What's New?

What's Going On Now? 

Elections

Election 2004 

Make a Difference

Contribute to DogPAC 

Other Sites

San Francisco DOG 
Fort Funston Dog Walkers 
Ocean Beach DOG 

Email us at:

dogpac@hotmail.com

Robert Haaland

DogPAC Questionnaire
District 5

1. What have you done on behalf of the dog owning community and what will you do in the future?
   

   When I was younger, I worked as a Park Ranger for the East Bay Regional Park District in Tilden Park, above Berkeley. Many park visitors were people coming up the hill on the weekends and after work to walk their dogs. In general, Tilden is an urban, multi-use park where people and the Park staff interacted fairly cooperatively in finding ways to accommodate all types of uses. I respect that you have become a grassroots, powerful community force in San Francisco. As a grassroots, community organizer I understand how difficult if can be to move an agenda if you haven't mobilized. If elected Supervisor, I will actively solicit your ideas and suggestions on relevant issues. I will do my best to ensure that your perspectives are taken seriously. While I know that supervisors' schedules are often unwieldy, I pledge to periodically attend your meetings, report on the status of the parks and dog policies, and respond to your questions.

2. The only real oversight mechanism the Board of Supervisors has with regard to the operating departments is the power of the purse: that is, the Board must approve the budget. Would you be prepared to withhold portions of a Department's budget if the Department was managing the money poorly, reporting to the Board inadequately, or failing to develop reasonable public consensus? Please describe.
   

   Yes. With a sagging economy, it is more important than ever that the Board of Supervisors implement increased budgetary controls and improved fiscal management. Poor departmental and fiscal oversight ultimately harms San Francisco residents as mismanagement forces the Board to consider cuts to vital services. I believe in zero-based and performance-based budgeting. While I would certainly consider withholding a portion of a department's budget for fiscal mismanagement, I believe more lasting reforms must be implemented to prevent this from occurring.

3. Currently, the Recreation and Park Department has 10-15% of the city's playing fields locked up and chained shut. RPD is in the process of claiming hundreds of acres of parkland as natural habitat areas where public access will be very restricted if allowed at all. Critics have said that the goal of the Rec & Park Department is Parks without People. Will you work to promote public access to public parkland? How?

   As a previous Park Ranger and a proponent of environmental issues, I am supportive of the need to preserve natural habitat areas in San Francisco. However, I also know how important open spaces and parks are to preserving healthy households in the City. Only areas containing legitimate, sensitive habitat areas should be restricted.

   I will work to promote public access to public parkland in various ways. First, I have always supported community-planning processes. The City's citizen stakeholders voice their concerns and preferences on this matter. Second, I think it's important to see what common ground and compromises can be worked out with the environmental community. In my years of organizing, I have found that such good faith efforts produce far greater results than those won through animosity. As Supervisor, I will work with all sides to assist in identifying the best possible parkland solutions for San Francisco.

4. Will you work to promote tolerant, multi-purpose, shared-use of parks? How?

   Yes. Parks serve San Franciscans in many ways. It is important that the City identify the best formula to accommodate the greatest number of people. I don't have a specific plan for promoting multi-purpose, shared-use of parks. However, I can state that my background is a good indicator that I will advocate for a community-based process in establishing new policies for park use. I would be interested in exploring new configurations for determining park policy. Ideas such as district-based park planning might be useful in addressing multiple uses and needs for neighborhood parks.

5. Most of us believe that it is reasonable to regulate certain incompatible uses of public spaces. For example, most of us would agree that horses should not be allowed on the golf course and dogs should not be allowed in children's playgrounds. Would you feel differently if you discovered that the dogs in a children's playground belonged to the parents and their kids?

   I can't honestly say whether this would change my opinion or not. What immediately comes to mind is that other children may be fearful of dogs. However, your point is well taken. I do understand that a child with a dog is deprived of this recreational activity if she/he isn't allowed to bring a dog to the playground.

6. Do you think the Recreation and Park Department provides adequate public process for park policies? Would you be willing to intervene in Rec/Park business if there were inadequate public process?
   

   I think Rec and Park must improve their record regarding public process. It has been disappointing and unacceptable to learn that meetings times are not always widely circulated, that agendas are not always available, and other such irregularities have occurred. I can support a department that disagrees with public sentiment if I know the reasons are sound, and I see that efforts to reach out to the community are genuine. However, when the public process itself has been inadequate, I would definitely be willing to intervene.

7. Have you ever visited on or more of the original 19 dog exercise areas approved by the RPD over 20 years ago? Which ones? How would you characterize the conditions you saw?

   I had a dog for several years, but he died about seven years ago. I lived next to Dolores Park and I took him there. Friends of mine who are dog owners who have taken their dogs to exercise areas have expressed to me their extreme displeasure with RPD about the exercise areas

8. Statistics show that children are more likely to grow up with a family dog than with both parents; that dog owner/guardians have lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels; and that elderly pet owner/guardians are more active and less depressed. Do you believe that dogs play an important role in society? What is your personal experience with dogs in your life - now or in the past?

   I believe dogs play an invaluable role in society. I grew up with a German Shepherd named Bunkee who died when I was eighteen. Since I moved around a lot as a child, he was my closest friend.

   When I worked at the SF Tenants Union, I worked closely with a counselor to create handouts for tenants who had dogs as companions. Over and over again, tenants, many of whom had emotional struggles, described to me their sense that they could not live without their dog. Under the ADA, their right to have a dog in their home was protected and we showed the tenants how to establish to the landlord their rights.

   I have seen pet dogs serve as a child's first lesson in caring for others, and I have seen dogs serve as vital companions to people with AIDS. Many elderly residents with dogs feel safer, and have loving companionship. Dogs are an undervalued asset in society today.

9. San Francisco's dog population is estimated by the Dept. of Animal Care and Control to be between 100,000 and 120,000. Roughly 25% of the city's households includes a dog. Many dog owner/guardians are single and/or elderly, and recreation with their dog is their primary or sole form of socialization, recreation and exercise. Do you believe that off-leash recreation can be viewed as a benefit for people - not just for their dogs?

   Yes, I do believe various groups of people benefit from off-leash recreation and exercise with their dogs.

10. Do you believe that walking a dog off-leash is a valid form of recreation on a par with picnicking, Frisbee, hiking, bird watching, soccer, etc.?
    

    Yes. While I had a dog, walking him was both a recreational activity and sometimes my only exercise.

11. What positive things do you see about off-leash recreation in our parks?

    San Francisco is sometimes viewed as unfriendly to families and children. The presence of dogs, particularly off-leash dogs, presents a wholesome, family-friendly view of the City.