Benioff and Dorsey fight on Twitter following an election measure to help homeless people



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Two tech giants in San Francisco began Friday an exchange of tweets on an electoral measure to end homelessness.

Jack Dorsey, responsible for Square and Twitter, is associated with the social application that he directs to express his opposition to Proposition C, arousing the anger of his most virulent supporter, the head of Salesforce, Marc Benioff.

Proposal C, which will appear on the November 6 ballot, would force San Francisco's largest corporations to raise up to $ 300 million to fund programs to help the homeless.

Benioff obtained Monday a solid contribution from the Prop. C, by promising at least $ 2 million in company money and personal fortune to help make this initiative a success.

"I want to help solve the homelessness problem in SF and California. I do not think this (Prop C) is the best way to do it, "tweeted Dorsey, including a link to Benioff's previous tweet about his support for the measure.

Benioff replied, "Hi Jack. Thank you for the comments. What programs for the homeless do you support in our city?

The co-CEO of Salesforce then asked Dorsey on Twitter how much money he had given to the $ 37 million, two-year Heading Home initiative that Benioff helped get started with the city. to house homeless families. The program has housed nearly 400 families through rent subsidies.

Benioff said Dorsey's estimated net worth was $ 6 billion (Benioff's fortune is thought to be around that range as well) and asked how much he had given.

"Exactly (how much) did his companies and personally return to our city, our homelessness programs, our public hospitals and our public schools?", Tweeted Benioff.

A few hours later, Dorsey replies, "Mark, you're distracted. It's about me who support the mayor @LondonBreed for * the * reason she was elected. The mayor does not support proposal C and we should listen to it. "

Benioff, who donated millions of dollars to house homeless families and strongly advocated for more street programs, told The Chronicle on Monday that the only way to significantly reduce the crisis by 7,500 people and 1,200 families languishing in the streets is increasing state spending. Prop. C would generate funding that would double the amount already spent by San Francisco to help homeless people and keep them homeless.

After announcing his support, celebrities such as Chris Rock, Jewel and William James Adams Jr., known professionally William rallied Benioff on Twitter.

Opposition to Prop. C gained momentum in October when London Breed Mayor, Senator Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, and David Chiu MP for D-San Francisco, said in a statement that the responsibility was not sufficient funds would be properly spent. But Benioff, of which Salesforce is the largest private employer in the city and expects about $ 13 billion in sales this year, said he thought he could convince other big business leaders to show their support.

On Twitter, Dorsey said he supported Breed's and Wiener's stance on the issue, as well as their "commitment" to dealing with the roaming crisis "in the right way".

"Mayor Breed has been elected to solve this problem," tweeted Dorsey. "I believe it."

In response to Dorsey's original tweet, dozens of people have criticized his position. Some people have questioned the motives of the technology billionaire.

Also called "Our City, Our Home" initiative, Prop. C would impose an average gross revenue tax of about 0.5% on corporate revenues of more than $ 50 million. According to a report from the city's economic analysis bureau, 300 to 400 of San Francisco's largest businesses would be affected by the tax.

Representatives of Square and Twitter did not respond to requests for comments on Friday.

Some companies have clearly taken a stand against the measure. Patrick Collison, CEO of the San Francisco Stripe payment company, who opposes the C proposal, said in a tweet supports Dorsey. Dorsey retweeted Collison's tweet and broadcast it to its 4.1 million followers.

Stripe donated $ 19,999 to the "No on Prop. C of the Chamber of Commerce. Gensler, a San Francisco design and architecture firm, donated $ 10,000 last month.

Benioff told The Chronicle on Monday: "At the end of the day, it will be: are you for the homeless or not for the homeless? For me, it's binary. I am for the homeless. "

Melia Russell is a writer at the San Francisco Chronicle. Email: [email protected]

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