Candidates for Board of Supervisors, District 11

Not all candidates submit a statement of qualifications. A complete list of candidates appears on the sample ballot. Statements are volunteered by the candidates and have not been checked for accuracy by any official agency. Statements are published as submitted. Spelling and grammatical errors have not been corrected.

JOHN AVALOS

My occupation is Healthcare Union Organizer.

My qualifications are:

I am a 22-year Excelsior resident, father of two, community and labor organizer. I was raised with a strong work ethic and compassionate values.

I worked for Coleman Advocates for Children and Youth and Justice for Janitors. Today, as an organizer with the National Union of Healthcare Workers, I am leading the effort to keep Seton Medical Center open as a COVID-19 regional hospital.

As District 11 Supervisor from 2009-2017, I led San Francisco’s recovery out of the Great Recession and:

• Chaired the Budget Committee to close two $500 million budget deficits without cutting vital services,

• Passed the nation’s strongest local-hiring law,

• Rewrote the City’s business tax to protect jobs and small businesses,

• Expanded funding for youth and education services,

• Revitalized our neighborhoods with new parks, better transit, and vibrant commercial corridors.

Today, we face a global pandemic and economic crisis. I am ready to lead our district and City forward to:

• Build an economy around the needs of essential workers and their families,

• Root out government corruption, ensuring tax dollars are not lost to fraud and abuse,

• Tax corporate real estate speculators to protect struggling renters and homeowners,

• Protect hard-hit neighborhood businesses,

• Create a balanced budget that preserves vital services for working people.

John Avalos

Avalos2020.com

MARCELO COLUSSI

My occupation is Small Business Owner.

My qualifications are:

I am an immigrant that fell in love with San Francisco 20 years ago when I was traveling from Argentina to Alaska on a bicycle, with only $800 and for almost two years, to bring a message to the communities I passed through. Once in San Francisco, I worked in restaurants, the SPCA and in construction, became an EMT then a Cardiologist Technician at SFSU, volunteered at SF General Hospital which led me to a job at Stanford Children’s Hospital. I have now been running my own business for the last 15 years and became a Realtor two years ago. I am married to my amazing wife and have two spectacular children that attend SFUSD. I do not have any special interest groups supporting me and I will not be collecting donations for my campaign because I want extra money in this crisis to go to people who have lost their jobs or are frontline workers. I believe in protecting the environment, I believe in high quality public education, I care deeply about affordable housing, safe and clean streets and I am running for supervisor because we need a compelling change where we live and where we work!

Marcelo Colussi

AHSHA SAFAI

My occupation is District 11 Supervisor.

My qualifications are:

San Francisco is in a deep crisis. People are confronting a health pandemic, racial tensions, and economic distress all the while our housing is still unaffordable. Our working families deserve proven leadership.

In 2016, I promised to put working families first and ensure our neighborhoods were no longer forgotten.

In the last 4 years we have secured over $600 million:

• Funded 370 units of affordable housing

• Procured thousands of masks, equipment and protections for our essential workers

• Opened the first Job Center on Broad Street

• Renovated several parks including Merced Heights, Alice Chalmers and the Geneva Car Barn

• Installed 100 speed humps and repaved many streets

• Planted over 2,000 City-maintained trees

I’m a former labor organizer and son of an immigrant– those are my roots. With your support, I’ll continue to fight for a more just San Francisco that works for everyone.

If re-elected:

• We will put people back to work

• House our most vulnerable families

• Support small businesses

• Keep our neighborhoods safe and clean

I’m honored to be endorsed by Governor Gavin Newsom, Treasurer Fiona Ma, Congresswoman Jackie Speier, Mayor London Breed, State Senator Scott Wiener, Assemblymember David Chiu, Assemblymember Phil Ting, Board President Norman Yee, SF Firefighters Local 798 and hundreds of other unions, along with thousands of our neighbors.

I hope to earn your support.

www.ahshaforsupervisor.com

Ahsha Safaí