Here’s the latest in our “Meet the Candidates” series for District 5, in which we ask each candidate to answer one question per week leading up to the election. Four candidates are challenging incumbent Supervisor Dean Preston to represent District 5, which spans from the east end of Golden Gate Park through Haight-Ashbury, Japantown and the Western Addition, the Lower Haight and Hayes Valley, and most of the Tenderloin.
Tech is a big part of San Francisco and its discourse — tech companies weathering the pandemic here, whether Twitter should stay or go, or how technological advances like drones and surveillance cameras and robot dogs can support the police department.
We asked the candidates to weigh in: How can tech and tech companies help the district and the city? How will you work to leverage it as supervisor?
Note: I’ll be at Peet’s Coffee (601 Van Ness) at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 11. Come say hi and share your thoughts about the election.
Autumn Looijen
- Job: School board recall co-founder
- Age: 46
- Residency: Tenant in District 5 since December 2020, landowner
- Transportation: Public transit
- Education: Bachelor’s degree from California Institute of Technology
- Languages: English
Many people in tech are working to solve our city’s problems, and as supervisor I will partner with them to get things done for D5 and our city.
Wishlist:
- Make the city’s financial transactions transparent, so anyone can query them, without a sunshine request.
- When we house drug users, they die at higher rates — because they overdose and no one knows. Create devices that alert a friend if your oxygen levels drop, so your friend can come running with Narcan.
- Use tech to assist with emails, so supervisors and their staff can spend more time building deep relationships in our neighborhoods.
Endorsed by: San Francisco police union, Marina Times, Chinese American Democratic Club.
Bilal Mahmood
- Job: Founder of private and philanthropic organizations
- Age: 37
- Residency: Tenant in District 5 since May 2023
- Transportation: Walking
- Education: Bachelor’s degree from Stanford University, master’s degree from University of Cambridge
- Languages: English, Urdu
The division between our technology and public sectors is hurting D5 residents. SF is the tech capital of the world, yet our teachers are not getting paid because of software errors, and Fillmore and Japantown residents are without reliable internet.
Much of my career has focused on bridging the digital divide — from working in the US Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, to helping rebuild a computer lab in Chinatown. As supervisor I will launch an SF Digital Service for tech employees to work on large scale government projects, and advance our outdated software and ensure outcomes for all SF residents.
Endorsed by: Mayor London Breed, TogetherSF Action, San Francisco YIMBY, State Sen. Scott Wiener and DCCC Chair Honey Mahogany … read more.
Dean Preston
- Job: Incumbent, tenant attorney
- Age: 54
- Residency: Homeowner, in District 5 since 1996
- Transportation: Public transit
- Education: Bachelor’s degree from Bowdoin College, juris doctor degree from University of California Law, San Francisco
- Languages: English
Technology can improve accessibility, streamline data-sharing, and make city processes more efficient. Like any other profession, tech can help stimulate our local economy by hiring local workers, paying taxes, and even partnering with the city when it makes sense.
As supervisor, I supported efforts to leverage tech for projects that will improve data transparency and information-sharing for our street teams, who are working to address the needs of some of our most vulnerable neighbors.
As tech continues to grow, however, it is important to ensure that new tech is safe and doesn’t gut union jobs.
Endorsed by: Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Public Defender Mano Raju, United Educators of San Francisco, San Francisco Labor Council, San Francisco Tenants Union, National Union of Healthcare Workers … read more.
Scotty Jacobs
- Job: Marketing
- Age: 30
- Residency: Tenant in District 5 since November 2022, homeowner
- Transportation: Public bicycle
- Education: Bachelor’s degree from Washington University
- Languages: English
We should be proud of our place at the forefront of the global technology industry, including the burgeoning AI industry. However, in fostering the recovery of our tax base, we need to build a resilient economy across a variety of industries — not just tech.
To build a diversified corporate tax base, we need to create a downtown where businesses and residents can thrive side-by-side. This looks like:
- converting low-density Class B and Class C office spaces to residential units — including affordable housing
- investing in a 24/7 economy (including more entertainment zones and a 4 a.m. last call)
- investing in a … read more.
Endorsed by: Mark Farrell, Alice B. Toklas Democratic Club, Marina Times and UA Local 38.
Allen Jones
- Job: Activist
- Age: 67
- Residency: Tenant in District 5 since November 2021
- Transportation: Wheelchair
- Education: Teaching Bible studies at juvenile hall
- Languages: English
As supervisor, I will support any and all tech companies in my quest to make San Francisco forget all about Elon Musk, Twitter and or X.
The order of candidates is rotated each week. Answers are capped at 100 words, and may be lightly edited for formatting, spelling, and grammar. If you have questions for the candidates, please let us know at eleni@missionlocal.com.
Read all of the District 5 candidates’ answers here, and the entire “Meet the Candidates” series here. Illustrations for the series by Neil Ballard.
You can register to vote via the sf.gov website.
About the author
Pam Bondi named as new AG pick after Gaetz drops out
Former Rep. Matt Gaetz, President-elect Donald Trump's pick for attorney general, said Thursday he is withdrawing his name for the role -- just a day after Gaetz spoke with Republican senators on Capitol Hill about the nomination process.Trump has named Pam Bondi, the former attorney general of Florida, as his new pick for the role.Another controversial Cabinet pick, Pete Hegseth, is on the Hill on Thursday with Vice President-elect JD Vance to make his case for the secretary of the Department of Defense job.Meanwhile, Trump continues to announce his picks for top jobs inside his administration.Latest DevelopmentsNov 21, 6:56 PMTrump nominates Pam Bondi as new AG pickTrump has nominated Pam Bondi as his new pick for attorney general, after Matt Gaetz withdrew from consideration earlier Thursday.Bondi is the former attorney general of Florida, serving from 2011 to 2019 and marking […]
Mission Local bags two Society of Professional Journalists awards
This here publication last week took home two more awards from the Northern California branch of the Society of Professional Journalists for in-depth coverage and analysis of the sort you expect — and demand — of us. Senior editor Joe Rivano Barros and former data reporter Will Jarrett were honored in the “Explanatory Journalism” category for the mammoth effort of tracing and documenting the Russian dolls-like series of interconnected organizations funneling billionaires’ dollars into San Francisco politics. Joe Rivano Barros, who with Will Jarrett won for the Big Money SF work. Photo by Abigail Van NeelyThe series, titled “BigMoneySF,” included Rivano Barros’ profile of Neighbors for a Better San Francisco, the largest donor over the last several election cycles, and Jarrett’s interactive chart, a stunning accomplishment requiring months of work unearthing reams of financial data structured in a manner so as to render it […]
US airline flight crews confident and angry as unions seek richer contracts
By Rajesh Kumar Singh CHICAGO (Reuters) - Alaska Airlines flight attendant Rebecca Owens works 10 hours a day but only gets paid for half that time - a legacy of a common U.S. airline policy to pay cabin crew members only when planes are in motion. Owens, and thousands of cabin crew like her, wants that to change. In August, 68% of Alaska flight attendants in a ratification vote rejected a contract that would have increased average pay by 32% over three years. It was also the first labor agreement that would have legally required airlines to start the clock for paying flight attendants when passengers are boarding, not when the flight starts to taxi down the runway. Delta Air Lines, the only major U.S. airline whose flight attendants are not in a union, instituted boarding pay for its flight […]
Easy Caramel Apple Cider Mimosas
Sweet, tart and bubbly, this recipe for Caramel Apple Cider Mimosas is a perfectly refreshing cocktail for your next fall party, Thanksgiving brunch, or holiday gathering! A traditional mimosa is only two ingredients: orange juice and champagne (or sparkling wine). But since this recipe is inspired by warm autumn flavors, apple cider replaces orange juice and we’re adding a splash of caramel flavored whiskey. If you can’t find a caramel flavored whiskey, we have some substitutions below in the ‘Tips’ section below. The Ingredients Champagne (Or other sparkling wine like cava or prosecco) Apple cider (not a apple juice) Caramel flavored whiskey Fresh apple slices (honey crisp or granny smith are both delicious!) How to Make the Mimosas These mimosas are easy to make! Simply add 2 ounces of apple cider to your champagne glass with .5 ounces (equal to […]
‘Slow Streets, Fast Friends’ mural comes to 20th St. in the Mission
Sign up below to get Mission Local’s free newsletter, a daily digest of news you won’t find elsewhere. Josue Rojas hovers in the air above the ground, gingerly balancing his stomach on a stool while holding his paintbrush in one hand, face towards the asphalt. He says it’s better than being on all fours. “It’s particularly brutal work,” says Rojas. “I’m on my knees six to eight hours a day and, now that I’m in my mid-40s, it’s not that easy to bear.” Rojas has spent the past week working between bursts of rain to create a street mural on 20th and Florida streets for the “Slow Streets, Fast Friends” project of the SF Parks Alliance nonprofit, which commissions murals on slow streets throughout the city.The mural was finished this past weekend, and now adorns the block where Atlas Cafe, the Southern […]
Speaker Johnson says transgender women won’t be allowed to use women’s restrooms in Capitol
House Speaker Mike Johnson said transgender women cannot use women's restrooms in the Capitol and House office buildings. This also applies to changing rooms and locker rooms, Johnson said."All single-sex facilities in the Capitol and House Office Buildings — such as restrooms, changing rooms, and locker rooms — are reserved for individuals of that biological sex," the statement said Wednesday.Johnson continued, "It is important to note that each Member office has its own private restroom, and unisex restrooms are available throughout the Capitol."After winning her election earlier this month to be Delaware's sole representative in the House, Rep.-elect Sarah McBride will be the first openly trans member of Congress.McBride responded to Johnson Wednesday by saying, "I’m not here to fight about bathrooms. I’m here to fight for Delawareans and to bring down costs facing families. Like all members, I will […]
Related
Mission Local bags two Society of Professional Journalists awards
This here publication last week took home two more awards from the Northern California branch of the Society of Professional Journalists for in-depth coverage and analysis of the sort you expect — and demand — of us. Senior editor Joe Rivano Barros and former data reporter Will Jarrett were honored in the “Explanatory Journalism” category for the mammoth effort of tracing and documenting the Russian dolls-like series of interconnected organizations funneling billionaires’ dollars into San Francisco politics. Joe Rivano Barros, who with Will Jarrett won for the Big Money SF work. Photo by Abigail Van NeelyThe series, titled “BigMoneySF,” included Rivano Barros’ profile of Neighbors for a Better San Francisco, the largest donor over the last several election cycles, and Jarrett’s interactive chart, a stunning accomplishment requiring months of work unearthing reams of financial data structured in a manner so as to render it […]
‘Slow Streets, Fast Friends’ mural comes to 20th St. in the Mission
Sign up below to get Mission Local’s free newsletter, a daily digest of news you won’t find elsewhere. Josue Rojas hovers in the air above the ground, gingerly balancing his stomach on a stool while holding his paintbrush in one hand, face towards the asphalt. He says it’s better than being on all fours. “It’s particularly brutal work,” says Rojas. “I’m on my knees six to eight hours a day and, now that I’m in my mid-40s, it’s not that easy to bear.” Rojas has spent the past week working between bursts of rain to create a street mural on 20th and Florida streets for the “Slow Streets, Fast Friends” project of the SF Parks Alliance nonprofit, which commissions murals on slow streets throughout the city.The mural was finished this past weekend, and now adorns the block where Atlas Cafe, the Southern […]
SFMTA board approves new Valencia bikeway—but few are happy
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency’s board unanimously approved the new curbside Valencia Street bike lane on Tuesday, and admitted that the transit agency should have been more cautious with experiments in merchant corridors.That experiment — a bike lane running up the center of the street — had pitted transit advocates against shopkeepers. Now cyclists and the Valencia Corridor Merchants Association were finally on the same page: Neither were fans of the new design.“The [merchants association] cannot officially support the side-running bike lane,” said Manny Yekutiel, president of the Valencia Corridor Merchants Association, which has fought the old design. Yekutiel was one of dozens who spoke up in the three-hour-long meeting held at City Hall.Yekutiel, echoing long-held concerns from merchants against streetscape changes, said the new design will get rid of a lot of the parking spots on Valencia Street. […]
Banderas flags
Banderas flags Source: missionlocal.org
Nima Momeni contradicts himself on witness stand
In his third day of testimony Nima Momeni, who is on trial for the stabbing death of Cash App founder Bob Lee seemed to contradict some of his earlier statements. For the most part, Momeni answered the questions about the April 2023 incident and aftermath using very similar phrasing as he did during two days of testimony last week. Most significantly, Momeni testified earlier that the altercation between Lee and himself began over a “joke” he made to Lee about spending time with his family instead of going to a strip club. Judge Alexandra Gordon, who asked questions through the morning on behalf of the jurors, asked Momeni what happened after this joke and whether Momeni ever apologized for it. That’s when Momeni mentioned knowing Lee was in town to see his children. This raised an issue: Last week, under questioning from prosecutor Omid […]
Matt Alexander has 287-vote lead in school board race
Matt Alexander, the incumbent president of the Board of Education, appears poised to keep his job after eking out a victory over challenger John Jersin for the fourth and final open seat. The San Francisco Department of Elections moments ago released the results of another 1,961 ballots, bringing the grand total of ballots to 411,708 — 78.83 percent of the electorate. Very few ballots are left to be counted — only around 250 of them, including 200 vote-by-mail ballots and 50 provisional ones cast at polling places throughout the city and the City Hall voting center. Even if the 250 remaining ballots all go Jersin’s way— a mathematical anomaly — it would not be enough for Jersin to flip the results. Alexander has a lead of 287 votes —he gained 37 votes from the last drop on Nov. 16. Alexander now has 122,588 votes while Jersin […]
