Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff took his fight for San Francisco's so-called "millionaires tax" directly to some of the businesses that are opposing it.
Proposition C would tax companies making more than $50 million one-half of 1 percent to fund shelters and services for the homeless.
Benioff, at a luncheon Monday attended by Bay Area business and government leaders, made an impassioned plea for the measure and challenged them to step up.
"Not just with well-intentioned philanthropy, but at the scale of the wealth they've created on the back of this city," Benioff said.
The luncheon also featured tables for some of the biggest high-tech companies in the Bay Area. The very companies that Prop C would tax to raise $300 million a year for homeless shelters and services in San Francisco.
"Funding by itself is not going to solve the problem," said San Francisco Mayor London Breed, who opposes Prop C.
State Sen. Scott Wiener also opposes Prop C in part because the mayor was, in his own words, cut out. But Benioff said she will not be.
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"She approves each and every expenditure out of the fund," Benioff said.
Benioff said there if no question the city needs more money to get homeless people off the streets and into housing, mental health and drug recovery programs.
The measure would double the city's homeless budget, but the president of the city's business district association said the opposition he is hearing has to do with how long the tax will last.
"Is this going to go on forever, forever and forever?" said Harry Karnilowicz, Council of District Merchants.
Benioff replied that Prop C is intended to provide a steady stream of money for many years.
"We know we need hundreds of millions of dollars over a long period of time, that's why Proposition C is going to work," he said.
Benioff is confident that Prop C will get a majority of votes next Tuesday, but it needs a super majority -- 66 percent in order to pass.
