{"id":47042,"date":"2026-03-05T13:19:20","date_gmt":"2026-03-05T21:19:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/?p=47042"},"modified":"2026-03-05T13:19:21","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T21:19:21","slug":"two-sf-groups-promise-big-spending-to-keep-moderates-in-the-majority","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/2026\/03\/05\/two-sf-groups-promise-big-spending-to-keep-moderates-in-the-majority\/","title":{"rendered":"Two SF groups promise big spending to keep moderates in the majority"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sfexaminer.com\/users\/profile\/Patrick_Hoge\">By Patrick Hoge | Examiner staff writer<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mar 4, 2026 (SFExaminer.com)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com\/sfexaminer.com\/content\/tncms\/assets\/v3\/editorial\/c\/ba\/cbaf68be-8503-4087-b727-d82f8063682f\/69a65d593123a.image.jpg?resize=333%2C500\" alt=\"Sachin Agarwal (left) and Steven Bacio, co-founders of Grow SF at their office in San Francisco with a view of the Transamerica Pyramid\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Sachin Agarwal (left) and Steven Bacio, co-founders of GrowSF at their office in San Francisco with a view of the Transamerica Pyramid on Monday, March 2, 2026.\u00a0Craig Lee\/The Examiner<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Two independent San Francisco advocacy organizations are separately planning to spend millions of dollars on city elections this year, largely to preserve the politically moderate majority that voters installed in 2024 on the Board of Supervisors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jay Cheng, the executive director of Neighbors for a Better San Francisco, said his group expects to spend $5 million to $7 million through November between races for supervisor and local ballot measures, including to oppose a union-backed proposal to raise The City\u2019s Overpaid Executive Tax.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s a lot at stake in this election, especially around keeping San Francisco\u2019s recovery going, and a big part of that is keeping the moderate majority on the Board of Supervisors, keeping a moderate majority on the school board,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Neighbors for a Better San Francisco has been one of San Francisco\u2019s most powerful and&nbsp;well-funded political organizations on the more-conservative end of San Francisco\u2019s political spectrum since its founding six years ago. It focuses on issues that include public safety, homelessness, public education and fiscal responsibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Its plans also include spending $1 million to support candidates in several school board races and about $2 million on voter education, including about&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sfexaminer.com\/news\/politics\/dour-details-of-sf-budget-deficit-revealed-in-new-report\/article_6fbec511-a4ad-4d44-bb4e-ab1ad4bea56c.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The City\u2019s budget<\/a>, said Cheng, who previously discussed his spending plans&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/2026\/02\/27\/san-francisco-moderates-fear-a-progressive-wave-is-coming-00803069\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">with Politico<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Meanwhile, GrowSF has budgeted at least $250,000 per supervisorial contest, including two races in the June primary election and as many as five in the November general election. The group\u2019s level of involvement will depend on whether or not organizers determine the races to be competitive, said Sachin Agarwal, a GrowSF co-founder and co-director.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"4\" height=\"3\" src=\"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-17.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-47044\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jay Cheng, executive director of Neighbors for a Better San Francisco: \u201cThere\u2019s a lot at stake in this election, especially around keeping San Francisco\u2019s recovery going.\u201dCraig Lee\/The Examiner<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>GrowSF is a nonprofit that advocates for building more housing, streamlining government, and maintaining clean and safe streets, among other things. It has received support from a wide variety of sources, including Garry Tan, the CEO of the famed startup accelerator Y Combinator, who is known for attacking progressive politicians on social media. Tan was previously on GrowSF\u2019s board of directors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>GrowSF\u2019s top focus has always been the Board of Supervisors since the organization was created five years ago. Though obscure to many, the Board of Supervisors wields enormous influence over city life with its lawmaking power, Agarwal said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe think that the Board Supervisors is critically important in moving San Francisco forward,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to getting involved in supervisor races, Agarwal said GrowSF will also send its trademark voter guides to registered voters across The City. That will bring the group\u2019s total budget for the June election to about $2 million and another $3 million for the November election, of which as much as $1.25 million could go to the November supervisor races, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By comparison, GrowSF spent about $1.8 million on the November 2024 election, about $700,000 of which went to influence races for supervisor, Agarwal said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"4\" height=\"3\" src=\"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-16.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-47043\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sachin Agarwal, left seen with fellow GrowSF co-founder Steven Bacio at their office in San Francisco: \u201cWe think that the Board Supervisors is critically important in moving San Francisco forward.\u201dCraig Lee\/The Examiner<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe are stepping it up this year,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019re going to be prepared to go really big.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A moderate majority could make it easier for Mayor Daniel Lurie to grapple with looming budget deficits, Agarwal said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It could also be helpful for sending voters any charter-reform proposals that might be developed by a task force that Lurie and Board of Supervisors President Rafael Mandelman launched in December \u2014 possibly even for the November ballot, Agarwal said. The City Charter is effectively San Francisco\u2019s constitution, and six supervisors\u2019 signatures are required for the board to send a proposed amendment to voters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>GrowSF in 2024 was the leader of the successful&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sfexaminer.com\/news\/politics\/pac-money-looms-over-dean-preston-connie-chan-reelection\/article_33641f8e-504c-11ef-8baa-5b57e6b51613.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201cDump Dean\u201d campaign<\/a>&nbsp;to oust former Supervisor Dean Preston, who was replaced by current District 5 Supervisor Bilal Mahmood. GrowSF spent more than $300,000 in that race, according to city records.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve taken everything that we learned from the last District 5 race with \u2018Dump Dean\u2019 \u2014 what worked well, what didn\u2019t work well, how do we spend money effectively to get good information to voters?\u201d Agarwal said. \u201cWe\u2019re taking all of our learnings, and we\u2019re going to apply them to every district this year.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>GrowSF so far has set up two independent committees \u2014 one to support District 2 Supervisor Stephen Sherrill, who was appointed by former\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sfexaminer.com\/news\/politics\/new-sf-supervisor-stephen-sherrill-is-out-to-prove-himself\/article_caea0698-be6f-11ef-bc4a-b7ab8daf4835.html\" target=\"_blank\">Mayor London Breed in December 2024<\/a>, and one to support District 4 Supervisor Alan Wong, who was\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sfexaminer.com\/news\/politics\/daniel-lurie-swears-in-alan-wong-for-sf-district-4-do-over\/article_f6016ad0-c794-421d-b279-b9a53b466238.html\" target=\"_blank\">appointed by Lurie on Dec. 1<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A campaign spokesperson for Sherrill, whose district includes the Marina and Cow Hollow neighborhoods, emphasized in a statement that independent groups make their own decisions about local races.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wong rival Natalie Gee, who is chief of staff for Supervisor Shamann Walton, labeled GrowSF as an \u201coutside group\u201d out of step with residents in the Sunset district, which makes up most of District 4. GrowSF endorsed former Supervisor Joel Engardio, the lawmakere who was recalled by voters last year after he sponsored a ballot measure to close part of Great Highway to make way for Sunset Dunes park.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cDistrict 4 voters will see through GrowSF\u2019s big money and vote for the candidate who has consistently fought against outside wealthy interests,\u201d Gee said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Agarwal responded that he has lived in The City for 25 years and been a west-side resident for more than seven years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the initiative front, Cheng also said Neighbors for a Better San Francisco would be fighting a union-backed proposal to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sfexaminer.com\/news\/politics\/sf-unions-business-groups-commit-to-june-ballot-tax-battle\/article_7c8e32e2-48f1-487b-9186-d6897816a68f.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">increase the Overpaid Executive Tax<\/a>, which he said would \u201ckill our recovery.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Scott Mann, a spokesperson for the Stand Up for SF campaign pushing the tax, called Cheng\u2019s warning about the local economy is \u201cnothing more than a scare tactic intended to mislead voters.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A bigger threat to the recovery would be cuts to the services that have stabilized The City, including health care, mental-health services, homelessness prevention and home care, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the supervisorial front, Cheng said Neighbors&nbsp;for a Better San Francisco would focus on District 8, which includes the Castro, Noe Valley and Cole Valley. The group will support candidate Manny Yekutiel, owner of Manny\u2019s cafe and event space in the Mission. Yekutiel\u2019s opponents include Gary McCoy, a campaign manager at U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi\u2019s Save Our Healthcare campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A Yekutiel spokesperson said his campaign would not comment and underscored that Neighbors for a Better San Francisco acts independently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Catie Stewart, a campaign spokesperson for McCoy, suggested the group\u2019s spending might be fruitless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIf dumping Republican money into San Francisco politics were a guaranteed path to victory, we\u2019d see a lot more of Neighbors\u2019 candidates in office by now,\u201d Stewart said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Critics of Neighbors&nbsp;for a Better San Francisco have frequently pointed out that the organization\u2019s financial backers \u2014 notably William Oberndorf \u2014 include people who have also contributed heavily to Republicans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In District 10, meanwhile, Cheng, said his organization would back Theo Ellington against a raft of candidates, including Dion-Jay Brookter, a nonprofit executive endorsed by Walton, who is term-limited out of office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>District 10, in the southeastern part of The City, includes Potrero Hill, Bayview and Hunters Point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ellington was a member of the Neighbors&nbsp;for a Better San Francisco board from 2022 until 2025, said Noah Finneburgh, a consultant for the Ellington campaign, via email.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cTheo is a Bayview native with a deep family history in San Francisco, and that\u2019s resonating with voters,\u201d Finneburgh said. \u201cIt\u2019s also reflected in who is funding this campaign \u2014 we have more than 500 grassroots donations from artists, teachers, nurses, small business owners, and community leaders.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Vanessa Pimentel, a consultant with Brookter\u2019s campaign, predicted that District 10 residents will not be swayed by any big spending.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve seen high-dollar interference before, and we\u2019ve seen it fail when it collides with informed, engaged residents who care deeply about their neighborhoods,\u201d Pimentel said. \u201cThis election isn\u2019t for sale. It belongs to the people of San Francisco, and they won\u2019t be fooled.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Two independent San Francisco advocacy organizations are separately planning to spend millions of dollars on city elections this year, largely to preserve the politically moderate majority that voters installed in 2024 on the Board of Supervisors. Jay Cheng, the executive director of Neighbors for a Better San Francisco, said his&#8230; <a class=\"continue-reading-link\" href=\"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/2026\/03\/05\/two-sf-groups-promise-big-spending-to-keep-moderates-in-the-majority\/\"> Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr; <\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47042"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=47042"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47042\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":47048,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47042\/revisions\/47048"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=47042"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=47042"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=47042"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}