Here's a fun one for anyone who still thinks San Francisco politics runs on idealism and good vibes.
A candidate for the Board of Supervisors is alleging that GrowSF — the political organization that brands itself as a pragmatic, reform-minded force in city politics — tried to talk him out of running for office. The kicker? They reportedly dangled a commission seat as a consolation prize.
According to the candidate, the approach came after he had just helped recall a supervisor that GrowSF had backed. So let's connect the dots: you help unseat one of their guys, and suddenly they want to have a friendly chat about your political future — one that conveniently doesn't involve competing against their next preferred candidate. He declined.
Look, we're not naïve. Political organizations play kingmaker all the time. That's the game. But GrowSF has built its entire brand on being the anti-machine machine — the fresh-faced alternative to the old-school backroom politics that have plagued San Francisco for decades. When you market yourself as the transparent, data-driven good guys, you don't get to quietly offer people appointments to clear the field. That's literally the oldest trick in the book.
And let's talk about commission seats for a second. These aren't participation trophies. They're taxpayer-funded positions with real oversight responsibilities. Using them as bargaining chips to shape electoral outcomes is exactly the kind of insider maneuvering that erodes public trust in government.
The broader lesson here is one San Francisco voters should tattoo on their forearms: no political organization is above the incentives of power. Not the progressive machine, not the moderate machine, not the shiny new machine with a better website. The moment any group starts deciding who should and shouldn't run for elected office — and sweetening the deal with government appointments — voters should be asking hard questions.
GrowSF has done some good work holding City Hall accountable. But accountability is a two-way street. If you're going to play old-school politics, at least have the decency not to pretend you're above it.
