Voting for District 7's Interests — Props L & G
Editor's Note: All election recommendations are the opinion of the author, the Westside Observer does not endorse candidates or measures and welcomes opinions to the contrary.
•••••••••• November 1, 2022 ••••••••••
On your November 8 ballot, you will see many propositions to vote on. From protecting the right to choose to increasing voter access, San Franciscans will have the power to shape the future of our state and our City. With so many crucial decisions on the ballot, we cannot overlook Proposition L and Proposition G. Prop L will dedicate new resources to fund transportation projects. Prop G will provide over $1 million in grants to community schools using state funding. Fear not, neither proposition will increase taxes for San Franciscans.
Passing prop L will ensure it’s easy, convenient, and predictable for our west side community members to get where they need to go—within their neighborhoods and across the entire city. Prop L most directly helps people who take Muni or who walk (through traffic calming). But it also helps drivers by paying for road repaving. Crucially, it includes investments in paratransit for seniors and people with disabilities who can’t use Muni independently. Last year, paratransit services provided SF community residents with almost half a million trips – a lifeline to get people to doctor’s appointments, grocery stores, visit with their grandkids, and more. And it helps us all by improving emergency vehicle response times by paying for new, “smart” traffic signals that can keep the traffic light green when a fire truck or ambulance needs it. Muni riders will enjoy new vehicles, including our eventual transition to an all-electric fleet, which directly helps us combat the climate crisis.
I worry that without these resources, our most vulnerable west side community members—from school kids to seniors, and everyone in between —will continue to face unneeded challenges as we recover from this pandemic.”
Prop G will utilize excess ERAF funding the state has been setting aside to create a Student Success Fund that invests in community schools, which include social workers, nurses, mental health providers, community members, and trained coordinators. We know that schools have the capacity to be much more than classrooms; for many students, they are the primary resource for nutrition and healthcare as well. The community school model embraces this philosophy by creating a space for students and their families to access many of the most essential services all in one familiar place. Our students are still suffering from the devastating impact of the pandemic and the learning loss and trauma that it caused. As our City and our students struggle to recover, we have the opportunity to leverade the full potential of funds we have already dedicated to our youngest San Franciscans.
All of us see the room for improvement of San Francisco’s transportation system and in our public schools. We know that we can and we will do better. But that’s only possible if we pass Proposition L and Proposition G. I worry that without these resources, our most vulnerable west side community members—from school kids to seniors, and everyone in between —will continue to face unneeded challenges as we recover from this pandemic.
Myrna Melgar is the elected Supervisor for District 7
November 2022
