NO ON PROP B
On Election Day, November 6
Vote NO on Proposition B!
THERE IS NO COMPELLING REASON TO APPROVE THE ‘PRIVACY FIRST’ MEASURE; IT WOULD PUT NO PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION INTO LAW.
THERE IS A VERY COMPELLING REASON TO REJECT IT: IT WILL PUT CITY HALL TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY AT SEVERE RISK.
PROPOSITION B, THE PROPOSED “PRIVACY FIRST” AMENDMENT TO THE CITY CHARTER, IS NOT NECESSARY.
The Board of Supervisors could right now pass the personal-data privacy laws that the measure’s proponents talk about. And regardless of whether Proposition B passes, there is no telling how watered-down the laws would be because of backroom deals between City Hall and tech-industry lobbyists.
PROPOSITION B WOULD OPEN THE DOOR TO WEAKENING THE CITY’S VOTER-PASSED GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY LAW.
San Francisco has the nation’s strongest local government transparency law, the Sunshine Ordinance, which the voters passed in 1999. Proposition B would let the Board of Supervisors amend it in ways “not inconsistent” with the ordinance’s “purpose or intent” (proposed Charter Section 16.130, Subsection (i)).
But if anti-sunshine forces regain a majority on the board, they could twist the meanings of “not inconsistent” and “purpose or intent.” So could the city attorney – the person who defends city officials and agencies accused of violating local and state open-meeting and public-record laws. They could pass amendments gutting the Sunshine Ordinance.
What’s more, amendments strengthening the ordinance could be vetoed by the mayor. And our current mayor, London Breed, has clearly shown a strong dislike of sunshine.
San Franciscans for Sunshine is part of a growing list of Proposition B opponents, which also includes:
- Society of Professional Journalists, NorCal Chapter
- Pacific Media Workers Guild (The NewsGuild-CWA Local 39521)
- League of Women Voters of San Francisco
- San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association (SPUR)
- San Francisco Labor Council
- First Amendment Coalition
- City Democratic Club
- Eastern Neighborhoods Democratic Club
- Irish American Democratic Club
- San Francisco Green Party
- Libertarian Party of San Francisco
- San Francisco Chronicle
- San Francisco Examiner
- San Francisco Bay Guardian
PROPOSITION B WOULD ENDANGER CITY HALL TRANSPARENCY. IT WOULD GIVE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TOO MUCH POWER. AND IT GUARANTEES NOTHING. VOTE NO!
For further information or to give feedback, email SanFranciscansforSunshine@gmail.com
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