Candidate for
Director; Proposed San Francisco-Brisbane Municipal Utility District; Ward 4

I am a college educated building contractor who has worked in San Francisco since 1975. I use basic common sense in developing solutions and have good problem-solving skills. In my run for Mayor in 1999, I spent nine days on the streets and nights in our homeless shelters to begin to understand this very complicated problem. I rode MUNI for 72 hours straight to get publicity and to draw attention to the issue, and to talk with riders and drivers about their frustrations with the system and what solutions they would like to see implemented. I believe that we need to build an extraordinary public transit system, run by a nine-member elected transit board made up of drivers, riders, and taxpayers.

We have an incredible opportunity with the new Municipal Utility District to build a 21st century underground utility system that delivers clean energy in a cost effective manner.   As a building contractor, I advocate that the City, through the new MUD Board develop and implement a twenty-year plan to underground all utilities and build a system the serves the growing population of San Francisco the the next 100 years.

The following 200-word statement appears in the S.F. Voter Handbook:   I am a building contractor, who applies creativity and common sense to complicated building problems. I ran for Mayor in 1999, addressing issues of public transit, homelessness, and building housing that people can actually afford.

I believe that an elected official needs to lead by action, not just talk. I have given up my polluting pickup truck and now drive a one-person electric vehicle that I recharge with the small wind generator that I installed on the roof of my house. My actions reduce the neighborhood parking space I use, while improving air quality.

We need a twenty-year master plan to systematically replace all underground utilities: sewer, water, recycled water, gas, electric, cable, fiber, and telephone all at one time. I propose a twenty-year plan to build 33 clean mini power plants around the City with underground lines to compete with PG&E's obsolete dirty overhead lines.

Please visit my web sites: http://www.SFMUD.net and http://www.SFMayor.org or call me at 415-826-6106 to help.

The complex problems we face in the 21st century need to be solved holistically with creativity and common sense. Public transit, housing, and energy need simultaneous interrelated solutions. Please vote for Jim Reid on November 6th.