San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie interpreted Tuesday’s election results as a clear directive: prioritize outcomes over political maneuvering.
In just 16 months since taking office, Lurie has overseen a wave of renewed optimism in San Francisco. The city, once criticized for its liberal policies, has seen reductions in minor crimes and a decrease in large homeless encampments, while its downtown area shows signs of revival after being hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“I believe the atmosphere is now one of hope and optimism,” Lurie shared with The Post in a Friday interview at City Hall. “Voters are eager for the supervisors and the mayor to collaborate on pragmatic solutions to our challenges.”
A Chamber of Commerce survey reveals that 64% of San Franciscans now feel the city is heading in the right direction. This marks a significant shift from 2024, when the city’s leadership faced widespread public dissatisfaction.
For years, San Francisco’s image was tarnished by public drug use, rampant theft, and corruption scandals. However, a shift led by moderate voters—and heavily supported by tech industry leaders like Ripple chairman Chris Larsen and venture capitalist Michael Moritz—led to the removal of several progressive officials.
Lurie, 48-year-old heir to the Levi Strauss fortune, unseated former mayor London Breed in 2024 on a promise to upend the status quo.
The newbie mayor has sought to balance the city’s shaky multibillion-dollar budget while approving raises for cops and fighters, partly by trimming back the city’s hefty nonprofit contracts that have totaled more than $1 billion annually.
While Lurie noted he’s still relatively new to the job, he offered one suggestion to fellow elected officials: Focus on results.
“That’s the only advice I would share with anybody in any elected position — focus on where you are governing,” he said.
“The city of San Francisco, the people deserve a mayor and a board of supervisors that are focused on getting results and delivering common sense, reasonable policies,” Lurie added.
On Tuesday, San Francisco voters easily reelected two moderate supervisors — Stephen Sherrill and Alan Wong, both endorsed by Lurie — and appeared to reject Proposition D, a so-called “Overpaid CEO tax” that would have slapped extra levies on companies with large pay disparities between top execs and the median local worker.
Six years ago, San Francisco voters approved a similar measure by huge margins — but times have changed, according to the mayor.
While results aren’t final for union-backed prop Prop. D, Lurie said San Franciscans are fatigued with union and business interests waging war at the ballot box.
“It’s just not a way to govern a city,” he said.
Two other propositions, an earthquake safety bond and a measure adding lifetime term limits for local elected officials, were leading as of Friday.