Scott Wiener’s Statement on Swift-Boat Attacks

In the last few weeks, you may have received swift-boat attacks on me via mail, phone, and email.  These false attacks run the gamut — claiming that I will repeal rent control, that I took a huge check from a Republican landlord, that I will close hospitals, that I will cut HIV services, that I am a closet Republican comparable to George Bush and Meg Whitman, and that I favor deporting immigrant children.

It’s unfortunate when one’s opponents get desperate enough to launch these kinds of false attacks.

Here’s the truth:

I SUPPORT RENT CONTROL

I support rent control.  I actively campaigned against Prop 98, which would have repealed rent control.  The head of the Tenants Union said that I have a “pro-tenant voting record” on the Democratic County Central Committee.  Thus, the attacks claiming that rent control will somehow be repealed if I am elected, and that people will lose their homes, are false.  This is a desperate scare tactic that has no basis in reality.

NON-EXISTENT CONTRIBUTION FROM REPUBLICAN LANDLORD

Another false attack is the claim that I accepted a $225,000 contribution from Thomas Coates, who sponsored Prop 98, which would have repealed rent control.  As noted above, I campaigned against Prop 98.  More important, I NEVER ACCEPTED A PENNY FROM MR. COATES.  This claim is an outright lie.

I’M ABOUT AS BIG A DEMOCRAT AS THEY COME BY

Here’s the most absurd and over the top claim — that I am somehow aligned with Republicans.  I am a lifelong Democrat and served as Chairman of the San Francisco Democratic Party.  Under my leadership, we rebuilt the party and registered 15,000 voters.  I also co-chaired the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club, served on the California Democratic Party Executive Committee, and worked hard to elect Democrats across the country.  I am proud to have the support of Democratic leaders like Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senator Dianne Feinstein, Congresswoman Jackie Speier, Senator Mark Leno, and Mayor Gavin Newsom.

I SUPPORT HOSPITALS AND HIV SERVICES

Another lie is that my election will somehow result in the closure of Davies Medical Center and St. Luke’s Hospital and that I will cut funding for HIV/AIDS services.  Again, this is a lie.  I have fought for years to create health care access.  I supported Healthy San Francisco, our city’s universal health care plan.  I’ve advocated for funding for HIV services and have protested when the Governor cut that funding.  I am committed to our community hospitals, including Davies Medical Center, which is my own neighborhood hospital.  As a gay man who has lost friends to HIV and has friends living with the disease, I find it despicable that political operatives would level these false charges.

IMMIGRATION

I am a strong supporter of our immigrant communities.  Immigrants in San Francisco contribute significantly to our economic and cultural life.  No one respects our immigrant neighbors more than I do.  I am proud to have the endorsements of the janitors union (SEIU Local 87) and United Healthcare Workers West.  These unions are primarily comprised of immigrants.  I support San Francisco’s sanctuary policy — a policy that protects our immigrant families.  What I do not support is extending that policy to people who commit crimes.  I stand by that position.  The claim that I am against sanctuary is simply false.

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Elections create pressures to win at all costs.  Ethical campaigns resist this temptation and tell the truth — focusing on the differences on issues among the candidates.  Desperate campaigns lie.  Join me in rejecting my opposition’s swift-boat tactics.

Final Volunteer Rally This Saturday with Mark Leno, Sean Elsbernd and Carmen Chu

Last weekend before Election Day!

Every one of you who has made a phone call, knocked on a door and passed out a flier has been a vital part of this campaign, and with the end so close, it’s time for us all to get together and make that final push to get Scott elected.

This Saturday morning at 9:30 AM, come on down to Wiener HQ and join us for a final rally before Election Day on Tuesday.

We’ll be joined by Senator Mark Leno, Supervisor Carmen Chu and Supervisor Sean Elsbernd, all of whom will speak about why it’s so important for each and every one of you to make sure everyone in D8 knows to vote for Scott.  The Fix Muni Now: Yes on G campaign will also join us as we spread out to cover every neighborhood in the district.

This is our last Saturday before the election. Bring your friends, bring the kids, bring the dog.  This campaign has been so much about all of you working so selflessly, so let’s all get together for one final Saturday rally!

Election Day
Tues, November 2nd

We’re still signing up Election Day Volunteers for Tuesday.  Have you signed up yet?

Starting at 5 AM all the way until the polls close at 8 PM, whether you’re available for an hour or all day, you’ll be crucial in getting Scott’s supporters to the polls.  Let us know if you’re available to help in D8 all day, before or after work, or even on your lunch hour.   Every minute counts!

From Friday to Monday, we also need help on the streets and at headquarters helping with calls. If you’re available any time from 10am-8pm, let us know and we’ll sign you up.

This is the final stretch, folks!  The finish line is in sight and now is not the time to ease up!

Please email Adam Taylor at adam@scott2010.com to sign up for any/all of the above.
Training and materials will be provided for all volunteer activities.

Rescue MUNI and community leaders support Scott Wiener for Supervisor!

We’re proud to report that Rescue MUNI, a group dedicated to reforming our public transportation system, has endorsed Scott’s candidacy for Supervisor. Rescue MUNI was formed in the late 1990s, after the infamous Muni meltdown of 1998, and since then has aggressively advocated for structural reforms to make Muni the world-class system it needs to be.

Scott has been a daily Muni rider for the past 13 years and has seen firsthand the up’s and down’s of the system. He is committed to reforming the system, getting its costs under control, and making smart physical changes so that it can do more even in an era of constrained budgets. As a result, Scott strongly supports Prop G and is proud to have Prop G author Supervisor Sean Elsbernd’s endorsement. Rescue MUNI’s stamp of approval is just additional proof that Scott Wiener is the transportation reform candidate in this race.

Rescue MUNI joins a growing list of endorsers of Scott’s candidacy, including 400 district 8 residents.

We are now in the home stretch of the campaign — less than three weeks until voting begins and less than seven weeks until election day. Now is the time to get involved. We need volunteers to knock on doors, phone voters, hand out literature, etc. Whether you can donate an hour of your time or many hours, please get involved today by contacting Adam Taylor, adam@scott2010.com.

Thank you for your continuing support of the campaign!!

Speaker Pelosi and Congresswoman Speier endorse Scott Wiener for Supervisor!

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) and Congresswoman Jackie Speier (D-San Francisco/San Mateo) have both endorsed Scott Wiener for District 8 Supervisor. Speaker Pelosi and Congresswoman Speier join Senator Dianne Feinstein in supporting Scott Wiener, meaning that the entire San Francisco Congressional delegation has endorsed Wiener’s candidacy.

In explaining their endorsements of Scott Wiener, Speaker Pelosi and Congresswoman Speier stressed Wiener’s long track record of leadership and accomplishment in the Democratic Party and the community. According to Speaker Pelosi: “Scott Wiener is part of a bold, new generation of leaders for San Francisco, and he has my support for District 8 Supervisor. Scott Wiener gets things done. He oversaw the registration of 15,000 new voters as Chair of the San Francisco Democratic Party, and played a critical role in building the LGBT Community Center and co-founding Castro Community on Patrol.”

Similarly, Congresswoman Speier emphasized Wiener’s proven ability to get things done and his collaborative style: “Over the years, I’ve seen firsthand Scott Wiener’s leadership style — Scott brings people together to get things done for San Francisco. Scott Wiener’s leadership in the Democratic Party and in the community is exceptional. I am proud to support him for District 8 Supervisor.”

Wiener expressed gratitude for the endorsements: “Nancy Pelosi and Jackie Speier are role models for anyone aspiring to public office. For decades, they have shown leadership on the issues that matter, including health care, consumer protection, civil rights, the environment, and public transportation. I am deeply honored to have their support.”

Speaker Pelosi and Congresswoman Speier join a growing list of community and political leaders supporting Scott Wiener’s candidacy for District 8 Supervisor, including Senator Dianne Feinstein, Senator Mark Leno, Mayor Gavin Newsom, Supervisors Sean Elsbernd and Carmen Chu, Rev. Cecil Williams and Janice Mirikitani of Glide Church, Ambassador James Hormel, and neighborhood and merchant leaders from around the district. Wiener has also been endorsed by labor and community organizations, such as the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club, United Healthcare Workers West/SEIU, Firefighters Local 798, SF Police Officers Association, Janitors Local 87/SEIU, SF Building and Construction Trades Council, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 16, Plumbers Local 38, and Teamsters Joint Council 7.

For more information, or to get involved, go to http://www.scott2010.com, or email info@scott2010.com.

Scott Wiener’s Platform on Arts and Entertainment in San Francisco

Supervisor candidates in all districts were asked by a consortium of arts organizations to submit a brief overview platform on arts issues in the City. Here’s mine:

I am committed to public policies that promote and sustain arts and entertainment in San Francisco. Having a vibrant arts and entertainment scene is critical to the City’s cultural vibrancy.

This commitment includes:

Supporting our City’s arts institutions, including those in which the City plays a direct role like the Asian Art Museum and those where the City simply needs to facilitate the creation of arts opportunities, like the expansion of the Museum of Modern Art. I will show leadership in ensuring that the City facilitates the creation and growth of cultural institutions.

Supporting arts education in our public schools, including continuation of Prop H funding. I will be skeptical of efforts to undermine Prop H funding by substituting cash contributions with in-kind contributions.

Ensuring that the arts receive adequate funding. I will support the City’s funding of arts through the hotel tax and will protect funding for institutions like the symphony and opera, which are important to the City’s cultural life and which provide educational opportunities for kids. Bad budget years require sacrifice by everyone, including the arts, but I will oppose efforts to dramatically reduce or eliminate this funding.

Supporting affordable housing opportunities for artists. This is an expensive city, and we need to be proactive in supplying artists with housing opportunities so that the City continues to have a diverse population. This includes support for planning policies that lead to artist collectives as well as more traditional affordable housing opportunities such as the inclusionary housing ordinance.

Advocating for our street fairs and festivals. These outdoor events are part of the City’s cultural lifeblood, and the City has not been supportive of them. Indeed, the City has created many obstacles, financial and otherwise, to their continued existence. San Francisco needs to embrace, work with, and promote these street festivals.

Supporting our City’s nightlife and music scene. Both are under intense pressure in San Francisco, including increased costs as well as regulatory and development pressures. Having an active and vibrant nightlife, including live music venues, is critical to San Francisco’s economy, tax base, and cultural identity.

I look forward to working on all of these issues to ensure that San Francisco remains a diverse, lively, and interesting place.

The importance of transit-oriented development

One of the most important things we can do as a city, region, state, and nation is make sure we’re building housing that is close to public transportation.  It’s pretty basic — from an environmental and planning perspective — that if we can make it so that people can easily drive less, we’ll create a more sustainable society.  Here’s an interesting article from streetsblog.org about the long-term benefits of transit-oriented development:  http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/08/27/the-power-of-transit-oriented-development/

Daniel Webster Elementary School is a model of parental activisim helping to make a public school succeed (or at least move in that direction) while at the same time helping keep families in San Francisco and improving the neighborhood. Nice Chronicle article on it.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/08/23/BAOJ19BGKQ.DTL