Of speech and freedom of religion my mom let zero self advocacy and believe her voice was never matter. I would like to vote asked my mother in that selection. I currently can. Have to wait another two years next local election and another year for to vote in this is about election. President ial election. I dont have to wait as long as i will. I strongly support this and i hope you will all is well. President breed thank. Great job. Supervisor avalos supervisor avalos through the president , just like my colleagues by parents are also immigrants. They came here from el salvador for political reasons. The war was bad and i guess in the 90s. Interestingly enough am the first person voting in my family and just like at 18 its like a bad time to start voting because that is when you move away. That is when you sign up for a job. That is when you leave your high school. Bernie can i do think its important we start voting at 16 because you become habitual boater and youre more likely a place you could vote and your sheltered. Before today i just agree with vote 16 am an advocate for vote 16 because after hearing all the Public Comment we need to update our problem because by 16 and 17yearolds are able to work and pay taxes and able to overcome hardships, they should be able to vote have some sort of say in what goes on in the ruling in their lives. I really urge the board of supervisors to please cosponsor this initiative. Thank you. President breed thank you. I am assuming were going to call on commissioner davids . On commissioner to be were so pleased to be able to join you in this chamber today amy joined by so many youth members of the public invested in this week. Thank you the members of the board for meeting charlie. Just like supervisor avalos that the motherboard future vote we taken during school hours. I like less members of the board to consider adding themselves as cosponsors of this Charter Amendment. President breed thank you. Commissioner lee i want to thank you all for coming out again did i know theres a lot of ap testing and still same pretty late. I want to share my story of how i became to support vote six and you to be completely honest at first i did not support a. The radical idea first glance it doesnt seem anything wrong with the status quo either. Afterwards, after hurting a Letter Research and presentation about 1829yearolds the voting virtual that deftly and the seeds of doubt in my mind but that was a push me over the edge. What happened was i realize was part of my opposition to vote 16 derived from how society portrays 18 as much, but the marks adulthood for some reason. Because at age 18 would legally independent from our parents. We can sign contracts and make legal claimants in her own name it we get to move away from our parents and its a good ecology a bunch of stuff like this. As research proves, sixyearold thinking as advanced as an 18yearold or even adults when it comes to making logical decisions and because of that eightyearolds allowed to drive to pay taxes if they have a job and other stuff like that. Just because all of the stuff i mentioned involves logical decisionmaking theres no reason for wanting to not be one of these marked the age of six and get i think we can move away from the idea age 18 is the marker of the dollar and just decide the voting age because it should not. Thank you president breed thank you very much and now id like to turn it over to chairman hollis to call on other members of the Youth Commission. Supervisor avalos thank you very much president yee. As aside from being the chair of this commission, muscle one of six mayoral appointees and i like to turnover to them than waiting so patiently to give their testimony for vote 16 testifier i guess i will start. Thank you very much for allowing us to come for meeting today. The time and to great Historical Monument in 20 years of this commission. Ive been part of this whole initiative ever since it was first introduced by johnand ive been glad we present a lot weve had to present a lot to get their support. So its hopeful with me to public ski speaking skills as well. I believe passing this amendment is just the beginning. The more youth voter turnout will finally turn around and you can get out voice what they want for their second i extremely encourage you as a board support this and hopefully it passes and put on the ballot and create this. Thank you for your time president breed paint. Next speaker, please. Testifier i would like to think the board of supervisors Youth Commission, politicking there today. As i approach my own 16 birthday, so think about this legislation. Vote 16 is important issue to me how my college. Some people asked the question can a sixyearold vote responsibly what appears expense of those uplifted. To answer this question we must first look at the benefits vote 16 impact on the young people 16 and 17 and on our democracy. Growing up in San Francisco i dont find a place to get engaged in local city matters. Was until i participated in Public Comment on the topic of creating more medical Marijuana Distribution Centers in the sunset i realized what goes on in our city affects the lives of everyone living in the city that i want to have a say in issues that affect my life in the city i need to participate. I am fortunate enough to be able to serve on these commissions taken a keen interest in what goes on our local government. Not every youth will get to serve on the Youth Commission. So have get your people to be more engaging our local government. The lowering of the age is 1617 for municipal elections were allowed to participate in issues directly affect us as youth group our city 16 and 17yearolds are stakeholders just like everyone else. Also the policy decisions may now have lasting repercussions that affect youth. In fact, as young people will be living in the future created by todays policy decisions much longer than the average voter. Become part of young voters said out of the conversation until the 20s were later. We need innovative ways to get people engaged earlier as lifelong voters. Special because some young people growing up in San Francisco today will face challenges transition to adulthood and remaining in the city. We as a Democratic Society finally 12 by all stakeholders to participate. 16 his invitation to stakeholders to be counted. The act of voting wont stop people to know more about our city north make informed decisions to make contributions. As teenagers going up in the city to feel we count for something. By giving us the opportunity to vote locally encouraging us to take charge of our learning and our transition to become contribute members of our civic life and local government. Thank you for your time. I like to say to the president that the youth are just as responsible and capable of voting is anyone else. We work, we drive, and we were and still are the power behind every social justice movements. Some of us even take care of children whether it be sibling or offspring. Some of us write the legislation that gets implemented through the city for example free muni for youth and summer jobs, plus. Yes, we even pay taxes. Working 20 hours a week for 15 an hour thats 300 and some of my paycheck comes out to 250. What im trying to say, in other words, if we can be held responsible or everything that adults can be held responsible why not let us have the same rights three. If you believe that the youth are the future, like you say you do, then prove it by giving us the chance to prove ourselves. Thank you. My name is grace painting. A mayoral pointing. As commissioner lee mentioned, i had a similar expense when i first heard about vote six and initially i was a little bit unsure and im currently 16yearold high school where i see people doing reckless things i initially thought i know sixyearold who probably wont make the right decision now but who knows if they can possibly do it in the future. Coming here today and seeing one the public turnout and my strengths as a Youth Commissioner has really opened my eyes to the possibility but you can say, do, and in general the power you have when theyre given a microphone to speak and what other ways of them exercise this right of freedom of speech and their power to in general as youth advocates then vote in. Personally, i support this cause because as a person who one, has a summer job and also us to pay taxes, one who now is able to drive and one who can also be tried as an adult am i believe its imperative for us to be given use these abilities adults have in order to make this a more just society into had responsibility and show what we are made of. Hi. Through the president to the board my name is madeline not, mayoral appointee. I dont think theres basically anymore content i can add onto the street i think youve heard from a lot of people a lot of variation but some compelling points. I want to talk about what i see as were the main roles of government which is to represent the will of the people and i think that applies to this in two major ways. The first weight is vote 16. From more people and their input at a very basic level, i think thats awesome and i think that is something as a city that size to be inclusive that is something we should support. The second thing is that the youth have spoken here. Weve heard from so so many people come out to speak and not a single one of them has been against the good im sure that some of that exists but i think that people were against the youth have spoken and i hope we can listen. Supervisor peskin thank you commissioners. Members of anybody thank you supervisor avalos supervisor avalos i will be brief, but i want to thank other bodies for coming together on this Charter Amendment and thank all the members for the public for so eloquently speaking today. We had a demonstration that happened here in our board chambers where to stop business and that demonstration to me was very emblematic of overseeing across the country. We have a whole part of the country that is want to support president ial candidate who has no qualifications whatsoever to be president of the United States naturally evolve because a lot of people have really zero faith in our Public Institutions around the country. But here, today, we have a lot of people want to join and be included in voting and their participation in helping shape Public Institutions. That is what San Francisco has been able to stand for with its decades of supporting young people to be involved in our communities. This inclusion of young people in voting in San Francisco is the next step. Colleagues, please, people came here today to hear what we can do we cannot vote necessarily but we can put our names as cosponsors thank urge you to do so if you intend to vote on this pressure. President breed thank you. Supervisors campos supervisor campos i know there was reviewed commissioners commissioner david, i want to add my name again on the record as a cosponsor of this. So that its clear that the district 9 supervisor supporting this president breed had. Supervisor yee supervisor yee i want to thank all the youth supporters today. Its important that we put this on the ballot for people to decide whether they agree or disagree. I think its going to be based on everybodys individual experiences in my experience with youth is a very capable to make decisions that ive seen over and over and over again. So, i am honored to join commissionerto be listed as a cosponsor of this vote 16 president breed thanks. Supervisor weiner supervisor wiener i want to thank everyone who came out today. It was a very moving in a lot of ways and i had of my name as a cosponsor. President breed thank you. Supervisor mar supervisor mar . It such a pleasure to sit with julian and amazing leader for district 1. I do want to say that could be added as a cosponsor as well. I support the demand the Youth Commission says with a strongly every year at least, to reiterate former president Youth Commission nicholas perskys point that much of the legislation passed by the board of supervisors and in the city has been drafted by young people with passion and encourage the sense of social justice. Im proud to be here with all of the Youth Commissioners and looking forward to this Grassroots Campaign to pass this pressure as moves forward in our city. President breed thanks. Supervisor peskin supervisor peskin i was going to base my vote on how many commissioners rose, butim just joking. I said earlier i came here with half open mind and have to say that the testimony was really quite compelling all evening long. I was originally thinking that i would make a amendment and we would have an interesting debate as to whether or not to start this as a school board only election but i think many of the speakers spoke to that and i found the testimony to be compelling. Im not going to cosponsor this, but i am going to vote put on the ballot. Let me just say a little bit about that, which is to all the youth, to all the Youth Commissioners to the members of this body, i think theres a lot of work that you all will have to do over the next many months between now and november of 2016 so that the measures that commissionerspoke to neither one of which passed in the last decade is not the fate of this measure. So, youre going to need to do what youve done or last two years. You are going to need to take this to the people. Theyre going to need to organize. Juergen have to take what youve done tonight in this chamber will explain that to 450,000 registered voters so another 10 or 13,000 be eligible to register to vote. Its good take an extraordinary amount of effort and i think youve got a little bit of an uphill fight, with that puppy president breed next week to put this on the ballot and let the Voters Decide. President breed thank you. Supervisor tang supervisor tang . Ditto to sweat supervisor peskin said that he were my commissioner said as well. I think it, as shizuoka we stated, ive gone through an interesting trajectory of thought of and so impressed with all the youth that have come out. Again, the diversity and variety of opinions he stated. I too will not be cosponsoring, but i do believe in putting this forth to the voters to decide on. So, i also want to echo i support doing this jointly the Youth Commission hup things a wonderful exercise. I love seeing all the youth here in the form theyre able to participate. I want to thank everyone for their hard work and supervisor peskin i think of more work to be. Thank you and good luck on your exams. President breed thank you. I came into this meeting today with, in my mind, thinking theres no way im going to support this, but im open to hearing what folks have to say. Absolutely, not. Biggest reason why was adamantly opposed to supporting this legislation is because when i was 16 years old i was on a whole other wavelength. You all probably would not have talked to me if you knew me at ages 16. I was really a problematic child but i did realize that there were so many young people in San Francisco that were actively engaged at this level but to hear the testimony of chair avalos, who by the way is a district 5 residence in the speed of district 5 commissioner , its absolutely incredible to watch his growth and to see how he is a great leader, but more important, how he communicated exactly why its important, which made perfect sense to me. Commissioner plunkett, who is the district 5 commissioner, get quite the compelling arguments. During each and every one of you make comments about your experiences, oh why you think this is important, but how strongly you feel, hearing the public testimony, and hearing just incredible young people i think the city usually in good hands. Its future is in good hands because we have tomorrows leaders showing up today to get involved, showing up today to make a statement. Join up today to fight what they believe they deserve as a right based on evidence, based on numbers, based on facts. Based on taxes based on all the things that we use to make good decisions as policymakers. I really proud of what i witnessed here today and i cant see how i could not support this. Which come i cant believe im saying. But, i will not have my name as a cosponsor because i think theres still work to be done right to also note the costs are in i just want to have a lot more understanding, but i definitely plan to support putting this on the ballot and that the Voters Decide on this issue. There is work to be done. I think its a great start. You all worked hard to get here and you all organized and you brought the information and you didnt just pull on my heartstrings. He really pulled on the fact that this is how good policy is made. Using category using information and giving me good compelling arguments for why we should actually support giving you an opportunity to fight for this at about. Welcome. With that, im going to seeing no other names on the roster and seeing theres no further discussion, chairman avalos i understand would like to take a symbolic vote with your colleagues three kids so, before we go into the vote will allow tab with remarks actually proud of all my colleagues all 16 of you all 11 district appointees, all the other six mayoral appointees. This is truly been a remarkable evening of public policymaking and hearing from the young voice of people one day will inherit this great country of the United States. Its people ever challenge you on your knowledge, your capacity you need only look at the youth that should appear today in the leadership youve taken amongst yourselves to be involved in something that is beyond what is expected of us by most adults. Most adults expect us to go to high school, go to school, do our homework and go to college but we are doing here something the most 16yearolds do not often think of. When i was 16, i was like supervisor breed and i wish when i was 16 i wouldve had the same leadership experience and same passion for politics and for Civic Engagement because i believe the more youth involved in this, the more youth were going to see being