Michela Alioto-Pier
- Office: Board of Equalization, District 2
- Election Date: June 7, 2022
- Candidate: Michela Alioto-Pier
- Due Date: Monday, April 18 at 11:59pm
- Printable Version
Table of Contents
Thank you for seeking GrowSF's endorsement for the June 7, 2022 primary election! GrowSF believes in a growing, vibrant, healthy, safe, and prosperous city via common sense solutions and effective government.
The GrowSF endorsement committee will review all completed questionnaires and seek consensus on which candidates best align with our vision for San Francisco and have the expertise to enact meaningful policy changes.
We ask that you please complete this questionnaire by Monday, April 18 at 11:59pm so we have enough time to adequately review and discuss your answers.
Background
What are the most important responsibilities of the Board of Equalization?
The most important responsibilities of the Board of Equalization are the regulation of certain taxes and fees, property and insurance taxes most predominantly. These funds are important to the State of California, additionally they are critical to each of the 58 California counties and their annual budgets.
Why are you interested in the position?
The Board of Equalization is an appellate board that is accountable to the people. As a member of the Board I will ensure that the interests of the people come first.
Tell us one thing you think needs to change in California, which the Board of Equalization has jurisdiction over, that the average voter wouldn't know about.
Taxes are scary. Some people are afraid of them and when they make a mistake they do not know what to do about it. At the same time paying taxes is a part of being an active person in the community. Everyone needs to pay their fair share and be a part of keeping California a great state. That being said, when people have tax issues they should have a place to go where people are accountable to them. Unbeknownst to most people, the BOE is such a place and a resource of which most people are unaware. It is the only tax appellate body in the country and a board accountable only to the citizens of California.
What does success look like to you, as a member of the Board of Equalization?
Since the Board of Equalization was reorganized in 2017 the public's knowledge of the board is unknown or misunderstood. Success is an improved reputation and better communication to Californians. One of the challenges of running for the BOE is how many people do not know what it is or who represents them. Californians knowing what the BOE does and what they offer people in the state, especially through the property tax appellate process, would be a real success.
Policy
Why are you running for Board of Equalization?
I am running for this office to provide a fair voice that is accountable to the people. As a small business owner and former legislator, I have a unique background that has experience to serve on this appellate board.
What is your #1 goal?
My #1 goal is for large companies and conglomerates to pay their fair share of taxes and that our property tax programs are fair and equitable for all.
How will you build the coalition and political capital to enact your #1 goal?
In my career as a public servant, I've led coalitions on issues from health care to the environment and they all started with communication and outreach to concerned communities. California is a large state with multiple tax jurisdictions, including all 58 County Assessors. Creating a stronger working relationship with our Assessors and through better use of technology and subsequent transparency, I believe this goal can be achieved.
Will the power of the office of Board of Equalization be enough to achieve this goal?
The office in conjunction with local, state, and federal partners can achieve this goal. It will take a collaborative effort to make strides in creating a better system that administers taxes fairly, as we all understand the importance of these funds.
What are your #2 and #3 policy goals?
The Board of Equalization must provide an easy and streamlined appellate process to ensure that all Californians with tax issues have a Board that is accessible to all.
The Board of Equalization needs to use the most up-to-date technology to create an office that is easy to use and streamlined to best provide information and access to Californians.
Will the power of the office of Board of Equalization be enough to achieve these goals?
The Board of Equalization can create positive change for Californians, but for any legislative changes it will need to work closely with the legislative branches of our state.
What is an existing policy you would like to reform?
Property Tax exemptions can be a difficult subject. Each exemption can lead to less revenue for the state but the assistance they give to property owners can be immense. I would like to work with state partners on reviewing this process and seeing what steps can be made to make sure these helpful policies don't affect other programs.
What is an "out there" change that you would make to state/local government policy, if you could? (For example: changing how elections work, creating a Bay Area regional government, etc.)
San Francisco cannot solve its homeless problem without accomplishing 2 goals. First, they need to work with our surrounding counties or San Mateo, Alameda and potentially Santa Clara and Marin. Homelessness is not just the problem of one county alone. It needs more macro policy change through inter county agreements before we can actually start to solve the issue.
The second goal, and in some ways a more important one, is that we need a new mental health system that can accommodate our homeless population, most of whom suffer from illness and addiction. When former Governor Reagan closed down the mental hospitals in Sonoma County, we lost most of the medical support these people needed. Mental Health homes are probably not the solution, but we need to take control of this issue and deal with it first hand to ensure that people on our streets are getting the kind of medical support they need and ensure that they have a place to go to get it.
Establishing an inter county agency in conjunction with our hospitals to tackle homelessness and mental health needs would be an "out there" change that needs to happen.
Personal
Tell us a bit about yourself!
How long have you lived in California? What brought you here and what keeps you here?
I am a 5th generation San Franciscan. My family has a proud history of fishermen and businesses up and down the Northern California Coast. I was brought here by birth and I stay because of my family and my devotion to a state that has given us so much.
What do you love most about California and/or your hometown?
What I love about California is the diversity of thought and our openness to being accessible to all residents. I love it that we will accept anyone who wants to be here and that we will encourage them to stay and be who they want to be. I love the people and the physical beauty and diversity of our state. California is unmatched.
What do you dislike the most about California and/or your hometown?
California has gotten so expensive that it is difficult for so many people to live here. We are slowly losing our middle class while seeing a greater and greater divide between the wealthiest Californians and the poorest. In San Francisco 75% of our first responders and teachers cannot afford to live in the city and so they live on the other side of a bridge. We are losing our artists and bohemians and we are watching a number of companies go out of state, taking their jobs with them.
Tell us about your current involvement in the community (e.g., volunteer groups, neighborhood associations, civic and professional organizations, etc.)
As a former member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors I fought for a myriad of issues from health care, to the environment. I spent a great deal of time focused on creating jobs with good strong entry level positions for our kids. I fought hard for women's issues and for the rights of the disabled.
I co-sponsored legislation to regulate medicinals marijuana clubs in San Francisco and I had legislation that would have required them all to be ADA accessible. I took the lead on saving St. Luke's Hospital in the Mission District of San Francisco, a facility that primarily serves low-income, Latino and Black residents. I continually fought for the rights of women by passing a job-sharing program in the City, took the lead on supporting the rights and health care of sex workers, and past a law requiring the City to process all rape kits within 2 weeks.
As a member of the Rules Committee I both co-sponsored and strengthened the country's first plastic bag ordinance by adding pharmacies to the bill which originally only included grocery markets. I passed legislation that outlawed smoking in our public parks and public spaces and encouraged LEED Platinum certification of building projects.
My greatest environmental accomplishment, along with former PUC Commissioner Dick Sklar, was going up against the Mayor, the Board President, the District Supervisor and the City Attorney to prevent the Mirant Power Plant from rebuilding a fossil fuel burning "peaker" plant in the Bayview Hunters Point neighborhood of San Francisco.
As a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors I created the Office of Economic Impact which ensures that legislation before the Board of Supervisors has an "economic" check before the Board is allowed to vote on it. This lets members of the Board of Supervisors know the economic impact of legislation on the city, as well as how many jobs would be created or lost, before they take a stand and place a vote.
I created the City's first Economic Stimulus Plan, created the position for the first city economist, launched the City's first BioTech Payroll Tax Exemption focused on smaller, incubator companies, and passed the first Film Rebate program in the state of California to entice filming in Northern California. All of these accomplishments grew San Francisco's economy while creating thousands of new jobs.
Furthermore, as a woman with a spinal cord injury who has used a wheelchair for the last 40 years, I have always fought for and represented the disabled community as a citizen, as a mother and as an elected official. Additionally, I am active in my children's schools and served as the Chair of the Annual Fund. In May 2021, I completed my Master of Business Administration from the University of San Francisco.
In addition to my service as a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, I also participated on the following Boards and Committees:
Bay Conservation and Development Commission (B.C.D.C.)
Commission, San Francisco Port Authority
Director of the Golden Gate Bridge Board
San Francisco Transportation Authority
San Francisco Disaster Council
California State Legislative Committee
EMILY's List
Thank you
Thank you for giving us your time and answering our questionnaire. We look forward to reading your answers and considering your candidacy!
If you see any errors on this page, please let us know at contact@growsf.org.