“The arts can play a vital role in revitalizing neighborhoods, using and improving vacant space, bringing new jobs and new sense of opportunity, and improving public safety by generating more foot traffic and more eyes on the street.”

“You've got to change incentives for good behavior as opposed to just disincentivizing bad behavior.”

“The value of an arts education is widely accepted, especially in California.”

“An arts education helps build academic skills and increase academic performance, while also providing alternative opportunities to reward the skills of children who learn differently.”

“As Mayor, I will lead city government, businesses, and community groups to support innovative projects that will make San Francisco streets and public places vibrant and healthy.”

“If Wikileaks didn't resolve that question for folks - at the end of the day, there are no secrets. We're living in a glass neighborhood, in a fishbowl, and technology, white hat hackers, the folks that are doing the right thing with hacking.”

“People don't care anymore because they don't believe in us; they don't trust us. And that's why we should change politics, not just accept the cynical frame that, 'Well, that's just politics.'”

“If you're not open, you're not transparent, you're still holding on to vaults of information, you're not going to build that trust.”

“Prop 8 did something that no other state in the history of this country has done. It took away the rights of people that already were legally affirmed. Imagine someone putting something on the ballot saying your wedding, your marriage is no longer valid.”

“Separate is not equal. Civil unions are civil unions. Marriage is marriage. They're different institutions.”

“I think Thanksgiving is the perfect occasion to break open a buttery, oaky Chardonnay from California.”