10/3: SF No on N Campaign Kickoff; Phone Bank for No on N; Ballot Arguments

The SF No on N campaign kickoff is October 3. Phone bankers and precinct walkers are also needed for this outrageous, anti-workingclass proposition. This article contains the press release on the kickoff and the ballot arguments against Prop. N.

If you are not working to defeat Props N and R or to pass Prop D, please get involved in any one of these campaigns right now as we have only 5 weeks until election day, November 5, 2002.

In the course of my precinct-walking against another viciously anti-tenant issue funded by the same anti-tenant ruling class, Prop R also known as repeal of rent control, I have noticed precisely who it is that has so much contempt for the workingclass that they do not hesitate to pretend to run a rich young hoodlum for mayor, Sup. Gavin Newsom of Marina/Pacific Heights, knowing he is simply too young and without a mass base to get elected, on the basis of attacking the lives of homeless tenants, namely Prop. N. Only the swankiest homes had Prop N signs in their windows. These people obviously never had to struggle for anything in their lives. The arrogance of such people knows no bounds. They act as if this is some kind of life and death issue in their lives when in fact it is all a despicable game, and it means the destruction of the lives of the homeless, about whom these filthy rich hoodlums could care less. Prop N does not guarantee housing to the homeless at all; it simply takes away the cash given to homeless so they may have money for rent in a shared living arrangement, where they sleep on a friend's couch.

This article concerns the No on N campaign. First is the press release concerning the 10/3/02 campaign kickoff and campaign activities. It is followed by ballot arguments against Prop N so you have a clear idea of who opposes this horrifying and hateful proposition.

From: http://www.nomorehomelessness.org/Committee.htm
COMMITTEE AGAINST INCREASED HOMELESSNESS
Don't Rob the Poor!
The Care's Not There!
The OFFICIAL No on N
Campaign Kick-Off Party

Thursday, October 3, 2002
6:00-8:00 pm

Piyassa Restaurant
1686 Market Street
San Francisco, CA
(Parking available in rear lot)
Suggested contribution: $25-59 (what a working homeless person will receive if Prop N passes)
Speakers include: JEFF ADACHI, Public Defender-Elect, MATT GONZALEZ, Dist 5 Supervisor & many more

Come volunteer for the No on N campaign!!
It's going to be a tough battle to beat Gavin Newsom and his bad legislation.
We need your help!
Mobilizations: every Saturday and Sunday at 10am. We'll be meeting at the
Coalition on Homelessness
468 Turk Street @ Larkin
Phone Banking
Tuesday and Thursday
6-9pm
476 Eddy Street
Please call to RSVP or for more information: 346-4808
Please e-mail us at volunteer [at] nomorehomelessness.org for volunteer opportunities. Thank you for your interest!

BALLOT ARGUMENTS FOR NO ON N
(1) NO CARE, NO CASH, NO SOLUTION.
No plan for housing. No medical treatment. No answers to homelessness. Where are the services? Not in Proposition N. Proposition N takes away alternatives for our poorest residents - senior citizens, disabled people, veterans, and native San Franciscans - to make their own decisions. Vote No.
Senior Action Network
Mental Health Association of San Francisco

(2) Welfare laws require that employable GA recipients work in order to get GA.
Proposition N would take away the money that people earn, leaving them with
just $59 per month. This is unjust, and would increase homelessness, not
reduce it.
Vote NO on Proposition N.
Mike Casey, President, Local 2
Conny Ford, OPEIU, Local 3*
Rebecca Miller, Political Director, SEIU 790
Peggy Gash, Vice President, UESF
Kathy Lipscomb, SEUI, Local 250*
Howard Wallace, SEIU, Local 250*
Ed Rosario, Vice President, GCIU, Local 4
* for identification purposes only

(3) We work for public assistance. We don't beg. If Proposition N passes, our wages will be cut to less than $2 a day. Proposition N cuts our wages without guarantees of housing or treatment.
Vote No on N.
Nathanael Hollie
Regina Dougals
Randall Kalal
David Patterson

(4) We work with homeless families every day. We know that Proposition N will hurt pregnant women and parents who receive public assistance and are in the process of reuniting with their children. Nobody can live on $2 a day, especially parents with children. Vote No on N.
Iris Biblowitz, RN
Rebecca Vilkomerson
Christina Gomez
Sonia Batres

(5) Proposition N is unfair and illegal.
Proposition N doesn't guarantee services. It just slashes benefits. Homeless people who lose their shelter will be denied benefits altogether.
Proposition N will create more bureaucracy, thus illegally decreasing disabled people's access to benefits.
Vote No on N!
ACLU of Northern California
National Lawyers Guild
Ella Baker Center for Human Rights
La Raza Centro Legal
Oren Sellstrom, Staff Attorney, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights

(6) The Local Homeless Coordinating Board is charged with making policy and program recommendations to address homelessness in San Francisco. As members, we oppose Proposition N because it would increase homelessness and is contrary to what is outlined in the Continuum of Care, the City's five year homeless plan. Prop N creates a Catch 22. One can't receive assistance without a rent receipt. Homeless people can't pay rent without cash assistance. This would also result in the loss of housing for non-lease holders, and homeless people would no longer be able to save up for housing.
Gail Gilman, Local Homeless Coordinating Board member*
Barry Hermanson, LHCB member*, candidate for Supervisor in District 4
Jennifer Friedenbach, LHCB member*
John Wilson, LHCB member*

(7) Proposition N does not provide guaranteed services for homeless people period! What is does is guarantee another new layer of bureaucracy. Rather than give money back to the bureaucrats, let's give the money to the experts in the community who know how to solve the problem, instead of those who spend the money without any effect of alleviating homelessness in our City.
Angela Alioto, Attorney and Former President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors

(8) Cutting cash assistance, with no guarantee of housing or treatment, will only increase homelessness in San Francisco. We need real solutions: more affordable housing, treatment on demand and living wage jobs, not cuts in cash assistance to poor people.
Vote No on Proposition N.
General Assistance Advocacy Project
San Francisco Day Labor Program
Caduceus Outreach Services
POWER
Coalition on Homelessness, SF
Eight Alliance

(9) Women and their children will be hurt by Prop N, which does NOTHING to guarantee availability of already inadequate services. If passed, homeless women who flee shelters in fear of the violence they experience there will lose their benefits and still have no choice but to be on the streets.
San Francisco NOW
Eileen Hansen, Candidate for Supervisor, District 8
Fran Taylor

(10) As medical professionals, we oppose Proposition N because it would result in the loss of housing and housing is a vital healthcare issue. It would also mean a loss of drug treatment for homeless people. Many individuals now use their assistance to purchase treatment.
Barry Zevin, M.D. Tom Waddell Health Center
Department of Public Health (for identification only)

(11) As concerned Commissioners, we oppose Prop N. It would increase homelessness by taking away cash individuals need for housing and healthcare. It promises housing and treatment to get homeless people off the streets but does not provide the funds required.
Many successful programs in San Francisco get people off the streets by combining housing with mental health and substance abuse treatment. This is the solution we support. Proposition N doesn't make this available to all who need it.
Jane Morrison, San Francisco Human Services Commissioner*
Roma Guy, San Francisco Health Commissioner*
*For identification only

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/iwatch/2002/november.html

Tenant Voter recommends:
This tenant voter 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
No on R:
http://www.saverentcontrol.com
No on N:
http://www.nomorehomelessness.org/
Yes on D:
http://www.powertothepeople.org/