Welcome back to our weekly “Meet the Candidates” series, in which District 1 supervisorial candidates who have filed to run respond to a question in 100 words or fewer.
Answers are published each week, but we are also archiving each answer on this page for District 1, to make it easier for voters to browse.
San Francisco Unified School District is planning to close and merge selected schools, part of its plan called the Resource Alignment Initiative. But the district has delayed announcing which schools are slated for closure, first until this month and now until after the election. In response to that, Mayor London Breed announced that the city will intervene by sending a team of experts to support the school district and deploying $8.4 million in financial support.
We ask candidates this week: What are your thoughts on SFUSD’s Resource Alignment Initiative?
Marjan Philhour
- Job: Business owner, former advisor and fundraiser to London Breed
- Age: 50
- Residency: Homeowner, born in District 1 and moved back in 2006
- Transportation: Biking, walking, driving and public transportation
- Education: Bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley
- Languages: English
San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) faces real financial and enrollment challenges, and closing and merging schools should be approached with caution and transparency. The delayed announcement has understandably caused anxiety among parents, students, and staff, and this uncertainty only adds to the strain on our community. The SFUSD community needs clarity more than anything during these times of uncertainty.
I appreciate the city’s commitment to providing $8.4 million in financial support. It is essential that these decisions are made with input from the families and neighborhoods most affected. It is also important to acknowledge how we got to … read more here
Endorsed by: San Francisco Democratic Party, TogetherSF, San Francisco Police Officers Association … read more here
Jeremiah Boehner
- Job: Marketing specialist and U.S. Army veteran
- Age: 39
- Residency: Tenant, living in District 1 since 2006
- Transportation: Driving
- Education: University of San Francisco
- Languages: English
Closing schools is not the answer, it will not solve the fiscal crisis and may end up driving more families away from public schools. The schools on that list will most likely be the smaller community schools and specialty schools that are the lifeblood of our communities. It’s throwing good money after bad. It’s a distraction from the mayor’s leadership. We need to elect a new mayor and leaders like Min Chang, Laurence Lee, Ann Hsu to the board of education.
Endorsed by: San Francisco Republican Party
Connie Chan
- Job: Incumbent District 1 Supervisor
- Age: 45
- Residency: Homeowner, living in District 1 since 2011
- Transportation: Driving and walking
- Education: Bachelor’s degree, University of California, Davis
- Languages: English, Cantonese, Mandarin
I know the threat of school closures has been heavy on the minds of our Richmond District families and students, which is why I introduced and the Board of Supervisors passed my resolution urging Superintendent Wayne to reevaluate his plan for citywide school closures. Closing a school needs to be an absolute last resort and the district needs to work with the California Department of Education on fiscal solvency. I appreciate that the San Francisco Board of Education is committed to work with Dr. Wayne to find a path forward and I would urge them to work with all of … read more here
Endorsed by: Nancy Pelosi, San Francisco Fire Fighters Local 798, San Francisco Labor Council, Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club, Local 21, Service Employees International Union 1021 … read more here
Sherman D’Silva
- Job: Owner of a laundromat on Geary Boulevard
- Age: 51
- Residency: Homeowner, living in District 1 since 1973
- Transportation: Driving
- Education: Bachelor’s degrees from San Francisco State University
- Languages: English
Schools have been poorly managed since I attended 40 years ago. The school board prefers to do what unions and parents want without being realistic if it’s feasible long term. Unrealistic contracts with unions that protect inadequate teachers and assigning children to schools miles from home has contributed to people leaving public schools and the loss of the state funding associated with each child. Consolidating schools is now necessary and leaders are again trying to “make it work” instead of saying these are the facts — there are fewer students and thus less money and this is what we have to … read more here
Jen Nossokoff
- Job: Vice president of a healthcare company and physician assistant
- Age: 38
- Residency: Homeowner, living in District 1 since 2020
- Transportation: Walking, biking, public transportation, driving
- Education: Bachelor’s degree from Colorado State University and master’s degree from Samuel Merritt University
- Languages: English
As a public school parent, I know firsthand how important our schools are to the fabric of our community. I appreciate Mayor Breed’s efforts to provide financial support, but we need more than just funding to solve the challenges our schools are facing. The process must be transparent, with significant input from the families, educators, and communities most impacted by potential closures. The delay in announcing which schools will be affected only adds to the uncertainty and stress for students and parents alike. Instead of closing schools, we should be exploring innovative solutions, such as forming partnerships with community organizations … read more here
Endorsed by: Everytown For Gun Safety, San Francisco League of Conservation Voters, San Francisco Women’s Political Committee (#2), Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate
Money raised by District 1 candidates
Candidates are ordered alphabetically and rotated each week. Answers may be lightly edited for formatting, spelling, and grammar. If you have questions for the candidates, please let us know at junyao@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.
About the author
Lara Trump withdraws from consideration to replace Rubio in US Senate
By Jasper Ward(Reuters) -Lara Trump, daughter-in-law of President-elect Donald Trump, said on Saturday she has removed her name from consideration to replace outgoing U.S. Senator Marco Rubio.Rubio was picked by Trump to serve as secretary of state. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis will pick a replacement for Rubio, who is expected to resign as senator when Trump takes office on Jan. 20.There was speculation that Lara Trump, who served as co-chair of the Republican National Committee in the lead-up to the 2024 election, would succeed Rubio in the Senate.Trusted news and daily delights, right in your inboxSee for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories.However, in a post on X, Trump said she had decided to remove herself from consideration "after an incredible amount of thought, contemplation, and encouragement from so many.""I could […]
Hawk on the house
Hawk on the house Source: missionlocal.org
Burglars ransack Southern California homes while posing as deliverymen
Residents are frightened and angry as a group of suspects continue ransacking San Fernando Valley homes, leaving a trail of destruction behind.A Valley Village resident said she was stunned and shaken up after thieves targeted her home on Dec. 17 between 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.The break-in was captured on home surveillance cameras as a male suspect approached the house and appeared to be disguised as a delivery man.“Ten minutes after we left [our home], someone was knocking at the door and our dog was barking away,” she said. “Then within a minute, someone had broken into the back of the house, smashed the glass door, came in and locked the dog in a room and just trashed the house. They took all of my jewelry.”Photos of the aftermath showed drawers in every room were removed and emptied and all […]
Jim’s owners retiring, leaving future of Mission diner unclear
The mom-and-pop owners of Jim’s Restaurant on Mission Street, a community staple for over three decades, will have their last day of work this Saturday, according to the restaurant.Jim’s Restaurant announced that its owners will be retiring after Saturday. It’s unclear, however, whether Jim’s will continue operating under new management. What is clear is it will no longer be the same without Ms. and Mr. Kim. The current owners, Kim Ok Un and Kim Jung Nyun, declined to comment about their retirement or whether Jim’s would continue operating. An Instagram commenter says, “So so sooo happy for you guys!! So well deserved but Jim’s will never be the same without you”.Another says, “Legendary spot just up the street from KPOO. Thanks y’all for the decades of service to the community.”On Friday around noon, the restaurant at 2420 Mission St. between 20th and […]
Police bust man at Gwinnett McDonald’s they say tried to sell home he didn’t own
Gwinnett County police arrested a man at a local McDonald’s who they say attempted to sell a property he did not own by stealing the identity of its rightful owner.Police say 55-year-old Armond Long, of Lilburn, posed as the property owner and listed the land for sale on Zillow.The scheme unraveled when the actual owner discovered the listing while the sale was pending and contacted authorities.Records show the land was pending for $130,000 before law enforcement got involved.“He didn’t have any intention of selling that property, so he contacted local authorities,” said Cpl. Juan Madiedo.TRENDING STORIES: Authorities in Lake Havasu City, Arizona worked with Gwinnett County police to set up a sting operation.Long agreed to meet at a McDonald’s near the Mall of Georgia to sign final closing documents. An undercover Gwinnett officer, posing as a courier, handed Long documents […]
S.F. police shoot, kill Dior guard turned alleged hit-and-run driver
San Francisco police shot and killed a purportedly armed man they say they tracked down — after he allegedly hit pedestrians and a cyclist with a car on Thursday evening. Assistant Chief David Lazar, who gave a press conference this morning, said the man was believed to be a security guard at Dior, and said he discovered a firearm “on the ground” at the scene that he believed belonged to the guard. He did not give any details about whether the man was armed at the time police shot him. Lazar also could not confirm how many police officers fired their weapons at the man. The driver was allegedly driving on the sidewalk around 6:30 p.m. at Kearny and Post streets and hit two pedestrians, an 18-year-old and a 17-year-old, Lazar said, in pursuit of a man on an electric bicycle. After hitting […]
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Hawk on the house
Hawk on the house Source: missionlocal.org
Jim’s owners retiring, leaving future of Mission diner unclear
The mom-and-pop owners of Jim’s Restaurant on Mission Street, a community staple for over three decades, will have their last day of work this Saturday, according to the restaurant.Jim’s Restaurant announced that its owners will be retiring after Saturday. It’s unclear, however, whether Jim’s will continue operating under new management. What is clear is it will no longer be the same without Ms. and Mr. Kim. The current owners, Kim Ok Un and Kim Jung Nyun, declined to comment about their retirement or whether Jim’s would continue operating. An Instagram commenter says, “So so sooo happy for you guys!! So well deserved but Jim’s will never be the same without you”.Another says, “Legendary spot just up the street from KPOO. Thanks y’all for the decades of service to the community.”On Friday around noon, the restaurant at 2420 Mission St. between 20th and […]
S.F. police shoot, kill Dior guard turned alleged hit-and-run driver
San Francisco police shot and killed a purportedly armed man they say they tracked down — after he allegedly hit pedestrians and a cyclist with a car on Thursday evening. Assistant Chief David Lazar, who gave a press conference this morning, said the man was believed to be a security guard at Dior, and said he discovered a firearm “on the ground” at the scene that he believed belonged to the guard. He did not give any details about whether the man was armed at the time police shot him. Lazar also could not confirm how many police officers fired their weapons at the man. The driver was allegedly driving on the sidewalk around 6:30 p.m. at Kearny and Post streets and hit two pedestrians, an 18-year-old and a 17-year-old, Lazar said, in pursuit of a man on an electric bicycle. After hitting […]
Street sheet – Mission Local
Mission Local produces enterprise reporting on San Francisco's most critical issues: police reform, corruption, public health, housing and homelessness. Learn more about us, and donate below keep us reporting.Subscribe to Mission Local's daily newsletter Source: missionlocal.org
Supervisor Melgar won, now the trick will be to manage her constituents’ competing interests
District 7 incumbent Myrna Melgar faced a particularly bruising re-election campaign. She squared off against significant numbers of her own constituents by supporting hot-button issues like Proposition K to close the Great Highway to cars, and upzoning parts of her district that have been previously limited to single-family housing. “If I lose this election on this issue, then that’s the right thing to do,” Melgar said in June, after a particularly contentious meeting about zoning changes coming to her district, and the rest of the city. But she didn’t lose the election. No matter the ideological differences, most of her constituents agree: She’s good at the actual work of being a district supervisor. “When I call — somebody does get back to me,” said Peggy da Silva, a West Portal resident who has reached out to Melgar’s office over concerns like city […]
SFPD arrests woman for allegedly defacing murals across city
Police officers from Ingleside Station arrested the alleged serial Mission Street mural vandal Tuesday night. She had been filmed by bystanders on Sunday defacing a mural on Mission Street by deceased muralist Mario Cid Gonzalez. Witnesses said they observed a woman matching the suspect’s description defacing that mural months prior as well. Tuesday’s arrest of 33-year-old Ana Da Costa Pereira came after the defacing of more murals that night, including one on the side of the Excelsior District’s Central Drug Store at Mission and Santa Rosa streets. Da Costa Pereira was booked into the San Francisco County jail Tuesday night at 9:22 p.m. for vandalism of more than $400 and two counts of possession of graffiti instruments.Police said that Da Costa Pereira is responsible for multiple incidents of mural vandalism up and down Mission Street. An email sent by police to […]
