Elections have consequences. And some of the most consequential items on the ballot are not candidates at all.

For example, San Francisco voters will be asked to vote on Proposition O this November. This ballot measure, which SEIU 1021 is sponsoring along with AFT 2121, will raise roughly $45 million a year for City College to provide the programs and wraparound services needed to serve its unique student population.

Members of the City College Revenue Unity Coalition – a historic collaboration of faculty and staff represented by SEIU 1021, AFT 2121, the SF Building Trades, and Stationary Engineers – worked hard for many months to craft the ballot measure and rally support for it. Prop O was added to the ballot after we gathered over 20,000 signatures–more than twice the number required to qualify.

“We are thrilled at the level of community support for this initiative so far,” said City College Classified Senate President and SEIU 1021 Education Industry Chair Maria Salazar-Colón. “Many of the students we serve at City College need support to continue their education – things like childcare, English as a second language classes, tutoring services, even help meeting basic needs like housing and food. We serve students who don’t have a lot of options for higher education and workforce training. These are folks being pushed to the margins and pushed out of the city. The funding provided by this ballot measure will help us get these students the support, resources, and programs they need to get good jobs and stay in San Francisco.”

Prop O will allocate the funds raised by a progressive tiered parcel tax to four pillars that will support City College’s student population:

• Foundational programs such as high school completion, literacy, and citizenship.
• Workforce development such as English as second language, biotech, nursing, custodial, EMT, and fire science.
• Equity and social justice such as the African American Scholastic Program and multicultural retention centers.
• Wraparound services such as counseling, Queer Resource Center, Veterans Center, Family Center, and EOPS.

Endorsers include Assemblymembers Phil Ting and Matt Haney; SF Supervisors Gordon Mar, Myrna Melgar, Dean Preston, and Shamann Walton; the entire City College Board of Trustees; organizations including the San Francisco Labor Council; San Francisco Democratic Party, SF Democratic Socialists of America, the Chinese Progressive Association, SF Rising, Jobs with Justice, Housing Rights Committee, Chinese for Affirmative Action, SF Young Democrats; and many others.

You can help pass Prop O!

Sign up to drop literature at San Francisco doors here. There are plenty of shifts available!

And save the date for the Thursday, October 13, premiere of “Heartbeat of City College,” a film featuring students, staff, and faculty from City College! Join us for music, small bites, drinks, and community. Come meet the artists behind this poem turned video project, and help raise money for Prop O. RSVP for details.