T
he November election is shaping up to be a contentious one, with high stakes and plenty of money pouring in from various interests. As a real estate expert, I'll focus on the measures that impact our industry and offer my thoughts on others that may have an effect.

    For mayor, we have five viable candidates: London Breed, Mark Farrell, Daniel Lurie, Aaron Peskin, and Ahsha Safai. Recent polls show moderates Breed, Farrell, and Lurie in the lead, with Peskin trailing behind and Safai lagging further back. Ranked-choice voting will likely play a significant role in this election.

    I'm supporting Farrell, Lurie, and Breed in that order, as I believe we need changes in City Hall. Breed has had time to make an impact but hasn't delivered the results we need, while Farrell has experience and can hit the ground running. Lurie is a breath of fresh air and appears competent to get the job done.

    In District 1, Marjan Philhour is running against Connie Chan for supervisor. This rematch will be tough, especially with redistricting and Sea Cliff now in D-1. I'm voting for Philhour, who has stayed active in the community since her last loss.

    Many ballot measures ask for money allocation or bond issuances to fund essential projects. While these are good causes, I worry that politicians are allocating funds to pet projects first and then coming to voters for more money. With all the scandals plaguing our city, I hesitate to vote for more funds until they clean up their financials.

    Proposition K seeks to permanently close the Upper Great Highway (UGH) to private vehicles, establishing a public open recreation space. This measure has divided the west side of town, and I don't understand why District 4 Supervisor Joel Engardio led the charge without community input. The compromise reached during the pandemic was to keep the UGH closed from Friday afternoon to Sunday morning; this proposal would eliminate that compromise.

    I urge a "no" vote on K, allowing us to maintain the current arrangement and start a dialogue about the future of the UGH. I believe in working together rather than being divisive.

    As we exercise our right to vote, let's make informed decisions and consider the impact of each measure on our city and community.