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San Francisco Democrats likely to oppose state billionaire tax

Created at 21 Aug · 1:36 PM1 source↑ Market-relevant
IN SHORT

The San Francisco County Democratic Party is poised to vote against a statewide billionaire tax measure, reflecting a shift towards the political center in the city. Moderate Democrats, including Mayor Daniel Lurie, now hold sway in the local party, opposing policies seen as too progressive.

Key Numbers

12regional party bureaucrats opposing the measure

Who's Involved

Eric Kingsbury
Vice chair of the San Francisco County Democratic Party
Daniel Lurie
Mayor of San Francisco and opponent of the billionaire tax
Suzanne Jimenez
Chief of staff at SEIU-UHW, a lead union behind Prop 40

↳ Why This Matters

The opposition from San Francisco's Democratic Party could hinder the statewide passage of a billionaire tax, reflecting a broader political shift in a key liberal stronghold and potentially influencing future progressive policy initiatives.

Key facts

  • The San Francisco County Democratic Party is expected to vote against a statewide billionaire tax measure.
  • Moderate Democrats, including Mayor Daniel Lurie, now hold a majority in the local party.
  • A recent local proposal to tax larger corporations with 'overpaid CEOs' was overwhelmingly rejected by San Francisco voters.
  • The county party's leadership will vote on their opposition to the billionaire tax at a meeting on Wednesday.

The San Francisco County Democratic Party is poised to oppose a statewide billionaire tax measure, signaling a shift in the city's political landscape. Progressive ballot measures historically rely on strong support in liberal urban centers like San Francisco to pass statewide, but the city has moved towards the political center in recent years.

Eric Kingsbury, vice chair of the San Francisco County Democratic Party, stated that the city has experienced the negative consequences of certain policies earlier than other areas. He noted that the moderate majority now leading the county party ascended amid a post-pandemic voter backlash against issues like homelessness, crime, and public school closures.

In a recent indicator of this trend, San Francisco voters overwhelmingly rejected a local proposal to increase taxes on large corporations with highly compensated CEOs in the June primary. Leaders of the county Democratic Party are scheduled to vote on their opposition to the billionaire tax measure, with the outcome appearing certain given the local party's moderate stance and prior opposition to similar tax hikes.

Supporters of the billionaire tax measure, such as Suzanne Jimenez, chief of staff at SEIU-UHW, have dismissed the local party's opposition as irrelevant to the statewide picture, calling the vote a "performative vote" in favor of big business interests.

Frequently asked questions

San Francisco is a key liberal population center whose support is crucial for statewide progressive measures. The city's shift towards the political center indicates a potential challenge for such policies.

A moderate majority, including Mayor Daniel Lurie, now leads the county party, having gained influence amid voter frustration over local issues.

San Francisco voters overwhelmingly rejected a recent union-backed proposal to raise taxes on larger corporations with 'overpaid CEOs'.

What Happens Next

01The San Francisco County Democratic Party will vote on their opposition to the billionaire tax measure on Wednesday.

How It Developed

San Francisco Democrats are expected to oppose a statewide billionaire tax.
Moderate Democrats, including Mayor Daniel Lurie, now lead the San Francisco County Democratic Party.
Voters rejected a similar corporate tax proposal in San Francisco.
The county party's leadership is scheduled to vote on the opposition resolution.

Sources

T1
San Francisco Dems poised to oppose state billionaire taxPolitico

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