Time for a Progressive Convention Around Issues

For example, two progressive ideas an increased real estate transfer tax to increase city revenues and some form of downtown assessment district to fund MUNI have failed at the ballot due to the lack of citywide grassroots campaigns. A Progressive Convention could potentially create unity around one or more of these or other issues that would be embodied in city ballot measures for February or June 2008. Such initiatives could do more for progressive interests than running a losing mayoral campaign next November.

One reason the search for a progressive challenger to Mayor Newsom has found little success is that, to the general public, it is not clear that there is a meaningful distinction between Newsoms policies and a progressive agenda. While a contested mayors race is one way to highlight these differences, another is putting progressive measures on the ballot, forcing the Mayor to take sides.

San Francisco has had many ballot measures in recent years that have drawn the lines between progressive/tenant/worker and downtown/corporate/landlord interests. Tenants have won multiple initiatives, and worker rights advocates have won a citywide minimum wage and paid sick leave.

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