Please pardon the various changes here, as I continue to set up this blog on a new CMS. So far it’s looking ok, but there’s still so many details!
Now that the dust has settled from Election Day, and all of the quickie prognostications are safely filed away under the section “who cares?” it’s time to take another, more sober look at what won and why.
The Big Ol’ Muni Bond (Proposition A) passed. I reluctantly endorsed this despite my reservations about language in the measure, and I suppose it’s better it passed, warts and all, versus losing, and creating a new Death Spiral of increased costs. I was concerned that the campaign was in a bit of a pickle, since it started so late.
Now, the local organ for the City Family wants to anoint this as a win based solely on the efforts of His Highness, Ed Lee, but the sad fact is this – the campaign for A had this thing called money. Any opposition to it had none. Any time this is the case, the side with money to spend on endless brochures and ads, no matter how crappy, win. If people get no real reason to vote no, they vote yes in San Francisco.
Proposition B, the budget set-aside hastily put on the ballot by Supervisor Scott Weiner, also passed. In this case this measure passed despite having no money spent on its behalf, but was up against a non-existent opposition. That is, aside from the Mayor, who was angry that Weiner put this on the ballot, and vowed “punishment” for those who dared oppose His Highness.