SF: Precinct Walking To Save Rent Control

Precinct walking has started to save rent control in San Francisco and we need EVERYONE at the barricades to save our homes. It is 7 weeks to election day and only 3 weeks until Vote by Mail starts, when at least one-third of the voters will vote. Whether or not you are a San Francisco voter, you can participate in the campaign. It is absolutely mandatory that every single tenant voter in San Francisco vote in this election if we are to defeat Prop R, the Repeal of Rent Control; defeat Prop N, the anti-homeless prop., and pass Prop D, for public power.

Campaigns are decided in the precincts and every precinct we walk, we win. We have 600-plus precincts to cover in a short time, so we need you now. The weekly updates on precinct-walking and street fair leafleting can be found at: http://www.saverentcontrol.com

PRECINCT WALKING IS FOR EVERYONE

Teenagers can learn a great deal about our government and grassroots political organizing by doing precinct walking. All we do is go from residence to residence and leave one flyer for each doorbell at the front door. We do not have to speak to anyone. We have the precinct maps and a very well-done informational flyer to place at each residential building. The hills of San Francisco need the youthful energy of teenagers, so all teenagers, please join us in this crucial effort to save our homes.

Parents of small children can also participate in precinct-walking. Just put the child in a stroller and put the literature in a knapsack hung from the handlebars. This is a good family activity and always impresses the neighborhood where the precinct-walking is done.

MAXIMIZING TURNOUT IS CRUCIAL

While tenants are 2/3 of the residents, we are 50% of the voters in a high voter turnout election which the governor’s general election usually is, but this year’s governor’s race is uninspiring, and half of the San Francisco supervisorial districts are not up for election, so we will have to work hard to push the tenants to the polls. Since tenants are not regular voters, we must campaign up to the very last minute with precinct-walking, street leafleting and phone banking . Your help is needed now.

We need to see 100 people every Saturday to walk precincts. Since we each walk 2 precincts, that translates into 200 precincts every Saturday. If we could have that turnout, we could easily cover the 600-plus precincts of San Francisco . We are also leafleting street fairs on Sundays. Please check the website regularly and contact the Committee to Save Rent Control for weekly updates at:
Committee to Save Rent Control
558 Capp Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
415-282-5525
General Contact:
info [at] saverentcontrol.org
Volunteer Contact:
volunteer [at] saverentcontrol.org

WHY WE MUST DEFEAT PROPOSITION R

The general alarm for tenants, all cultural organizations and all progressive political organizations was sounded when Proposition R, the Rent Control Repeal initiative, was placed on the ballot for the November 5, 2002 election. If you are a tenant and want a roof over your head, you must help defeat Prop. R. The existence of all small cultural organizations and our world class San Francisco Opera, Symphony, Ballet and American Conservatory Theater depend on the existence of rent control for their labor force. San Francisco is the home of the West Coast Section of the National Peace Marches because we have rent control, making it possible for the peace community to live here. All businesses in San Francisco depend upon the existence of rent control in San Francisco for their labor force. San Francisco cannot afford the repeal of rent control, which is Proposition R. WE MUST HAVE EVERYONE CAMPAIGNING NO ON R NOW.

REGISTER TO VOTE TODAY
Voter information can be found at:
http://www.sfgov.org/election/contact.htm

Information on the San Francisco ballot propositions can be found at: http://www.sfgov.org/election/guides/measures110502election.htm
Information on the California ballot propositions can be found at:http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/elections_j.htm#2002General
and with pro and con explanation and references at:
http://www.calvoter.org/2002/general/propositions/index.html

Tenant Voter recommends:
This tenant voter also does not usually support bonds. It is far better if the money comes from the general fund and the sooner people send that message to the Legislature, etc., the sooner they will have to cut back on prisons, the police and the military.
California: Yes on 52, No on all the rest. (You would be safe in voting a Bingo No on the California propositions).
San Francisco: Please note, on Prop B, the housing bond, tenants will be expected to pay for those bonds.
No on A, B, C, M, N, Q, R, Bart Bond
Yes on D through L, O, P, S