Association for the Advancement of Asians (AAA)

2024 San Francisco
Candidate Report Card

FAs part of our commitment to accountability and advocacy for the San Francisco Asian community, AAA is releasing its first candidate report card for the November 2024 elections. This report evaluates candidates running for Mayor, Districts 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, the Board of Education, and City College of San Francisco.

The report card provides an objective assessment based on both qualitative and quantitative data, aiming to highlight candidates who align with the community's core values: Public Safety, Public Education, and Economic Development.

Data Sources:

  • Candidate Questionnaires: Sent to top candidates based on fundraising (top 5 for Mayor, top 3 for Supervisors, and all Board of Education and City College candidates), these questionnaires provide direct insights into their priorities and strategies.

  • Independent Research: Besides the questionnaires, we conducted independent research, reviewing public information and evaluating candidates' past performance and effectiveness.

Evaluation Criteria:

  • Track Record: Candidates’ past roles, accomplishments, and measurable outcomes were considered.

  • Results Orientation: We assessed their ability to achieve results that align with the community’s core values.

  • Positions on Key Issues: Special focus was placed on stances related to the recall of District Attorney Chesa Boudin and Board of Education members, endorsements, and economic policies.

Our approach ensures a transparent, rigorous evaluation process aligned with the AAA’s mission. Note that some candidates received a "Fail" rating due to non-responses to our survey or lack of publicly available information.

Values Aligned

Approved

Values Not Aligned

Opposed

Values Unclear

No position

No Response

No response

CITY COLLEGE OF SAN FRANCISCO CANDIDATES

Ben Kaplan

ARC Rating: A

Kaplan's extensive experience with the CCSF system and the community has provided him with valuable insights into necessary improvements. He proposes effective strategies for assisting students in their transition to the workforce, along with practical solutions for budget balancing and increasing reserves—both urgent issues that require attention. His proactive approach positions him well to facilitate meaningful change within the system.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Supported the 2022 District Attorney recall

2022
DA RECALL

Values aligned

Opposed the 2024 Prop B (cop tax - police staffing only with additional taxes)

MAR 2024
PROP B

Values aligned

Supported the 2024 Prop E (allow police to use 21st-century technology tools)

MAR 2024
PROP E

Values aligned

EDUCATION

Supported the 2024 Board of Education recall

2022
BOE RECALL

Values aligned

Supported the 2024 Prop G (offer algebra to 8th graders)

2024
PROP G

Values aligned

Leanna Louie

ARC Rating: A

Louie’s priorities closely align with the essential needs of our community. She has demonstrated a strong track record in public service and community building, actively advocating for improvements in public safety and education. Her leadership during the recalls of former Board of Education members following racist remarks, as well as the contentious District Attorney recall, has been particularly impactful for the AAPI community.

Note: Louie, a member of the AAA Board, did not participate in the creation or review of the report card and was evaluated in the same manner as all other candidates.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Supported the 2022 District Attorney recall

2022
DA RECALL

Values aligned

Opposed the 2024 Prop B (cop tax - police staffing only with additional taxes)

MAR 2024
PROP B

Values aligned

Supported the 2024 Prop E (allow police to use 21st-century technology tools)

MAR 2024
PROP E

Values aligned

EDUCATION

Supported the 2024 Board of Education recall

2022
BOE RECALL

Values aligned

Supported the 2024 Prop G (offer algebra to 8th graders)

2024
PROP G

Values aligned

Heather McCarty

ARC Rating: A

McCarty shows a solid understanding of the challenges facing CCSF and outlines clear, actionable policy goals. Her thorough responses to key issues affecting both CCSF and the surrounding community demonstrate her awareness of differing perspectives. We also value her previous efforts to combat anti-AAPI hate through educational initiatives and her commitment to ensuring safety, inclusiveness, and collaboration with the AAPI community if elected to the CCSF Board of Trustees.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Supported the 2022 District Attorney recall

2022
DA RECALL

Values aligned

Opposed the 2024 Prop B (cop tax - police staffing only with additional taxes)

MAR 2024
PROP B

Values aligned

Opposed the 2024 Prop E (allow police to use 21st-century technology tools)

MAR 2024
PROP E

Value not aligned

EDUCATION

Supported the 2024 Board of Education recall

2022
BOE RECALL

Values aligned

Supported the 2024 Prop G (offer algebra to 8th graders)

2024
PROP G

Values aligned

Alan Wong

ARC Rating: A

Wong has established himself as a collaborative leader on the CCSF Board of Trustees, leveraging years of experience in city government, politics, and community engagement. His strong advocacy for AAPI and public safety issues is particularly relevant to the Asian community - for example, he architected the passage of the victim demographic disclosure law requiring SFPD to reveal crime victim demographics (which showed a 560% increase in anti-Asian hate crimes) and founded the sunset safety squad which patrolled Sunset district to stop Asian hate. Given the ongoing challenges of CCSF accreditation and financial stability, Wong's background positions him well to work effectively with the board to address these critical concerns.

PUBLIC SAFETY

No position on the 2022 District Attorney recall

2022
DA RECALL

Value unclear

Opposed the 2024 Prop B (cop tax - police staffing only with additional taxes)

MAR 2024
PROP B

Values aligned

Supported the 2024 Prop E (allow police to use 21st-century technology tools)

MAR 2024
PROP E

Values aligned

EDUCATION

Supported the 2024 Board of Education recall

2022
BOE RECALL

Values aligned

Supported the 2024 Prop G (offer algebra to 8th graders)

2024
PROP G

Values aligned

Luis Zamora

ARC Rating: A

Zamora's commitment to public safety resonates with our priorities, and his vision for expanding vocational job pipelines is essential for the city's growth. We seek more information about his budgeting strategies and ideas, particularly in light of the urgent funding shortfall we are facing. Gaining insight into his approach will be key to effectively tackling these challenges.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Supported the 2022 District Attorney recall

2022
DA RECALL

Values aligned

Opposed the 2024 Prop B (cop tax - police staffing only with additional taxes)

MAR 2024
PROP B

Values aligned

Supported the 2024 Prop E (allow police to use 21st-century technology tools)

MAR 2024
PROP E

Values aligned

EDUCATION

Supported the 2024 Board of Education recall

2022
BOE RECALL

Values aligned

Supported the 2024 Prop G (offer algebra to 8th graders)

2024
PROP G

Values aligned

Ruth Ferguson

ARC Rating: B

Ferguson’s strong focus on CCSF Trustee policies is important, but we also seek more innovative solutions to pressing challenges. While her involvement with the SFPWC demonstrates her commitment, her firm opposition to the District Attorney recall raises questions about her flexibility. It would be beneficial to gain insight into her reasoning and to explore creative strategies that incorporate diverse perspectives for effective progress.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Opposed the 2022 District Attorney recall

2022
DA RECALL

Values not aligned

Supported the 2024 Prop B (cop tax - police staffing only with additional taxes)

MAR 2024
PROP B

Values aligned

Opposed the 2024 Prop E (allow police to use 21st-century technology tools)

MAR 2024
PROP E

Values not aligned

EDUCATION

Supported the 2024 Board of Education recall

2022
BOE RECALL

Values aligned

Supported the 2024 Prop G (offer algebra to 8th graders)

2024
PROP G

Values aligned

Paige Bailey

ARC Rating: F

Bailey did not respond to our outreach.

PUBLIC SAFETY

No response to the 2022 District Attorney recall

2022
DA RECALL

No response

No response to the 2024 Prop B (cop tax - police staffing only with additional taxes)

MAR 2024
PROP B

No response

No response to the 2024 Prop E (allow police to use 21st-century technology tools)

MAR 2024
PROP E

No response

EDUCATION

No response to the 2024 Board of Education recall

2022
BOE RECALL

No response

No response to the 2024 Prop G (offer algebra to 8th graders)

2024
PROP G

No response

Allya Christi

ARC Rating: F

Christi did not respond to our outreach.

PUBLIC SAFETY

No response to the 2022 District Attorney recall

2022
DA RECALL

No response

No response to the 2024 Prop B (cop tax - police staffing only with additional taxes)

MAR 2024
PROP B

No response

No response to the 2024 Prop E (allow police to use 21st-century technology tools)

MAR 2024
PROP E

No response

EDUCATION

No response to the 2024 Board of Education recall

2022
BOE RECALL

No response

No response to the 2024 Prop G (offer algebra to 8th graders)

2024
PROP G

No response

Julio Ramos

ARC Rating: F

Ramos did not respond to our outreach.

PUBLIC SAFETY

No response to the 2022 District Attorney recall

2022
DA RECALL

No response

No response to the 2024 Prop B (cop tax - police staffing only with additional taxes)

MAR 2024
PROP B

No response

No response to the 2024 Prop E (allow police to use 21st-century technology tools)

MAR 2024
PROP E

No response

EDUCATION

No response to the 2024 Board of Education recall

2022
BOE RECALL

No response

No response to the 2024 Prop G (offer algebra to 8th graders)

2024
PROP G

No response