8 of 9 major SF mayor candidates commit to 'Open Government Pledge for San Francisco'

Eight of the 9 major San Francisco mayoral candidates have committed to the Open Government Pledge for San Francisco.

The candidates include:

• Joanna Rees
• Phil Ting
• Dennis Herrera
• Leland Yee
• David Chiu
• Bevan Dufty
• Michela Alioto-Pier
• John Avalos

Candidate Tony Hall did not commit to the pledge, but offered this statement in place of:

"While I don't sign others' pledges (only my own), I absolutely agree with the spirit of the language and just wish it were tougher on corruption. I hope you will note my reasons for my decision."

Full pledge:

San Francisco Mayoral Candidate Commitment to Open Government

Open government is the movement to improve government by making government more transparent, participatory, collaborative, accountable, efficient, and effective. Open government will help build the public’s trust and satisfaction in government, will improve government’s delivery of services, and will create new opportunities for innovation. I, _______________________, commit to support the following principles of open government: Transparency: To increase accountability, promote informed public participation, and create economic development opportunities, the city shall expand access to information Participation: To create more informed and effective policies, the city shall enhance and expand opportunities for the public to participate throughout decision-making processes. Collaboration: To more effectively fulfill its obligations to citizens, the city will enhance and expand its practices of cooperation among city departments, other governmental agencies, the public, and non-profit and private. With the rise of new technologies and an increasingly connected population, a growing pressure has been placed on government leaders and government entities to adopt these open government principles. I will take steps to ensure San Francisco meets these demands and supports citizens’ needs. By supporting open government efforts, San Francisco will build on and enhance opportunities for citizens to inform government; will further develop the city’s transparency and accountability; and develop a platform to support innovation. Furthermore, I will support developing a legal framework to support open government, and I will ensure open government efforts are appropriately funded and managed, which will help build a culture of open government. San Francisco is already a leader in supporting innovation through sharing government data and is a leader in the open government movement. I will ensure the city and all of its departments continue in this direction to create the model of local open government. I commit to working with city officials and the public to ensure open government and innovation continue to grow in San Francisco.