When I was in high school, both of my older brothers played soccer. To kill time after school while they practiced, I became the “soccer manager.” This was a strange title, because I didn’t “manage” anything or anyone. All I did was fill Gatorade bottles and make sure the equipment was on the bus.
This experience reminds me of the presidency of the Board of Supervisors. Because being the president of the board comes with about as much authority as being the soccer manager.
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The holidays are upon us and City Hall is decorated beautifully, complete with an enormous tree. So far, there are no gifts for our supervisors under the tree, so here is my list of what each should receive:
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After Friday’s tragic shootings in Connecticut, all eyes are on President Barack Obama and U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s efforts to introduce federal gun control legislation. But real action is happening on the local and state level, too. As a number of states have Democratic legislatures and governors — including Illinois, Colorado, Massachusetts, Connecticut and, of course, California — look for them to dust off previously shelved gun control laws.
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Today at 9:30 a.m., lawyer John Mounier will stand in front of Judge Harold Kahn and plead for Charlie’s life. Having assaulted a police horse at Crissy Field, he was sentenced to death even though he is a first offender, with no prior record of aggressive behavior.
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At Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting, David Campos announced that he is asking the budget and legislative analyst to conduct a performance review of the San Francisco Housing Authority. He repeatedly stated (so you know it’s true) that “the focus is not on individuals or personalities” but “what is happening to address the needs of the residents.”
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Supervisor Scott Wiener is trying hard to fix Muni, but no one wants to pay for it. With $420 million in deferred maintenance and a $100 million deficit each year, the prospect of getting our public-transportation system on track is getting more remote.
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Straight from the “careful how you defend yourself” file is this insight from the California Department of Education, which recently defended itself from allegations that our kids are receiving a substandard education by arguing that, “There is no constitutional right to a ‘meaningful’ education.”
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Last week, Supervisor David Campos voted against limiting nudity and in favor of spending $1.6 million to fund the first five months of a pilot program giving free Muni passes to low-income youths.
When debating the Muni vote, Campos said that choosing between paying for maintenance on Muni and the free passes is a “false choice.” In response, Supervisor Sean Elsbernd launched one of his signature rants:
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Same-sex couples in California might get an early Christmas present next week — and retailers an unexpected boost in sales — if the U.S. Supreme Court refuses to review the case of Hollingsworth v. Perry.
Back in February of this year, a panel of three justices on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision stating that Proposition 8, the state’s ban on gay marriage passed by voters in 2008, was unconstitutional because it revoked a previously recognized right for same-sex couples to wed.
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I’m enjoying party season in San Francisco, except for the fact that I’m asked routinely about whether Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi is going to be the subject of a recall.
Honestly, I don’t know.
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URL: http://www.sfexaminer.com/archive/17516/17516?page=3
