After the S.F. elections on Tuesday, Myrna Melgar wins the seat of District Seven’s newest Supervisor. Due to Melgar’s stunning victory in the voting polls, many people desire to see her fix the relationship gap between Mayor London Breed and the Board of Supervisors. In recent years, it is a known fact that Mayor Breed’s relations with the board are always on edge. They often fought over mental health care, homelessness, cutting red tape for small businesses, housing, and other urgent matters.
Melgar is aware of the situation, along with the hopes thrust upon her by the state’s citizens. According to her, bridging Mayor Breed and the board’s relationship is a “pretty high expectation.”
“But I do think that I will play that role,” affirmed Melgar during her speech on Monday evening. “I will do my part to make sure we are grown-ups and respect each other and tackle the issues that we need to tackle,” she added.
As the newly elected Supervisor, Melgar will take over former Supervisor Norman Yee to constitute West Portal, Sunset District, Parkside, Forest Hill, and Parkmerced regions.
Mayor Breed addressed in her Tuesday interview that several board members are “difficult for the sake of being difficult, and for the sake of opposing me.” However, she left the names of these supervisors unmentioned to the public. Several superintendents also voiced the same sentiments, including disclosing their phone calls’ complaints not getting through in Mayor Breed’s office.
For prioritizing more mixed-incoming housing agendas, Breed introduced her nominees in the five challenging board positions to make the idea a reality. Her endorsed candidates include incumbents Aaron Peskin and Ahsha Safaí, who both triumphed in their respective divisions. Melgar is also her ally candidate for the Tuesday elections.
According to Breed, she stated that she’s “hopeful” to be given a chance to work with two new supervisors and the board. Breed expressed that she wishes to do her part for serving San Francisco as a public official and amend her relations with the Board of Supervisors.
“To imply that I am expecting anyone to be a rubber stamp and do whatever I want if offensive,” said Breed, adding, “What I focus on doing is working with the board and trying to propose things for the sake of San Francisco’s people.”
Melgar also shared her wish to set aside personal conflicts and work across political lines in an unbiased and professional manner.
Legislative affairs in San Francisco most often revolve around the issue of housing. Progressives wholeheartedly support affordable accommodations, while moderates emphasize that supply increase in all income levels is the best solution for the state’s housing dilemma.
Between the two opposing groups, Melgar is neither in one of them. She may consider herself a progressive on many political matters, but she also affirms the mayor’s intent to build higher and more impenetrable houses for the state residents. She even used one of her divisions, Ocean Avenue, as a perfect example of constructing such better residences.
Despite numerous political conflicts sparking between the mayor and the board, there were still times when the two opposing parties set aside their differences and worked together during the past years.
Breed collaborated with Supervisors Matt Haney and Hillary Ronen to completely reinvent the state’s mental health care system for the better. In a more recent event, Breed and Haney introduced the rectification of the city’s environmental review procedure during scheduled legislation on Tuesday.
Both Ronen and Haney expressed their willingness to set aside their political differences with the mayor to work more efficiently with handling city affairs. According to Ronen, she always wishes to partner with Breed in solving political and city-wide issues.
“But as everyone knows, I’m always willing to speak my mind and push back when we don’t agree,” Ronen clarified.
Meanwhile, the executive director of the S.F. Housing Action Coalition, Todd David, dreams that the board would consider Mayor Breed’s housing project so the west side of the city could have additionally constructed multi-homes. Furthermore, he also hopes that Melgar would finally be the key to help the mayor and the board get along on better terms.
“So maybe she (Melgar) is breaking out of the moderate-progressive battle lines, which is refreshing,” revealed David.
