By Calvin Welch, HANC Board

Haight-Ashbury voters, according to the latest "preliminary" vote count from San Francisco Department of Elections ( Preliminary Report 11) , cast the highest percentage of its vote against recall of any of the 23 "neighborhoods" reported by the Department of Elections: of the 10,177 votes cast in the neighborhood 9,652 (94.85%) were NO on the recall. Just as San Francisco cast the highest percentage of no votes in the state (86.1%) , the Haight-Ashbury cast the highest in San Francisco, showing once again we are the most "San Franciscan" voters in the City.

The Newsom campaign claimed (and the media parroted the claim) a major victory in that it had succeeded in "nationalizing" the recall campaign, that is making voters believe that in voting against the recall they were voting against Trump. That may be true here but that is what not happened in the rest of San Francisco, however.

Trump in 2020 got 56,000 votes in San Francisco while the recall got only 47,000 votes so perhaps even Trumpers voted against the recall. In six of the 11 Supervisorial Districts -1,2,3,4,6,and 7- the recall garnered a higher percentage of the vote than did Trump in 2020. Indeed, in what should be a major concern for Democrats, in communities of color in San Francisco more pro recall votes were cast than the Citywide average, sometimes a lot more:

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Please join us on Thursday, October 14, at 7:00 pm.  Our meeting will focus on recall elections, past and present.  Professor Rick Ayers, from the University of San Francisco, will discuss the origin and history of recalls in California, as well as possible reforms.  Calvin Welch will discuss how the Haight-Ashbury voted in the recent recall election.

To join the meeting, copy this link:
https://zoom.us/j/97001985280?pwd=Nkx2UVFPSTRVWGVXUVZEbFRkb0xwQT09
Or, with the Zoom app:

Meeting ID: 970 0198 5280
Passcode: 333544

Zoom also provides telephone numbers.  These are not toll-free numbers.  Check with your phone company before you incur charges.

The closest number is:
        +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
Meeting ID: 970 0198 5280
Passcode: 333544
Additional numbers can be found at: https://zoom.us/u/acJ3FRWOWk

Nominations for the HANC Board are open through the election at our November Meeting. 

All current HANC members are eligible to serve and to nominate other members. 

If you would like to serve, or would like to nominate someone, you can do so before the vote at the November meeting. 

The term is from December, 2021 through November, 2022.

By Tes Welborn, HANC Board

California, and mainly other western states, have three tools of direct democracy that allow a majority of ordinary citizens to directly make or change law and to recall elected officials. The Recall allows CA voters to remove from office any statewide elected official at any time, and for any reason.

A recall must provide signatures from registered voters equaling at least 12% of the total number of ballots cast in that elected official's last election. The Initiative and the Referendum can be discussed in a future newsletter.

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By Jim Rhoads, HANC Board

“Cosi” Lee Fabian (Harrison) Pavalko passed away on July 21, 2021.   An Ashbury Street resident for 40 years, she was vibrant and multifaceted.  She was, among other things, an artist, activist, dog walker (her dog walking service was called “Mary Poopins”), and friend to many. She was instrumental in saving the 6 Parnassus bus route for our neighborhood a few years ago, led a neighborhood senior discussion group, established her own English garden in the front yard next to her home. Cosi’s life was celebrated at the San Francisco Columbarium on Saturday, September 25th. Her niche there is in the

Aphrodite room. Please go to the obituary link below to read more of the story of her fascinating life:

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/sfgate/name/cosi-pavalko-obituary?pid=200141477&_ga=2.3738608.116332451.1632849452-1762064631.1632849452

HANC drafted a letter urging SFMTA to restore the #6 and #21 bus lines.  Our letter was supported by Senior Disability Action, SF Gray Panthers SDA Transit Justice, the Chinese Immersion School at DeAvila, Neighbors United, and many individuals. 

The letter was presented at the SFMTA Board meeting on September 21.  In part, the letter states:

"SFMTA Director Jeff Tumlin says that the SFMTA 'cannot afford' to re-open all lines and refuses to say when or if the 6 and 21 will be re-activated.  SFMTA's own figures show that 70% of the riders of these lines are low income people who cannot afford another form of transportation.  Both lines form part of the MUNI 'equity strategy' and are in the top 15 (out of some 95 lines) in providing service to senior and disabled community members.  San Franciscans cannot afford NOT TO re-open the 21 and 6 lines."

The full text of the letter can be downloaded here: https://www.hanc-sf.org/the-voice-and-docs/general-reference/SFMTA---Restore-the-6-and-the-21/ .  We continue to urge the full restoration of these important neighborhood-serving bus lines.

By Christin Evans, HANC Board

At the Haight Ashbury Neighborhood Council’s September meeting, the first hour centered on the recent appearance of numerous automated vehicles emblazoned with corporate logos.  Representatives of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), and the companies Waymo, Cruise and Zoox were on hand to answer our community’s questions about what impact these new vehicles have.

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We reported on Robert Leon’s passing in the April issue of the Voice (https://www.hanc-sf.org/24-home/610-in-memory-of-robert-m-leon ).  Robert’s sister, Elsie provided us with this report:

A heartfelt farewell was held for Robert Leon over the 4^th of July weekend by family and friends.  A memorial was held at Angel Island from the flagship boat of the Oakland A’s.   May Robert rest in peace.

Thank you San Francisco.