S.F. voters to decide on election ban for commissioners

A City Charter amendment to bar candidates in San Francisco from sitting on city boards or commissions will go before voters in June, the Board of Supervisors decided Tuesday.

The measure sponsored by Supervisor Aaron Peskin resurrects an old Willie Brown rule that said no city politician could run a campaign while holding a low-level government position. It was approved on a 7-4 vote.

Peskin framed the measure as an ethics policy, noting that commissioners and members of city boards make many crucial decisions related to permitting, land use and city policies.

The likelihood that a commissioner or board member’s vote could be influenced “increases exponentially” at the point he or she decides to run for office, Peskin said.

The measure hit resistance from Supervisor Malia Cohen, who pointed out that many people start their careers on these appointed government bodies and that Peskin’s rule “might dissuade (them) from running for a position of power.”

Supervisor Hillary Ronen asked the city attorney to revive for reconsideration a failed ballot measure by former Supervisor John Avalos that would require the mayor to appoint temporary caretakers to fill vacant elected seats in city government. Those caretakers would be banned from running in the next election.

Also on Tuesday, the board voted 10-1 to finally approve a resolution to change the name of Columbus Day to Indigenous People’s Day. Supervisor Ahsha Safai is pursuing a separate measure to recognize the historical legacy of Italian Americans, many of whom consider Columbus Day part of their ancestral heritage.

Peskin, the lone dissenter, wanted to send the resolution back to committee so that it could find a way to recognize the contributions of Italian Americans as well. His district includes North Beach, home of Columbus Avenue and the city’s old Italian neighborhood.