Schools and Communities First
The League of Women Voters California is part of a coalition that qualified the California Schools and Local Communities Funding Act of 2018 for the ballot in California in 2020! On August 14, 2018, Schools and Communities First announced the submission of over 870,000 signatures to the 58 County Registrars to qualify the California Schools and Local Communities Funding Act for the November 2020 ballot. This will be the first commercial property tax reform initiative to qualify for the ballot in the 40 years since Proposition 13 passed in 1978.
The California Schools and Local Communities Funding Act restores $11 billion for schools, community colleges and other vital community services, including emergency responder services, parks, libraries, health clinics, trauma centers, affordable housing, homeless services, and roads.
At LWVSF’s Program Planning meeting in January 2019, our members voted to prioritize supporting this effort for the next two years. If you are interested in getting involved with this initiative, please email volunteer@lwvsf.org.
Policing Practices
The San Francisco Police Department has hundreds of reform initiatives. You deserve clear explanations of what these reforms will do. How are they prioritized? Who is responsible? Why are we making these changes? How will this impact my life? What about my neighbor’s life? How do we know if a reform is working? What if some people benefit, but other people suffer? Your questions and comments on policing practices will change what happens.
Download our Police in San Francisco FAQ Flyer.
If you are interested in getting involved with this initiative, please email volunteer@lwvsf.org.
Sunshine Ordinance
San Francisco Administrative Code Chapter 67—the Sunshine Ordinance—is San Francisco’s open government law, enacted in 1993 by the Board of Supervisors and signed by former Mayor Frank Jordan. San Francisco voters amended and approved the current version of the Ordinance in November 1999 as Proposition G. The ordinance is based on the California Public Records Act and the state open meetings law, which is known as the Ralph M. Brown Act. It draws additional authority from Article I, Section 3 of the California Constitution and is intended to ensure and broaden the public’s access to local government guaranteed by state law.
The League maintains a permanent seat on the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force. Our Advocacy Team continues to educate voters about the Sunshine Ordinance and support efforts to strengthen the legislation through an upcoming ballot proposition.
If you are interested in getting involved with this initiative, please email volunteer@lwvsf.org
