Connoisseurs of grassroots democracy ~

We mounted an effective campaign a few years ago to institute public campaign financing for the mayoral race. Hundreds of you showed up at hearings, made phone calls, sent emails, and lobbied your elected officials.

Now, we must act to ensure that this tranformational piece of legislation actually goes into effect, and is used by candidates for the first time in the 2011 mayoral race – so that for the first time ever, San Francisco will have a chief executive elected without pressure to return favors to special interest contributors.

The Budget Committee of the Board of Supervisors has the power to ensure funding for the program, and Supervisor John Avalos, as Chair of the Committee, has the power to ensure that the Committee supports the program. Fortunately, Supervisor Avalos signed our pledge, the San Francisco Clean Government Pledge during his race in 2008, which committed him to ensuring funding for the public financing program.

But because of budgetary pressures, we don't want to take any chances. We need to thank Supervisor Avalos for his pledge, and let him know that we're paying attention to see that he makes good on his commitment.

Can you send an email and/or make a phone call, right away, thanking Supervisor Avalos for his pledge to fund public campaign financing and letting him know that you're counting on him to follow through on it?

PLEASE BCC: info@voterownedelections.org or report any telephone calls.

Supervisor John Avalos
Chair of the Budget & Finance Committee
John.Avalos@sfgov.org
(415) 554-6975

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Write your own email if you can, or use/edit the template below –

SUBJECT: Thank you for your commitment to public campaign financing

Supervisor Avalos,

Thank your for supporting grassroots democracy in San Francisco by using public financing in your 2008 race. More importantly, I'd like to thank you for signing a pledge to ensure that future candidates have the same opportunity you did to run free from the influence of big money special interests.

Though there are many budgetary pressures this year, public financing is one of the pillars of our democracy, ensuring fair, accountable and efficient government, for a very small price. To cut this program would be short-sighted and would cost our democracy greatly, both financially and otherwise, in the long term.

We are counting on you to restore the public financing funding, should it not be included in the mayor's proposed budget.

Thank you.

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On behalf of San Francisco's democracy, thanks for all you do.

Rob Arnow
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San Franciscans for Voter Owned Elections
www.voterownedelections.org
415-552-2229