Welcome back to our “Meet the Candidates” series, where we ask the District 9 supervisorial hopefuls in the November 2024 election one question each week. Candidates are asked to answer questions on policy, ideology and more in 100 words or fewer.
Answers are being published individually each week, but we are also archiving the weekly series here.
If you know of other political events, let me know and I will add them to the post.
We will not post a question next week, but we will be back the week after.
I will be at Cafe de Olla (3388 19 St.) at 5. p.m. on Thursday September 6, to say hello and talk about the district, or you can email me at oscar.palma@missionlocal.com.
This week’s question: What is your position on automated vehicles operating in San Francisco? Do you have any safety concerns? Did you support Senator Cortese’s SB 915?.
Roberto Hernandez
- Job: CEO, Cultura y Arte Nativa de Las Americas (CANA).
- Age: 67
- Residency: Homeowner, born in the Mission in June 1956 and has not left
- Transportation: Car and bicycle
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in sociology from University of San Francisco
- Languages: English and Spanish
San Francisco is a city of innovation, with the benefits and opportunities that forward-thinking technology provides. At the same time, we value community safety and respect our workers by ensuring a just transition for those whose livelihoods are impacted by new technologies.
I supported SB915 because I felt it struck the right balance between responsible deployment of autonomous vehicles and the need to ensure public safety and mitigated impact on workers, especially when it comes to union jobs in transportation and parcel delivery that have supported thousands of District 9 families.
Endorsed by: Alice B. Toklas LGBTQ+ Democratic Club, Firefighters Union, United Educators of SF (#2), San Francisco DCCC (#2), Civil Rights Leader Dolores Huerta… read more here.
Julian Bermudez
- Job: Works in and directs his family business, Rancho Grande Appliance
- Age: 27
- Residency: Born San Francisco in 1996, raised on and off in District 9 until he left for college in 2015, then the army in 2019 and now back, living in the Mission
- Transportation: Carpool/catch a ride
- Education: City College of San Francisco, Chico State University
- Languages: English and Spanish
My opinion on AVs is that residents should have a say in whether or not a company’s AVs are used in San Francisco. Audio, video, and other recordings cannot be sold, and law enforcement must get a subpoena to retrieve them. Free transportation for the elderly and disabled. To publicly report any events or accidents involving an AV. My biggest safety issue is the capacity of first responders to move automobiles on demand; giving them a code or a unique key to take control of the vehicle is sufficient. Yes, I support SB 915.
Endorsed by: SFGOP… read more here
h brown
- Job: Retired special education teacher
- Age: 80
- Residency: Tenant, at current address for nine years, redistricted into District 9 in April 2022
- Transportation: Walking
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in education and master’s degree in special education from Clemson University
- Languages: English
I support Local Control over most things.
Including Cortese’s SB 915.
Remember when we used to argue about every Cell Phone Tower cause they’re dangerous ?
Remember when a 4 story or more building going up next door wasn’t a No-Notice Surprise ?
The Modern ethos is to ‘do it now and apologize later’
In between you donate generously to a few of the right campaigns for candidates or charities which are the same thing.
Pretty much all politicians are Empire Builders and their increased Power comes out of your pocket or blocks the view out your window.
Screw the Wiener Philosophy !
Endorsed by: No endorsements listed.
Jackie Fielder
- Job: Nonprofit co-director at Stop the Money Pipeline. Former educator at San Francisco State University, co-founder of the San Francisco Public Bank Coalition. Democratic Socialist
- Age: 29
- Residency: Tenant, lived in District 9 September 2017 to June 2018, October 2019 to August 2020 ,and April 2021 to present
- Transportation: Public
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in public policy and master’s degree in sociology from Stanford University
- Languages: English and Spanish
I supported SB 915 which guarantees that local government has a say in regulating AVs operating on our streets. Between January 2023 and February 2024, our fire department reported at least 85 incidents in which AVs have negatively impacted firefighters’ operations or interfered with emergency responses. SB 915 ensures that law enforcement, fire, and emergency responders can intervene in a wayward AV that interferes with a response to an emergency.
Endorsed by United Educators of SF (#1), Small Business Forward, SF Women’s Political Committee (#1), Bernal Heights Democratic Club, California Nurses Association… read more here.
Trevor Chandler
- Job: Public school teacher since 2023. Former director of government and public policy at Citizen, a public safety app.
- Age: 37
- Residency: Tenant, living in District 9 since July 2021
- Transportation: Public
- Education: Plymouth State University
- Languages: English
Today, a quarter of San Franciscans are signed up for Waymo, a strong indication that residents want this option for transportation. The existing regulatory framework appears to be working, with AVs achieving a better safety record than human ride share. By reducing crashes, AVs will help us achieve Vision Zero. I’m pleased to see AV companies are working better with the concerns of law enforcement and first responders.
Additionally, AVs have become a tourist attraction reintroducing San Francisco’s cutting-edge technology to the world. We should continue to improve regulations while ensuring San Francisco continues to welcome new frontiers.
Endorsed by: San Francisco DCCC (#1), Latino LGBTQ political organization HONOR PAC, Chinese American Democratic Club, SF League of Conservation Voters, LIUNA Local 261… read more here
Jaime Gutierrez
- Job: Transit supervisor for SFMTA/Muni
- Age: 57
- Residency: Tenant, born in District 9 in 1967 and, except for three years spent in the Army, has resided here ever since
- Transportation: Bike
- Education: U.S. Army, City College of San Francisco, University of California, Berkeley
- Languages: English and Spanish
Autonomous vehicles are needed in our city, but it is important to consider how vehicles interact with emergency personnel, the public, bicyclists, and ADA persons on the streets. SB 915 is a logical step in the right direction because it gives communities autonomy regarding autonomous vehicle testing. No two communities are the same. Each one has different variables and different needs regarding the use of autonomous vehicle technology. SB 915 does not prevent technological advances; it keeps them from running amuck for the sake of innovation. Sacrificing public safety for the sake of technological advancement is not an option.
Endorsed by: Transportation Workers Union Local 200 … read more here
Stephen Torres
- Job: Bartender at Twin Peaks Tavern, customer service at Flowercraft Nursery and freelance writer
- Age: 46
- Residency: Tenant, lived in District 9 summer 2001 to fall 2003, and returned in the summer 2010
- Transportation: Public
- Education: Moorpark Community College and San Francisco City College as work has permitted
- Languages: English and Spanish
As I shared at the Monkeybrains forum, I have concerns about any fast-tracked implementation that has had little vetting, regulation and oversight and support any legislation that puts control back in the hands of local communities. San Francisco has been a center of innovation and advancement for much of its history, but implementation IRL must acknowledge every component. Not much is ironed out around autonomous vehicles from the environmental pollution at charging stations, to image and audio data collection required for operation, to liability when a vehicle causes a collision, or worse yet, a death.
Endorsed by: Former state Senator Mark Leno, District 9 supervisor Hillary Ronen, District 3 Supervisor Aaron Peskin, Harvey Milk Democratic Club (#2), National Union of Healthcare Workers… read more here
District 9 contributions
Candidates are rotated alphabetically. Answers may be lightly edited for formatting, spelling, and grammar. If you have questions for the candidates, please let us know at oscar.palma@missionlocal.com
Read the rest of the District 9 questions here, and the entire “Meet the Candidates” series here.
You can register to vote via the sf.gov website. Illustrations for the series by Neil Ballard.
About the author
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