Welfare applicants in San Francisco might soon have to pass a drug screening before they’re able to receive any benefits.
London Breed, the city’s Democratic mayor, is pushing a proposal for the upcoming ballot on March 5 that would require all single adults who receive welfare to be screened and also treated for drug addictions before receiving money from the program.
Breed, who is running for reelection in November, is pushing this issue, which many consider to be controversial and in direct contrast to the typical ultra-liberal policies of the city.
Another ballot measure that Breed is supporting would give law enforcement officials more power to fight crime, including the ability to use more surveillance cameras and drones as part of their efforts.
While San Francisco has long struggled with issues such as drugs, property crime and homelessness, the COVID-19 pandemic accentuated all of those problems.
Yet, many people are saying that both of these ballot measures that Breed is supporting are completely out of line with how the city supports civil liberties and people’s privacy.
Critics say that, if passed, these ballot measures would continue to hurt all of the communities that are marginalized that San Francisco always says it helps.
While campaigning last month, Breed — who is the first Black woman to be the city’s mayor — said residents who live in immigrant, poorer and Black neighborhoods have been pleading for an increased police presence.
Recovery advocates also have been demanding that change be made, with more than 800 people dying from accidental overdoses in 2023.
The campaign stop that Breed made was held at athletic shoe and apparel store Footprint, which has experienced multiple burglaries recently. While there, the mayor said:
“They said San Francisco makes it too easy for people to access and to use drugs on the streets of the city and we need to do something a lot more aggressive.”
Like all other mayoral candidates, Breed isn’t appearing on the primary ballot that’s being sent to residents now. The city uses a different method than most, where residents can rank candidates by preference only one time during the general election in November.
What is on the primary ballot for March, though, are the two ballots that Breed is pushing. In essence, many political pundits believe that the outcome of those two votes will serve as a precursor for how she might fare in her reelection bid.
Many other moderators who are running against her say that Breed has been taking a weak approach to San Francisco’s problems.
While the rates of violent crimes have always been low in the city, San Francisco has struggled for a while with crimes related to people’s quality of life.
The city police have implemented new strategies for combating retail theft as well as auto break-ins, which have helped reduce instances of both recently, Breed said
Now, apparently, she wants the police to go even further to help in that regard.
