March 2011 CADC Celebrates President’s Message motivate them to vote? Or will rank choice voting create more confusion? More Than Half Century As President of the Chinese American Demo- cratic Club for 2011, I would like to thank the Who will finally be elected mayor and Annual Dinner - members of the club for giving me an oppor- district attorney remains to be seen but March 25 tunity to carry on the work done by our past campaign consultants will be working President Michael Chan. overtime. As for our “accidental DA”, The Chinese American Democratic the Police Department’s rank-and-file Club will celebrate a 53 year legacy Within weeks in January, the political land- will complain if an outsider is nomi- as one of the oldest and indepen- scape of San Francisco took a wild shake-up nated as the new Chief. dent Democratic Clubs with its as City Administrator Edwin Lee became the annual dinner at the Empress of Sam Kwong, 2011 President first Chinese American Mayor of San Fran- Our best wishes go to Mr. Ed Lee China on Friday, March 25. cisco. Furthermore, as Gavin Newsom became as he takes over as Mayor and deals Lieutenant Governor of the State of California, he appointed Police Chief with the City budget crisis and The fundraising dinner - a bully Gascón as District Attorney with the departure of Kamala Harris to become unemployment caused by the Great pulpit for club and city political State Attorney General. In an instance San Francisco had a Chinese Ameri- Recession. Every politician has leaders – will celebrate CADC’s can Mayor and Board of Supervisors President and now a Latino American talked about balancing the budget aim to make the city a better place District Attorney. and creating jobs, perhaps it will for Chinese Americans to live, take a career civil servant like Lee to work and play in. Among past The November 2011 election will certainly be exciting. Will Chinese and deliver the results. Wouldn’t that be keynote speakers have been U.S. Latino American communities realize the unique situation? And will this refreshing? Good Luck Ed! Senator Dianne Feinstein, Mayors Willie Brown and Frank Jordan, Assemblywoman Fiona Ma, CADC Issues, Candidates and Leland Yee and Ed Jew who served Congressmen Mike Honda and as supervisor. For college and school Norman Mineta. Propositions for Nov. 2 Election boards, CADC proudly has sup- ported Ben Tom, Julie Tang, Lillian For more than half of a century, Editor’s Note: CADC is proud to publish its stances from the Nov. 2, 2010 election Sing, Eddie Chin, Alan Wong and the club has had an illustrious line to serve as a guideline for its support of future candidates and issues. Lawrence Wong. Most of these Chi- of presidents or leaders like former nese Americans except for Tang, Jew Insurance Commissioner Harry Growing Chinese Supervisor President David Chiu, and Chin have proudly led CADC as Low, Supervisor Gordon Lau, Col- American Power Assessor-Recorder Phil Ting and Public Defender Jeff Adachi) have president. Today, Sing and Tang are lege Board members Lillian Sing, Today, Chinese American Com- been mentioned for the 2011 race superior court judges. Harry Low, Julie Tang and Alan Wong and merce Secretary Gary Locke and to succeed Mayor Gavin Newsom in also a former president, served as non-profit executive Harold Yee. Energy Secretary Steven Chu hold San Francisco. Chinese Americans California Insurance Commissioner Club board members have contin- White House cabinet positions only will play a leading role in deciding and an appellate judge. ued that rich tradition with College steps away in the line of presiden- who the next mayor will be as they Board member Lawrence Wong, tial succession. California Supreme How CADC Evaluated have in 1991 for Frank Jordan, 1999 former school board members Ben Court justice Ming Chin is often for Willie Brown and 2003 and Candidates, Issues Tom and Eddie Chin and former mentioned as a future U.S. Supreme 2007 for Newsom. By supporting these people, CADC county committee members. Court appointee. California Con- was not merely supporting people troller John Chiang is a bright star What: CADC Annual The Chinese American Democratic with a Chinese American complex- touted for Governor of California. Fundraising Dinner Club, founded in 1958, will play ion or name. We do not look at For many of us, we will see Chinese a leading role to reflect the voices issues or candidates because they When: Friday, March 25 Americans ascend to positions of of San Francisco Chinese Ameri- are “progressive” or “conservative.” higher office perhaps becoming Pres- cans by campaigning for issues and Instead, we look at the depth of the Where: 838 Grant Avenue, ident, Supreme Court Justice and candidates supportive of Chinese issue’s or candidate’s impact on Chi- San Francisco, CA Governor. And today we can elevate American jobs and small business, nese Americans in work, business, Chinese Americans collectively thru More details to come. education and homeownership in schooling and homeownership. our votes, volunteers and donors. San Francisco. Membership Rate For the November 2, 2010 elections, San Francisco Influnce CADC’s Influence CADC was proud to support propo- Changes We have greater influence locally. For years, CADC has endorsed sitions and candidates primarily SPECIAL 3-YEAR RATE and even successfully run qualified based on these criteria: In San Francisco, at least four very candidates to address those issues. qualified Asian Americans (State Among them include Gordon Lau, (continued on page 5) Senator Leland Yee, Board of (continued on page 2) Page 2 THE FIERy DragoN March 2011 CADC Issues, Candidates and Propositions for Board and the second longest serving consider. Prior to the Nov. elections, Nov. 2 Election (continued from page 1) elected official in San Francisco. three Chinese Americans sat on the Meanwhile, Fang is leading the board in Districts 1 (Richmond – Jobs and Business: To revive the not opposed most bond measures dialogue on bringing B2B or “BART Eric Mar), 3 (Chinatown – David economy, candidates and issues because these bond projects would to the Beach” and the system’s speedy Chiu) and 4 (Sunset – Carmen Chu). on-time (96% on-time) service to must break down unfair barriers not fairly hire local Chinese Ameri- The board’s makeup has major impli- or support a competitive share of can firms nor promote affordable San Francisco’s heavily Chinese American west side. His clout has cations on the next mayor’s ability to government contracts for qualified homeownership. Further, the burden govern San Francisco. Mayor Gavin businesses owned by local Chinese of bonds and interests are dispropor- been to already obtain $8 billion in federal funding to create tens of Newsom, if California elects him Americans or run by large num- tionately passed on as property taxes Lt. Governor, will leave his position. bers of local Chinese American to Chinese American homeowners. thousands of jobs to expand a green and seismically safe BART system. Board President David Chiu could employees. For example, CADC Given many bonds can be defeated serve as interim mayor until the has supported policies to expand by one-third of voters, a powerful 330,000 system riders have “voted” in surveys with nearly 9 in 10 riders board selects a permanent new mayor business and employee opportunities unified Chinese American vote has who must run for election afterwards. in building the Chinatown Central the power to kill these bonds. recommending BART. That was Subway and the North Beach/Chi- also a vote of confidence for BART In the 1970s, Supervisor Gordon natown City College campus. Top CADC Endorsements Director Fang. Meanwhile, MUNI Lau nearly became the first Chinese On the basis of these issues, we rec- has failed to transport our commu- American mayor if the board had School Choice: CADC led the ommended candidates and proposi- nity on-time while raising fares and elected him to replace the assassinat- Ho vs. S.F. Unified School District tions on the state and local ballots. parking tickets. His opponent was an ed George Moscone. While there are federal lawsuit ending discrimination In particular, we recommended these unqualified former MUNI advisor Asian Americans who may succeed against Chinese American children candidates for office: on “transit effectiveness.” Newsom, not all of them will support in the public schools in the 1990s. the Chinese American community Since then, CADC has fought for on jobs and business, homeowner- neighborhood schools thru a fair ship and neighborhood schools. student assignment process. It has continued the fight to qualify a Meanwhile, Newsom, whom ballot measure allowing for greater Chinese Americans overwhelmingly parental choice in neighborhood voted for in 2003 and 2007, is fairly schools. CADC successfully helped supportive of CADC and Chinese pass a ballot measure in 2008 restor- American issues. He also appointed ing student choice for high school Chinese Americans to major posts JROTC programs, which annu- – including Heather Fong as police ally served as many as 1,000 Asian chief, Carmen Chu as supervisor and American cadets. Given that Chinese Phil Ting as Assessor-Recorder. Americans make up more than one- FIoNA MA FoR ASSEMBly third of the school district, CADC MEMBER, 12TH DISTRICT: If Newsom or a like-minded person lAWRENCE WoNG FoR Col- remained as mayor after the Nov. 2 has fought to create a friendly city Fiona Ma was seeking election for lEGE BoARD: election, then he or she will need the for children and teens. Finally, voters her third term. The former supervi- support of at least four supervisors to must understand that education sor had fought for Chinese American The seven member community sustain his veto of legislation hurting however is mostly the responsibility small businesses seeking their fair college board represents 105,000 stu- the community on jobs, business of the College and School Boards, share of government contracts.