TELL THE SF MAYOR AND SUPERVISORS
TO STOP BUDGET CUTS FOR SENIORS
AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

The fight to keep the SF budget from cutting funds to programs serving the most vulnerable San Franciscans CONTINUES.

For the month of June, the Board of Supervisors’ Budget and Appropriations Committee will hold extensive hearings, review the Mayor’s proposed spending, and hear public comment on the updated revenue and expenditure figures.

Email, call—or both—the Mayor and the Board of Supervisors, and INSIST that they restore the $8.9 million that has been cut from agencies serving seniors and people with disabilities.

ALSO share this message with friends, family and colleagues in San Francisco.

See below for sample text and contact info.

Dear Mayor/Supervisor:  Fund programs for seniors who make up more than one quarter of the SF population, and the disabled. Find the money. Restore the cuts. No cuts. No layoffs.

Mayor Lurie: (415) 554-6141  |  daniel.lurie@sfgov.org
District 1 Connie Chan: (415) 554-7410 | Connie.Chan@sfgov.org
District 2 Stephen Sherrill: (415) 554-7752 | Stephen.Sherrill@sfgov.org
District 3 Danny Sauter: (415) 554-7450 | Danny.Sauter@sfgov.org
District 4 Alan Wong: (415) 554-7460 | Alan.Wong@sfgov.org
District 5 Bilal Mahmood: (415) 554-7630 | Bilal.Mahmood@sfgov.org
District 6 Matt Dorsey: (415) 554-7970 | Matt.Dorsey@sfgov.org
District 7 Myrna Melgar: (415) 554-6516 | Myrna.Melgar@sfgov.org
District 8 Rafael Mandelman: (415) 554-6968 | Rafael.Mandelman@sfgov.org
District 9 Jackie Fielder: (415) 554-5144 | Jackie.Fielder@sfgov.org
District 10 Shamann Walton: (415) 554-7670 | Shamann.Walton@sfgov.org
District 11 Chyanne Chen: (415) 554-6975 | Chyanne.Chen@sfgov.org

KEEP MEDICARE SAFE from AI

SITUATION:  Medicare is facing threats!  A pilot program called ‘WISER,” now in some states, uses AI to process Medicare prior authorizations for procedures, medications and services, thus increasing denials and making it harder to appeal for needed services.

ACTION: H.R. 5940, The “SMARTER” Act, improves healthcare services for seniors by modernizing systems overall, and making care more intelligent and person centered. Call your Congressman and ask them to support H.R. 5940.  
 

SENIORS DESERVE BETTER!

ALSO: Share this message with friends, family and colleagues.

Click HERE to find your U.S. Congressperson.

SITUATION #1: The California Governor’s Budget proposes cuts to In-home Supportive Services, Cal Fresh and Cal Food and Adult Protective Services.  AB 1790 posits no such cuts and proposes alternative sources of funding.

SITUATION #2:  Professional Healthcare workers may be pressured to use algorithmic directions for patient care, even when these are counter to the nurses’ professional and hands-on judgment. AB 2575 would put limits on the use of AI in patient care and ensure workers are free (and protected) to use their professional judgment, including drawing on AI if that is deemed reliable and the sources are transparent.

ACTION: Feed two birds with one scone and contact your State Assembly member, urging them to pass both of these essential pieces of legislation. 

ALSO: Send this time-limited message to friends, family and colleagues in California. 

Click  HERE for California State Assembly contact info. 

HELP SAVE DOWNTOWN CCSF

SITUATION: The Downtown Center of City College of San Francisco—which provides accessible education to thousands of students across the city—is currently at risk of closure.

One of the most culturally diverse campuses in the CCSF system, the Downtown Center serves thousands of students who rely on this location because of its proximity to transit and jobs. 

While CCSF claims the Downtown Center is lacking in enrollment, the real issue is the cancellation of courses. Shutting down this campus would reduce educational access for many students who depend on a centrally located campus to balance school, work, and family responsibilities.

ACTION: Contact the San Francisco Community College District Board of Trustees immediately and urge them to stop the closure of the Downtown Center.

ALSO: Share this message with friends, family and colleagues in and near San Francisco.

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Correspondence for the Board of Trustees can generally be sent to the Board Liaison Officer or via email to: publiccomment@ccsf.edu.

Board Liaison Officer: Stephen T. Shymansky (415-239-3303).

Office of the Chancellor: (415) 239-3556.

Physical Address:
50 Frida Kahlo Way
San Francisco, CA 94112

Current Board Members (as of late 2025/early 2026)

• Aliya Chisti, President: achisti@ccsf.edu
• Luis Zamora, Vice-President: lzamora@ccsf.edu
• Vick Chung: vchung@ccsf.edu
•  Anita Martinez: anitamartinez@ccsf.edu 
• Heather McCarty Ph.D.: hmccarty@ccsf.edu 
• Susan Solomon: ssolomon@ccsf.edu

 In-Person: Fill out a “Request to Address the Board” card (yellow card) at the meeting location, typically the Harry Britt Building (HBB), Room 140, at the Ocean Campus.

TELL CONGRESS TO
STOP THE ICE REIGN OF TERROR!

SITUATION: U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement has egregiously overstepped it’s mission, including mass incarceration, murder and the pepper spraying of children. 

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was signed by the United Nations in 1948, stating in 30 articles that “all people have certain unalienable rights.” In 2014, the City and County of San Francisco formally declared that this day would be celebrated every year thereafter. 

Join CARA, League of Women Voters, OWL and others to support immigrants and denounce the actions of ICE:

• Wearing masks and gear to conceal their identities
• Grabbing immigrants from court facilities where they have gone to perform their legal responsibilities
• Preventing immigrants from legal representation
• Grabbing immigrants from places of employment
• Holding immigrants in hazardous facilities and harassing them once they are there
• Tearing families apart, and
• Wreaking terror in immigrant populations in numerous settings

SITUATION: San Francisco approved a comprehensive Climate Action Plan in 2021, with a top-line goal of reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. But the City’s recently approved 2-year budget revokes virtually all funding for programs critical to implementing that plan.

San Francisco must get serious about implementing its Climate Action Plan and must move forward with real urgency to demonstrate the will, create the necessary government structure and allocate the funding needed to meet our climate goals.

SOLUTION: San Francisco Climate Emergency Coalition has created an easy way to tell Mayor Lurie to get serious about implementing San Francisco’s Climate Action Plan. It is simple as signing SFCEC’s Move On petition, telling the Mayor to prioritize Climate Action Plan goals as he works to restructure City government.

Click HERE to sign the petition.

Also: Please share this message with friends, family and colleagues in San Francisco. 

OUR VOTES ARE OUR VOICES
Speak up in the November 4, 2025
California Special Election!

Important dates and protocol, with links below:

• The last day to register to vote is October 20, 2025.
• You can “conditionally” register and vote at your county elections office after the 15-day voter registration deadline. 
• Your county elections office will begin mailing ballots by October 6, 2025.
• Ballot drop-off locations open on October 7, 2025.
• Vote-by-mail ballots can be returned by mail, at a drop-off location, or your county elections office.
• Vote centers open for early in-person voting in all Voter’s Choice Act counties beginning on October 25, 2025.
• Vote-by-mail ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by November 12, 2025.

HERE is a link to register.
HERE is a link to same-day voter registration.
HERE is a link to the voter guide online.
HERE is a link to find the ballot drop-off locations in San Francisco.
HERE is a link to find ballot drop-off boxes by county outside of San Francisco.
 

POWER TO THE PEOPLE:
RESTORE PUBLIC FINANCING OF
CALIFORNIA POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS

SITUATION: The Political Reform Act of 1974 banned public campaign finance in California in order to clean up election spending. However, today—because of that ban—big money in politics is drowning out voters. Mega-donors and corporate-funded independent expenditures are dominating our elections.

SB 42 would lift California’s outdated ban on public financing of campaigns. It has passed the Legislature, and now we need the Governor to sign it to put the measure on the November 2026 ballot.

Restoring public financing of campaigns will amplify the voices of small donors, lower barriers to running for office, and restore trust by reducing the stranglehold of wealthy special interests on our political system.

ACTION: Call, email or write to Governor Newsom and urge him to sign SB 42 now. 

ALSO: Share this message with friends, family and colleagues in California. 

Governor Gavin Newsom
1021 O Street, Suite 9000
Sacramento, CA 95814

Phone: (916) 445-2841a

Click HERE to email Governor Newsom

WE STOPPED AT&T and SAVED LANDLINES!

The OWL Alert of July 19 urged people to call California State Senators and exhort them to vote against AB 470, AT&T’s attempt to abandon their role as carrier of last resort for landlines. 

GOOD NEWS! AB470 is DEAD!

Today, we celebrate a meaningful win for all Californians, especially our seniors and most vulnerable communities.

This is more than just a legislative win. By stopping the bill:

• Universal access to emergency and essential services is preserved.
• Rural and underserved communities are protected.
• Affordability and equity are upheld. and
• Good jobs in the telecommunications industry are protected.

The San Francisco Department of Disability and Aging Services (DAS) provides vital funding for a variety of community organizations, including our good friends at Community Living Campaign. Every four years, DAS conducts surveys to assess needs.

Click HERE to take the survey.

Ways to participate: 

1) Take the survey!

2) Attend a community forum.

2) Share this information with your friends and neighbors

More information, email dfcna@sfgov.org, or call 415-355-3555.

Thank you for making your voices heard!

SITUATION: Landlines are the most reliable form of communication, especially for people who live in rural communities that lack alternatives. About 500,000 Californians receive landline services from AT&T, including many older adults and people with disabilities.

As “Carrier of Last Resort,” AT&T is required by California law to provide land line service throughout the state. Through bill AB 470, AT&T is now attempting to abdicate its role as Carrier of Last Resort, which would lead to land line service being phased out.

ACTION: Call your State Senator and tell them to vote NO ON AB 470. Urge the PUC to ensure that affordable and reliable landline service is available to all Californians!

ALSO: Share this message with friends, family and colleagues in California.

Click HERE to contact your State Senator.

SITUATION: In San Francisco Mayor Lurie’s proposed 2025/26 budget, programs that are crucial to our most vulnerable residents face having funds either eliminated or drastically reduced. In addition to reducing the The Dignity Fund’s budget, cuts will affect programs serving such issues as food security, legal services, healthcare, homeless outreach, and immigrants and worker’s rights.

The Board of Supervisors is now considering the Mayor’s proposed budget.  

ACTION: Monday, June 23 is Public Comment Day regarding the budget. Beginning at 10:00 a.m. in the Legislative Chamber Room 250 of City Hall, the Board of Supervisors Budget and Appropriations Committee will hear public comments regarding the proposed budget.  

SHOW UP and SPEAK OUT for our most vulnerable residents.  If you cannot attend in person, immediately email your Supervisor and Budget and Appropriations Committee Chair, Connie Chan and tell them to fund the Dignity Fund and stop cuts to other essential programs serving vulnerable San Franciscans.

ALSO: Share this message with friends, family and colleagues.

See below for links to The People’s Budget outline of proposed cuts, information about Public Comment Day, and contact information for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. 

Click HERE to contact Budget and Appropriations Committee Chair, Connie Chan.

Click HERE to contact all members of the SF Board of Supervisors.

Click HERE to read The People’s Budget outline of proposed cuts.

Click HERE for instructions on participating in Public Comment Day.

SITUATION:  Since the beginning of the current President’s second term, America’s Democracy and Constitution have been under attack by an attempted executive seizure of power.  It’s time to let those in power know that this cannot stand! 

There are three separate and coequal branches of government—the executive, the legislative, and the judicial.

THERE ARE NO KINGS IN AMERICA!!!

ACTION: Be one of the millions of Americans, including older women, who demand that our Democracy be restored and our Constitution upheld! 

Let our voices be heard!!!

Join OWL-SF, hundreds of other organizations and thousands of people as we take to the streets this Saturday, June 14, 2025 to protest the corruption, cruelty and incompetence of the current administration and advocate for Medicare, Social Security, immigrants’ rights and other issues.
 
In SF, there will be a march from Dolores Park to the Civic Center. Meet at Dolores Park at 11:30 am.  For more information, or to locate an event in your area, https://www.nokings.org/
 
ALSO: Share this message with friends, family and colleagues in and near San Francisco. 

SITUATION: The Federal Budget Bill which just passed the House by a single vote contains a sneaky provision which would exempt the President from the authority of the Courts, thereby shattering our historic checks and balances and giving the Administration virtually unlimited and unchecked powers.

ACTION: Contact your Senators immediately telling them to exert every effort to defeat this terrifying section of the Budget Bill.

ALSO: It is critical that you contact friends, family and colleagues across the country about this blatant power grab.
 

In California:

ALEX PADILLA
331 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington DC 20510
(202) 224-3553
Click HERE to email

ADAM SCHIFF
112 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington DC 20510
(202) 224-3841
Click HERE to email 

Click HERE to find contact info for U.S. Sentators in other states.

SITUATION: As U.S. lawmakers look to enact a new legislative tax package, two crucial programs affecting our most vulnerable citizens—the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, and Medicaid—are poised to see big cuts that experts say could put benefits at risk.

With the proposed changes:

• More federal food assistance beneficiaries would be subject to work requirements.
• States will be on the hook to pay more toward the program.
• Health coverage for millions will potentially be reduced.
• Access to care will be reduced.

All of which will drastically impact older adults, people with disabilities and low-income families, and are being made to offset tax cuts for the wealthy.

ACTION: These cuts are in the budget bill which is now in the Senate. Contact your Senator and tell them to STAND UP for increases to SNAP and Medicaid!
 

ALSO: Share this message with friends, family and colleagues

Fundamental Civil Rights and Individual Liberties
Presenting a Panel on our Rights and Actions
 

When: Saturday, May 24, 11 AM to 12:30 PM
Where: IN PERSON, Rhoda Goldman Plaza, Olive Room
2180 Post Street at Scott (directions below)
please RSVP by Thursday, May 22

Tanisha Humphrey is the Organizing Manager at the ACLU of Northern California, where she manages local policy campaigns in San Francisco and Vallejo, focusing primarily on criminal justice reform, police accountability, and open government.

Tanisha will be joined by a representative of the League of Women Voters (to be determined), and members of the OWL-SF Political Advocacy Committee. Together they will inform guests of the ways current U.S. Government policies and actions have eroded our rights—especially those affecting Older Women—and discuss ways we can fight to get them back, while protecting the ones we still have. 

What’s at Stake for Older Women and other seniors?
 

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The Olive Room is on the ground floor of Rhoda Goldman Plaza, look for signs directing you how to get there when you enter. 

Refreshments will be served. Please RSVP by Thursday, May 22 to:
info@owlsf.org or (415) 712-1695.

DIRECTIONS:

• Post Street is one block north of Geary Boulevard; Scott is one block east of Divisadero.
• Accessible within two blocks by Muni Lines 2, 22, 24 and 38.
• Street parking within two blocks is reasonably easy.