The San Francisco Latinx Democratic Club membership unanimously endorses the community-led recall effort against Supervisor Joel Engardio. While recalls are a serious undertaking and not a position we adopt lightly, this moment demands clarity and accountability.
Supervisor Engardio has demonstrated a disturbing disconnect from the needs and will of his own constituents, particularly with his tone-deaf push to close the Great Highway despite overwhelming opposition from the residents of his district. The Great Highway has long served as a vital transportation corridor and recreational resource, and the residents of District 4 made it abundantly clear with their votes to keep it accessible for everyone. Engardio's refusal to heed that call reflects a broader failure in responsive leadership.
It is especially telling that Supervisor Engardio was a key proponent of not one, but two previous recall efforts- recalls our club opposed due to the absence of corruption. Yet today, he finds himself at the center of a remarkably similar dynamic: calls for his recall for ignoring the voices of the people he was elected to serve. There may be no corruption here either, but there is a clear betrayal of representation. In that sense, the current recall effort is not only justified—it is poetic justice, and why the SFLDC supports the recall of Supervisor Engardio.
The San Francisco Latinx Democratic Club believes elected officials must be held accountable when they govern by the ideology of Recall for Thee, Not for Me, instead of listening to their constituents. District 4 deserves a Supervisor who will lead with integrity, humility, and respect for District 4’s voice.
- San Francisco Latinx Democratic Club