Ed Lee San Francisco Examiner mayoral candidate questionnaire

1. Please explain your campaign platform in 20 words or less. As mayor, Ill continue bringing San Francisco together to create jobs for every neighborhood and invest in our Citys economic future. 2. Please list your votes on the local November ballot measures School Bonds Yes Road Repaving and Street Safety Bonds Yes Pension Reform: Lee Supported Version Yes Adachi Initiative No Amending Initiative Ordinances and Policy Declaration It should be up to the voters Campaign Consultant Disclosures Yes School District Student Assignment System No 3. What is the worst budgetary problem in San Francisco and how will you address it? My administration has worked hard to restore San Francisco to a path of fiscal discipline and financial responsibility. I made tough choices this year to close a $380 million budget deficit and protect vital city services people depend on every day. Our worst budgetary problems are the structural deficits we face and a lack of financial stability to meet The Citys obligations. I am proud to have introduced long-term financial planning to The Citys budget process with The Citys first five-year financial plan and two-year budgets. I met with business and labor together to craft a real pension reform measure for November that will reduce public employee pension costs for the future and save up to $1.3 billion over the next 10 years. I will continue to drive reform and insist on greater efficiency and transparency in our city government. 4. What are your plans to attract and retain businesses in San Francisco? I have worked with the Board of Supervisors, business leaders, organized labor and the community to get our economy on the right track. From Twitter in Central Market and Zynga South of Market to the new Salesforce campus at Mission Bay, we are working every day to attract, create and retain a record number of jobs in high technology, new media, cleantech and biotech in our City. But supporting our neighborhood small businesses and jobs for every neighborhood is equally important. Thats why I will continue to capitalize our citys Small Business Revolving Loan Fund to help neighborhood small businesses and startups, continue to streamline permitting and rules for small businesses to make it easier not harder to create jobs in our city, and Ill continue to prioritize city resources to maintain vibrant neighborhood commercial corridors. And we must continue supporting our tourism industry for the future, with plans to

expand the Moscone Convention Center and new initiatives to attract more international visitors and their tourist dollars. We must build on the success of our ChinaSF initiative and our growing trade with Asia and expand these efforts to build relations with the growing markets of Latin America. Finally, we are leading efforts to prepare for the Americas Cup in 2013 and showcase San Francisco and the Bay to the world. 5. Do you support San Francisco giving tax breaks to businesses that agree to locate in economically distressed areas such as the Tenderloin district or Mid-market area? Yes, I am proud of our payroll tax reduction program that has attracted, retained and grown jobs of the future. Jobs mean revenues for The City, better services and better neighborhoods. My administration proposed and secured passage of a payroll-tax incentive for new businesses located in the Mid-Market and Tenderloin neighborhoods. In this area, storefront vacancy exceeds 30 percent. These vacancies, combined with the size of buildings and the degraded condition of some of them, makes revitalization of this area a city priority. We are already seeing the results of this effort, with companies like Zendesk expanding to Central Market and more on the way. 6. What proposals do you have for creating job growth in The City? Creating good jobs and greater opportunity for the people of San Francisco is my top priority. While San Franciscos economy is doing better than almost every other county in California, unemployment is unacceptably high and too many people are still hurting. I will make sure San Francisco remains a hub for innovation in a dynamic global economy and that we create jobs for San Franciscans in every neighborhood. I have worked with the Board of Supervisors, business leaders, organized labor and the community to get our economy on the right track. From Twitter in Central Market and Zynga South of Market to the new Salesforce campus at Mission Bay, we are working every day to attract, create and retain a record number of jobs in high technology, new media, clean tech and biotech in our City. But supporting our neighborhood small businesses and jobs for every neighborhood is equally important. Thats why I will continue to capitalize our Citys Small Business Revolving Loan Fund to help neighborhood small businesses and startups, continue to streamline permitting and rules for small businesses to make it easier not harder to create jobs in our city, and Ill continue to prioritize city resources to maintain vibrant neighborhood commercial corridors. And we must continue supporting our tourism industry for the future, with plans to expand the Moscone Convention Center and new initiatives to attract more international visitors and their tourist dollars. We must build on the success of our ChinaSF initiative and our growing trade with Asia and expand these efforts to build relations with the growing markets of Latin America. Finally, we are leading efforts to prepare for the Americas Cup in 2013 and showcase San Francisco and the Bay to the world. Finally, I support comprehensive payroll-tax reform and business tax reform. We should

not disincentivize jobs, which is what our current payroll tax does. Weve seen measurable results when weve targeted payroll tax exemptions for key industries and regions of our city, including biotech, cleantech and most recently in Central Market. A solid economic future means attracting and creating jobs for our city, which will result in better services and better neighborhoods. But in any reform of our business-tax structure, there will inevitably be winners and losers, and tax debates easily become polarizing. Thats why successful, genuine business tax reform and developing a consensus that will receive voter approval will require bringing everyone to the table, an honest discussion of all the issues and tradeoffs, and thorough public vetting and review. The solution may require state legislative action as well. I will lead this discussion and effort with a full term as mayor, bringing the same attention and focus I brought this year to developing a consensus pension reform measure to business tax reform. 7. Do you support San Franciscos policy of requiring contractors who bid on large public projects to guarantee that a significant percentage (at least 20 percent) of the work will be performed by city residents? Yes I strongly support and this policy and my administration has overseen an expansion of the local hire requirements in San Francisco. 8. Over the past decade, growth in the salary and benefits of city employees has forced The City to reduce services in a variety of areas. Are city employees overpaid? Are benefits too generous? If so, what can be done about this? The cost of city employee pension and healthcare has skyrocketed. I submitted Proposition C, a fair and balanced pension and health care reform measure, to responsibly deal with The Citys chronic funding deficits. I support this measure, which was approved unanimously by the Board of Supervisors. While cities across the nation are struggling to reign in pension costs, my administration consulted in-depth with labor, business, community and city leaders and negotiated with its labor unions to develop real pension reform. Our pension reform proposal will reduce public employee pension costs for the future and save up to $1.3 billion over the next 10 years. This comprehensive plan provides a dignified pension to city employees while remaining accountable to our taxpaying residents. 9. The state could soon allow cities and counties to add more local taxes. What additional taxes, if any, would you propose for San Francisco? In principal, I believe that tax increases should be a last resort, not a first, especially in these economic times, and they must be up to the voters to decide. I did place Prop G on the ballot a sales tax measure for new revenues for The City to protect public health and safety even as we must continue to require greater efficiency in government. Despite the best efforts of Gov. Jerry Brown and Democrats in the Legislature, the state allowed a 1 percent sales tax rate to expire on July 1. This left a huge hole in the state budget that has been filled by cuts to funding for local programs and shifting responsibility for state functions onto local governments. We must do our part to protect San Franciscos

programs and services, bring our fiscal house into order, and end the cycle of repeated budget deficits. In these challenging economic times, we are seeking to restore the sales tax locally by one half of one cent to protect public safety programs and preserve the social safety net for our citys most vulnerable. This is a balanced measure that will save city services while still allowing San Franciscans to experience a decline in the sales tax rate from the rate weve been paying for the past two years. 10. What should be done to make Muni more efficient? What changes should be made to address the MTAs annual operating deficit? At the top of my list is real Muni reform that provides the leadership and infrastructure to provide for the real transportation needs of our city. For too many San Franciscans, getting around The City is all too often a frustrating experience. Muni riders deserve a system thats affordable, accessible and reliable. Thats why I pushed hard for new leadership at SFMTA that can bring a new vision, deep commitment and a can-do spirit to the agency that San Franciscans rely on every single day. I strongly supported the appointment of Ed Reiskin to head the SFMTA. Eds highly effective and results-oriented leadership skills have been clearly demonstrated as he oversaw the introduction of our innovative 311 Customer Service Center and led our Public Works agency to greater efficiency and responsiveness. Ed and I are committed to working with residents, neighborhood leaders, business, labor and others to deliver results for Muni. A new way of thinking about the same old problems back-door boarding, full TEP implementation, renewed investment in the rolling stock this is how we make Muni the world class system that San Francisco deserves. Theres a lot more to do, but in just over one month on the job, were already seeing some positive changes in the agency under Reiskin, including the new highly successful N-Judah Express bus, a lower rate of absenteeism among drivers and the beginnings of a better working relationship between drivers and management. Working together, we are committed to fully realizing our citys Transit First Policy. The easier and safer we make bicycling, walking, and riding the bus, the more people will leave their cars at home. I envision a true transit-first city, meaning that San Franciscans will want to take alternative transportation to their kids schools, their doctors appointments, and to and from work. 11. Homelessness still seems to be the foremost topic on the minds of voters. What's your plan to get people off the streets, especially when they refuse help? I am committed to continuing the fight to end chronic homelessness in our city. Providing housing and supportive services not cash handouts is the only dignified and compassionate way to move people off our streets and into more stable, productive lives. When an effort to repeal Care Not Cash was introduced at the Board of Supervisors earlier this year, I was the first to step forward and say no way and the initiative was withdrawn. San Francisco made real progress under Mayor Gavin Newsom moving people off the streets and into supporting housing and services, but we cannot let up on

those efforts. My administration will continue to support and build upon a continuum of care for homeless individuals. We know that homelessness is a problem that is connected to many other issues, such as economic opportunity, housing affordability, mental health and other community support. The solution to chronic homelessness emphasizes a coordinated approach allowing individuals opportunities for housing along with supportive services to provide the dignity of a lock and key and ensure their long-term success in our city. In the face of tough budget choices, I have preserved The Citys investments in our highly effective Homeless Outreach Teams, supportive services and new housing for homeless seniors, veterans and families. My administration has continued funding for nonprofit partners that provide critical shelter, housing and services to move and keep people off the streets, and introduced new measures to hold them accountable for results. San Franciscans will never end homelessness without assistance, so I am working to forge regional, state and national partnerships. I will continue and expand on these partnerships to reduce homelessness on our streets. We must also do more to combat aggressive panhandling, a concern to residents and visitors alike. Working with merchants and neighborhood organizations, we recently launched a renewed effort to offer services and appropriate employment opportunities in certain aggressive panhandling hotspots like Union Square and Mid-Market paired with an increased law enforcement presence. We will evaluate the effectiveness of this stepped up, more coordinated approach in the coming weeks. 12. In 2010, The City amended its Police Code to prohibit sitting or lying on a public sidewalk in San Francisco between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m., with certain exceptions. Do you support this policy? I supported this initiative and am working with Chief Greg Suhr to ensure that it is implemented in a manner that is fair to everyone. 12. Do you support the Parkmerced and CMPC developments as currently proposed? I believe that it is important that we provide for the long-term housing needs of our residents. It is vital to support the growth of affordable-housing opportunities in order to help our middle-income residents and families to be able to afford staying in San Francisco. I have supported some of the largest-scale increases in affordable housing our city has seen in decades at Hunters Point, Treasure Island, Parkmerced and more. I have also supported a number of important smaller-scale projects that serve specific populations such as seniors and veterans. I am currently working with CPMC to secure an agreement that will provide critical infrastructure for San Franciscos future health care needs. I did not believe that CPMCs originally proposed package of community benefits was sufficient, given that they are exempted from paying property taxes as well as other city and county fees, and we expect more. I look forward to reaching an agreement with CPMC so this important development project to provide safe and modern hospital facilities can move forward

with appropriate, tangible community benefits. 13. Do you support increasing the number of permits to allow the conversion of rental properties into condos? I am open to also discussing proposals for condo conversion reform and accelerating conversions that include strong tenant protections. 14. Some people in San Francisco think that all tenants should be protected by rent control, regardless of the tenants income or wealth. Other people in San Francisco think that tenants should be protected by rent control only if they are lower or middle class, and cannot afford to pay market-level rents. What is your opinion on this issue? I oppose this proposal because I do not want to create a climate where landlords rent only to higher-income tenants to avoid rent-control requirements. I began my career advocating for tenants rights and I have spent my career helping to ensure the rights of both tenants and property owners are safe-guarded and fairly administered. I believe that through an open government process that includes stakeholders, we can continue to find a balance between these rights. In San Francisco, housing scarcity can cause economic pressures that make it difficult for residents to continue to afford living in our city. I will continue policies that promote opportunities for affordable housing for both renters and homeowners at every income level. I strongly support our tenant laws and rights as a method to safeguarding our low and moderate-income residents ability to call San Francisco their home. 15. In 2009, San Francisco began turning over undocumented youths arrested for felonies to federal immigration authorities for possible deportation. The Board of Supervisors subsequently directed the City not to turn over undocumented youths unless they have been convicted of a felony, rather than simply arrested. What is your opinion on this issue? I strongly support San Franciscos Sanctuary City Policy that protects undocumented immigrant residents from harassment or fear of persecution by local government and law enforcement officials when they send their children to school, access city services, or cooperate with police in an investigation. Public health and safety are undermined if undocumented immigrant residents live in fear of deportation or persecution. As mayor, I amended The Citys implementation of our Sanctuary City Policy in order to protect youth who are accused but not convicted of a felony, have family in The City and pose no flight risk. I have also expressed concern about the way the federal Secure Communities initiative has been implemented, targeting nonviolent, undocumented residents in some cases. I support comprehensive federal immigration reform in order to provide opportunities and a path to legal immigration. I will continue to protect the needs of families and their children by ensuring that all our residents feel safe to access city services regardless of immigration status. I am committed to protecting all families, including same-sex couples still denied marriage equality and, as a result, risk separation due to the deportation of one partner.

16. More than 5,000 children have left San Francisco over the last decade. What's your plan to keep families living in San Francisco? Our city can only maintain its unique diversity if there is affordable housing for every income level. An economic squeeze on low- and moderate-income homes can mean that families might have to move out of our city. I will pursue a number of initiatives to increase the supply of affordable housing not limited to bond measures. My administration will continue to implement policies to ease the financial and other burdens faced by our families in San Francisco. Im proud that my administration has aggressively implemented our local-hire program to provide jobs to San Franciscans from disadvantaged neighborhoods. We have also established new public safety initiatives like the Ambassadors Program to keep our communities safer and bridge cultural divides. And we must continue to be a strong partner to our public schools, creating a collegegoing culture and working with the School District and the School Board to make every neighborhood school a great school. 17. What are your plans to curb gang violence in The City? San Francisco remains one of the safest big cities in America, but we can do better and gang violence continues to be a problem in some neighborhoods. One of my top priorities is public safety and that is why I appointed Greg Suhr as police chief. In the last 100 days, we are seeing that Chief Suhr was the right choice, someone who works with the community and partners with our law enforcement partners to keep The City safe and prevent crime. I work closely with the Police Department, our District Attorney and our supervisors like Jane Kim, David Campos and Malia Cohen to address gang violence and provide young people an alternative to gangs jobs, education and recreational opportunities. By addressing these root causes of gang violence and using smart, datadriven crime strategies and community policing and involvement, we can make progress in reducing gang violence in some of our neighborhoods and housing complexes.