Editor:

We are in the midst of an unprecedented but also singularly disconcerting electoral season. The wealthy are trying to both buy our elections (including the mayorship) and control even more of our open space. And, as they have in the past, they may well succeed. 

During her first four-year term on the Board of Supervisors, Connie Chan has made a strong, if ultimately unsuccessful, attempts to moderate attempts by wealthy, connected interests to control our public space for their benefit. In doing so, she has also stood up to two of our most egregiously highhanded city agencies. Last year in August she implored our “progressive” mayor that Geary Boulevard merchants not “suffer the mismanagement of our transit agency by ideologue bureaucrats.” Her plea fell on deaf ears.

Giving that Chan was previously the spokeswoman for Rec. and Park, it was both surprising and delightful to see her take on this neoliberalized department – not just once, but twice!  Her attempts at fighting corruption were viewed as such a threat that her portion of the park was removed during the redistricting process and reassigned to Myrna Melgar. Melgar, a legislator who passionately believed that the Ferris wheel needed to be in the Concourse for four more years to assist with San Francisco’s economic recovery, is a machine-compliant politician.

When the controversial Skystar “observation wheel” was up for renewal in 2021, Chan’s bid to have the already contractually-concluded eyesore remain for just one more year was not supported by the majority of her fellow co-opted supervisors. Chan later took on the scandalous behavior of Parks Alliance – behavior for which this den of elitist vipers remains unrepentant to this day. In response to an audit, Parks Alliance CEO Drew Becher threatened her, mafia-style, with the withdrawal of his support for a Richmond Playground’s fundraising!

Last year, when the privatization of the Tea Garden was on the agenda, Chan attempted to push back against the outrageously high weekend entry fees for “nonresidents.” I called in a few times to implore Haney and Safai, two gofers for the system, to at least allow us (and the veterans) to bring a guest. My entreaties were ignored. It is unfair that we need to join the San Francisco Botanical Garden Society to bring a guest, just as it is unfair that California residents must pay to walk on roads their bond funds paid for. The three formerly public facilities currently serve as a cash cow and fiefdom for Stephanie Linder’s San Francisco Botanical Garden Society.  

This year Chan has been boldly speaking out against the gentrifying ballot initiative to close the Upper Great Highway 24/7 and litter it with banners, rental bikes and scooters, kitschy art and food trucks, much as has been done on JFK Drive. This  divisive measure is enthusiastically supported by Supervisors Melgar, Preston, Engardio, as well as the Bicycle Coalition, WalkSF and the entire real estate lobby. 

Chan should have pushed back harder. Another Planet Entertainment should never have been permitted to pour a humongous, concrete boomerang out at the polo fields, let alone present an additional elitist-geared concert. It is outrageous that we lost public control of the Tea Garden. The diesel-run Skystar should have been sent packing at the end of its one year term. “Nonprofits” should not be able to wreak their will as they may do at present. (The latest obscenity is a planned light show at the privatized Strybing Arboretum).  Yet, had either of Chan’s two conservative female opponents been in this office, they would not have pushed back at all. The choice is clear!

Our unelected bureaucrats, whose enormous salaries we pay, believe themselves not only to know better than us, but to be right about absolutely everything. They have rendered themselves impervious to any real critique. Publicity for superficial agency meetings is purposefully and perpetually insufficient, while also often misleading. But they always find times to secretly meet with elites behind our back. This needs to change. We need a voice in what happens. We require action, substantive information, equity, and inclusion. Not “joy” and “activation” catering to special interests! Vote to re-elect Connie Chan on Nov. 5. 

Harry S. Pariser