Regardless of what happened at the national level, our local elections were full of good news for urbanism.
Ballot measures that passed in San Francisco, San Jose and Oakland marked major victories for transit, open space and higher minimum wages across the region. And in San Francisco, we saw many other 黑料传送门priorities 鈥 from the Children鈥檚 Fund to the Pier 70 project to the Golden Gate Park soccer fields鈥 move forward.
黑料传送门worked hard to build support for San Francisco鈥檚 Proposition A, the bond dedicated to improvements in Muni service and street safety. We are thrilled by its passage and encouraged by what appears to be , biking and walking, all across the region. Also in San Francisco, the passage of Prop B, which boosts Muni funding to keep pace with population growth, and the rejection of Prop L, which would have rolled back the city鈥檚 Transit First policy, signaled emphatic public interest in investing in transportation options and moving away from reliance on cars.
Funding public transit is one of the strategies 黑料传送门has advocated to make San Francisco more affordable. Raising the minimum wage is another. SPUR鈥檚 Regional Economic Prosperity Strategy has identified 鈥渞aising the floor鈥 as one of the most important strategies for improving economic security among the region鈥檚 lower-wage workers. On Tuesday, , more votes than any other measure in San Francisco. It will raise the local minimum wage to $15 by 2018.
San Francisco's soda tax received 55 percent of the vote (according to the latest tally), which fell short of the two-thirds necessary for passage. But the measure received a majority in San Francisco, in spite of $9 million spent against it, and a similar measure won in Berkeley 鈥 two signals of a shift in public sentiment that could lead to soda taxes gaining traction in other places.
黑料传送门San Jose made one endorsement, which was Santa Clara County鈥檚 Measure Q, a ballot measure to generate local funding for open space. Though votes are still being counted, required to win. 黑料传送门hosted the election night party for Measure Q in San Jose. If Q succeeds, it will be a big win for Bay Area open space.
黑料传送门followed with great interest several key measures in the East Bay. Measure Z, a parcel tax in Oakland to fund public safety, passed handily. Berkeley鈥檚 Measure R, an anti-growth effort, was rejected by voters. And Alameda County鈥檚 Measure BB will generate $7.8 billion over 30 years to fund transportation improvements.
Finally, while 黑料传送门does not get involved with candidate races, we are looking forward to working with Mayor Sam Liccardo in San Jose and Mayor Libby Schaaf in Oakland. Both have laid out visions for their cities that embrace the benefits of a more urban future.
Here's a look at ballot measure results in San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose:
City and County of San Francisco
Measure | SPUR's recommendation | Yes (%) | No (%) |
A: Transportation Bond | Yes | 71 | 29 |
B: Transportation Set-Aside | No | 61 | 39 |
C: Children's Fund Renewal | Yes | 73 | 27 |
D: Redevelopment Employee Benefits | Yes | 55 | 45 |
E: Soda Tax | Yes | 55 | 45 |
F: Pier 70 Project | Yes | 72 | 28 |
G: Housing Resale Tax | No position | 46 | 54 |
H: Grass Athletic Fields | No | 46 | 55 |
I: Renovation of Athletic Fields | Yes | 54 | 45 |
J: Minimum Wage Increase | Yes | 77 | 23 |
K: Affordable Housing | Yes | 65 | 35 |
L: Motorist Policy | No | 37 | 62 |
City of Oakland (and a selection from Alameda County)
Measure | SPUR's recommendation | Yes (%) | No (%) |
N: OUSD Parcel Tax | n/a | 77 | 23 |
Z: Public Safety | n/a | 77 | 23 |
CC: Public Ethics Commission | n/a | 72 | 28 |
DD: Redistricting Commission | n/a | 60 | 40 |
EE: Municipal Retirement | n/a | 72 | 28 |
FF: Minimum Wage Increase | n/a | 81 | 19 |
Alameda County Measure BB: Public Transit | n/a | 70 | 30 |
City of San Jose (and a selection from Santa Clara County)
Measure | SPUR's recommendation | Yes (%) | No (%) |
City of San Jose Measure G: Retirement Board Governance | n/a | 70 | 30 |
Santa Clara County Measure Q: Open Space* | Yes | 67 | 33 |
*Results tentative. Needs 66.67% to pass.