McFane- Mayor intervened too late in school district’s financial crisis

San Francisco mayoral candidate Mark Farrell met with local business owners in Chinatown on October 12 to hear their concerns. One store employee expressed frustration over the recent school closures, highlighting that some well-regarded schools in the Asian community were on the closure list. Farrell acknowledged that while the decision to close schools falls under the school district’s purview, he emphasized the importance of supporting qualified individuals for school board positions. “As mayor, I need to intervene early in the financial crisis facing the San Francisco school district and provide support. Waiting until two weeks before decisions are made is far too late,” he said.

After attending a meeting opposing the closure of Highway K, Farrell and his team quickly visited Chinatown businesses to engage in friendly discussions. The primary concerns voiced by business owners revolved around community safety and the controversial school closures.

A photography equipment store that had been targeted in a car burglary in August reported significant losses. The owner stressed the need for enhanced public safety regardless of who is in political office. Farrell responded that he would implement previously effective strategies during his tenure as a city council member. He recounted his collaboration with former Mayor Ed Lee to expand the police force, achieving record numbers of officers, but noted that the current mayor has cut the police budget, and another mayoral candidate supports similar reductions. “We need to adequately fund our police department and increase the police presence in Chinatown, including more bilingual officers who can speak Cantonese. This ensures we can make arrests when necessary and prevent crime. I’ve done this before and have significant experience. Starting next year, I plan to do it again to make a difference in everyone’s lives,” he stated.

At the Asian Trends store in Chinatown, staff members lamented that the school closure list affected several well-regarded schools in the area, including Spring Valley Elementary and Yick Wo Elementary, which have large Asian student populations. Farrell reiterated that although the school board made this decision, city officials have a responsibility to support capable individuals in the school board elections. “The mayor should not let situations escalate to this point. We need to be involved from the very beginning, providing financial and other support to districts facing crises. Trying to address these issues two weeks before decisions are made is far too late,” he concluded.