SF mayoral candidates debate over city's hot-button issues, Breed's absence explained
SF mayoral candidates take on citys hot-button issues in debate Thursday
Thursday, marked another debate night in the City of San Francisco. Four candidates taking on San Francisco Mayor London Breed in the upcoming election tackled some of the hot-button issues facing the city, including homelessness, housing, and crime.
SAN FRANCISCO - Thursday, marked another debate night in the City of San Francisco. Four candidates taking on San Francisco Mayor London Breed in the upcoming election tackled some of the hot-button issues facing the city, including homelessness, housing, and crime.
"The reality is that our city is suffering under the leadership of Mayor Breed," said former San Francisco mayor Mark Farrell, who led off the debate at the Randall Museum in Corona Heights Park.
Farrell fielded a question on how he would bring businesses back to areas like the city’s downtown.
"What we need to do first in San Francisco is prioritize safety," Farrell said. "We need to clean our streets and set the conditions, so businesses can thrive."
Philanthropist Daniel Lurie and San Francisco supervisors Aaron Peskin and Ahsha Safai, also took part in the debate.
"We have to start with public safety. We have to start with cleaning our streets, so I would make our public works department a true 24 hour department," said Safai.
"As far as downtown goes, I’ve called for a new police station downtown, covering our hospitality zone, Yerba Buena to Moscone to Union Square," said Lurie.
"I’m also gravely concerned about the mayor’s policies supported by some of the individuals on this stage to massively redevelop some of our neighborhood commercial corridors, and that is going to lead to the displacement of small businesses," said Peskin.
Candidates were also asked about their plans to address the city’s housing shortage.
"I am actually the best candidate to build the affordable housing that San Francisco needs," said Peskin.
"When we have an empty lot on Market Street…we have to look to create housing in those opportunities, because all parts of San Francisco have done that," said Safai.
Homelessness and ongoing sweeps targeting encampments in the city were also a topic of debate on Thursday.
"We’re going to have people taken off the streets to a 24/7 crisis center where they can have the care that they need," said Lurie.
"We’re going to treat people with compassion and respect, but if they say no to our offer to shelter and housing, we’re going to take their tents away," said Farrell.
In a statement to KTVU addressing Mayor Breed's absence from the debate, campaign spokesperson Joe Arellano said in part: "Mayor Breed has already participated in four debates. She has to balance the demands of running the city, while also running a campaign. She has a limited amount of time, and she wants to speak directly with voters as much as possible."
Arellano also noted the mayor's plans to take part in a mayoral debate on September 19, and other forums between now and Election Day.
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