Transcripts For SFGTV SF 20240704

Among the three candidates. Each candidate will provide a selfinterest section and a 1 to 2 minute Opening Statement within our time frame, each candidate will have about 3 to 4 minutes to answer each question, and i will chime in to the extent anybodys running over time so we can be sure to have enough time for all the questions. Well also leave some time at the end of the forum for questions from the audience. You can do that using the q a function at the bottom of your screen. Just type in the question and well see it i. And also for each candidate to make a closing statement, uh, for the purposes of this forum, ill be putting similar questions to each candidate, allowing for the differences that exist between sitting judges and the challengers. So without further ado, lets start the introductions and im going to pass it over to assistant District Attorney roland to introduce herself and make her Opening Statement. Sure. Thank you. Um, thank you for having me here. Im very happy to be here. And participate. Uh, my name is jean roland, and i am a veteran prosecutor. I have been in the San Francisco District Attorneys office for 23 years. I started in the misdemeanor unit, and i worked my way through almost all the units in that office, including Domestic Violence, stalking, elder abuse, juvenile child abuse, gang violence, sexual assault. And im currently the head of the general felony trial unit, where i oversee the majority of the felony crimes that are in San Francisco. I am running for superior court because i value Public Safety, and i love this city. I grew up in San Francisco. I went to west portal lutheran. I went to lowell high school, i went to uc berkeley, and i am a lifelong Public Servant, and im stepping forward to make a difference in this city. Now, i had originally planned to leave early because i have a previously scheduled event, and i still may have to leave early depending upon how long this forum lasts. However, given my interactions with the organization, the organizers of this forum today, i feel that i need to stay on for as long as i can to ensure that i am treated fairly and equitably in this setting. So if i do have to leave early upon, but i will stay for as long as i can. Uh, so that we can all have a meaningful discussion about this very important race. Thank you. Thank you, miss roland. Uh judge thompson, thank you, terry, for the opportunity. My name is judge patrick thompson. Im proud to have been appointed to the bench in march 2022 by governor gavin newsom. I was appointed after, uh, a long career in San Francisco. I came out here like so many people, uh, seeking great weather. I graduated from Harvard Law School and started at the storied law firm of pillsbury, madison and sutro, where i was in the last Partnership Class in that firm. While i was at pillsbury, i rose to the level of the National Chair of their antitrust practice, and then moved on to work in two other major law firms in the city. During my 30 years of practice, i worked on a broad array of different civil matters, but. But while i was doing that, i also had extra time. And during my extra time i was involved in the community, both in the Legal Community involving myself with various professional organizations, including this Bar Association. I was on the executive committee of the state bars antitrust section and unfair competition section, and served in the leadership for of the American Bar Association antitrust section and on their Standing Committee on publishing. I also worked in community in San Francisco, working with a number of significant nonprofits, including chairing the boards of california Pacific Medical center, grace cathedral, the Lawyers Committee for civil rights, and because im an arts groupie. I was chair of the mfa board of the american conservatory theater. After doing all that work in community , i decided to apply to become a judge because i thought i could use my skills as a lawyer to do something more meaningful full time for the city that i live in and work in and love. And i applied. And after four rounds of extensive vetting with hundreds of evaluations, im proud to have been appointed. And since then ive been serving in the superior court, working at the hall of justice, where i run my courtroom, as i describe in my materials by the book. And for those who know me, thats consistent with how i practice. I respect the law in the legal process, and everyone who comes before me thank you. Judge thompson. Judge becker, good evening. Thank you very much for the opportunity to address the Bar Association and everybody whos observing on zoom. Ive been a judge for 30 years. My name is michael beckert. Ive served in every division of the court. Ive served in every courthouse. Icus in the San Francisco court. Before that, i spent 21 years at the law firm mccutchen, doyle, brown and andersen. Uh, and while i was at that firm, i was also, uh, on the board of the asian law caucus, where i served as the chair for several years. I was also on the board of the Lawyers Committee for civil rights, where i served as an officer of that board, and i was the chair of the Asian American justice center, which is a national Asian American, uh, organization devoted to social justice. Uh, because of my history, experience and community involvement, i enjoy the endorsement of a great number of organized asians. Uh, the Democratic Party endorsed me. Uh, the vote was is that, uh, i think 26 members voted to endorse me. No one voted for my opponent. I have all 48 of the judges who are able to vote. Uh who are able to endorse candidates, uh, supporting me on the San Francisco superior court. Uh, i, i have the support of all the state level San Francisco elected officials. Scott wiener, matt haney, and phil ting. I have the support of the San Francisco sheriff, paul miyamoto, and Seven Members of the San Francisco board of supervisors. My opponent has only one super visor endorsed him. The Bar Association has rated me as well qualified. Uh my opponent declined to be evaluated by the Bar Association at all. Uh, i have been endorsed by six different Bar Associations, including, uh, all of the asian American Bar Associations, the latinx Bar Association, bay leaf, the lgbtq. I Bar Association, and others. Um, my opponent has no Bar Associations endorsing him. I have the San Francisco chronicles endorsement, and i have the endorsement of sing tao daily, uh, which is the only chinese language daily in the bay area. So i am happy and proud to have the support of, uh, people and organizations that i respect. And i hope that i can enjoy your support at the polls as well. Thank you, judge baker. Well, lets, uh, lets go to the questions. Um, im going to begin with the first question, and i will we will be moving around the order of candidates will begin with miss rowland for this one, and then we will shift around. Uh, miss rowland, im wondering if you can share with our audience the reasons. Elaborate a little bit more on the reasons that you are running for this seat. So, um, im running because i am experienced. Im qualified. I value Public Safety. Ive been a Public Servant to San Francisco for 23 years, and im ready to do more for San Francisco as a judge. I have, as a prosecutor, i have reviewed thousands of cases where i have had to weigh the evidence and facts that have been presented to me, and i have spoken to the people who were involved in those cases and made hard, tough decisions. Um, San Francisco is important to me. I did grow up here and, uh, seeing the changes that have been happening in San Francisco, i, i am a Public Servant at heart, and i feel very compelled to want to, uh, enter this race and do more as a as a judge. Very good. Thank you. Uh, judge thompson, um, im wondering if you could speak to the reasons for that for which you you sought appointment to the bench in the first place . And why now voters should vote to retain you. Thank you. I sought to apply for the position after having had the opportunity to work on the merit Selection Panel for the Northern District of california, and looking at the criteria used to evaluate judges in that context, and also serving on the Judiciary Committee of the Bar Association of San Francisco. After looking at those criteria and being involved with a number of nonprofits and evaluating my strengths, my career, i decided that i would submit an application because i thought that my skill set will match my interest in serving my community full time, and i. I spent months on the application. I polled friends and reflected on the decision to apply to become a judge, and i chose to do that. And then through the process, refined my thinking about it because i had the opportunity to be evaluated at each stage. Of those that process first, the regional review happens and then hearing feedback through the commission and then through this Bar Association, and also in consultation. When i spoke with the governors appointment secretary and so through that entire process, it galvanized my commitment to being engaged in this role. And i was proud to have been appointed in april in march 2022 and started serving in april 2022. And i am committed to continuing the work that weve been doing in the superior court of San Francisco. My first year, my first assignment, as i indicated, my background was all in civil. My first assignment was in traffic because i was so engaged with the work of the court and because i was a hard worker and someone who was willing to engage with the steep learning curve, i was permitted by a presiding judge to be an itinerant judge and see a lot of different departments in the criminal courts, and i was appointed to a permanent position in of in permanent. By that i mean for a year and preliminar hearings by the presiding judge, where i currently sit, where i decide whether theres enough evidence for trial, i am of the view that after going through the education that i have with my fellow new judges, going to new judges orientation and judges college, im really committed to the work that we do in the courts in california, because i think its incredibly important work, and i think its really important to have a fair and independent judiciary theory free from politics, free from a specific agenda, no matter how noble it might seem like Public Safety, because i think that the role of judges is to stay in our lane and to be that independent voice. And i think that the depth and breadth of my expertise and that vast experience that i have is among the core factors that voters should consider in deciding to retain me in this role. Great. Thank you. Thank you. Um, judge bagert, im going to put the same question to you. Why did you seek appointment to the bench in the first place . And why should voters vote to retain you . Uh, before i say that, i should point out, i think that there are two races going on here. Theres, uh, a an election for seat one, which is my seat. And then the seat that, uh, judge thompson currently occupies. And and, uh, assistant District Attorney roland is challenging, uh, judge thompson on that race. Uh, i am here for seat one, and my opponent is not here, so. So when im speaking, uh, it is in furtherance of my interest in retaining my seat, uh, as seat one. Ill give you the same answer that i gave some 13 plus years ago when i applied for and was, uh, thoroughly vetted for my appointment to the bench in 2010, uh, public service. I had spent a career at the highest levels of Legal Practice in San Francisco, and i wanted to do something that i thought would give back to the community. Im named after my grandfather, eisaku, and my grandfathers parents. My great grandparents were killed in an earthquake when he was only seven years old. So he was raised by his uncle, a man named sanusi. And sanusi was actually educated in the state of oregon, uh, where he learned about social justice and democracy. And he brought those ideas back to japan and, and, uh, he was an outspoken critic of the emperor and of the military aggression that was drawing japan into a disastrous future. So as a result of that, that he and a group of other dissident were rounded up in the fall of 1910, uh, they were tried by a corrupt judge in secret, without a jury. Uh, they were quickly convicted, and my the man who raised my grandfather, sanosuke, was, was, uh, sentenced to death. So in january of 1911, he was executed by hanging that his story reminds me that judges need to be, uh, a check on the power of government. The awesome power of government that judges need to be faithful to the law, not to the political motivations of the other parts of government and in my case, case. I took an oath to support and defend the constitution. So that is what i have done for the past 13 years. And i hope to continue doing that with your help. Thank you. Judge baker. Well go on to the next question. Uh, and judge thompson, im going to start with you for this round. Um you mentioned that you are currently on the preliminary hearing calendar. Uh, do you expect that you will continue you in that calendar, or could you be reassigned as part of a periodic shuffle undertaken by the presiding judge . I expect that, uh, i will be reassigned and assuming i retain my position, the one of the good things about the bench is that you have the opportunity to serve in a number of different roles and by serving in a number of different roles, you are able to have the perspective of working on a number of different assignments and different kinds of matters. Uh, i started out as i indicated in traffic. That was my initial assignment. Ive been assigned for preliminary hearings for a little more than a year. Assignments are typically for a year. However, they can change. And so my assignment for this calendar year is also preliminary hearings. It is not unusual for judges to be moved. Uh from preliminary hearings to either criminal trials or to other criminal matters, or into family court or into civil matters. And so, uh, i have every expectation, uh, that i will be rotated into a number of different places. Uh, if im fortunate enough to have a long legal, a long career on the bench. Very good. Thank you. Uh, judge bagert, ill. Ill go to you with the same question. Um, do you expect that you will continue in the assignment to the collaborative courts and the care act court in particular . Or similarly, could you be reassigned as part of a periodic shuffle by the presiding judge . Uh, i could be reassigned. Uh, i was chosen in 2022 to build and then preside over the care court. Uh, so i spent 2023, uh, or a good portion of that in that effort. Um, i also have, for the past five years, presided over three different treatment focused courts the drug court, the Community Justice court, and the veterans justice court, which is particularly near and dear to me because my father was a 20 Year Air Force veteran in, uh, in the course of doing that work, i have worked extensively with the Mayors Office as the board of supervisors was the, uh, precinct captains in the tenderloin, the chief of the bart police, the department of Public Health, uh, and all of the community provider, those that provide service uses for those courts, in addition to our justice partners, uh, the District Attorneys office, the public defenders office, and the Panel Attorneys on the conflicts panel. So those relationships, uh, have been built over a long period of time, and they are important for doing the kind of work, uh, that i have been doing. So so there is some id say, um, inertia, uh, that has, uh, been respected in the past, which would, uh, lead the presiding judge to want to have some stability in those types of courts. Uh, however, ive been doing this work for a good period of time, and ive worked in juvenile juvenile dependency, juvenile justice, family law, civil trials. Ive presided over more than 20 criminal trials. So theres a lot of things i could be asked to do. And i would be more than happy to serve in any of those capacities. Great. Thank you. Um, miss roland, turning to you, um, as in San Francisco, as as discussed, it is the presiding judge who decides which department or courtroom that a judge will sit in. Can you explain again how you have selected to run for seat 13, in particular. Sorry. So the seat 13 is specifically myself challenging patrick thompson. So if the question, um, that sounds like a different question than when what was asked to the other candidates. So im happy to ask answer both. So i chose seat 13 because there are 14 or 15 judges who are up for election. And um, you know, based upon on my reasons, uh, that i honestly cant really disclose in this setting, given the judicial canons. Um, i have ive, i have decided to run against judge patrick thompson, and he is in seat 13 right now. Um, in terms of moving around from different departments and Different Courtrooms and Different Court assignments, i mean, that is something that i expect to happen. In fact, i would be well prepared to do that considering that even in the das office, we are also moved around all the time. Hence, i have been through almost every unit in the office. You know, again, from even from the trial units where i spent eight years as a trial lawyer doing misdemeanors, even doing preliminary hearings, doing Domestic Violence, doing stalking trials, uh, gang violence, those are all departments that i have moved around from and had to learn whole new sets of laws. As a managing attorney, when i was managing Domestic Violence and stalking and elder abuse. Uh, those are all different units that ive had to learn a whole new set of laws, you know, even though we are in the das office, every unit is unique. Every unit has its own set of laws that are specific to the crimes they were that are being committed. And we have to learn all those. So thats exactly what ive been doing. And a great example that i would want to give, um, is when i went to the juvenile unit, juvenile actually is a completely different set of laws in addition to the penal code, as judge baggot knows, we have to. Were dealing with the welfare and institutions code, which is something that the adult side does not really deal with. And so what i did there was i actually read the welfare and Institution Code so that i could be prepared before going into a position where i would then have to manage a unit and a division in our office, and not only did i read it, but i wrote a manual for the attorneys to be able to understand and have a quick reference guide in terms of how juvenile crimes could be prosecuted and the procedures that they can follow. And that resource is actually even used today in the juvenile unit itself. So i am fully well prepared and do understand that the presiding judge will assign judges. And if i am elected, that i will also be assigned to different units. And im well prepared to do that. So i just wanted to be sure that im answering both your questions. Thank you. Uh, going on to the next question, uh, this time, judge biggert, im going to start with you, uh, the California Supreme Court decision in the humphrey case changed the law on bail. A judge must now grant release without requiring a cash bond, unless the da proves that the defendant presents a imminent danger to the public. And that no alternative to detention exists, or that the person is a flight risk. Its very similar to the system used in federal court. There is some subjectivity in arriving at a decision even based on the humphrey analysis. Should Public Safety and Community Perceptions of Public Safety be given greater weight in bail decisions . Given the fentanyl crisis, i think they are given great weight at the current time. Uh, i think that my colleagues who determine, uh, these detention motions are very conscious of Public Safety, and theyre also very conscious of the risk measurements of the law. Um, i should say i do not make those decisions because they are typically made in an arraignment court. That is one assignment i have not had a felony arraignment court. Uh, so those decisions get made in a different part of the criminal court. Uh, i make decisions that involve the release of people who are in custody in the treatment courts, but those those questions arise because, um, the parties have agreed that someone should, uh, engage in treatment rather than proceed with their criminal case or because the person is subject to a law which qualifies them to participate in a diversion program. And when those referrals are made to me, there is an understanding by everyone that the person is going to be released. Uh in ideal cases, theyll be released to the custody of someone in the, uh, Public Health realm who will take them to a program where they can engage in the treatment that they need and that they deserve. Uh, so when i release somebody, its because they are being treated imported into the treatment that my courts oversee. And after their transport to that treatment, we are in Constant Contact with them. And we have repeated hearings to make sure that they are are complying with the program, um, that they are making appropriate advancements and that that they are not reoffending if they do reoffend and their offense renders them ineligible for the program that i oversee, uh, they are returned to criminal court, uh, and they face those consequences. So my courts combine, uh, some accountability, uh, along with some treatment that people need with the objective of advancing Public Safety through the long terme, the long terme objective of addressing the underlying causes of criminal behavior rather than, uh, incarcerate someone for a period of time without addressing those concerns and then releasing them to the street, uh, with, with possibly the same set of circumstances or worse. Thank you. Uh, miss roland, im going to put the same question to you. Ill restate it. Uh, the California Supreme Court decision in the humphrey case changed the law on bail. A judge must now grant release without requiring a cash bond. Unless the da proves that the defendant presents an imminent danger to the public, and that no alternative to detention exists, or that the person is a flight risk. Its very similar to the system used in federal court. There is some subjectivity in arriving at a decision, even based on the humphrey analysis. Should Public Safety and Community Perceptions of Public Safety be given greater weight in bail decisions . Given the fentanyl crisis. Well, i think i can answer that in general in terms of Public Safety, i think, you know, as as i think anyone on this forum would agree Public Safety is important and its something that the judges would take into consideration. Um, i do believe that the judges need to follow the law. I mean, its something that we should all be doing. Its something that ive been doing as a da. We have to follow the law and we apply the law, especially in, um, you know, in, in cases that do impact peoples liberties. So i would, i would like to believe that everybody on this forum would, would agree that judges need to be impartial. We follow the law and whatever the law entitles us to be able to do what i do think there is, is there is also discretion. It is subject to discretion. And that discretion is something that the judges are allowed to, uh, to determine whether or not somebody should be released, released with conditions or if sorry, if released with conditions or, or if they should be detained and remain in custody. So there are there are discretion points in a case, uh, and that though and i think detention and arraignment is one of those discretion points within, within the law. Thank you. Uh, judge thompson, over to you. Ill state the question again. The California Supreme Court decision in the humphrey case changed the law on bail. A judge must now grant release without requiring a cash bond unless the da proves that the defendant presents an imminent danger to the public, and that no alternative to detention exists, or that the person is a flight risk. Its very similar to the system used in federal court. There is some subjectivity in arriving at a decision even based on the humphrey analysis. Should Public Safety and Community Perception of Public Safety be given greater weight in bail decisions, given the fentanyl crisis . Well, thank you for the question. I agree with everything that, um panelists have said about following the law because im new to criminal humphreys was the standard and has been the standard thats guided my thought process on this issue from the beginning. And as judge becker pointed out, custodial decisions are made at arraignment. Im in a preliminary hearings department. And so the issue comes before me when someone seeks to change someones custodial status in terms of whether Public Safety should be a factor. One of the things that many civil lawyers do not know is that Public Safety is, by statute, a core factor, and function and consideration of the criminal courts. When were in civil courts, a lot of what we deal with is the exchange of resources and money and the criminal courts, one of the core guiding issues is the protection of Public Safety. One of the other things that i want to add to this discussion, that hasnt been mentioned is that typically in a litigation, there is a decision to be made based on the presentation of the District Attorney and the defense lawyer. Thats the conventional idea that you have a litigation and you have two different positions with respect to detention decisions. The court has Additional Information that it can consider for a Public Safety assessment that we receive that considers data runs through an algorithm and provides Additional Information based on the background and history of the accused defendant, such that the court has even more information to inform its decision. Because what i was unaware of, as someone who was a civil lawyer, the vast number of resources that exist in San Francisco that allow for the imposition of conditions, whether its electronic monitoring or whether its a treatment program, whether its mandatory check ins with a case manager, every single day. Those are things that are available to us to impose as conditions to both ensure that the person does not reoffend and that the person returns to court. That was entirely unknown to me, but thats an added dimension. Even though thats an Assessment Tool , we describe it as a tool because it doesnt bind a judge. It just provides the Court Additional information to rely on and making an assessment as to how it is that the court can exercise its right ability to apply the law to ensure that the law is applied fairly and appropriately, and to guard peoples liberty, interest and i also will add that the court is so concerned about this issue that the court has a Specialized Committee that looks at pretrial issues and meets period to ensure and i sit on that committee, i asked to be on that committee to delve deeper and learn more. The court has a committee and a series of committees, but one of the reasons i highlight that one is to emphasize what San Francisco superior court has done to ensure that the issues of Public Safety, especially in light of humphreys, are top of mind. Thank you so well well go on to the next question. Um, uh, assistant District Attorney roland, im going to start with you for this one. Weve all seen coverage in the press that the San Francisco community is concerned with ongoing crime and reports that the citys reputation for safety has suffered in recent times, given that climate, do you feel that if you were elected, you would feel pressure to be tough on crime . So ive heard that phrase a lot tough on crime, and i honestly, uh, dont know exactly how people would define that. What i would say is that i would be fair. I have always been fair in the 23 years that ive been a da, i mean, i, i want to say that i also took an oath and that oath as a da is to uphold the law, to uphold the constitution and to be fair, that is exactly what i have done for the last 23 years. I have literally, when im reviewing these cases, as i have to look at these cases objectively, i have to look at these cases in terms of whether or not im able to meet our burden. And that burden is reasonable doubt. And when i say that i reviewed these cases and i have spoken to thousands of victims, its because when im looking at these cases, i have to make these decisions. These are really hard, tough decisions to determine whether or not we would charge a case, whether or not we would discharge a case, whether or not i am going to proceed on a case to trial, whether or not i am going to dismiss a case. I mean, these are all factors that weve been looking at that i have looked at, that i have had to make those tough, hard decisions and, um, they are not they are not made by me by pressures from politics. It is not made by pressures from from the community or from the people. Right. These are decisions that i have to make based upon my own ethics, based upon my own integrity. And i can tell you that as a prosecutor, one of the hardest things is that when we will not proceed on a case, i have to call the victim or i choose to call that victim and have that discussion with that victim, because they should hear from the person whos making the decision that we cannot proceed on this case because i would not be able to meet our burden and its not an easy conversation to have. So there are lots of pressures, uh, that come at us as a prosecutor and theres lots of pressures that have even come at me as a prosecutor. And because i took an oath, because i know what it means to be fair and impartial, because i know what it means to stand up and you know, hold the line and do the right thing. Those are all the same qualities, experiences, and skills that i would carry with me to the bench. Thank you. Uh, judge thompson, over to you. The same question. Ill repeat it. Weve seen coverage in the press that the San Francisco community is concerned with ongoing crime and reports that the citys reputation for safety has suffered in recent times, given that climate, do you feel a sense of pressure to be tough on crime . Thank you for that question. It is deeply concerning. I live in San Francisco. Ive lived here, worked here for 30 years. I know that people are very concerned about Public Safety. I also think that the public is very frustrated that the people they elected to solve these problems havent delivered in the way that the public has expected. And i disagree with my opponent in this respect that the District Attorney specifically, he ran on a platform saying that these are the things that the District Attorney promises that are different from her predecessor and a District Attorney runs as an advocate for a position. I recognize that there are ethical responsibilities, but but thats an advocacy position. Its a its a position where youre saying in each day that this is what youre going to deliver. The judges cannot do that. We are bound by the law. We consider both sides, both positions, and we try to arrive at the right outcome, the right result. After considering that information. And one of the things that were charged with is even if thats something that we may philosophic disagree with or the public disagree with, were bound to uphold it because were the people who have to be the gatekeepers for the law, because thats ultimately what our responsibility is in the courtroom. I think theres a difference between reviewing cases. As an advocate and reviewing cases as someone whos supposed to be the referee, as a judge, i recognize that having served in this position for almost two years, i look at cases very differently than i did as a litigator, because when i was a litigator, i was beholden to a client. I have an ethical obligation to zealously advocate on behalf of my client. I have to be ethical, but i have to be a zealous advocate. Thats different from what the role is of the judge. My big concern is that in San Francisco, because of the fear that exists, its been exploited by others and its been highly politicized. And those who have endorsed my opponent at stop crime action have affirmatively said that theyre looking for specific types of outcomes because they do not believe that fentanyl dealers should be released essentially under any circumstances, because of the risk that they believe exists of reoffend. Im not suggesting that the underlying social crisis of fentanyl is to be taken lightly. The issue that i have is that we have to recognize that it is a social concern, but judges play a specific role. We dont decide who to who is arrested. We dont decide who is charged, charged. Our job is to ensure that were applying the law fairly and appropriately, and holding both parties to the appropriate Legal Standard so that we can maintain the integrity of our role as a fair and independent body of government. Thank you. Uh, judge bagert on to you. Im going to put the same question which is, uh, weve seen coverage in the press that the San Francisco community is concerned with ongoing crime and reports that the citys reputation for safety has suffered in recent times. Given that climate, do you feel pressure to be tough on crime . I think any of us are human and we feel pressure. The question really is how do we respond to it . One of the pillars of judicial ethics is having the courage to follow the law and do what is right. Uh, my mothers japanese. She was an immigrant to this country. I grew up around. And, uh, other japanese american. And they would talk about the time that they spent in camp and they didnt talk about it in an angry way or a bitter way. And it was really spoken about as a matter of fact. Oh, i was at poston or i was at tule lake. Uh, i was at manzanar. It was only in only later in life that i realized what they were talking about was being incarcerate purely on the basis this of their ethnicity. And this was not something that was enforced by by some obscure court in some far corner of the country. There was a judge in San Francisco that upheld the japanese intern movement, and there was the ninth Circuit Court of appeals in San Francisco that affirmed that valid portion of the ins isolation of japanese america was based on a racist policy, and the Supreme Court of the United States found that this was a permit able action based on military necessity. Now, how could this happen in our community . It happened because people were afraid. And i can understand that fear. I can understand that people were concerned. I can also understand that Political Forces exploited that fear for reasons that did not have anything to do with Public Safety or national security. Its my obligation as a judge to ensure that those kinds of mistakes do not happen. That we follow the law and that we are not subject to pressures that may be based on fears, whether those fears are legitimate or not. But we follow the law and we uphold the constitution. Thank you. I just can i respond to just one thing because i just want to say that, you know, in the spirit of discussion that were having, um, i want to make it clear that the da does not have clients right. So im just saying that you know, when were talking about zealously advocating for clients that is not a das role. We do not have a client that we represent. We actually represent the people. So we are representing the public interest. We are were here to stand for, uh, for, i guess, what you could call Public Safety, public interest. So you know, it is its different when were talking about, uh, you know, attorneys who are representing a client and youre putting forth their, their wishes or their wills, um, as a da, we do apply the law. That is something that das do. We have to apply the law because we also took an oath to uphold the law. So you know, when we look at the cases and we and i have reviewed cases, i have to make sure that we are also following the law, applying it, and, and, uh, those are the decisions that we put forth. So i just wanted to clarify that, you know, that is what a da does. We are not representing specific clients, which which perhaps, you know, is a common, you know, misconception that some people might have. Thank you. Um, uh, im going to go to the next question and, and put it to judge thompson, but if youd like to respond at all, please feel free. Um, ill put the question to you and then share your thoughts. Uh a judge who was challenged in a previous election noted that he spent a lot of time dialing for dollars. Youve had to raise money from the Legal Community and elsewhere for, uh, some of the lawyers who have contributed to your campaign will appear in front of you. How do you reconcile the requirement in the judicial canons to be independent, fair and impartial with the need to raise money from potentially lawyers who will be appearing in front of you . Well thats a fair question. First, in response to the last point that was made when i talked about an obligation to zealously advocate , i do believe that the District Attorneys office or the attorney general advocates on behalf of the government as the face of the people. But theres also another side. And so thats the principle point that i wanted to raise, that judges have to consider both. And we have to consider it fairly and independently. And its not a partizan role in terms of fundraising. Um. When this challenge was first mounted, as it was framed, it was described as if there is going to be an enormous amount of money thats going to be pouring in, because people are very concerned about about Public Safety in San Francisco, and that its, its, uh, appealing to fear and that tremendous resources are available and, and, uh, weve seen that our opponents have harnessed those resources and use them and directed them toward me and towards judge becker in terms of what i have done and fundraising is i have reached out to people i know, uh, people who are my colleagues , people who are my former colleagues, people who are involved with other Community Organizations in which ive been involved to seek their help, to support what i stand for. And i think what we stand for, for, uh, as, uh, judges who support a fair and independent judiciary, i recognize that, uh, there are Disclosure Requirements that will be made to people who donate. And if they donate at a certain levels, i would have to recuse myself. Uh, and i also recognize that, uh, that is something that i knew coming into this job that i wouldnt hear cases from the folks who were at perkins coie because because i was a partner there and so it would be a period of time where there has to be space to ensure not only that theres not actual impropriety, but theres not the appearance of impropriety, because thats one of the things thats also incredibly important in our role , because we need to protect and preserve the publics confidence in what we do. And so i havent found it that it presents an ethical issue for me. Uh, its more of a matter of going forward. I recognize that this is one of the issues that we face by having elections especially challenging sitting judges who have been thoroughly vetted. Thank you. Judge thompson. Uh, miss roland, ill put the same question to you. Um, a judge who was challenged in a previous election noted that he spent a lot of time dialing for dollars. How would you reconcile the requirement in the judicial canons to be independent, fair and impartial with the need to raise money from interest groups, including lawyers, who may be appearing before you if you are elected . So i am not. Ive never been in politics before. So i will say that, you know, fundraising is and has been a very new experience for me. Um, im actually very proud of all of my supporters and including all the donors that i have. I have an incredibly Diverse Group of donors and supporters, and that includes mothers who are at the schools where my children go to schools in San Francisco, because im very engaged in that community and in those communities. Um, you know, were talking about, uh, teachers, homemaker hours. Were talking about, um, you know, people who have Small Businesses, who have, you know, various different jobs that spans up to companies and corporations. Um, these are people who believe in what i stand for because i do stand for Public Safety, because i do have the experience and the qualifications to do this job. Im very honored. And in fact, humbled at the amount of support that has come. My way because, um, i will be honest, when i first entered this race, i did not know where the funding would come from, you know, and i reached out to my communities that i am very engaged in. And the outpouring of support was incredibly humbling. Its not just the donors. I mean, were talking about the endorsements, which was a completely new process for me, where im you know, just sharing my experiences, my position, my passion for what i do as a Public Servant and every time i would go to talk to any of the democratic clubs of, um, any of the associations, you know, the questions they posed to me, i answered as genuinely and as honestly as i can. So im incredibly proud to have the support of, you know, of many different organizations like the democratic, uh, the democratic clubs, as such as the chinese American Democratic club, the United Democratic club, the ed lee democratic club, alice b toklas, um, eastern neighborhoods, democratic club, west side family, democratic club, Noe Valley Democratic Club , um, the aag right, the um including my own korean american community, right where i have the korea times, as well as the hyundai daily, uh, supporting me and many of the korean community, Small Business owners in San Francisco. I also have the endorsement for bailiff, which is the Bar Association asian, the lgbtq Bar Association also has endorsed me, and i am proud to stand by all of the First Responder and the public and the First Responder and the Public Safety, um, organizations such as the San Francisco po for the firefighters, the deputy sheriffs, the adult and juvenile probation deputy officers who have also endorsed me. Ive also have the um, the support of, uh, supervisor matt dorsey. Mandelman engardio and the california state treasurer, fiona ma. I mean, there are so many support that came from so many different places that i did not expect, but i am proud to have an incredibly diversified base of supporters that span from a stay at home mom up to the companies and corporations up to Public Safety First Responders. I mean, it has been an incredibly humbling experience, and im proud to stand by all of them. Thank you. Uh, judge biggert, ill put the same question to you. A judge who was challenged in a previous election noted that he spent a lot of time dialing for dollars. Youve had to raise money from folks in your community, including the Legal Community and some of the lawyers who have contributed to your campaign. May appear in front of you. How would you reconcile the requirement in the judicial canons to be independent, fair and impartial with the need to raise money from lawyers who may be appearing in front of you . Yeah. When i was in civil practice, uh, there were lots of times when you might appear before a judge one time in your career and a lot of the departments, uh, in the superior court, you have the same people in front of you over and over again. And, uh, it happens in family dependency, juvenile justice certainly happens in the criminal courts. And judges do a really good job of separating how they feel about an individual attorney. Uh from how they they address the case because the judge is conscious of the fact that there is a person, uh, or a governmental entity or a party behind that attorney. And that is the person that you have to keep in the forefront of your thinking. So so regardless of how i feel about an attorney whos in front of me, i am primarily concerned with the rights and the responsibilities parties of the person that they represent or of the interests that they represent. Now that said, uh, there are very extensive rules that govern how judges have to disclose those and address, uh, the issue of contributions during a campaign. So thats well, um, thats well, well thought out. Um, but there is another side to, to the, the integrity of the judiciary. And that is not just how the judge reacts to these pressures, but how the public perceives the judges reaction. And that, i think, is a challenge with having judges stand for election , that, uh, the parties and the public may perceive that the judge is being influenced by Something Like a contribution, whether that happens or not. But, uh, i will say that my contributions have been from from small donors and individuals. Um, my opponent has received 100,000 contribution from a cryptocurrency billionaire. I think that is hard to ignore. He has received several contributions. Uh, he received a 50,000 contribution from Venture Capital list and another 50,000 from another Venture Capitalist. Uh, when youre talking about money in those sums, uh, regardless of whether the judge can set aside how the judge feels about that, uh, those kinds of financial contributions, there is a perception in the public thats problematic that the integrity and the independence of the judicial tree has been compromised. Thank you. Well, uh , we are going to go to our q a session. Oh, sorry. Miss roland, did you want to jump in . No, i just i just wanted to indicate that, um, i do have to leave soon. I feel that ive stayed as long as i could. I do have another event, and i do apologize for that. I would, i, i had hoped that we could move this, uh, forum to another date, but i do have a prescheduled event that i need to attend to. And i wanted to just let you know that, um, i would have to go. So just let me know how you would want to proceed. Well, actually, that that thats a, um, kind of a perfect segue. Theres we have a question. Our first question in the q amp, a is a is a question directed to you. So perhaps if you have a moment, you could answer that and then do your closing statement or if thatd be all right. Um, sure, i can answer. I can answer one question. That would be great. So the question is, uh, im reading verbatim. Im curious about whether miss roland has ever sought appointment as a judge by the governor. So i had thought about it, uh, an appointment about ten years ago. You know, i actually pulled the application. I looked through it. I even filled it out. I spoke to many different judges at that time. Um, because i have appeared in front of many judges and, um, and many of whom i feel were mentors to me. And in speaking with them, it the process itself was incredibly, um, incredibly, it would take a lot of commitment, which at the time i had two small children and being a full time mother with two babies and, you know, being a full time prosecutor, it was extremely difficult. But that was actually something that i had to not pursue because at the time i could not be a full time mother, a full time prosecutor, and then go through the appointment process. Ten years ago, that was a door i actually closed. I i honestly had not even thought that i would find myself in this position today. Right . I i can tell you that when i, ive been through 23 years in the das office, and this is not something that i had expected, but seeing the differences, seeing the changes that have been happening in San Francisco, seeing the changes that ive seen in the Justice System, and then, you know, being able to just be in a position, my current position where i am literally reading transcripts of every single day and dealing with cases every single day, i see the majority of the felony crimes. When i see that, i mean that i see the majority of the felony crimes that are hitting San Francisco. And i see, you know, many different aspects of those cases in reading the transcripts and how they are moving forward. And, um, i, i felt that being a lifelong Public Servant, i needed to do something more. I needed to do something where i have an expertise in where i have experience in. And so i jumped into this election. That is why i am here, because i want to see change and, you know, i want to be very clear. Right . I, i have the highest regard for the judiciary. I have so much respect for, you know, for many of the judges that are sitting on the bench, i have appeared in front of so many of them, i am not out challenging the entire judiciary. Right. I am here challenging one person. I am here challenging one seat. I am here challenging patrick thompson. And you know, in doing so, i am jumping into this election and i chose not to go through the appointment process because i see that the change needs to happen now. So im hoping that that answers the question that was asked. Thank you. Um, we have a few more questions. Is, was do you want to make a further closing statement or shall we go on to questions . Um so i do have to go , but you know, i, i would i would end my part with this. Yes. Um im life long Public Servant to San Francisco. Right. If anybody wants to read about why i decided to be a Public Servant, you can read it on my website right. Gene for judge comm, a tragic incident in my familys history propelled me to want to be a voice for victims that is why i became a da. I love being a da. I have been a voice for victims for 23 years. It is something that i am proud to say to enroll in for the people. But those and those words mean so much to me because i have been an advocate for victims and i understood what that meant. I stood up for what i believe is justice, even when it has been incredibly hard to do. I truly believe that San Francisco deserves to have people who will keep this city moving forward and stand up for what is right. Um, despite all of the critics and the narratives out there, i want to convey as much as i can on that. I am a Public Servant, and i have the interest of the public at heart. I genuinely want to make a difference in San Francisco and i do feel that my supporters and my endorsers, you know, can see that because every discussion i have had with them, they can see what i do stand for. I have the experience. I am qualified, i have the temperament, i have the respect of many people in this community. And i will be a judge who will balance Public Safety, compassion and the rights of everyone involved in our judicial system and everyone who touches our system. That that is what i stand for. That is what ive been doing as a da, and i want to continue doing that as a judge on the superior court of San Francisco. So i truly appreciate this opportunity to be able to speak, um, and join in this forum. I sincerely apologize that i cannot stay till the end. Um, i really felt that this was important, which is why i extended my time here tonight. Uh, and i really have to go because i have people who are wanting me to go now. So thank you so much. You were a wonderful moderator. Uh, i also thank the all the candidates on this forum. Uh, i appreciate just all of this discussion. And its important to the voters. So thank you. Thank you for being here. Much appreciated. So uh, we have a couple of other questions in the in the q a judge biggert and thompson, if you, uh, have a few more minutes, i think weve got a little more time in our schedule here. Um, please. Uh, the first one. And this is for, for both of you would have been from israel. And if she were able to remain. Uh, ill just read it verbatim. Uh, we saw a peak in antiasian violence during the pandemic. And the Asian Community in San Francisco continues to be concerned about Public Safety, particularly for the elderly. Taking this into account, how can judges appropriately make sure that individuals involved in hate crimes are held accountable for their actions . Uh, and ill judge baget ill just arbitrarily ask you to start. Uh uh. The events that youre describing are deeply concerning and disturbing to me. Um, my mother is 105 year old Asian American woman, so i am very conscious of the fact that there are members of our community who are vulnerable. And there does seem to be, um, racial animus behind some of the criminal behavior that weve observed. Uh it saddens me, and it concerns me at the same time, i think that to some extent, our discussion about Public Safety has been coopted and distorted to mean longer sentences and nothing else. Public safety is a complex set of factors that has to do with social issues, issues that has to do with the legitimacy of the institutions that we all hold dear, including the judicial branch. And it has to do with addressing the needs that people have, which cause them to engage in behavior that we cannot tolerate. So i believe in accountability. I believe in responsibility. I also believe in, uh, what Kamala Harris described as being smart on crime. The law is not just a blunt instrument. We have to respond to complex social issues with complex risk responses and i am disturbed that these issues have been simplified, uh, to something that does not work in all cases. There are many different situations that lead to criminal behavior. And, uh, some of the responses, uh, that are being proposed have been tried in the past and they have not been successful, and they have disproportionately impact vulnerable groups in our community. And i think, frankly, that undermines Public Confidence in the institution of government that basically constitute the social contract. Right. And we have to be conscious of the fact that if the legitimacy of the entire criminal Justice System is suspect, then people are not going to respect the law. Thank you. Um judge thompson, ill repeat the question just so you have it in fresh in your mind, uh, we saw a peak in antiasian violence during the pandemic, and the Asian Community in San Francisco continues to be concerned about Public Safety, particularly for the elderly. Taking this into account, how can judges appropriately make sure that individuals involved in hate crimes are held accountable for their actions . As um, a black american who grew up in in the wake of the Civil Rights Movement and seeing the images of people who look like me being victimized by violence because because of the color of their skin, i know acutely what it means to be singled out and targeted for violence based on, on race and ethnicity. That experience and that background is part of who i am. And i bring that sensibility to the branch i recognize and appreciate. That is a deep concern. Even when i have been on the campaign trail in this opportunity to talk to people in particular from the Chinese American Community in San Francisco and more recently, the korean american community, reflecting on those that background and that experience is one of the reasons that i enjoy having the endorsement of singtao daily, a chinese language newspaper, and the California Association of asian and Pacific American judges association. Their pac endorsed me because part of my values relates to that very lived experience. One of the things that we can reflect on in San Francisco, thats a positive thing, is that the data show that the number of antiasian hate crimes has dropped about 90 in the last couple of years, and thats a really positive thing. I think part of that is because the community we mobilize to bring and raise awareness around those issues and to try to say that our community wouldnt accept that. I also think, though, that as a judge, one of the roles that we play is to ensure that the victim of any crime, particularly one thats directed to someone who doesnt speak english as their first language, which many of the people who were the victims of the types of crimes that youre describing were is that we need to ensure that that our courtrooms dont retraumatize people. One of the things that we how we can do that is ensuring that because judges dont have this information independently, but ensuring that when a District Attorney is calling witnesses to ensure that theyve identified that person and help us to ensure that we have the Resources Available so they have interpreters to ensure that the way that coming into court and how theyre treated in the courtroom doesnt reinforce a negative experience. They had to take a bad situation that they already had, and make that experience even worse, because they dont feel as though the judge sitting before them is willing to listen, is willing to recognize what their experience is and has some kind of predetermined view as to how someone should be treated based on the color of their skin, their their ethnicity, or their place of national origin. And thats one of the reason i emphasize is that when i say by the book, i want respect for everybody, but i also recognize that in the criminal courts i was confounded by all the acronyms that people used and all the numbers that they used. And what i insisted on is that that lawyers not use those numbers. Imagine if you refer to a 211 and thats a robbery, even if its translated as a 211, its meaning less to somebody whos a member of the public who just doesnt understand. But by trying to use language that makes the proceedings accessible , able to help them become more understandable, it creates an environment where, as a collective, people would be more willing to come forward and ories, such that the courts can actually act in the role that we have to address the situation that youve described. Thank you. Uh, given where we are at 610 and weve got five more minutes in our allotted time, i think it probably makes sense to move to closing statements. Uh so, judge bhagat, ill offer you the virtual mic first. Thank you very much. Uh, and thank you all for your interest in making your community the best possible place. We are all interested in having a San Francisco, uh, that is healthy and safe and vibrant. And its been a great reward and an unexpected gift to interact with so many members of the public through this campaign who are so invested in making San Francisco the best possible place. So uh, it makes me proud of our community. And it makes me honored to serve this community as a judge. Um, i have been in this role for 13 years, and at every step i have sought out assignments which i thought could benefit the public, uh, which i thought would afford me opportunities to help people. And whether that was in family law or juvenile dependency or juvenile justice or now in the various treatment courts over which i preside, i have had the ability to serve in that role. And ive had the great privilege of hearing people tell me that, that i have helped them change their lives for the better. Uh, that for me has been the greatest reward of my life. And i am very grateful to all of you for allowing me to hold that role. And have that responsibility. Thank you. Thank you, judge baker. Judge thompson well, thank you all for sharing. Part of this rainy evening, listening to us do drone on about something that we love and are committed to. I want to thank the Bar Association of San Francisco for convening this forum, because as the Bar Association of San Francisco has a history of being committed to the Legal Community and to lifting up the Legal Community and to lift up its profession, and has been supportive of the judiciary, recognizing that a fair and independent judiciary is critical to the rule of law, and its critical to the rule of law, and by being critical to the rule of law, our Public Safety is dependent on that. In other countries that do not have what we have, they are less safe. You cannot walk freely. You cannot mingle freely. And i have found during this journey, which was entirely unanticipated, i have been delighted by the outpouring of support that i have received from various corners of the city, and nooks and crannies that i may have never experienced, even though ive lived here for 30 years, i have been committed as a student of the law for my 30 years of practice and committed to this community, as demonstrated by the work that i did with a lot of different nonprofits. But the work that im doing now, now i find an enormous amount of gratification from because im able to apply experience that i was able to develop in the private sector and apply that Knowledge Base in a very real way that affects everyday lives. I see about 25 of the felonies that affect people in San Francisco every day. I could not have imagined when i applied to become a judge. That would be my experience. I had an abstract view of i want to be a judge, but what i recognize now is that i always loved practicing antitrust was really intellectually interesting. What i find amazing about the role that im able to play is im able to play a role where i am part of what i hope to be the solutions to drive a Better Community in which we can live. And thats something that i get to do every day with a great group of colleagues who are equally committed to that notion. One of the things im going to encourage all the people in the audience to do is to go out and tell their neighbors and their friends and their networks that next tuesday is an election, and that they should vote because it all starts here. It starts locally. Many people are unaware of the election. Many people are also unaware of who we are as judges and what we do as members of the Legal Community. You have the special ability to convey the importance of that, and you will be viewed as trusted purveyors of that information because they know you and they respect you and i really want to ensure that we have, as many people participating in this process as we can, because because i do believe that the strength of our city, its better days are to come. But i also recognize that we have had an environment thats been fanning the fuel of fear and doom. And i think that i live in a city where i know that there are problems. I know that there are challenges, i walk around, ive been victimized by crime myself, but i also recognize that this is an amazing place, and we have i recognize that ive been given an enormous opportunity to serve the people of San Francisco and i really hope that they find it within themselves to vote in my favor next week, so i can continue to do so. Thank you. Thank you, judge thompson. Thank you, judge biggert. Thank you to miss roland. And thank you to all of you in the audience for joining. And special thanks to the Bar Association for facilitating this forum. Good evening, good evening, good evening. You. As a voter you have a choice on how you can vote you might cast your vote by mail or vote earlier in city hall if you choose to vote earlier youll go to our powell plays might be a church or in regards garage theyll make the voting as uncomplicated as possible yes what does 3 take to be a poll working and what exactly does a poll work working do letting meet some. Aim jack. Im coauthor la. Im tiffany and charles and my name is elizabeth im jeff im bruce hi, im karin a fulltime student addressed city college ive been a pole working for 10 years. For 13 years your 10 or the 9 or 10 years. Those poll workers and thousands are an essential part of election day 31 they provide the safeguarding of democratic processed theres a feeling in the poll place youre a feeling of something that has a special place in the world the democratic process in the United States is model to the rest of the world. Its a relay sequence e sense youre part of that history and being able to keep that going and it is really does feel good. I feel overhead this is a great civil dude and get a different idea. In my residential area i dale feel im Transbay Joint Powers Authority to the community as a wloel in the community. So San Francisco poll workers have a Service Based mission the first to protect the voter rights we make sure they understand the rights on the ballot and the right to an essential polling place and many languages around english. Its like someone that didnt know how to read im more happy to help you like ill help you. The second part to serve the voters like workers and language they respect the voter and finally the last myths is offsets the which i see to come to the polling place. This takes a lot of pole working for each election they higher 26 hundred pole workers to staff over 5 hundred polling places this chose 6 senate victories and thousand clerks and high school students. Look at the address of our polling place on line or visit it a day beforehand. Every pole worker has been trained the Election Department holds for one hundred hundred clads a month before the election they vary into one and a half to 3 hours and classes focus on the right to voters including language and other access right for voter and step up polling place and equipment and procedures for voting and vote and mail. The Election Office is constantly streamlining the process so there the good of the training in order to tap into the continuing Better Process in their creating. Pole workers learner about clothing procures like completing the posted ballets and transferring the memory packs and others materials for the traffic officers or deputy sheriff. I like how the training every year improves. So as the inspector the first is all introduce user to the collect and assign them their job cards. A polling place nodes someone to supervisor and that pole working is called an inspector and responsible for that four or five clerks they get hands on experience. Youre also going to be doing other things at 12 oclock and 3 oclock to the inspector needs to hang into this. The inspector makes sure that the polling is smooth and greets people in a way with respect to make sure theyre going to the procedures so not only in the step of that but in the actual process during the day and the process of breaking the equipment down and tab latino making sure all the numbers gets to the sheriffs deputy and to the city and county. Theyre a key holder on election day they wear a i can rove that hat audience this is the voting machine. After the training inspections pickup bottles and other supplies their polling places need on election day. This is for the briefing. Inspectors are responsible for the chain of custody of ballot they sign for the battles and have you ever had your deposition taken transfer it to a deputy sheriffs at the end of the day. Thats one of the things i thought attracted to this to learner about the voting process and knowing that at the end of all this we take great pains to make sure that the routes are secure and save and delivered back to the ballet department. Their seals rewe having to put occupy the equipment and make sure that carry the key it secures the ballot machine so we have to be keen you know id say and areas open on dale what was going on election die when the voter voted if they messed up weve got to void that we have to keep track and get for every step as well as the procedural exponent to transfer the battles at the end of the nicest to the sheriffs detective and the memory card and data make sure those dont get tampa everyday with. Each inspectors manual excludes the cards that lifts different pole workers dudes. Theres one person that sets up the booth and others that set up equipment and again, we follow it step by step. We willfully with such culture diversities San Francisco has many languages spoken everyday to meet of diverse challenge the department of election assigned chinese pole workers spanish speakers to 2 hundred and 17 predicts and filipino to one hundred and thirty predictability and vietnamese and japanese to 7 priblts and theres a lot of chinese speaking people so theres been at least 2 people on staff that speak chinese and really comes in handy. They choose that pen. Id like to say that 70 percent of powell workers come back election after election thats inspiring theyre returning. Many people are glad to see us we know were in the predict we are there in the election before. I know people expect to see me now it is a regular occurrence so oh, youre working this one yeah. Theres a sense of trust they believe in us and theyll be protected. Working as a precinct worker learners about the process. Once you see the process you gain a new respect so ill encourage 80 anyone to get the experience. The department of elections needs new workers theyre looking for new powell its go to sf election. Org come shop dine and play. Taraval street is open for business. [indiscernible] the owner of tabitas on taraval onmy business is focus on [indiscernible] my moms res aef and we make muffins and scones and cookies and everything home made. For me, it is being able to be a Community Cafe where everybody feels comfortable. Please come in, play and eat at the tabitas cafe on 1101 teraival street. Take time for teraival bingo, a Community Game supporting Small Business. Anyone can participate. It is easy, collect special stickers on a bingy stale game board and enter a raff raffle event for a chance hello, im shannon with the league of women voters of San Francisco. Along with the league and sfgov tv, im here to discuss proposition i, a ballot measure which will be before the voters on tuesday, november 8th. The city closed certain public streets to private Motor Vehicles reserving the streets as open space for recreational purposes. These closures weren abilitied in response to the covid19 pandemic. In may, 2022, the board of supervisors at the golden gate and safety program. The closed portion of jfk drive and certain connector streets in Golden Gate Park seven days a week to private Motor Vehicles and reserving the street as open space for