Lots of Political Choices

As we reach the pinnacle of our California primary election on June 2 – early voting by mail starts May 4 – the effect of 62 candidates of which 24 are Democrats, 12 are Republican, 19 are “no party preference” (meaning they’re Independents like me!), one Libertarian and one Peace and Freedom who present themselves as worthy of serving four years as our next governor.

Two of those contenders have abandoned their candidacies (former Congressman Eric Swalwell from Alameda County and State Treasurer Betty Yee from San Francisco). The former was exposed as a naughty boy and Ms. Yee concluded her effort was fruitless. You can, however, still vote for Oakland’s Margaret Trove of the Socialist Workers Party or Redding’s Living for God And Country De Mott whose legal name (no kidding) means: “Living a life reflecting the good character of Jesus Christ.”

Having been an Independent since May 1985, and in 1986 the first non-incumbent Independent elected to the State Senate since 1874, I note again how the two major parties continue to designate legally Independents as “no party preference,” which is less engaging than Independent. Four applicants are members of politics like the Socialist Party, which haven’t qualified as a California political party. I’m tired of Democrats turning California into a one-party state and may vote for Republican Steve Hilton although I endorsed former L.A. mayor and State Senator Antonio Villaraigosa months ago, then never heard from him. Remember that the two highest vote-getters regardless of party affiliation run again on Nov. 3 for governor under California law.

Election Endorsements

I favor Ebie Lynch, a veteran and nurse from Orangevale, for lieutenant governor; Dr. Shirley Weber for re-election as secretary of state; Malia Cohen, a Democrat, for re-election as controller; Eleni Kounalakis, who was raised in Sacramento and graduated from Dartmouth College, my alma mater, before marrying and moving to San Francisco, as state treasurer after serving two terms as our lieutenant governor; Jane Kim, a former San Francisco Board of Supervisors member who’s a strong liberal (which is what we need as insurance commissioner.) And for all you socialists, she’s endorsed by U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders.

There are four Board of Equalization Districts. San Francisco is in District 2, which extends up the California coast from Ventura County to Del Norte County, including San Mateo where John Pimentel resides. John is a Democrat and was a College of San Mateo trustee (elected by San Mateo County voters). We were engaged eight years ago in trying to qualify a new political party in California and John was uncommonly perceptive. Although the Board of Equalization is an unnecessary California appendage which should be abolished, my efforts to do so in 1997 and 1998 never succeeded but I can count on John to make it effective. Finally, I’ll probably vote for Josh Newman as superintendent of public instruction. He’s a former state senator from Fullerton. There are seven other candidates, and I won’t be offended if you pick one of them.

City Hall is at it again. For representing about 75,000 residents pursuant to electing supervisors by districts, our “heroes” are paid $175,000 annually. They have four aides who receive $125,528 to $153,647 per year, all for only serving those 75,000 constituents. The state legislature enacted in 2002 a bill called the California Voting Rights Act, with the alleged purpose of increasing minority representation by pressuring cities and counties to abandon at-large for district elections. Are we securing better service from City Hall? I don’t think so. Now, after recalling Joel Engardio as the Sunset’s supervisor, we get Alan Wong who won’t survive the June 2 primary. (As readers know, I’m backing David Lee whom April polls show is leading the pack.)

Other San Francisco Political Activity

Let’s explore more exciting SF activity, namely San Francisco International Airport, aka “SFO.” It opened in 1927 as Mills Field with 150 acres. In 1930, it became 1,112 acres with its first international flights in 1946. There’s a Coast Guard air station still on its north end. Because of Sierra Club opposition over concerns about the ecosystem, a scheduled new runway on the east end was halted. SFO is still self-supporting and makes no money for our city.

The San Francisco Unified School District confronts diminution enrollment. It’s down to about 35,000 and the district still spends taxpayer money on school busing. It’s not alone. Enrollment in California public schools declined this school year by 1.3% (74,961 students). California’s school enrollment is now 5.7 million. The largest declines were, however, in private schools with a 3.7% reduction. Charter public school enrollment dropped 1.4% and charter public schools lost 0.3%. It’s attributed to diminution of birth rates plus immigration declines. That causes budget deficits, staff layoffs, program reductions and school closures. State school funding is still about 40% of California’s general fund spending. U.S. public school enrollment has dropped 2.3%, or 1,180,000 students, since 2021. The Education Commission of the States predicts nationally a loss of another 2.7 million pupils by 2031 in the U.S. of A. It’s a national problem. The number of Hispanic students constitutes 56% of California public school students. That declined by 48,064 (1.48%). White students dropped by 31,076 (2.68%). Between 2024 and 2025 immigration to California declined from 312,761 to 109,278. The largest enrollment increases occurred in these California counties: San Joaquin (842), Placer (841), Sutter (802), Butte (200), San Benito (146), Glenn (82) and Yerba (58). (Did I hear farming is the cause?)

The California High Speed Rail Project continues to aggravate this taxpayer and one-time legislative sponsor. The latest management gimmick is offering bonus checks as much as $5 million (!) to any contractor which actually begins laying track in 2026 per a schedule the boondoggle Authority adopted in 2025. That would occur in the Central Valley, 18 years after voters approved $9.950 billion in bonds for electrified train service between San Francisco and Los Angeles, not Waco (near Bakersfield) and Madera (near Fresno) which would mean trying to compete with Amtrak. It has been running diesel trains in the Central Valley for 50 years. No hard 2026 deadline for the authority to do so exists and no track construction contractor has been selected. Wait until Governor Gavin Newsom starts campaigning for U.S. president and is questioned about what’s now his failed project.

Meanwhile, I note the minimum wage hasn’t been increased since 2009. Maybe we can celebrate America’s 250th birthday by doing so. The American Legion would like to celebrate in July with a special session of Congress in Philadelphia on July 2 and placement of the semiquincentennial time capsule, a special “ball drop celebration” in Times Square on July 2, which would be the first non-New Year’s Eve ball drop in its 120-year history. America’s Ultimate Block Party on July 4 will be a nationwide event. Maybe that can affect Mr. “Bone Spur” Trump’s signature on U.S. currency which was announced last month.

Lest I forget, we have the opportunity to elect a genuine prosecutor June 2 to the San Francisco Superior Court. That’s Phoebe Maffei, an assistant district attorney in San Francisco for more than a decade. Her only opponent is an assistant public defender. Don’t forget David Lee for District 4 Supervisor and Connie Chan for Congress. That reminds me that the mess in Washington shouldn’t be blamed on one man. It took real teamwork! And remember: “Behind every great man, there is a surprised woman.”

Congratulations to my friend Don Collins who will be inducted into the San Francisco Prep Hall of Fame on June 13, at the Basque Cultural Center in South San Francisco. Don’t forget Mother’s Day on May 10, Arbor Day on May 17 and Memorial Day on May 25. See you at the Presidio for that one!

Quentin Kopp is a former San Francisco supervisor, state senator, SF Ethics Commission member, president of the California High Speed Rail Authority governing board and retired Superior Court judge.