Sunday, August 15, 2004
I'm pretty proud of this answer to a survey question (have you seen them all at www.tyssniffen.com/about.htm ? whew!)
Please list 3 primary goals for your 4-year term as District 5 Supervisor.
1. Organizing the district and community structure so that neighborhood residents feel they are listened to and well informed. From the many different ways I intend to communicate with the public about City wide issues to the understanding I have about the simple things that bother residents, I feel that a structured, supported, neighborhood-based, volunteer leadership team can solve many, many problems in our great district and city.
Imagine a Supervisor who buys breakfast once a month for the dozen or so neighborhood leaders while they all discuss the issues of the day and the challenges in their own organizations. By tapping into this knowledge pool, I could not only learn so much about every aspect of the community, but empower these leaders with a sense of responsibility and ‘clout’, which would help them recruit more volunteers to their organizations, and help me with grass roots perspectives for potential solutions.
Imagine a Supervisor who brings in trainers and programs on things like mediation services, public speaking, event planning, consensus building…as well as city programs and advocacy groups, so that the different neighborhood leaders would have the skills and knowledge to deal with issues in their own neighborhood. Little disputes that currently tie up city workers, or blow up into bigger issues could be handled on the neighborhood level.
Imagine district awards dinners where we recognize local heroes, giving out a ‘best neighborhood business’, ‘best park group’, ‘best community leader’ awards to motivate and appreciate the many volunteers who actually do so much work for the city.
Imagine a district where small business corridors and neighborhood groups and special interest advocacy groups and smart housing developers all communicated together and had solid leadership that could move our communities into a more positive, sustainable urban environment that maintains its fantastic San Francisco charm.
2. A stronger review and appointment process for city commissioners. Much of the
frustration I’ve experienced as a community leader, and certainly much that I’ve witnessed in other leaders and concerned citizens in San Francisco hinges on a lack of understanding and response from different commissions. Because commissioners are either unable to understand the complexities, or simply choose to not represent the public in their role as advocates to city departments, we have created a morass of sub commissions and processes under which normal decisions stagger and die. A quick look at the Rec and Park list of committees is a fine example: http://www.sfgov.org/site/recpark_index.asp?id=2696 11 different groups often making competing recommendations (and I say this as someone who chaired one of those 11 committees!)
We need to have commissioners who have professional and educational backgrounds in the areas they are overseeing, as well as a deep understanding and drive to serve the public’s interest. We need more technical, financial, and social knowledge, not more ideology on commissions.
Besides working with the current mayor on his appointments, I would like to have more shared appointing by the BOS, and to create a process by which commissioners get reviewed on their level of service.
3. Working on ways to make it more possible for ‘average folks’ to buy homes here in San Francisco. From smart growth to financial programs to land trusts to cleaning up the condo conversion process, I want to be the supervisor who brings stakeholders together to truly work out solutions that will do the most good for the most people, as well as focus on continued economic and ethnic diversity.
Please list 3 primary goals for your 4-year term as District 5 Supervisor.
1. Organizing the district and community structure so that neighborhood residents feel they are listened to and well informed. From the many different ways I intend to communicate with the public about City wide issues to the understanding I have about the simple things that bother residents, I feel that a structured, supported, neighborhood-based, volunteer leadership team can solve many, many problems in our great district and city.
Imagine a Supervisor who buys breakfast once a month for the dozen or so neighborhood leaders while they all discuss the issues of the day and the challenges in their own organizations. By tapping into this knowledge pool, I could not only learn so much about every aspect of the community, but empower these leaders with a sense of responsibility and ‘clout’, which would help them recruit more volunteers to their organizations, and help me with grass roots perspectives for potential solutions.
Imagine a Supervisor who brings in trainers and programs on things like mediation services, public speaking, event planning, consensus building…as well as city programs and advocacy groups, so that the different neighborhood leaders would have the skills and knowledge to deal with issues in their own neighborhood. Little disputes that currently tie up city workers, or blow up into bigger issues could be handled on the neighborhood level.
Imagine district awards dinners where we recognize local heroes, giving out a ‘best neighborhood business’, ‘best park group’, ‘best community leader’ awards to motivate and appreciate the many volunteers who actually do so much work for the city.
Imagine a district where small business corridors and neighborhood groups and special interest advocacy groups and smart housing developers all communicated together and had solid leadership that could move our communities into a more positive, sustainable urban environment that maintains its fantastic San Francisco charm.
2. A stronger review and appointment process for city commissioners. Much of the
frustration I’ve experienced as a community leader, and certainly much that I’ve witnessed in other leaders and concerned citizens in San Francisco hinges on a lack of understanding and response from different commissions. Because commissioners are either unable to understand the complexities, or simply choose to not represent the public in their role as advocates to city departments, we have created a morass of sub commissions and processes under which normal decisions stagger and die. A quick look at the Rec and Park list of committees is a fine example: http://www.sfgov.org/site/recpark_index.asp?id=2696 11 different groups often making competing recommendations (and I say this as someone who chaired one of those 11 committees!)
We need to have commissioners who have professional and educational backgrounds in the areas they are overseeing, as well as a deep understanding and drive to serve the public’s interest. We need more technical, financial, and social knowledge, not more ideology on commissions.
Besides working with the current mayor on his appointments, I would like to have more shared appointing by the BOS, and to create a process by which commissioners get reviewed on their level of service.
3. Working on ways to make it more possible for ‘average folks’ to buy homes here in San Francisco. From smart growth to financial programs to land trusts to cleaning up the condo conversion process, I want to be the supervisor who brings stakeholders together to truly work out solutions that will do the most good for the most people, as well as focus on continued economic and ethnic diversity.
