc and you better look out criticizing them.
lol
Voters,
My opponents are all ‘indoor’ people who talk about paperwork mostly and finger pointing.
I’m an outdoor hard worker who considers cleaning the gutters and sidewalks around the 16th Street BART Plaza to be preparing a stage for a band and maybe a Clown and some dancing and that kind of thing and will probably be arrested pursuing parties here and at 24th and Jerry Garcia.
I hope I’m not arrested but as a serious on the ground Reformer it goes with the Territory which I’ll be reclaiming for the people of District 9.
No way I’ll get elected tho.
I’m proposing an Indian Casino inside the Armory.
A strip of Brothels down Mission Street for a mile.
Decriminalized drugs to get rid of dealers is the only way look at Europe …
Drugs, sex and rock n roll.
That’s always been my Platform.
And Criminal Justice Reform from Kindergarten to Retirement (did you know that practically every Swiss male is required to train and keep a rifle in their closet til they’re 65 ?)
Go Niners !!
h.
The fact that the current Mayor is trying to take power away from her appointments to the Police Commission says it all.
Lana,
You should have seen tonight’s meeting of Police Commission.
Max Carter-Oberstone is growing his hair and looks younger while Chief Scott melts.
Max is one smart cowboy.
He reminds me of RFK questioning Jimmy Hoffa.
I was trying to keep my coverage instant and the SFGTV feed went down.
What did the lawyer say in that New Orleans movie :
“Ahhhh, New Orleans, a place of many curious incidents.”
Us too.
Us too.
Go Niners !!
Lana,
Before Gonzalez and the Class of 2000 went to the People to shift some of these major Department Oversight Commissions, the Mayor appointed every single one.
I watched Willie fire a Planning Commissioner and a Zoning Administrator on the spot for not agreeing to add an overload of antennae to the Sutro Tower.
“We’ve all got to be together on these major items.”
From Willie.
Paraphrase but not much cause I gots pretty good memory even over 20 years.
He just popped the guy’s ‘Resignation Letter’ (pre-filed BEFORE swearing in which is where London got the idea) …
Used to be lots worse and fascinating to watch Willie work.
Once when Board President Ammiano was doing a hearing on trying to get the cops to hire more civilians so’s officers carrying guns could hit the pavement …
Willie told the cops to just not show up.
Which they did.
And got away with it.
It’s better now as while I write this I’m watching Commissioner Carter-Oberstone back Chief Scott into a corner again pounding him with facts about how much SF State stole from the Police Department.
Scott shrugs and says it could be true that they stole 90% of the grant.
“How many former SFPD employees were involved ?”
Scott says, “How do you interpret ‘affiliation’.”.
Kinda like Bill Clinton asks how a questioner defined the word ‘is’ ??
Carter Oberstone:
“Is SF Safe and arm of SFPD ?”
“How is it that 3 of the 9 Board members were former SFPD employees ?”
Scott demurs …
Scott admits that he knew that Ms. Worthy (sp?) had been accused of stealing from a similar agency in Oakland.
Max Carter-Oberstone for Mayor !!!
h.
Does Trevor Chandler really believe that the City Attorney would sign off on a private right of action to enforce ethics laws?
When Friends of Ethics proposed this in the 2010s, Dennis Herrera balked and would not sign off on any legislation that allowed members of the public to do the job that the Ethics Commission, Controller, City Attorney and District Attorney have chosen to not do, much less recover damages.
That is one reason why Herrera got promoted to the PUC.
Wow it’s so hard to choose. They all sound like such brilliant and visionary leaders.
Mike,
Thanks, I’ll run you through SFCF now to see if you stole from the Public in your last position or beat up your wife or got busted doing drugs with Matt Dorsey.
Mine IS a visionary program, Mike.
We’ve only been able to assemble this Cybre Filter for last few months.
We’d be first in Nation to do it.
What’s ‘visionary’ for you, a Firing Squad ?
Legalize Sex too.
It will never go away and now Criminals control and Extort victims.
Make the cops our Pimps.
They can use force legally to protect Permit and Licensees.
h.