Salesforce's Marc Benioff pushes for Proposition C in San Francisco

ByKate Larsen KGO logo
Wednesday, October 31, 2018
Saleforce's Marc Benioff pushes for Proposition C in San Francisco
A controversial measure on the November ballot, Proposition C, would impose a new tax on hundreds of San Francisco businesses. The money would then be used to pay for homeless services.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- A controversial measure on the November ballot, Proposition C, would impose a new tax on hundreds of San Francisco businesses. The money would then be used to pay for homeless services.

RELATED: 'No on Prop C' spokesperson explains why it isn't answer to homelessness in SF

Salesforce CEO, Marc Benioff, is one of Prop. C's most outspoken proponents. "We found a mother living in one of our forests here in San Francisco with a nine-year-old child without shoes and it's just shocking," said Benioff who has spent millions supporting the measure, which proposes a half percent tax on business revenue above $50 million.

VIDEO: 'Consumers don't pay': Saleforce's Benioff talks Proposition C, homeless issues in SF at ABC7

Benioff suggested that other San Francisco tech CEO's be more charitable, by supporting a tax on themselves for homeless services. "People who are creating their market capitalization on the back of San Francisco, well they're going to have to contribute to solving our biggest most important problem, which is homelessness."

It's estimated the tax would cost Salesforce an additional $10 million a year. Benioff says he is willing to pay, but other tech execs, like Square and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, are critical... worrying if the city is business-friendly enough....

RELATED: Prop C: Taxing big businesses to help SF homeless

But, it's not just the tech world that's locking horns over the measure.... "Prop. C changes nothing about our approach to homelessness," said San Francisco State Senator Scott Weiner who opposes the measure. He says the City needs to first rethink its approach to homelessness before it taxes businesses, to spend an additional $300 million a year. "We've already dramatically increased what we spent on homelessness over the last 10 years by hundreds of millions of dollars a year, the problem has not gotten any better."

San Francisco Mayor London Breed also opposes Prop. C and says she'd like more time to make sure the measure doesn't come with unintended consequences. "I also want to make sure we protect manufacturing jobs, we protect retail jobs and others that aren't necessarily tech."

2018 VOTER GUIDE: A look at all the California propositions

When asked if he thinks jobs, tech or otherwise, will leave San Francisco if prop c passes, Benioff unequivocally said no. Since he's been so visible and vocal about prop C, ABC7 news reporter Kate Larsen, asked him if he had any political ambitions of his own and he said that he "will never run for public office."

We have reached out to the people opposing Prop C and we'll have them on ABC7 News in the next few days to get their perspective.

Watch the video player above for a full look at Benioff's thoughts on Proposition C and go here for the latest stories and videos on the election.