SFWPC Candidate Questionnaire

By David Campos

David Campos' 2014 responses to the questions important to the San Francisco Women's Political Committee. SFWPC endorsed Campos in this election.

Candidate Name: David Campos

Office Sought: Assembly District 17 Political ID #: 1359298 Election Date: 06/03 and 11/04

Address: 3134 Mission Street Email: info@davidcampossf.com Website: davidcampossf.com Alternate Contact & Telephone:

PART I: Core Issues + The following are SFWPC's core issues, please answer the following two questions for each issue.

• What have you done in the past to promote each of them?
• What specifically will you do to further each goal?

I am very glad you asked this question today. The Board of Supervisors with the support of my opponent, David Chiu, just voted against re-appointing Angela Chang to the Police Commission. This was the wrong decision for San Francisco, especially when the Mayor still has an open appointment. Chan has done great work on the commission especially in the area of immigrant's rights, language access work, and through her strong advocacy for greater community policing. I believe that it is important to have women's voices represented on the Police Commission and especially woman of color. Chan has done a great job and should have been reappointed.

On a personal level, currently all three of my legislative aids are women and I depend everyday on their amazing work to create change in San Francisco. I will do everything I can to support their careers in politics including mentoring them and promoting them for positions of political power. I have also mentored, encouraged, and appointed many women to Commissions and other leadership bodies including:

• Petra de Jesus & Angela Chan for Police Commission
• Arcelia Hurtado & Chris Hwang for the Board of Appeals
• Katherin Moore, Christina Olague & Cindy Wu for the Planning Commission
• Rachel Ebbora - Bicycle Advisory Committee

2. A political process that is transparent, accessible, and responsive to better serve the needs and interests of women;

I will seek to increase transparency in the political process. As Supervisor I authored legislation to ensure that Ethics Commission hearings are recorded and televised. I am also a firm believer in the power of the hearing process. I have used hearings in the past to get to the bottom of critical issues and to hold government accountable by asking tough questions and demanding a response. I will continue to use the hearing process to increase accountability, transparency and responsiveness from government once in Sacramento.

3. Safe, livable, and green communities;

Fostering a safe, livable, and green community for San Francisco is central to my entire purpose as a public servant. As such I have worked hard to make San Francisco greener in three major ways. First, I created the Free MUNI for Youth program which allows middle and low-income youth to ride on MUNI for free (keeping many cars off the road and ensuring that family's who are tightly squeezed by the affordability crisis have one less expense to worry about). Secondly, I have worked tirelessly to make CLEAN POWER SF a reality and will continue to support the law as we struggle to overcome Mayor Lee's opposition. Finally, I work closely with the Sierra Club and have won their sole endorsement for this race.

For safety and quality of life issues I have sought to work with the SFPD to make sure they are listening to our communities and fostering trust. I have done this in part by codifying the definition of Community Policing and requiring the Police Department to reference when developing Department General Orders.

I also fought to allocate money to the Human Rights Commission to build a program focused on the safety of Transgender women. California's communities must be livable for everyone and I will continue to advocate for and advance the rights of immigrants, LGBT people, workers, and women.

4. Livable wages and pay equity for equal work;

I firmly believe in and support pay equity for equal work. Gender discrimination in pay is wrong and there is no place for it in today's society. This is an issue very close to my heart as someone who understands the affects of discrimination on a personal level. More generally I believe that all workers deserve a living wage. I have long been alarmed, and motivated, by the affordability crisis that is afflicting San Francisco and many other communities in California today.

My work on this issue has included building local support for the Domestic Worker Bill of Rights including a current effort to secure City funding to perform outreach and education around the new rights. I have passed a wage theft law to give the Office of Labor Standards Enforcement additional powers to more effectively enforce minimum labor standards. I have also openly supported the SEIU's campaign to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour.

5. Accessible quality public services, including education, health care, senior services, and child care;

I have made working with the communities in my district -- to improve public services, health care, senior services, child-care and cultural community centers -- the primary focus for my office from day one. By working with the leaders in my community I have been able to help coordinate many great improvements in these areas with one such example being Mission Promise Neighborhoods. Mission Promise Neighborhood seeks to bring parents, neighbors, and partner organizations together to work block-by-block, guaranteeing that all Mission children, youth, and their families achieve academic excellence and economic self-sufficiency.

I have also worked to pass legislation that has a real impact on people's lives. My office authored and passed the Free MUNI for Youth program which has made a real difference in the lives of families in San Francisco who are struggling against the affordability crisis. I have also supported the work of John Avalos and Jane Kim to reauthorize and strengthen the children's fund and PEEF. That legislation is designed to improve, expand, and make permanent both funds. I also led the fight to close the loophole in Healthy SF that allowed employers to re-claim health insurance funds that were mandated for their employers and to instead make sure that money actually goes to workers.

My office is currently preparing more legislation in the area of health care to ensure that no one is slipping through the cracks of the Affordable Care Act and the Medicaid expansion. Making sure that government services work for people is one of my core values and a major reason I entered public service to begin with. I believe that government can make a positive difference in peoples lives and in Sacramento I will fight to make sure that it does.

6. Reproductive freedom;

I will be a stalwart protector of Reproductive rights in Sacramento just as I have been in San Francisco. As a Supervisor I am proud to have authored and secured passage of legislation creating a buffer zone to prevent right wing extremist protesters from harassing women attempting to access reproductive health services. I have also sponsored a resolution condemning the use of city property to promote anti-choice propaganda and urging the Department of Public Works to use any proceeds from the banners to fund an education campaign for women regarding scientifically verified information about reproductive rights. I also worked with dozens of women's health organizations to pass a resolution creating Women's Health Month in San Francisco and organized a month long social media campaign focused on women's health. Finally, I have also passed a resolution supporting the federal Women's Health Protection Act. I will always stand strong in the fight to protect the right to safe, legal abortion.

In Sacramento I will be hands-on and aggressive when it comes to protecting the reproductive rights of women in California. I will introduce and fight for a state level version of the ordinance I passed as a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors that stopped the harassment of reproductive healthcare providers by right wing extremists. I will work to ensure that California implement its own version of the federal WHPA. I will seek to ensure that comprehensive age appropriate sex education, that includes education on contraception, is provided to every California youth. Perhaps most importantly, I will always consult with my friends at NARAL Pro-choice, planned parenthood, NOW California, SFWPC and other reproductive rights advocates when the legislature deals with questions involving women's reproductive rights and health.

Finally, no matter what the outcome of the Supreme Court cases on the issue, I will do whatever I can to ensure that all California employers, regardless of their personal religious beliefs, must cover contraception in any employer provided health insurance.

7. Elimination of violence against women;

I strongly support the elimination of violence against women. I think that we must put particular focus on protecting farm worker women and immigrant women in general. The California Commission on the Status of Women has identified several key issues and problems that make farm worker women particularly vulnerable to violence and sexual assault. I will advocate for their recommendations to ensure that there is equal access to preventative and safety net services throughout California.

I also think that it should be a top priority to make adequate funding available to immediately eliminate the rape kit backlog in California. I will also fight to ensure that the state plays a role in making sure that local law enforcement is adequately enforcing the laws against domestic violence and sexual assault.

In the past I have shown my support for eliminating violence against women by my annual participation in the San Francisco Women Against Rape march. I have also fought to secure funding for domestic violence services including back-filling the loss of Federal dollars for Mujeres Unidas y Activas Spanish language 24 Hour Crisis Hotline. There is more to be done at the state level and if I go to Sacramento this issue will be at the top of my list.

8. Eradication of all forms of discrimination against women and girls;

I absolutely support the eradication of all forms of discrimination against women and girls. I am a huge supporter of Tom Ammiano's work to prevent bullying and discrimination in schools against transgender students. I have received Tom Ammiano's sole endorsement and active support because he knows that I will carry on his legacy of progressive leadership and spearhead legislation that seeks to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women and the LGBT community.

I will do whatever I can in Sacramento to eliminate discrimination. That includes supporting some of the amazing nonprofits that make this goal their day-to-day mission. I am especially impressed and supportive of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in the Media and the work they do to change the portrayal of women in the media and I believe in their "if she can see it she can be it" initiative. In Sacramento I will work closely with women's rights advocates to find and pursue creative ways of addressing discrimination wherever it exists.

PART II. Priorities

Please outline your commitment to and work on forwarding the following SFWPC's priorities.

Priority I: Electing, appointing, and mentoring women to positions of leadership in San Francisco.

1. What are your plans for furthering SFWPC's goal of maintaining and increasing the number of women on/in: a. Board of Supervisors b. Other elected offices c. Power Commissions d. Appointments

As mentioned above currently all three of my legislative aids are women and I depend everyday on their amazing work to create change in San Francisco. I would welcome the candidacy of a woman to replace me on the Board of Supervisors. I am currently meeting with several women who I think would be amazing representatives of district 9 to gauge their interest in running for supervisor and to offer to mentor them through the process. I will do everything I can to support their candidacies in the event they decide to run.

I will continue to work towards maintaining and increasing the number of women on Power Commissions, and through appointments. It has always been a goal of mine to increase diversity in government and I always look first for qualified women when making appointments. I will continue this policy in Sacramento.

2. Describe your experience mentoring women.

Mentoring women in my role as a Supervisor has been a top priority for me. For one, I have made a point of hiring women to serve as Legislative Assistants since first elected. Consistently, most, if not all, of my Legislative Assistants have been women. In addition, I have worked to recruit and appoint women to important positions within City government and to mentor and support them to make sure they are successful. Among some of the women with whom I have had that type of professional mentoring relationship are Petra de Jesus (Police Commission), Angela Chan (Police Commission), Christina Olague (Planning Commission & Board of Supervisors), Arcelia Hurtado (Board of Appeals), and Kim-Shree Maufas (Board of Education). As I see my tenure as Supervisor coming to an end (whether it's in 2014 or 2016), having a woman take my position as District 9 Supervisor is a priority for me. I am working with and have approached various women about running for my seat when my tenure ends.

Priority II: Keeping women and families in San Francisco

1. What are your ideas to further policy and programs to help keep women and families in San Francisco?

I think this question ties directly into the affordability crisis facing San Francisco. I have been working to address this problem for several years now while my opponent denied we even had a crisis until very recently. Many of my top priorities will be around issues of affordability- in education, in housing, and in healthcare. San Francisco's greatness is being hindered by its prohibitive cost, and many of our most valuable and deserving residents are unable to live and grow here with dignity and comfort. I want to work to ensure that the opportunities I had as a young person immigrating here are still available for young people today. That means prioritizing legislation that makes education, housing, and healthcare more accessible to those who need it. I will also continue to advocate for and advance the rights of immigrants, LGBT people, workers, and women. These are communities who are still being disenfranchised and unfairly treated in our political system and I remain committed to fighting for a more just society in these areas.

I have worked in particular to protect renters in San Francisco. Rent control housing has been the last resort and final hope for many families in San Francisco during the affordability crisis. With the highest rental prices, and the second highest income inequality in the country San Francisco has become a world wide cautionary tale of hyper-gentrification. How many of us have heard from lower, middle and even upper-middle-income friends that if they lose they're rent control apartment they'll be forced to leave the city? San Francisco needs a leader in the Assembly who won't compromise on protecting rent control. Unfortunately two laws written by Republicans and supported by corporate Democrats in Sacramento have made rent control a non-renewable resource.

The Ellis Act has been a tool of luxury developers and real estate flippers to remove San Franciscans from their homes. Just since 1997 over 3,700 San Franciscans have been removed from their homes under the Ellis Act. I am proud of the work I have done locally to match Ellis eviction relocation costs to the current rental markets. In a time like this when rents are sky rocketing tenants who are Ellised will be paid relocation costs equal to the difference between their former rent controlled apartment and their new housing. Senator Leno's new legislation is a step in the right direction on the state level. SB 1439 puts a large barrier in front of predatory speculators and is aimed at investment companies buying rental properties and quickly evicting their tenants to make profits. Unfortunately Leno's bill current only applies to San Francisco and should be expanded to other California cities as we face growing income inequality statewide. I also support Tom Ammiano's AB 2405, which would allow the San Francisco voters or Board of Supervisors to declare a moratorium on Ellis Act evictions if the city is not meeting its affordable housing goals. I will fight in Sacramento for these reforms and to repeal the Ellis Act all together.

I will also seek to repeal Costa-Hawkins. Costa Hawkins is a piece of legislation from 1996 that was written at the behest of the real estate lobbyists just as real rent control was becoming popular in California cities. Costa-Hawkins was passed primarily to end vacancy rent control in California cities. While San Francisco has never had this type of rent control, which is why the cost of vacant units skyrocket every year, it is the most effective way of controlling rent as it protects the tenants in place and maintains the supply of affordable housing. Costa Hawkins also limits rent control to units built before 1979 meaning that no housing built in the last 35 years can be subject to rent control. Under the bill single-family homes and units that have been condo converted are also exempt from rent control. The majority if not all of San Francisco's housing affordability problems in some way relate to Costa Hawkins, it has allowed for the slow erosion of our rental markets and created market frictions between rent control and non-rent controlled units. I will work tirelessly during my time in the Assembly to modify and repeal Costa Hawkins. San Francisco, and other local governments, must have stronger tools and greater freedom to address the growing affordability crisis.

2. What are your views of economic independence for women, especially housing, wages, and pay equity?

I am an advocate for policies that lead to economic independence for women, in housing, wages, and pay equity. In particular I support policies that lead to family friendly work places. It is crucial that women and men be able to have flexible work schedules that allow them to have job security while fulfilling their role as mother or father. Deciding to have and raise a child should not mean putting your career on hold or jeopardizing your income security.

I support policies and legislation that actually make a difference in this area and would force employers to make the right decision when it comes to family leave. My opponent in this race has a history of supporting watered down and ineffectual legislation that merely promotes the right behavior and trusts in the goodwill of employers. A prime example of this was the debate over the Family Leave Ordinance; after the chamber stated its opposition to a bill with teeth David Chiu made sure the final product allowed employers to simply say no when an employee requested leave under the ordinance. I would make adequate paid leave mandatory.

3. Do you believe that the educational system needs to be reformed? If so, how? If not, why?

The bottom line on education is that we need more funding. My goal is to increase funding to our state's public education systems and eventually ensure that it will be on par with our pre-Proposition 13 spending, when our educational system was the envy of the nation. In San Francisco, I've already worked to prevent teacher layoffs and restore funding for some of our most impoverished schools. Essentially, I want to apply those same principles statewide in California and will look to labor and community groups for perspective and input as I already do at the local level in San Francisco.

I also feel that it is important to defend the right for equitable access to affordable and quality public education for immigrant communities, both documented and undocumented, in CA. As an immigrant myself, I know the value of access to education in this country and believe strongly that we must make education available for everyone. Since this is my life story, I plan to be at the forefront of the movement to bring more immigrants, both documented and undocumented, into the higher education system in California.

We must make sure that we fully implement Senator Mark Leno's historic FAIR Education Act that ensures that the historical contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are accurately and fairly portrayed in instructional materials in California schools. We must also fully implement and defend Assemblymember Tom Ammiano's historic School Success and Opportunity Act (AB 1266) ensuring transgender youth have the opportunity to fully participate and succeed in schools across the state. I will make the continued implementation of this, and other legislation, a top priority when I go to Sacramento.

PART III. Candidate Platform

1. Why are you running for this office and what are your major issues?

I am running for office because I believe that government has a role to play in making people's lives better, particularly the lives of low income, working and middle class people. It is for this reason that I believe that it is important for the person who represents San Francisco's 17th Assembly District, arguably the most progressive assembly district in the state, be a champion for regular people. This district has a long history of having representatives who have been fighters for those who have the least in our society, for the marginalized, Tom Ammiano being a prime example. I believe that it is paramount that the person who replaces Tom Ammiano be a solid and strong progressive voice who will not only be a good vote for working people, but will be a leader and not be afraid to push the envelope; who will not be afraid to stand up to the special interests, especially big business and the chamber of commerce. I have a record of doing precisely that, standing up to special interests and big business, on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and I want to bring that philosophy and work to the state level.

Many of my top priorities will be around issues of affordability- in education, in housing, and in healthcare. I will also continue to advocate for and advance the rights of immigrants, LGBT people, workers, and women. These are communities who are still being disenfranchised and unfairly treated in our political system and I remain committed to fighting for a more just society in these areas.