The Marin Firefighters joined volunteers this weekend as they took to the streets and phone lines to help elect Mark Leno to the State Senate.  Phone bankers and precinct walkers enjoyed barbeque tri-tip, curtsey of the Marin Firefighters, as well as delicious homemade chili.  Mark Leno fired up the crowd of more than 50 energized volunteers before they talked to voters about his unparalleled legislative record— fighting for universal single-payer health care, better schools, a cleaner and sustainable environment, improved transportation and renewable energy.  Thank you to the Marin Firefighters and our dedicated volunteers!

( – promoted by Lucas O’Connor)

At a press conference this morning, San Francisco Police Commissioner and former Democratic candidate Joe Alioto Veronese threw his support to Mark Leno for State Senate.

Veronese was joined by Mayor Gavin Newsom, Assessor Recorder Phil Ting, School Board President Mark Sanchez, Supervisors Bevan Dufty and Sean Elsbernd, former Treasurer Susan Leal, and Firefighters Union President John Hanley.

Leno also announced the weekend endorsements of the California Nurses Association and the California Teachers Association. Leno spoke on how this is clearly a two person race between Leno and former Assemblyman Joe Nation. The campaign’s momentum since the CDP convention highlights how the progressive community is uniting to keep this seat from falling into the hands of a candidate who doesn’t even support single-payer health insurance and voted against Sheila Kuehl’s bill.

“As we look forward to the election of former State Senator Jackie Speier to congress tomorrow — fingers are crossed, we think she’ll do very well — I’m reminded that when Senator Speier was moving forward her landmark privacy legislation, consumer privacy legislation, that Joe Nation again not only would not support it, but was carrying legislative water for the banking and credit card industry that Jackie was trying to reform.”

Leno went on to remind people of Nation telling the papers that it was a “mistake” for Mayor Newsom to courageously advance marriage equality. As the sponsor of the first resolution in the country opposing invading Iraq, Leno also reminded voters of Nation’s opposition to a timetable for withdraw.

Video and more pics after the jump.

Mayor Gavin Newsom

Assessor Recorder Phil Ting

Mark Sanchez, who pointed out that he’s a Green Party member and they don’t usually support Democrats but he’s supporting Mark Leno.

You too can Mark Leno.

Shane Goldmacher writes in the SacBee’s Capitol Alert (free-subscription only):

The 30-second TV spot is positive in nature, featuring the San Francisco assemblyman speaking directly into the camera about lobbying money, ethics reform and universal healthcare.

Here is the ad and email from Assemblyman Mark Leno:

I want to be certain you saw our first TV ad that is now airing. We are receiving a very positive response from those who have seen it, and I think you will like it too.

I need your help now more than ever, to make sure we can keep this ad up and place others on the air. Your $1000, $500, $250, or $100 contribution will go directly to buying air time for these ads. Your generous contribution will go directly to communicating our winning message to voters and leading us to victory.

We can and will win this race that has entered the final stretch. Our recent polling shows this is now a tight race between a moderate candidate who recently entered the race and myself.

We are doing what we need to do to win. I recently received San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom’s endorsement. We have opened a campaign headquarters in Marin County. We are precinct walking and phone banking.

Please consider contributing $1000, $500, $250, $100, or the most generous contribution you can before Monday’s financial filing deadline:

http://www.actblue.com/page/march17

Let your voice be one of many giving us the tools to reach even more people.

-Mark

(A cool event if you can make it to SF’s Civic Center at noon today. – promoted by Brian Leubitz)

Last month, Brian wrote about the return of Proposition 90. This “Son of 90” initiative is once again rearing it’s ugly head in California — today marks the kickoff of the opposition campaign.

At noon, across the street from San Francisco’s City Hall, Assemblyman Mark Leno will rally against this deceptive ballot measure with Susan Leal, General Manager, SF Public Utilities Commission; Ted Gullickson, SF Tenants Union; Barbara Blong, Senior Action Network; John Rizzo, Sierra Club; Tim Paulson, SF Labor Council and the League of California Cities.

The San Francisco Sentinel reports:

Opponents argue the Government Acquisition, Regulation of Private Property measure could displace 180,000 residents living in rent-controlled residences.

“If this measure were to pass, thousands of San Franciscans would be forced out of the city,” said Ted Gullicksen of the San Francisco Tenants Union.

“Seniors especially would be hard hit if they lost their rent control protections.”

Paul Hogarth has a long piece for Beyond Chron:

But you don’t have to be a tenant to be outraged about CPOFPA – you just have to drink water. Other parts of the ballot initiative – which would be enshrined in the state’s Constitution – would prohibit the acquisition of land and water through eminent domain to develop public water projects. The initiative would ban eminent domain for private use, but Section 19(b)(3)(ii) includes such “private use” as the transfer of property rights to a “public agency for the consumption of natural resources.”

What does that mean? Any construction projects to deliver running water would be ruled unconstitutional. San Francisco’s long-term plan to revamp Hetch Hetchy that provides our clean water would be nixed, as well as other efforts to bring public drinking water to California’s growing population. That’s why Susan Leal, who manages our Public Utilities Commission, will be speaking out at today’s rally in opposition.

Anyone who cares about the environment should oppose CPOFPA. The proposition would ban laws or regulations that “transfer an economic benefit to one or more private persons at the expense of the private owner.” Because the courts have ruled that virtually all land-use decisions and environmental laws can transfer an economic benefit from one party to another, these laws could suddenly be out the window. That’s why John Rizzo, who chairs the local Sierra Club, will be speaking out today. Other environmental groups are expected to come out in opposition as well.

Right-wing proponents of CPOFPA are hoping that voters will get confused – and simply support it because it says it will restrict eminent domain. There are legitimate reasons to oppose eminent domain abuse – nobody wants the government to take someone’s property and give it to a private developer like Wal-Mart. The Supreme Court’s 2005 decision allowing a local city to take peoples’ homes for private use was certainly misguided. But the solution is not to ban rent control, repeal environmental laws and make it impossible to provide clean drinking water.

Attend if you can.

Today’s LA Times editorial on six “must pass” bills:

AB 706, by Assemblyman Mark Leno (D-San Francisco), to modify a law that requires upholstery to include flame-retardant chemicals. The problem is that the chemicals are toxic; the bill would change standards to bar use of those substances. This cost-neutral bill should be easy to pass, but it’s stuck in the Senate Appropriations Committee. It’s technically too late to move it to the floor, but the proposal is important enough for a rule waiver or one of the other maneuvers that lawmakers use all the time.

After the flip, check out the new online campaign for this “must pass” legislation, a Spoof movie trailer calls on Governor Schwarzenegger to save the nation from toxic chemicals.

Making Our Milk Safe (MOMS) and Friends of the Earth, co-sponsors of AB 706 (Leno, D-San Francisco),  a California bill that would ban the most toxic fire retardants for use in furniture and bedding, today released a movie trailer titled "Attack of the Killer Couch" to draw attention to the importance of the legislation.

AB 706 is awaiting approval from the Senate appropriations committee before it is allowed to go to the senate floor for a vote.

(As is our practice for electeds and candidates, bumped. – promoted by Brian Leubitz)

James and Dolores Golden joined Assemblyman Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) today to announce that AB 706, a bill prohibiting the use of brominated and chlorinated fire retardants in furniture, would be named in honor of their daughter, Crystal Golden-Jefferson, a firefighter for the Los Angeles County Fire Department who died from workplace-related non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Leno explained how the bill, which would modify state furniture standards to deliver equivalent fire safety without the use of toxic brominated and chlorinated chemicals, directly impacts the hundreds of firefighters across the state who are suffering from workplace related cancers.  “When brominated fire retardants in furniture burn, they convert to some of the most carcinogenic substances known to science, including dioxins. Firefighters are exposed through soot in contact with the skin and through smoke inhalation,” he said.  “Today, as we honor Crystal Golden-Jefferson, a dedicated paramedic firefighter and single mother whose life was cut short from workplace-related non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a cancer caused by dioxin exposures, we also honor the lives of all firefighters who risk their lives for us.”

In November 2006 the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine published a meta-analysis of 32 cancer studies and determined that firefighters have an elevated risk of four types of cancers, including multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkins lymphoma, prostate cancer and testicular cancer.  Also, eight other cancers were found to have a likely association with fighting fires. The study states that the toxic combustion byproducts found in soot and smoke are the likely source of elevated cancer risk. Other studies show that brominated fire retardants quickly convert to dioxin and furans when burned.

“Crystal always put the needs of others before her own in all aspects of her life,” said Dolores Golden, Crystal Golden-Jefferson’s mother.  “From an early age, her dream was to be a fire fighter and help save lives.  She lived her dream for nineteen years as a firefighter with the Los Angeles County Fire Department.  Crystal loved being a mom and she cherished her beautiful daughter.  We always worried that the dangers of her job might take her from us, but we never thought it would be cancer.  Every firefighter should know that soot and smoke from burning couches and chairs pose a great hazard to their health.  Firefighters must do everything they can to keep the soot off their skin and use their respirator.”

In the last eight to ten years, the San Francisco Fire Department has seen more than 250 cancers among its active duty and retired firefighters, and 40 have died.

“As firefighters, the cancer risks posed by toxic exposures are every bit as real to us as the risks we face fighting fires,” said Sean Caywood, a Captain with the Stockton Firefighters Local 456. “This legislation protects fire safety standards as it reduces the exposure of firefighters … and those we protect …  to dangerous, cancer-causing chemicals.”

AB 706 is currently pending passage in the Senate Appropriations Committee.