Joshua Sabatini

Supes choose Hammer for commission

The appointment of James Hammer to the Police Commission was sent out of the Board of Supervisors Rules Committee Thursday. Hammer, who is thought to be a potential District Attorney candidate, was hailed by Supervisor Chris Daly. “What [Hammer} can do is he can go into the police commission and be an immediate game changer. I think that we need an immediate game changer right now,” Daly said. Hammer’s public safety experience includes serving as a reserve police officer, an assistant district attorney and a law professor. The seven-member Police Commission is required to set “policy for the Police Department and to conduct disciplinary hearings on charges of...

Continued...

 

Controversy raised over acting mayor appointment

Investigation: The letter designating Supervisor Carmen Chu as acting mayor on the right was signed by a staffer. Newsom signed a different version before his departure, shown on the left, a spokesman said. The question of whether Mayor Gavin Newsom properly designated an acting mayor the morning he abruptly and unexpectedly jetted off to Hawaii may be decided by the City Attorney’s Office. Newsom apparently took off Tuesday morning to spend time with his wife and recently born daughter, four days after quitting his campaign for governor of California. The City Charter allows the mayor to appoint an acting mayor to serve in his place for when he is out of state, but must make...

Continued...

 

‘Visual pollution’ on public street furniture curtailed

San Francisco voters have said no to more advertising in public spaces. Proposition E prohibits an increase in the number of general advertising signs on street furniture in excess of the number existing as of Jan. 1, 2008. Street furniture includes transit shelters, kiosks, public toilets, benches, newspaper racks and other structures on public sidewalks or places. Supporters of the measure argued the restriction preserves the unique beauty of San Francisco — which draws tourism — and restricts “visual pollution.” Opponents said the measure was anti-business and prevents The City from benefiting from a sizeable revenue stream, especially during tough economic...

Continued...

 

Budget process will have new shape as citizens vote for reform

The budgeting process for The City will take on a new look. The bleak economic forecast for The City prompted officials to place Proposition A, the “budget reform” measure, on the November ballot. The measure does three main things: creates a two-year budgeting process, requires city officials to draft a five-year financial plan and ensures all labor contracts are submitted for approval at a specific time. The measure was part of a collaborative effort between Mayor Gavin Newsom and members of the Board of Supervisors....

Continued...

 

Cisneros will be collecting city taxes for four more years

Running unopposed, José Cisneros was elected for a second term to serve as the treasurer and tax collector for The City. In September 2004, Mayor Gavin Newsom appointed Cisneros to the position and he was re-elected to the four-year post in 2005. As tax collector, Cisneros is responsible for the collection and enforcement of most local taxes, including the payroll, hotel and parking taxes....

Continued...

 

Herrera will continue to fight legal battles for San Francisco

Dennis Herrera was re-elected for a third term to serve as San Francisco’s city attorney. Herrera ran unopposed. He will resume his role, where he has made legal history arguing such prominent cases as the right to same-sex marriage and universal health care on the behalf of The City. Herrera was first elected as city attorney in December 2001 and re-elected in 2005. Herrera is also considered a potential candidate to run for mayor in 2011....

Continued...

 

Questions dog mayor's escape from The City

Mayor Gavin Newsom abruptly left the state Tuesday, leaving behind speaking engagements and questions of whether he properly designated an acting mayor. His departure comes just four days after he stepped out of the race to become the next governor of California. Though he cited personal reasons for dropping out, it was pointed out that the 42-year-old trailed his chief rival, state Attorney General Jerry Brown, in both fundraising and polls. The decision to leave the race ignited questions about Newsom’s political future and heightened discussions about his character flaws. Newsom left San Francisco and the state at 8:49 a.m. Tuesday morning and official notification to the...

Continued...

 

Developers offered reason to build in SF

In an effort to spur housing development in The City, Mayor Gavin Newsom has introduced legislation that would curb a portion of the upfront fees builders have to pay. The Examiner reported in June that city officials were looking for ways to cut costs for developments amid concerns from developers that the recession would sink planned projects without some financial relief. When building housing in The City, developers have the option of including on-site, below-market rate units in the development or paying an in-lieu fee to meet San Francisco’s affordable housing requirements. Mayor Gavin Newsom has introduced legislation that would allow developers to cut affordable housing...

Continued...

 

Prop. E seeks to limit ads on city property

Voters will decide Tuesday whether to restrict the number of advertisements on The City’s street furniture — kiosks, public toilets, benches and newspaper racks. Proposition E would prohibit an increase in general-advertising signs on street furniture above what’s been allowed since Jan. 1, 2008. Supporters of the measure say it will preserve the unique beauty of San Francisco and restrict “visual pollution.” Opponents say the measure is anti-business and prevents San Francisco from benefiting from a healthy revenue stream. The City generally contracts with private companies to provide public facilities — such as toilets and transit shelters —...

Continued...

 

‘Trauma’ flatlines in The City

The plug was pulled on the television drama filming on location in San Francisco, killing the prospect of a long-term economic boost for The City. NBC Universal began filming in September for 13 episodes of the new series “Trauma,” but that’s all there will be. City officials hoped the show would have high ratings and the on-location filming would continue for years. The San Francisco Film Office estimated that the local economy is infused with about $3 million per episode. “Trauma” was the first TV series filmed in San Francisco since “Nash Bridges” went off the air in 2001. It was also the kind of activity city officials were hoping to...

Continued...

 

S.F. takes step toward being green-powered

The City is charging forward with a plan to establish its own power program. By May 2010, The City could have an agreement that aims to provide San Francisco’s power consumers with less-expensive energy from more renewable sources.The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved legislation Tuesday authorizing the issuance of requests for proposals, which asks companies to submit their plans to implement The City’s Community Choice Aggregation, otherwise known as CleanPowerSF. “The City is committed to developing CleanPowerSF as an endeavor to increase reliance on renewable energy, and reduce the amount of pollution and greenhouse gasses generated by the production of the...

Continued...

 

Commission may get the right to shut clubs down

Troublesome nightclubs could be shuttered within hours under legislation that is headed toward a final vote within weeks. Amidst mixed reviews from community members and those in the industry, legislation granting more power to the Entertainment Commission was approved Monday by the Board of Supervisors City Operations and Neighborhood Services Committee. The proposal is meant to enable the commission to crack down on troubled nightclubs blamed for violence in neighborhoods such as North Beach, SoMa and the Mission, which have the highest concentrations of the party stops. The legislation provides the Entertainment Commission “with the power to cite, to regulate and to shut...

Continued...

 

Voters to have say on supervisors’ aides

The size of the staff for Board of Supervisors is up for a vote Nov. 3. Each of the 11 members of the Board of Supervisors can have two legislative aides but no more, according to the City Charter. Proposition B, which is before voters on the ballot, would amend the charter to remove the specific number of aides and allow the members to have as many as they want, within the constraints of the board’s budget. Supporters of the measure say it will improve the supervisors’ ability to address the concerns of their constituents, such as more quickly responding to calls from residents about street repairs or public safety issues. There are about 30,000 voters in each of the...

Continued...

 

City’s sanctuary policy battle far from over

Some city workers will be faced with the dilemma of whether to violate San Francisco law or violate state and federal law after the approval Tuesday of The City’s new sanctuary policy. The guidelines, which set out rules for how city employees handle undocumented immigrants, previously mandated that illegal immigrant youths arrested on suspicion of a felony be reported to federal authorities at the time of arrest. The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved legislation by Supervisor David Campos that would change the rules so illegal immigrant youths are turned over only after being found guilty. The San Francisco Deputy Probation Officers Association, whose workers deal with...

Continued...

 

Newsom says thanks but no thanks, FDA

As a federal agency moves to implement anti-smoking legislation, Mayor Gavin Newsom is urging it to not interfere with local governments’ ability to pass tougher laws to curb tobacco use. In a recent letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Newsom praised The City’s efforts to crack down on the tobacco industry during the past 12 years. San Francisco has gone after the industry with success, including becoming the first city to ban the sale of tobacco products in pharmacies and suing RJ Reynolds for using the Joe Camel cartoon character to sell its product, which led the company to abandon the use of the image throughout the nation. “The Food and Drug...

Continued...

 

Paper could become new plastic

Bringing a reusable bag when shopping at a grocery store or drugstore could soon pay dividends. First, city officials banned plastic bags at many retail outlets. Now, the law may force businesses to cut customers’ costs — if shoppers supply their own reusable bags to carry their purchases. Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi introduced legislation Tuesday that would require supermarkets and drugstores to give customers a 10-cent per bag rebate. The proposal would apply to the same businesses impacted by The City’s existing ban on plastic bags: large grocery stores and chain pharmacies. The roughly 130 such businesses in San Francisco can only use recyclable paper, compostable...

Continued...

 

Supes bolster sanctuary policy

A move to ensure illegal immigrant youths busted for felony crimes will not be handed over to federal authorities when they are arrested in San Francisco was approved, though it remains unclear if the law will result in any changes. The move by the Board of Supervisors — which opponents say could leave The City prone to lawsuits and the entire sanctuary city policy at risk — undoes a change made last year by Mayor Gavin Newsom. San Francisco’s sanctuary policy — a set of rules governing how city officials handle undocumented immigrants — was thrust into the nation’s spotlight last year when it was reported The City was not reporting undocumented youth...

Continued...

 

Supes weigh in on state booze fee bill

On Monday, the Board of Supervisors City Operations and Neighborhood Services Committee will vote on a resolution in support of state assembly bill 1019 -- introduced by assembly member Jim Beall that would impose a 10 cent per drink surcharge on wholesales located in California who distribute alcoholic beverages to retailers for consumption in the state. The fee would pay for the costs associated with alcohol, such as treatment programs and emergency response. The resolution, which was introduced by Supervisors Bevan Dufty, says, “Alcohol sales and consumption in this county generates the need for numerous regulatory and service programs, costing this county millions of dollars...

Continued...

 

Supes to vote on $385K tasered doc settlement

The Board of Supervisors votes Tuesday on whether to approve a $385,000 settlement with Mehrdad Alemozaffar, a Harvard University resident physician who filed a lawsuit against The City after he says he was shocked more than 10 times with a taser and beaten by police. The lawsuit said that he was attacked after asking for the badge number of officer Jesse Serna, a police officer with a long history of complaints. The 2007 lawsuit is based on a Dec. 17, 2006, incident in North Beach. Alemozaffar, then a UCLA student, claimed officers pinned him against the street and smashed his head multiple times against the asphalt. Officers then tied his hands behind his back in nylon restraints...

Continued...

 

Pop-up aims to halt personal computer use

Continued inappropriate use of city computers by workers has forced San Francisco to move forward with an aggresive campaign of warnings. A decision was recently made to move forward with a pop-up warning after “some employees continue their inappropriate use of city resources, despite reminders in the Employee Handbook and department policies,” according to a memo from a human resources staff member. The pop-up is just what it sounds like: When a worker logs on to begin using a city computer, a box will automatically show up on the computer screen with a warning and reminder about the work rules. Head of the Department of Human Resources Micki Callahan decided to reprogram...

Continued...

 

Philip Morris ends lawsuit against S.F.

Tobacco giant Philip Morris has dropped its federal lawsuit against The City over its ban of selling tobacco products in pharmacies, City Attorney Dennis Herrera said Thursday. San Francisco became the first city in the nation last year to ban the sale of tobacco products in pharmacies. The ban impacted about 60 drug stores. City officials say drugstores such as Walgreens are supposed to promote health and should not sell harmful tobacco products. The ban does not affect grocery stores or big-box chains that may also have onsite pharmacies. Philip Morris USA Inc. sued The City in federal court in September 2008 arguing that the law — which was introduced by Mayor Gavin Newsom and...

Continued...

 

City employees’ air travel to pay for fruit trees

A new fee on city workers’ airplane travel will pay for fruit trees in San Francisco. Mayor Gavin Newsom, as part of this fiscal year’s budget, has ordered city departments to pay a 13 percent surcharge on purchased air travel. The money is to be directed into a new “local carbon fund.” The Department of the Environment, which oversees the fund, has committed to using a portion of the money to purchase fruit trees for planting in various locations throughout The City. The plantings are part of a broader food policy developed by Newsom, which he announced last year. The average cost is $200 per tree, according to the department. The purchase and planting of the...

Continued...

 

Chu opposes spending $150K in aid relief

It wasn’t with unanimous support, but legislation that would have The City spend $150,000 in emergency relief for three countries rocked by natural disasters – earthquakes, typhoons, tsunamis, mudslides – was approved Wednesday by the Board of Supervisors Budget and Finance Committee. The full board will vote Tuesday whether to authorize the expense. The money would be split equally in three ways for the people of the Philippines, Samoa and Indonesia, countries hit hard by a “string of disasters.” The committee voted 2-1 to forward the legislation to the full board for approval. Carmen Chu voted in opposition. “I’m very uncomfortable with taking...

Continued...

 

More time for public comment?

Soon, the public could talk about anything under the sun at Board of Supervisors committee meetings, held routinely most weeks. The Board of Supervisors currently allows members of the public to comment on items not on the agenda during its Tuesday meeting when all 11 members are present. But Supervisors Michela Alioto-Pier wants a general public comment period for each of the board’s seven committees, such as the public safety committee or the land use committee. Legislation that would require the increase in general public comment is up for a vote at the board’s Rules Committee on Thursday. Alioto-Pier’s legislation comes from a sunshine complaint filed with the...

Continued...

 

SF’s skateboarding laws could change

Supervisor John Avalos said Tuesday that he is requesting legislative analyst survey skateboarding laws in different cities in California and elsewhere in the nation “and see what we might be able to apply here.” The request comes after Avalos watched a video of a group of skateboarding youth being cited for skateboarding on the sidewalk. “My children are really starting to have a lot of fun with skateboards,” Avalos said. But after watching the video, he said he realized that “my children perhaps are maybe breaking the law. I think it’s important for us as a city understand what our laws mean towards skateboarding in terms of skateboarders’...

Continued...

 

Farmers market fees lowered

The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved legislation that makes it easier for farmers markets to open up for business on land under the jurisdiction of the Recreation and Park Department. Introduced by Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, the legislation lowers the cost of farmers market permits on rec and park land. The legislation comes as the rec and par department is working with the Haight-Ashbury Improvement Association to open a farmers market on the closed portion of Waller Street in Golden Gate Park. The department has not had applications from farmers’ markets to operate on Rec and Park land because the existing fee structure was too prohibitive. “This is a simple...

Continued...

 

Sanctuary policy fight heats up

The controversial proposal to alter The City’s sanctuary policy for illegal immigrant youths will receive its first public airing today during a hearing at City Hall. San Francisco’s sanctuary policy was established in 1989 and is meant to foster an environment in which illegal immigrants feel safe to report crimes, access city services and engage in local government without fear of deportation. After a public back-and-forth between city officials about whether altering the policy to stop reporting some illegal immigrant youths will help or hurt The City, the decision about its future will be made by the Board of Supervisors. Last year, it was reported that The City was...

Continued...

 

Tree death to cost city $650k

A $650,000 settlement in a lawsuit filed by the family of a woman killed in April 2008 when a branch fell from a redwood tree in Stern Grove and crushed her vehicle is being introduced to the Board of Supervisors Tuesday for approval. The settlement will need to be heard by the Board of Supervisors Rules Committee before the full board can vote on it. Kathleen Bolton, a San Francisco resident, was loading her car in the grove’s concert meadow parking lot when the branch fell onto the car, crushing it and killing her....

Continued...

 

Money train skips The City’s November election

The clock is ticking down to the November elections and so far money is merely trickling in for the ballot measures. The lack of fundraising is not surprising for the Nov. 3 election, where two incumbents are running unopposed and the five ballot measures are not controversial blockbusters. There are several political committees formed to campaign for or against at least three of the ballot measures, but only one committee had raised donations as of Sept. 19, according to campaign contribution filings that were due at the Ethics Commission on Thursday. The committee supporting the Mid-Market Arts Revitalization Sign District measure raised $150,200 during the reporting period, July 2...

Continued...

 

Jump in jail population drags on tight budget

Criminals are being sent to jail at an increased pace, but that jump in the number of people behind bars will also be pricey. An unexpected increase in San Francisco’s jail population has prompted Sheriff Michael Hennessey to sound an early warning he will need millions of dollars more than was budgeted. The warning is the latest bad news for The City’s budget, which recently took an $8 million hit from state budget cuts. San Francisco’s budget is expected to undergo mid-year cuts as more budget hits are expected and as officials attempt to close next year’s projected budget shortfall of more than $300 million. Hennessey said he has issued an “early...

Continued...

 

Supes OK Shelton Theater liquor license

The Shelton Theater was successful in its application for securing one of those coveted liquor licenses. The theater, located at 533 Sutter Street, will now be able to serve beer and wine, after the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the liquor license Tuesday. The theater stays open until 11:30 pm on Friday and Saturday nights and to 10 pm on other nights. No one filed response opposing the application. Also, the Central Police station recommended its approval. Matthew Shelton, owner of the theater, wrote a letter to the Board of Supervisors, which said, “Our family has been creating theater in the community since 1947. Out patrons, who come to witness literary based...

Continued...

 

Pete Seeger passes up on City Hall tour – this time

The word around town is folk music legend and political activist Pete Seeger passed on an invite from Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi to tour City Hall, citing a heavy schedule. The 90-year-old Seeger is in town for a show at the Masonic Auditorium in Nob Hill Friday night. However, Seeger suggested maybe next time he was in San Francisco he may take him up on the offer. “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven,” Seeger wrote in one of his well-known songs, “Turn, Turn,...

Continued...

 

Chiu discloses travel gift, so does Mirkarimi

Board of Supervisors President David Chiu was in China over the legislative recess, and according to a gift disclosure he filed with the Ethics Commission some of his traveling expenses were picked up by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, headed by Rose Pak, a longtime influential figure of Chinatown. The filing shows the chamber paid travel expenses totaling $1,140. The purpose of the travel: “Meetings with Shanghai officials; discussions regarding San Francisco’s participation in Shanghai’s 2010 World Expo.” The filing says. The dates of travel: Sept. 12 Dalian, China to Shanghai, China. And Sept. 14 Shangai, China to San Francisco. Meanwhile, Supervisors Ross...

Continued...

 

Car sharing pitched to cut costs

In an effort to save money and reduce abuse of its vehicle fleet, The City is close to finalizing a contract with two private car-sharing businesses. Officials are expected to sign a $500,000 three-year deal with City CarShare and Zipcar Inc. for their fee service of providing the use of sedans for hours at a time. The deal is expected to improve The City’s fleet operations, which have long been plagued by inefficiencies and abuse, and also cut down on costs. The Civil Service Commission is expected to vote Monday on whether to allow San Francisco to sign the contract. Negotiations between The City and the two companies began more than four months ago and are close to being...

Continued...

 

Supes to vote on new arts commissioners

Fresh back from recess, the Board of Supervisors will meet Tuesday to vote on whether to support Mayor Gavin Newsom’s two appointees to the Arts Commission, Barbara Sklar and Astrid Haryati. The appointments come following an abrupt resignation from some commissioners. Dede Wilsey, the matron of the renovated De Young Museum, and Jeannene Przyblyski, wife of former Newsom advisor Eric Jaye, resigned from the Arts Commission in July. At the time, Wilsey did not provide a reason for her resignation, but it came on the same day Przyblyski sent a detailed letter blaming open-government legislation for her departure. The legislation requires the commissioners to provide a detailed...

Continued...

 

DA won't seek death penalty in triple murder

San Francisco’s district attorney is not wavering on her anti-death penalty stance after deciding Thursday that an illegal immigrant and alleged gang member will not face execution if he’s convicted of murdering a father and two of his sons. The decision not to seek the death penalty in the prosecution of Edwin Ramos, an alleged MS-13 gang member accused of the June 22, 2008, fatal shooting of Tony Bologna and two of his sons, was announced Thursday in San Francisco Superior Court. Harris called the crime “horrific” and said her office is seeking life without the possibility of parole. She would not say what specifically made her decide not to seek the death...

Continued...

 

Art for empty storefronts coming soon

The Arts Commission is keeping mum about how many artists applied to have their work displayed in some of the empty storefrontsthat are plaguing the city’s commercial corridors. Kate Patterson, the commission’s public art project manager, said details about how many artists applied to the project, who was selected and how many empty storefronts will have art installed could be released as early as next week, but refused to provide any information until the official release. Mayor Gavin Newsom announced the pilot program in July. “These tough economic times have had an impact on our treasured neighborhoods, leaving storefronts empty or underutilized.” Newsom...

Continued...

 

Carmen Chu to seek another term

District 4 Supervisor Carmen Chu filed paperwork Aug. 18 with the Elections Department to run for re-election. Who will fill the District 4 seat on the board along with the other even-numbered district seats will be decided by voters on November 2, 2010. Chu’s career as a supervisor representing the Sunset District began when Mayor Gavin Newsom appointed her in 2007 to fill the seat vacated by former Supervisor Ed Jew, who resigned amid allegations and later pleaded guilty to extorting $80,000 in cash bribes from local business owners and not being a resident of the district he represented, as required by city law. Chu ran in her first election for the seat, after serving as the...

Continued...

 

Sparks’ new human rights gig

Theresa Sparks – who until recently headed up the Police Commission – has begun a new career and Tuesday she will give her first report as director of the Human Rights Commission. The meeting takes place at City Hall, Room 416, at 4:30...

Continued...

 

Log Cabin Ranch targeted for change

The Juvenile Probation Commission meets Wednesday to vote on a resolution that would set the stage for improving the city’s Log Cabin Ranch facility, which house juvenile offenders. Mayor Gavin Newsom has directed chief of the Juvenile probation Department, William Siffermann, to develop and implement a new way of doing business at the ranch “to improve the outcomes of Log Cabin Ranch residents,” according to the resolution. If approved by the commission, the Board of Supervisors would next vote to allow the department to implement the plan. The plan includes offering new vocational training and educational opportunities. The ranch dates back to 1953, when it was the...

Continued...

 

City leaders make use of time off

Some ventured far and some traveled closer to home, but all 11 members of the Board of Supervisors took advantage of their summer break to step out of the political spotlight. Tuesday is the board’s last day of the official legislative summer recess, a 21-day period in which supervisors are rarely seen at City Hall, if at all, and the hallways are relatively quiet. Supervisors said the time off is a chance to reconnect with constituents, spend time with and visit family, rest up and prepare for when the legislative process inevitably ramps up again. By the sound of it, many will return refreshed. Some jetted off to Cape Cod, Mass., Mexico, Los Angeles or China. Others took...

Continued...

 

Commission wants ambulance response times

The Fire Commission requested and now apparently the Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White has complied. The commission is scheduled to hear a report Thursday on the Fire Department’s “ambulance response times, and its strategies and time frame for meeting EMS response time...

Continued...

 

Developer fees going back to community

Money gained from fees for developing high-priced housing in Rincon Hill is about to start flowing back in to the community. In an unprecedented process, The City is asking for proposals offering certain services in the SoMa neighborhood that would be paid for by developer fees. In 2005, developers agreed to pay a fee per square foot in exchange for The City lifting zoning height limits to allow for a 55- and 45-story private residential towers in the Rincon Hill area of SoMa. At the time, Supervisor Chris Daly, whose district includes SoMa, had fought to make sure developers pay to offset the impacts of high-priced development. The fear was that the high-priced housing units would...

Continued...

 

Community liason plan for chain stores

When a formula retail business – defined as a chain store with 11 or more locations nationwide – when it tries to open up in some San Francisco neighborhood it usually generates a lot of controversy. Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier has introduced legislation that would add a new requirement for a chain store hoping to obtain a permit to open for business. The proposal would require the chain store “appoint a community liaison officer to address issues of concern to neighbors related to the construction and operation of the formula retail use.” The legislation would require approval by the full Board of Supervisors. It comes as the latest fight over a chain store...

Continued...

 

Bond targets dirty blocks

Sprucing up The City’s streetscapes does not come cheap. San Francisco voters may be asked this November to approve a $309 million bond for street, curb and sidewalk improvements. Most of the money, $139 million, would be spent on road resurfacing or rebuilding. Another $40 million would fund “full streetscape improvements,” averaging $2 million per block. Another 16.25 million would be allocated to “corridor improvements, and $30 million would fund smaller streetscape and corridor improvements. The $70 million for the range of streetscape improvements is expected to fund 65 different projects, according to the Department of Public Works’ draft Road Repair...

Continued...

 

Rebate pitch for ‘Trauma’ creates drama

It’s a wrap for one television pilot looking to receive a large rebate for filming here. In an unexpected turn, “Trauma” will not benefit from a change in a city program that offers film productions more money. When taking a final vote Tuesday on legislation that would offer more cash to bring more filming to The City, the Board of Supervisors rejected applying the new rebate to the NBC show. The pilot, a show about the lives of a team of San Francisco-based emergency medical technicians, began a four-week shoot March 23. Supervisor John Avalos said it made no sense to offer more money to something already in production. The bill was successfully amended to apply only...

Continued...

 

City cracks down on illegal massage work

The City is looking to crack down on massage parlors where illicit activities are occurring. San Francisco has had a challenging time shutting down such businesses, which in some cases remained operating even after receiving a citation for solicitation from an undercover officer. Today, Mayor Gavin Newsom is expected to introduce legislation that’s intended to shut down the phony massage parlors. It is suspected that at least 50 such establishments are operating in The City. Newsom’s legislation would require massage establishments and out-call massage services to close up shop between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. and increase the penalties for violations, which will make it easier...

Continued...

 

Tax relief comes to businesses

Businesses shouldering one heavy tax burden may now have a way to lighten their loads. Amid the economic downturn, the nearly 9,000 businesses on the hook for a payroll tax in San Francisco can obtain relief under a new program launched Thursday by The City’s tax collector. Payroll taxes collected by The City are based on the number of workers employed by a business. The amount of the tax, which is paid throughout the year in installments, is based on a company’s previous year’s payroll. With the nation’s economy in turmoil, some businesses that have decreased the number of employees on their payroll will still be paying tax amounts based on the higher number of...

Continued...

 

Eviction impact on school-age children revealed

At least 76 families with school-age children were evicted from their homes in the previous year — most of them while school was in session. Three years ago, the Board of Supervisors passed legislation signed by Mayor Gavin Newsom requiring the Rent Board to report the number of families with school-age children — those in kindergarten through 12th grade — who are evicted, and if those evictions occurred during the school year. Now, two years into the reporting of those numbers, a clearer picture of how evictions are uprooting kids in school is starting to emerge. For the first time, The City is capturing data of evictions affecting school-age children. Between March...

Continued...

 

Taxi medallion-auction plan berated

Backlash from Mayor Gavin Newsom’s proposal to auction off taxi medallions could prompt “breaks in taxi service,” an elected official warned Thursday. Earlier this year, Newsom floated the idea of auctioning off The City’s 1,500 taxi medallions, which are operating permits, to help generate $56 million, as San Francisco faces a massive budget deficit. Currently, drivers must wait years on a list to obtain a medallion, and they are generally in the hands of older drivers who lease them out to others. Medallion holders are also supposed to meet an annual driving requirement to be able to retain them. The plan to auction off the medallions was blasted by Supervisor...

Continued...

 

Habitat restoration at golf course target of legislation

The days of hitting the links at the city-owned Sharp Park Golf Course could become a thing of the past. The future of city-operated golf courses has long been a topic of debate, with some arguing for the closure of at least one for other uses — especially since the Recreation and Park Department struggles to operate them. Last year, the Center for Biological Diversity threatened to sue San Francisco after accusing The City of killing the endangered California red-legged frog and the San Francisco garter snake, which populate the park area that is located in Pacifica. The group is campaigning to restore the species’ habitat. Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi on Tuesday introduced...

Continued...

 

Supervisor: Muni police protection nonexistent

Muni may not be receiving its money’s worth when it comes to paying millions of dollars for the help of the Police Department. As the Municipal Transportation Agency faces a projected $129 million deficit for the fiscal year beginning July 1, Supervisor Bevan Dufty is calling into question the $19 million the agency will have to spend for police services next year. Dufty requested a hearing Tuesday to examine the agency’s payments since 2006 for police services. He suggested the Police Department is failing to perform the services Muni is paying for, such as having officers ride buses, trains and light-rail vehicles. The Police Department charges the agency for services...

Continued...

 

Moving data center may be too expensive for city

The City is shelling out $83,965 a month in lease payments for the problem-laden location of its main data center, and the expense to relocate it just increased by $8.1 million. The City currently leases 7,000 square feet of space at 1 Market Plaza for the data center, which houses “critical city computer systems for e-mail, payrolls and public safety,” according to a report from Budget Analyst Harvey Rose. The space, the department said, has not only become costly but is also “aging, in need of considerable upgrades” and poses security and system-failure risks. Since 2006, the Department of Technology has failed to find a new location for the data center and is...

Continued...

 

City takes top-spender honors

San Francisco outspends other California cities per capita when it comes to providing police, fire and health and human services, according to a report issued Monday. The report comes as The City finds itself more than $460 million in debt for the fiscal year beginning July 1. Mayor Gavin Newsom must submit a balanced city budget to the Board of Supervisors for review by June 1. The City’s operating budget has increased during the past 10 years from $2.4 billion to $4 billion, with 60 percent of the spending growth attributed to the Public Health, Human Services, Police and Fire departments, the report said. Newsom spokesman Nathan Ballard embraced the report as providing...

Continued...

 

Hotel bookings indicate conventions are waning

After having one of the strongest performances in 2008, San Francisco’s convention business is projected to have one of its weakest year’s in 2010. San Francisco’s No. 1 industry is tourism, and annually the convention business contributes a huge chunk of tax revenue from visitors. The health of The City’s convention business is often measured by hotel bookings. They are important for The City’s budget since a hotel-room tax is collected on every stay. In addition, those who stay in hotels during conventions spend money on residual taxable businesses, such as restaurants, retail shops and taxis. In 2008, events at The City’s SoMa convention site, the...

Continued...

 

Preparing city for life after oil

To avoid “a much darker future” The City should pursue transforming a city golf course into farmland, offer free Muni to low-income residents and quickly turn garages of homes into livable spaces, according to a city task force whose mission is to prepare San Francisco for an oil shortage. The so-called Peak Oil Preparedness Task Force was created in December 2007 and has spent the last 15 months hammering out a plan that would transform San Francisco into a city with more people riding Muni, chicken coops in backyards, widespread farming on public and private lands, and extensive use of wind, solar and tidal energy. “A much darker future” could...

Continued...

 

Yellow buses sink Muni into red

The special bus line Muni created to shuttle riders among The City’s cultural institutions lost nearly $550,000 during a four-month period. The distinctive yellow 74 bus, which was launched in September, transports riders between the museum district in SoMa, Union Square and the museum concourse in Golden Gate Park. The Culture Bus drops sightseers off at institutions such as the Asian Art Museum, California Academy of Sciences and SFMOMA. The service launched with five daily buses arriving at stops every 20 minutes. Adults are required to pay $7 to ride the bus, but those with a regular Muni pass pay $3. It costs $1.50 to ride regular buses. As The Examiner first reported in...

Continued...

 

San Francisco to eliminate 150 voting sites

San Francisco voters will have to trudge farther to vote after 150 of The City’s 561 voting places are eliminated. Along with the plans to cut polling places is a proposal to provide less information about ballot measures. Elections Department Director John Arntz said he must cut costs and will eliminate nearly 27 percent of the polling sites in The City — places where registered voters vote, such as in churches, fire stations and garages of homes — for future elections. Voters impacted by the loss of a polling station will receive a postcard in the mail that will include an application for a vote-by-mail ballot in case they do not want to travel the extra distance to...

Continued...

 

The 3-Minute Interview: Evelyn Huang

The Small Business Loan Program Director for the Opportunity Fund, a Bay Area micro-lender, will participate on a panel tomorrow for the San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association on the role of microfinance in local economic development. The event is a prelude to the “Microfinance, CA” conference at Stanford University in May. What is microfinance? Microfinance, at least in the United States, is about providing financial education and tools to low-income individuals to help them earn, save and invest. What’s the difference between microfinance and a small business loan, for example? Microfinance is a little bit more broad of a concept. For example,...

Continued...

 

Federal stimulus money sought to clean up Mountain Lake

A lead-contaminated lake in the Presidio could soon be full of clean water. Critical of cleanup delays, Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier is now seeking federal stimulus dollars to fund the removal of toxins from Mountain Lake — one of the last two remaining natural lakes in San Francisco — and prevention of future contamination. Mountain Lake is a spring-fed natural lake largely in the southern portion of the Presidio and east of State Highway 1, near the MacArthur Tunnel leading to the Golden Gate Bridge. Park users are known to picnic along the shoreline and families feed ducks that swim in the lake. A 2000 study by students on pollen levels in the area led to the...

Continued...

 

Judges mull rival Prop. 8 debates

Now the wait begins. All the buildup, all the legal filings come down to this: Seven California Supreme Court justices have 90 days to rule whether the voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage will stand. The court heard arguments Thursday for and against Proposition 8, an amendment to the state constitution, defining marriage as between a man and a woman. Gay-rights advocates are urging the court to overturn Prop. 8 which was approved Nov. 4 by 52 percent of voters. They say the ballot measure was put before voters improperly, or at least prematurely. The sponsors of Prop 8, represented by Pepperdine law school dean and former Whitewater prosecutor Kenneth Starr, argue against...

Continued...

 

Newsom ‘hopeful’ 18,000 same-sex nuptials will stand

Mayor Gavin Newsom said he is “hopeful” 18,000 same-sex marriages will remain legal even if the California Supreme Court does not overturn Proposition 8, the November voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage. “The idea of stripping away the rights of 18,000 couples retroactively, I don’t think there was a very compelling argument to do that,” Newsom said, after listening to a portion of Thursday’s Supreme Court hearing, in which the validity of Prop. 8 is being decided. The measure, approved by 52 percent of the voters, changed the state constitution to say marriage can only be between a man and a woman. The justices, who have 90 days to issue their...

Continued...

 

Muni operating on borrowed time

Service will suffer unless Muni shells out $18 million to repair trains and buses sidelined by accidents, and $663 million to maintain or replace the entire fleet in the coming years. “If we do not find the funding, you will see a degradation of service,” Municipal Transportation Agency chief Nathaniel Ford said this week. A properly maintained fleet, Muni officials said, would increase reliability, ensure less-crowded rides and cut down on longer-term costs for the agency, which carries about 700,000 riders daily. The transit agency, which oversees Muni, is trying to secure $50 million in federal stimulus funds for the repairs. But even with that money and $54 million more...

Continued...

 

Sunday Streets expands routes

Mayor Gavin Newsom wants dancing, running and bicycling in San Francisco streets to be more frequent and in more neighborhoods. Newsom is rolling out an expanded version of his Sunday Streets program. The plan calls for closing six streets to vehicles in four different locations throughout The City. The closures allow people to dance, run, walk and exercise in the roadways without fear of being hit by cars. The first event this year is scheduled for next month. Pointing to the success of last year’s two trial street closures, Newsom is taking the show to such locations as the Mission district and Ocean Beach. “Every neighborhood in San Francisco deserves the opportunity to...

Continued...

 

Bills aim to boost struggling renters

San Francisco renters could soon be allowed to bring in roommates to help pay the rent without fear of eviction or rent hikes. Supervisor Chris Daly introduced several pieces of legislation Tuesday that he said are intended to help renters deal with the economic downturn. Among the bills is a provision that would expand the rights of tenants to add roommates to help pay rent. The number of roommates would be controlled by existing city code based on size and number of bedrooms. The proposal would prohibit a landlord from increasing rent if a tenant brings in an additional occupant and prohibit the landlord from evicting the tenant as punishment for bringing in additional...

Continued...

 

City departments hesitant to offer mandatory budget cuts

Each city department was told to come up with 25 percent in cuts to help San Francisco deal with its budget deficit — but that has not happened in every case. The budgets were due to Mayor Gavin Newsom by Feb. 20, with the proposed budgets containing the cuts for the fiscal year beginning July 1. The order came as The City projects a more than $460 million deficit. Some departments did not comply with Newsom’s request. They did, however, warn of the devastating impacts of such deep slashing. The Adult Probation Department was "unable" to identify 25 percent in cuts "without jeopardizing the department’s core functions, including supervisor of adult...

Continued...

 

Talks focus on empty storefronts

A new discussion is under way at City Hall to offer incentives to fill vacant storefronts that dot neighborhoods throughout The City with businesses residents need. In recent years, proposed restrictions or bans on certain types of businesses have prompted some community members to call for a different method. Instead of making it more difficult for certain types of businesses to open, why not — or in addition to any restrictions — offer incentives for businesses residents would like to see? This week, the Small Business Commission will begin examining options to offer incentives to fill empty storefronts with neighborhood-serving businesses, such as butchers, shoe shops,...

Continued...

 

Layoff notices issued to 262 city workers

Layoff notices were issued Friday to 262 city workers in the second wave of job eliminations to help close a massive budget deficit. Mayor Gavin Newsom announced Friday the elimination of nearly 320 city positions — of which 262 were filled positions — for a savings of $21.9 million to the city’s operating budget during a 14-month period. Newsom has implemented the layoffs to help close a projected $460 million budget deficit for the fiscal year beginning July 1. The deficit projection is expected to increase. The Recreation and Park Department saw the most layoffs with 78. However, the city plans to use nonprofits to provide many of the services the city workers...

Continued...

 

Virgin Megastore closing its doors

The eye-catching three-story Virgin Megastore overlooking Market Street is closing down in two months, striking a blow to The City’s already ailing economy. San Francisco is not the only major city that will lose the music store franchise. The company previously announced the closure of its Times Square location in New York, also scheduled for an April farewell. City officials, business advocates and shoppers expressed sorrow about the closure, and characterized the store’s demise as another casualty of the economic downturn. The Virgin Megastore, located at Stockton and Market streets, offers music, movies, games and software. “It’s very sad that this is...

Continued...

 

Bay to Breakers organizers to allow floats

Floats will be allowed in the annual ING Bay to Breakers race after all, despite a previously announced ban on all wheeled objects, a race spokesman said Thursday. Sam Singer said organizers are trying to compromise on some recently announced restrictions for the race. “We are working on a way to get floats, and there will be floats,” he told city officials during a hearing granting street-closure permits for this year’s race. Details about how floats will be allowed have yet to be finalized. New rules for the annual race were announced Feb. 11 which banned alcohol, nudity and floats in response to last year’s event, which infuriated residents in neighborhoods...

Continued...

 

City wants to curb flow of water

Toilets, faucets and shower heads in San Francisco businesses and residences may be required to use low-flow models as part of a large-scale water-conservation effort. Although all new construction since 1994 has utilized low-flow toilets, there are existing bathroom fixtures in older buildings that use more water. Supervisor Sophie Maxwell introduced legislation Tuesday that would require existing toilets, faucets and showers to use low-flow devices. The proposed law “will again put San Francisco on the cutting edge of environmental policy and stewardship,” Maxwell said. An unknown number of buildings in The City do not use low-flow fixtures. “Water saved from these...

Continued...

 

Special June election put on hold — for now

San Francisco voters will not go the ballot box in June to decide whether to tax themselves to help close The City’s massive budget deficit — but they may in July or November. The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday did not vote on Mayor Gavin Newsom’s vetoes of legislation that would allow the board to hold a special June election. The plans for a June election were instead abandoned by the board amid opposition from the business community and others concerned that it was too early for thoughtful ballot measures. Those parties also thought that The City should first look to cuts and efficiencies before taxes. Board President David Chiu has organized talks with leaders of...

Continued...

 

Departments ordered to budget in carbon footprint

If city employees take to the friendly skies, their departments’ budgets are going to lose more than just airplane fare. Mayor Gavin Newsom wants San Francisco departments to pay 13 percent of their air-travel costs to generate money for a plan he announced more than a year ago, a carbon-offset fund to pay for local projects that would reduce emissions. The idea is similar to what is commonly referred to as carbon credits. Department heads were not only ordered by Newsom to submit by Friday proposed budgets identifying 25 percent in cuts, but for the first time to declare how much they plan to spend on air travel. They were also ordered to budget for 13 percent of air-travel...

Continued...

 

Accord sought for annual race

Don’t pack away that float just yet. City officials and race organizers are striving to reach an agreement in short order about relaxing new rules to curtail partying during the annual ING Bay to Breakers race. The rules, announced Feb. 11, came after last year’s event infuriated residents in neighborhoods along the 7.46-mile course. The event, which is held the third Sunday in May and is a mix between a marathon and Mardi Gras, has always spurred complaints, but last year’s outrage about the litter, drunkenness and public urination reached new proportions. The backlash about the new rules that would ban alcohol, floats and nudity, however, prompted negotiations...

Continued...

 

Supes offer mayor warm wishes — with a wink

The news that Mayor Gavin Newsom’s wife is pregnant drew heartfelt congratulations from the members of the Board of Supervisors — with reactions that were also colored by political overtones. Supervisor Bevan Dufty said that when he became a father two years ago he learned the importance of investing in child care and said Newsom would soon learn that lesson. “My first suggestion would be to get on the waiting list for Marin Day School day care at City Hall,” Dufty said. “It’s great to have your child close by, and more work places should have day care.” Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, who is expecting a baby with Venezuelan soap-opera actress Eliana...

Continued...

 

Babies make for good politics

Mayor Gavin Newsom’s potential run for governor can only be helped by the news that his wife is expecting a baby, political experts said. Newsom has had a playboy image, suffered a divorce, admitted to having an affair and sought treatment for an admitted alcohol problem. But with his marriage last year to actress Jennifer Siebel and news the couple is expecting their first child, Newsom’s image appears to be improving. Political analyst David Latterman said the pregnancy is an “advantage” for Newsom in a race for governor. “Babies make good politicians,” Latterman said. “They have for 200 years.” Latterman noted that voters throughout...

Continued...

 

Public property could be used as collateral under loan deal

Publicly owned buildings could be used as collateral for a $150 million loan that would help finance capital projects throughout The City. Mayor Gavin Newsom has introduced a resolution that would authorize The City to issue what is known as commercial paper using city assets to secure the borrowing. The proposal comes as the nation is undergoing an economic crisis and The City faces a $460 million budget deficit for the fiscal year beginning July 1. The Office of Public Finance has identified 11 city properties that could be used to secure loans, including the Alemany Market, valued at $29.8 million, the Police Academy, valued at $29 million, and the Northern Police Station, valued at $6....

Continued...

 

Newsom negotiates deal with union to save city money

Mayor Gavin Newsom is starting to have success in convincing city workers to give up wage hikes to help close a massive budget deficit. Newsom announced Friday afternoon that The City’s negotiating team and the Teamsters Local 856 reached a tentative agreement for giving back more than $900,000 in wage increases that are guaranteed under the existing labor contract with 126 nursing supervisor and directors. For the wage giveback to become official, union members must vote to ratify it and then it must be approved by the Board of Supervisors. The City is facing a $460 million deficit for the fiscal year beginning July 1. Newsom has until June 1 to submit a balanced city budget to the...

Continued...

 

Bay to Breakers jumps on wagon

The wild partying that has become synonymous with the annual ING Bay to Breakers will be toned down this year with a ban on pushing wheeled objects, nudity and drinking. Last year, the San Francisco race — which attracts as many as 60,000 participants, who are a mix of serious athletes, novices and costumed partiers — drew the ire of residents along the 7.46-mile course. Although complaints about litter, drunkenness and public urination accompany the event, which is held the third Sunday of May and is a mix between a marathon and Madri Gras, last year’s race saw an explosion of complaints. “Last year’s Bay to Breakers was one of the worst events I’ve...

Continued...

 

Political feuding continues despite call for cooperation

All that talk of the Board of Supervisors and Mayor Gavin Newsom working together has not stopped the mayor’s most vocal opponent on the board from going against the tide. Supervisor Chris Daly on Tuesday asked the city attorney to determine if “there is a conflict with Michael Yarne in the Mayor’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development coordinating certain planning and land issues on behalf of the [Newsom] administration, while also serving on the board of directors of the Friends of City Planning.” If there is no conflict, Daly said he intends to introduce legislation “to help ameliorate this issue of working with contributors and this nonprofit...

Continued...

 

Veto of June election quickly reversed

A veto by Mayor Gavin Newsom against a June special election approved by the Board of Supervisors was shot down Tuesday by city legislators, while those who support generating more revenue for The City attempt to forge broad support for bringing tax measures before voters. The Board of Supervisors voted 8-2 on Tuesday to override Newsom’s veto of legislation waiving certain deadlines to hold a June 2 election. On Feb. 3, the board approved the legislation and also voted for the election. The election, however, is not certain. Board of Supervisors President David Chiu introduced legislation Tuesday that would allow the board to repeal the June election and call for one later in...

Continued...

 

San Francisco special election could be delayed

A special June election to ask voters to approve tax hikes could be pushed back at least a month. Mayor Gavin Newsom and businesses leaders oppose a June election, but union leaders and members of the Board of Supervisors favor it. They hope voters will help soften the blow of a projected $500 million deficit. The board on Feb. 3 called for a June election, but has yet to vote on specific measures to put on the ballot. Board of Supervisors President David Chiu on Monday said that to reach a consensus among the diverse stakeholders he would introduce a measure today to allow the board to call a special election later in summer. The announcement came after Chiu, several other supervisors...

Continued...

 

Dave McLean knows good beer

More than 100 San Francisco breweries and pubs will come together for SF Beer Week, Friday through Feb. 15, which showcases the Bay Area’s brewing history. Dave McLean, owner and brewer at Magnolia Gastropub and Brewery and Alembic bar, helped organize the event. What is SF Beer Week? We have put together over 100 events at this point all over the Bay Area. Some are at the logical places — beer bars and breweries — others are at fine-dining places. Some are tastings, some are beer dinners with food pairings working with chefs, some are more educational events. What is unique about the San Francisco brewery scene? The birth of the modern craft-beer movement really passed...

Continued...

 

Two vetoes by Mayor escape override vote by supervisors

Mayor Gavin Newsom gained two political victories Tuesday, but they came with sharp barbs from his chief rival on the Board of Supervisors — including an accusation the mayor perpetrated “pay-to-play” politics. The 11-member Board of Supervisors came up short Tuesday in overriding two mayoral vetoes, which takes a supermajority of eight votes. Newsom vetoed legislation that would have killed funding for his proposal to open a new type of court in the Tenderloin. He also blocked legislation that would have lowered the height limit at the site of the New Mission Theater from 85 to 65 feet, which would have corrected a clerical error that raised it in the first...

Continued...

 

June election approved

A special June election that could ultimately result in city residents and visitors shelling out more in sales tax was approved Tuesday. There does not appear to be a broad coalition of support outside the Board of Supervisors for a June election, but city legislators voted 8-3 to bring residents to the ballot box later this year. Additionally, some supervisors introduced proposed ballot measures Tuesday, including one that would create a gross-receipts tax on large businesses and another that would increase The City’s sales tax from 8.5 to 9 percent. San Francisco currently faces a $460 million budget deficit for the fiscal year beginning July 1. Supporters of a June election...

Continued...

 

Property owners feeling pinched by S.F.

Thousands of property owners have asked The City to recalculate their taxes, which is a staggering indication of the decline in the local real estate market. Nearly 2,100 appeals have been filed with the Assessment Appeals Board since the start of the fiscal year, July 1, challenging San Francisco’s stated value of property. Property assessments are used to determine how much a property owner must pay in taxes, which is The City’s single largest revenue stream. About 20 percent of San Francisco’s $6.5 billion budget for the current fiscal year is revenue from property taxes. The volume of appeals “tells you the real estate market is in serious decline,”...

Continued...

 

Cost-cutters eye city

As The City looks for ways to slash nearly $500 million from its budget to close a gaping deficit, highly paid managers are feeling the heat. The number of managers employed by The City has increased by 168 between fiscal year 2004 and the current fiscal year, bringing the total to 1,075, according to a new city controller’s report. The report examined the growth of members of the San Francisco Municipal Executives’ Association, the union that represents many city government managers, who generally earn six-figure salaries. Members of SEIU 1021, who represent about 15,000 rank-and-file city workers, have expressed outrage over the increase of managers since their union...

Continued...

 

New taxes still on the table after ballot deadline extended

The option of holding a June election to decide whether or not to increase or impose new taxes remains alive after time restrictions to put measures on the ballot were waived Tuesday. The Board of Supervisors is considering calling for a special June 2 election to put before voters several tax measures to generate new revenue to help The City balance its budget. San Francsico faces one of its largest deficits in history, projected at $460 million for the fiscal year beginning July 1. Layoffs and service cuts are inevitable. Supporters of a June special election, including SEIU Local 1021, which represents many of The City’s rank-and-file work force, say San Francisco must increase...

Continued...

 

New taxes could be in store for The City

Raising the sales tax in The City from 8.5 percent to 9 percent would raise more than $55 million a year, according to a new report from the Office of the Controller. The report examines 16 possible tax increases or new taxes — including an expanded hotel room tax, an expanded payroll tax and a new residential property tax — and what they could generate for city coffers. As The City faces one of the largest budget deficits in history, several elected officials say asking voters at a June special election to approve several tax hikes is the best way to help balance the budget and soften the blow of the budget slashing. The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to vote today on...

Continued...

 

Haight head-shop ban faces scrutiny

Haight-Ashbury and head shops are practically synonymous. But city officials may decide there are more than enough of those businesses along colorful Haight Street and ban new ones from opening up there. In October, the Board of Supervisors adopted legislation requiring head shops, which sell smoking paraphernalia, to obtain a special permit — which includes a public hearing and notice to nearby residents — to open anywhere in The City. Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, whose district includes the Haight, has introduced legislation that would ban any new head shops along a portion of Haight Street. Mirkarimi has said there are enough of them already and the area needs a better...

Continued...

 

Police-fee increase deals blow to filmmakers

Attracting filmmakers to San Francisco is hard enough as it is, but now they will be socked with a fee imposed by the Police Department, which is going to start charging extra for officers to provide security during shoots. The new fee exacerbates The City’s already-challenging task of attracting film productions in a competitive market. Other cities, states and foreign governments lure big-budget productions by offering huge cost savings and incentives not offered in San Francisco. In addition to paying police officers an hourly overtime rate — which ranges from $92 per hour during the day to $98 at night — filmmakers will also have to pay $6.25 per hour for an...

Continued...

 

Chiu looks to establish congeniality at City Hall

The new president of the Board of Supervisors, David Chiu, is seeking to change the tone of politics at City Hall, including ending the bickering between the board and mayor. Chiu told the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday that he has scheduled weekly meetings with Mayor Gavin Newsom. The practice is a new one, as the mayor and former board President Aaron Peskin had a contentious relationship. Chiu also said the change in tone will extend to the business community. The District 3 supervisor said among his legislative interests were examining offering financial incentives for certain types of businesses to open up in neighborhoods. Chiu said The City has failed “to...

Continued...

 

City threatens over sidewalk gum

Business owners along a block of Clement Street are furious after receiving city notices informing they have seven days to remove gum along the sidewalk or face a fine of up to $300. The Department of Public Works, which allocates extra resources to merchant corridors, issued the warning notices on Jan. 13, but the long-time business owners say they have never received such notices before, are concerned they will have to pay steep fines during such a bad economic time, and are angry The City would go after them in such a manner. Among those upset is Seong Tan owner of Singapore Malaysian Restaurant, a small business along the 800 block of Clement. “[The City] is going overboard...

Continued...

 

Newsom's veteoes keep justice center, height of buildings

Mayor Gavin Newsom issued vetoes Friday on two pieces of legislation, one to overturn a bill that killed funding for his plan to operate a new kind of court in the Tenderloin neighborhood and another that decreased how tall a building could be on two landmarked theater sites. Newsom is expected to prevail with his vetoes since both pieces of legislation were approved by the Board of Supervisors in 7-4 votes and it takes eight votes by the board to overturn a mayoral veto. Supervisors Bevan Dufty, Sean Elsbernd, Michela Alioto-Pier and Carmen Chu voted along the lines of Newsom on the two pieces of legislation and they are not expected to change their stance. The Board of Supervisors...

Continued...

 

Newsom proposes new rules on pot dispensaries

Medical pot club operators would have to hand over financial records and keep membership information under a proposal from Mayor Gavin Newsom intended to tighten up San Francisco’s regulations on the drug dispensaries. Newsom’s proposal comes in the wake of state Attorney General Jerry Brown’s recent issuance of medical marijuana guidelines and as the tensions between medical pot club operators and federal authorities remain strained. The use and distribution of medical marijuana is legal under state and city law, but illegal under federal law. Medicinal marijuana clinics in several Bay Area cities have been raided and shut down by federal authorities; Newsom’s...

Continued...

 

New board chief wastes no time in first meeting

Rookie Supervisor David Chiu wielded the gavel Tuesday, convening his first Board of Supervisors meeting as president and casting votes in line with the progressive bloc that has traditionally been at odds with moderate Mayor Gavin Newsom. Chiu voted along with progressives to overturn a mayoral veto and limit parking spaces for a development. Chiu, 38, was elected board president Thursday, and took the gavel from political supporter Aaron Peskin, who was termed out of office. Chiu, who represents the North Beach and Chinatown neighborhoods, operated the meeting with no gaffes, and the legislative process appeared to run as smoothly as during any other board meeting. Chiu voted along...

Continued...

 

Overtime pay outstrips budget despite caps

San Francisco is on pace to blow through its budgeted overtime dollars this fiscal year and spend an additional $43 million, according to a biannual report released Monday by the City Controller’s Office. Significant sums of overtime dollars amassed by city workers have long raised concerns, and most recently prompted Mayor Gavin Newsom and the Board of Supervisors to approve a new law that cracks down on the extra pay by capping overtime hours a full-time worker can receive annually at 624. The law allows for exemptions in certain cases. Thirty-eight city workers exceeded the cap between July, the start of the current fiscal year, and December, the report said. Only nine of the...

Continued...

 

Newest budget cut target: Highly paid city managers

Hundreds of highly paid managers on The City’s payroll could be shown the door as part of a proposal to cut spending amid a fiscal crisis. Supervisor Chris Daly has requested the City Controller’s Office crunch the numbers on how many managers were hired since fiscal year 2004 and their salaries, estimated to be in the millions of dollars. Daly introduced legislation Tuesday that would eliminate funding for these positions and sock the money away in a newly created fund to spend on other needs. The City faces a projected deficit of about $500 million for the fiscal year beginning July 1. Laying off line workers and making cuts to basic services, such as health care, are...

Continued...

 

Cameras don’t stop violent crime, says new report

Although an evaluation of San Francisco's surveillance cameras found that they have no impact on deterring violent crime in The City, Mayor Gavin Newsom said he supports keeping them in place since community members say they want them. San Francisco installed its first cameras in 2005 after Newsom visited Chicago and was told by officials there that the surveillance technology helped reduce crime. That year, there were 96 homicides in The City; two years later San Francisco reached a decade high of 99 murders, which was nearly matched by last year's 98 killings. "We find no evidence of an impact of the Community Safety Cameras on violent crime," noted a report by researchers...

Continued...

 

Fresh face snags coveted top board post

Freshman Supervisor David Chiu was elected Thursday to the most powerful position on the Board of Supervisors, and he takes the reins during one the most challenging economic times in city history. It took seven rounds of voting, but newcomer Chiu, elected in November 2008 to represent District 3, was elected president of the board in a 6-5 vote. The vote came after Chiu and three other new supervisors were sworn in to their seats, replacing those who were termed out of office. Board presidency is one of the most influential posts in San Francisco politics. As board president, Chiu is responsible for assigning supervisors to committees and overseeing the decorum of meetings. He faces...

Continued...

 

Sunshine-law advocates cast wary eye at Newsom shindig

When it comes to the private bash Mayor Gavin Newsom plans to host Friday evening for members of the Board of Supervisors, there may be a lot of talk about the weather. Newsom has invited the 11 members of the Board of Supervisors to a Friday evening “reception welcoming new members” of the board at his Russian Hill home. The four new members of the Board of Supervisors were scheduled to be sworn in today. But advocates of government transparency are a little wary about the affair. Open-meeting laws prevent a majority of the members of an elected body from gathering and discussing city business unless the event is open to the public and public notice is given. The law,...

Continued...

 

City Hall watch: Taxi-fare hike takes back seat

The price of riding a taxi in San Francisco will remain the same after a scheduled inflation hike was overturned Tuesday. The unanimous vote to maintain existing meter rates came during the final meeting for Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin and Supervisor Jake McGoldrick. Both supervisors are termed out of office. Supervisors Tom Ammiano and Gerardo Sandoval left their seats late last year to take other elected positions. Peskin, who introduced legislation to freeze the fares, had previously said that given the decline in gas costs and the economic downturn, it would serve everyone’s best interests if fares remained at their current rate. Had the Board of Supervisors...

Continued...

 

San Francisco wineries lead way in ‘urban environment movement’

John Tarabini, the president of the new San Francisco Wine Association is promoting the consortium of 16 boutique wineries that produce high-end wines in San Francisco by crushing, bottling, blending and barreling in the SoMa area. Are San Francisco wineries a growing trend? San Francisco is finally leading the way in this urban-winery movement. Until now, honestly these small, boutique, independent wineries have largely gone unnoticed. But they are making outstanding wines, using some of the finest grapes and some of the best winemakers in the industry. What is a boutique wine producer? They are small, independent, typically family-owned boutique winemakers that are making wines in...

Continued...

 

New taxes may come up for vote due to budget shortfall

Voters may be asked to vote in June to increase several existing taxes and impose new ones to help close The City’s budget deficit. Advocates of tax hikes say they are necessary during the economic crisis to prevent thousands of layoffs and ensure San Francisco can continue to provide basic services, from fire to health care. The City projects a deficit of about $500 million for the fiscal year beginning July 1. Termed-out Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin introduced legislation Tuesday that, if ultimately approved by the board, would authorize The City to hold a special election June 2 and place up to nine different tax hikes on the ballot. Options include increases to...

Continued...

 

Battle for the board chief to be decided Thursday

The suspense and politicking about who will assume the influential role as leader of the Board of Supervisors comes to an end in two days. Four new recently elected members will be sworn into office at noon Thursday. Shortly thereafter, the new lineup of the 11-member board will vote for one supervisor to become president for a two-year term. The president’s power includes setting the tone at meetings and deciding which supervisors sit on the seven board committees. Termed-out supervisor Aaron Peskin was president the past four years. With two days out, members say no one has yet to secure the six necessary votes to take the post. Supervisor Chris Daly has thrown his support...

Continued...

 

City spreads around wealth

As officials face one of the largest deficits in San Francisco history, about 30 percent of city employees took home more than $100,000 in pay in 2008, with hundreds earning large amounts in overtime, according to payroll data obtained by The Examiner. The number of The City’s largest bread winners — those earning more than $150,000 in regular pay alone — is increasing, from 596 in 2007 to 683 last year, figures provided by the City Controller’s Office show. With The City in the throes of a financial crisis, the impact of deep cuts to basic services could land these high-wage and top-overtime earners in the cross hairs of those seeking to soften the blow of...

Continued...

 

Out with the old, in with new

The notorious members of the 2000 class of the Board of Supervisors, who have colorfully clashed with Mayor Gavin Newsom through the years, are out the door. In their place comes a new batch who will be immediately faced with a huge challenge: The City’s financial crisis. The new board could follow their predecessors and wage similar politically charged, contentious battles with Newsom, or strike a more collaborative tone, which the newly elected and Newsom have signaled is the intent. The new board members will be sworn into office Jan. 8, and soon after, as the legislative process kicks into gear, it will become clear whether collaboration will become a staple of city...

Continued...

 

City seeks payment from survivor of tiger attack

The City is asking for more than $75,000 from a survivor of 2007’s tiger attack at the zoo to pay for the cost of treating injuries inflicted by the escaped animal, according to a document filed today in federal court by the Treasurer-Tax Collector Department. The City’s legal filing comes after tiger attack survivors Kulbir and Paul Dhaliwal filed a lawsuit Nov. 12 against San Francisco, seeking an unspecified amount in damages. The legal filing said Kulbir Dhaliwal received emergency hospital care or other city services on Christmas Day 2007 and incurred $75,193.50 in charges, which he has yet to pay. The filing seeks that amount be taken out of any cash award or settlement...

Continued...

 

City deficit may wash out rainy-day fund

Millions of dollars in a special city fund that can bail out San Francisco’s public schools could end up being used to offset The City’s own deficit, as part of a larger revenue package envisioned to help government weather the economic crisis. Voters approved a ballot measure in 2003 that required The City sock away money in a so-called rainy-day reserve during healthy economic times. There are strict guidelines for how that money could be spent — either on city needs if revenue growth is down or on public schools if they face severe state-funding cuts. Supervisor Chris Daly has introduced a charter amendment that, if approved by voters, would change the rules to...

Continued...

 

Cab fare increase expected to be overturned

With the decrease in gasoline prices and a downward moving economy, the scheduled increase in the cost to ride a cab in San Francisco is expected to be overturned. Taxicab fares in San Francisco should increase to keep up with inflation, a required report on The City’s taxi industry issued every even-year by the City Controller’s Office, said. The “flag drop” — the initial cost of getting into a cab — should increase from $3.10 to $3.35, the report said, and the cost per mile should also increase from $2.25 to $2.50 while the price per minute of waiting time will rise from 45 cents to 50 cents. But while the controller’s recommendations...

Continued...

 

Newsom’s preservation panel picks go to board

Mayor Gavin Newsom’s appointees to sit on a new voter-approved city commission to determine what structures are preserved as landmarks in San Francisco will undergo their first confirmation hearing Tuesday before a Board of Supervisors committee. The voter-approved Historic Preservation Commission — which replaces the existing landmarks advisory board — remains in planning stages, as city officials hash out and perhaps battle over the extent of its power and who should sit on it. Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin, who authored the ballot measure, has introduced legislation that would bestow broad powers on the commission. Newsom, on the other hand, has...

Continued...

 

Laid off workers still cost City

Laying off city workers to solve a budget deficit will save funds, but it will also put The City on the hook for paying laid-off workers’ health benefits for up to five years. City officials are now examining the labor provision that puts laid-off city employees on holdover, or recall lists, where they can sit for up to five years waiting for a new city job to open. While on the list, many of the workers are eligible to receive the same health benefits as when they were employed. Department of Human Resources Director Micki Callahan said The City is not aware of another public agency that provides health benefits to those on a holdover list except Alameda, which offers its laid-off...

Continued...

 

Illegal billboard fight tipping toward city’s favor

The City is forging ahead and cracking down on illegal billboards, which can be lucrative for building owners, despite battling legal challenges about an advertising sign law. In 2006, The City adopted legislation to increase monitoring of billboards and ramp up enforcement against illegal ones. The effort followed the passage of Proposition G, approved by 78 percent of voters, which prohibits an increase in general advertising signs in San Francisco. As of November, the Planning Department has examined 679 of the known 1,509 billboards citywide and deemed 55 percent legal. Others were considered illegal and have been removed or are incurring hefty daily fines, reaching as high as...

Continued...

 

Board strips justice center of $1 million

Nearly $1 million in funding was taken away from Mayor Gavin Newsom’s planned new court for the crime-plagued Tenderloin neighborhood, although the vote by the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday was not strong enough to sustain an expected veto from the mayor. For more than one year, the plan to open the Community Justice Center — which would focus on such offenses as prostitution, selling drugs and aggressive panhandling — has been caught up in political wrangling. On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisor voted 6-4 to reverse $1 million in funding they previously approved to pay for the court’s operations. Newsom is expected to veto the legislation, however, and the...

Continued...

 

Peskin’s plan denied hearing

A proposal to take away $35 million in scheduled wage increases from city employees was shot down Tuesday. Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin, who is termed out Jan. 8, had put together a legislative package of budget cuts in an effort to soften the blow of cuts made by Mayor Gavin Newsom to health and other services and set the stage for additional cuts expected in coming months. Newsom’s cuts — to address the projected current fiscal year deficit of as much as $120 million — will result in the laying off of 409 workers by April 2009. The City is also projecting a $460 million budget deficit for the upcoming fiscal year. The Board of Supervisors Government...

Continued...

 

Public health, human services hard hit by layoffs

The budget ax has fallen in The City, and 409 workers will be out of a job by April. Mayor Gavin Newsom announced Dec. 9 that laying off workers and eliminating positions were part of his plan to solve the current year’s shortfall of as much as $118 million. On Monday, he released a list of layoffs by department. Department heads began issuing layoff notices to employees Friday. On Feb. 6, 280 layoffs go into effect and another 128 city workers will be jobless April 1. The Department of Public Health was the hardest hit by the layoffs, sending out notices to 285 workers, losing 121 certified nursing assistants, 28 registered nurses, 16 vocational nurses and three clinical...

Continued...

 

Pay raises targeted to help city balance budget

Nearly $35 million in raises slated for San Francisco employees could be taken away as officials work to soften the blow dealt to city services by deep budget cuts amid a fiscal crisis. While Mayor Gavin Newsom has made a round of cuts to eliminate The City’s $120 million deficit for the current fiscal year, a political budget tug-of-war has ensued with counter proposals from members of the Board of Supervisors seeking to offset the cuts to basic services, such as health and human services. The City is projecting a massive $460 million budget deficit for next fiscal year, which begins July 1, making additional cuts inevitable in the coming months. Board of Supervisors Peskin...

Continued...

 

Local biz leader seeks free medical clinics

San Francisco could soon have a group of medical volunteers providing free clinical care to about 7,000 working uninsured. The local effort to establish a free health clinic, operating with volunteers and paid for through donations and grants, is part of a nonprofit nationwide program known as Volunteers in Medicine, which has opened 70 clinics nationwide. Scott Hauge is leading the effort to locate a clinic in San Francisco in either the underserved Outer Mission or Excelsior neighborhoods. Hauge, who serves as vice chair of Volunteers in Medicine, said he is seeking donations and expects to begin serving those in need by summer 2010. The annual operation of the clinic is expected to...

Continued...

 

Layoff notices go out at City Hall

San Francisco began laying off nearly 400 workers Friday. City department heads started notifying hundreds of employees they are terminated effective February. Mayor Gavin Newsom announced Tuesday he was cutting 712 city jobs, resulting in the laying off of about 399 city workers. Newsom’s budget cuts were necessary to eliminate the projected $120 million budget deficit for the current fiscal year. He has indicated additional cuts are necessary and he has ordered department heads to come up with proposed cuts totaling 25 percent of their budgets. The City faces a projected budget deficit of $460 million next fiscal year. Newsom spokesman Joe Arellano confirmed department heads...

Continued...

 

Advertising ban expansion vetoed

Mayor Gavin Newsom has vetoed legislation adopted by the Board of Supervisors that would prohibit additional advertising on items such as benches and bus shelters and city-owned buildings. Newsom said in his veto letter to the board that the law wrongly “binds” future elected officials from considering additional advertising to “generate much needed funding for city services.” Supervisor Jake McGoldrick introduced the legislation after voters adopted a policy statement in November 2007 opposing an increase to the amount of advertising on city property. McGoldrick’s bill makes the voter-approved policy statement a law. The Board of Supervisors will vote...

Continued...

 

Small business resource center may have funding axed

Funding for a center created to help small businesses is in the crosshairs, as officials look for ways to help The City save money during the economic downturn. The Small Business Assistance Center officially opened last May to help small-business owners navigate the complicated permit system and connect with resources. It has an annual operating budget of about $800,000. Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin has introduced legislation that would eliminate the positions in the assistance center. Small-business advocates and city officials assisting business owners say eliminating the center is the wrong approach to solving the budget deficit, especially when those being laid off...

Continued...

 

Ferry leases by-pass supervisor scrutiny

The cash-strapped Port of San Francisco, which struggles to meet its capital improvement needs, has come under criticism for having more than half of its leases on a month-to-month basis -- which one supervisor says gives the appearance of "sweet-heart deals." The Port oversees the seven and half miles of waterfront along the Bay, which includes such attractions as the Ferry Building and the AT&T ballpark. The Port is responsible for the development, marketing and leasing on the property. On Wednesday, Supervisor Jake McGolrick held a hearing before the Board of Supervisors Budget and Finance Committee on a Budget Analyst report that raises concerns about the number of...

Continued...

 

Mayor’s unprecedented visit underscores severity of crisis

In an unprecedented move that underscores the severity of The City’s budget problems, Mayor Gavin Newsom personally addressed the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, saying the fiscal crisis necessitates a closer working relationship to help weather the economic storm. It was the first time Newsom has appeared before the board and taken questions since taking office in 2004. He said the appearance signals his desire to work more collaboratively with the 11-member body, which has often been at odds with his political agenda. Newsom told supervisors he stood before them “to ask you for your support and help and counsel, for your advice, for your hand in helping solve this problem....

Continued...

 

Union Street eateries idea comes to a boil

New restaurants may soon take up shop along the trendy Union Street, but they won’t be serving any hard alcohol. A ban on new eateries was enacted in the 1980s along the eight-block Cow Hollow strip — from Van Ness Avenue to Steiner Street — to protect the surrounding upscale neighborhood from loud partiers. Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier has introduced legislation to allow for five new restaurants. She had initially sought 10, but that number was lowered to five to address concerns from some residents about the eateries attracting drunken revelers. On Monday, Alioto-Pier also amended the legislation to allow restaurants to only apply for permits to serve beer and...

Continued...

 

Supervisors’ races attract big money

At least $4.3 million was spent on high-stakes battles for seven seats on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, with spending reaching nearly $60 per ballot cast in one of the most hotly contested races. The Nov. 4 election held fierce contests in which moderates — whose political agenda is more aligned with Mayor Gavin Newsom — attempted to gain a stronger voice on the board. It has operated as a progressive majority since 2000. The amount of money being spent in local elections raises concerns, according to Steven Hill, a director with the New American Foundation, a San Francisco-based public-policy organization. “You have to start wondering who they are getting...

Continued...

 

Mayor expected to announce cuts and layoffs next week

Mayor Gavin Newsom postponed an expected Friday announcement about his planned cuts to The City’s budget and is now expected to reveal the cuts early next week. The City is projecting coming up short as much as $125 million in revenues this fiscal year while also facing a projected deficit of up to $500 million next fiscal year. City officials say the deficit will require layoffs and service cuts. While Newsom had indicated he would announce the cuts on Friday, Newsom’s spokesman Nathan Ballard said new deficit projections that came out this week contributed to the postponement. “The budget team and the mayor are working long days to balance the budget,”...

Continued...

 

Alcohol ads may be banned from city property

Alcohol advertising on kiosks, newsstands and restrooms owned by The City could soon vanish. Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi’s legislation to ban alcohol ads on city property was supported Thursday by the Board of Supervisors Government Audit and Neighborhood Services Committee. Mirkarimi and other supporters of the ban say it would help reduce underage drinking and health costs associated with alcohol abuse. Supervisor Sean Elsbernd expressed doubts about whether the ban would have any positive impact. “It’s a miniscule step forward in this effort,” Elsbernd said. “Let’s talk about much bigger efforts.” Elsbernd suggested The City look at...

Continued...

 

Popular street closures to move to other neighborhoods

San Francisco residents could soon be dancing, biking, walking or doing yoga in the middle of their neighborhood streets without the fear of being run over by cars. Mayor Gavin Newsom partially closed down to cars a 6-mile stretch of roadway — including a portion of The Embarcadero — connecting the Bayview district and Chinatown for residents and visitors to have outdoor, healthy fun on two Sundays in August and September. Thousands came out to take advantage of the closures, called Sunday Streets. Newsom’s staff members are now in talks with such groups as Walk San Francisco and the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, among others, about holding six Sunday events...

Continued...

 

City looks for ways to grow green jobs

A failing tax-incentive program to attract clean-tech businesses to San Francisco may undergo changes intended to attract more firms to The City. The clean-tech tax break provides an exemption from paying The City’s payroll tax of 1.5 percent of employee pay for companies focused on innovations to conserve energy and resources, environment protection or elimination of harmful waste. The proposed changes to the program for businesses in the growing industry would encourage emerging businesses in San Francisco to hire more employees and also lure others to open up in The City, officials say. Supervisor Jake McGoldrick has introduced legislation that makes changes to The...

Continued...

 

$2 billion funding plan approved for Bayview Hunters Point redevelopment project

A plan that outlines the financial terms for how the $2 billion redevelopment of Candlestick Point and the Hunters Point Naval Shipyyard will be funded was embraced Tuesday by city leaders and touted as an important step to prevent the 49ers from leaving San Francisco. The endorsement of the draft financial plan by the Board of Supervisors provides support to Mayor Gavin Newsom and his staff to move forward with negotiations to reach a final agreement on the project with Lennar Corp., the lead developer. The project is scheduled to include 8,500 to 10,000 homes, 300 acres of parkland and open space, 700,000 square feet of retail space and more than 2 million square feet of office and...

Continued...

 

Taxi industry gets new overseers

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, which oversees Muni, will soon start regulating the troubled taxicab industry. The Board of Supervisors unanimously adopted legislation Tuesday authorizing the merger between the transit agency and the Taxi Commission. The merger becomes effective March 1. Supervisor Jake McGoldrick said he saw drawbacks with a merger. McGoldrick said he is “not sure how they [the transit agency] are going to deal with what is a very difficult industry to deal with.” He said a benefit would be if the transit agency can dedicate more resources than currently allocated. “The taxi industry in this city is in shambles,”...

Continued...

 

The City’s film industry nosedives

Producers of the two biggest movies shot in San Francisco this year were shortchanged thousands of dollars in film rebates initially offered under a city program intended to revitalize the fizzled industry, according to The City’s top film official. For a city hoping to attract filmmakers amid an increasingly competitive market, a lesser-than-expected rebate likely will not help woo more producers. “Naturally, it creates disappointment,” said Stefanie Coyote, executive director of the Film Commission. “This can send a bad message to prospective producers.” The loss of film-industry jobs and millions of dollars in spending related to moviemaking prompted...

Continued...

 

Harvey Milk’s message still reverberates

San Francisco politician Harvey Milk was assassinated amid his tireless efforts to stand up for gay rights. Thirty years after Milk was shot dead in City Hall, as his story will be flashed onto the big screen in a new movie, there are parallels being drawn between what he fought for then and the gay-rights battles that are being fought now. Milk was the first openly gay man in California to be elected to public office when he won his campaign in 1977 — after other failed attempts at elected seats — for a seat on the Board of Supervisors. Milk’s election was “monumental,” and marked “a shift in the lesbian and gay movement,” said Anne...

Continued...

 

Alioto-Pier: Fisher museum welcome anywhere

Locating Gap founder Don Fisher’s museum in the historic Presidio has generated heaps of criticism, but one San Francisco supervisor wants to send a strong message that if the park location does not work out it is welcome elsewhere in The City. Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier, whose district includes the Presidio, introduced a resolution Tuesday that supports “the location of the proposed (Fisher) Contemporary Art Museum in The City.” The resolution seemingly counters one previously introduced by Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin that opposes the museum in the historic Presidio. Alioto-Pier said Peskin’s resolution is misguided and focuses on...

Continued...

 

Ex-supervisor admits he lied about residence

Former Supervisor Ed Jew admitted he lied about where he lived when running for office in 2006, and pleaded guilty Tuesday to felony perjury. It is the latest in a number of legal proceedings against the disgraced District 4 supervisor. Last month, he pleaded guilty to federal mail fraud, bribery and extortion charges, after federal agencies nabbed him for trying to shake down non-English speaking Chinese immigrant owners of Quickly tapioca drink franchises. Jew had promised the owners business and planning permit approval in exchange for $80,000 in bribes. Federal Bureau of Investigation agents raided Jew’s City Hall office, Chinatown flower shop and other properties May 18,...

Continued...

 

Filthy air clogs lungs, forces action

Deadly particles are in the air near San Francisco roadways, but people who buy new homes may soon be breathing a little easier. City health officials say residents breathing air in the areas of The City’s busiest streets and near freeways are exposed to unhealthy levels of pollutants, which impair their lung functions, make them more susceptible to asthma and create other respiratory problems. A proposal, however, would force developers of multiunit buildings along city streets with the heaviest clouds of pollution to make sure the air inside those facilities is clean, under legislation scheduled for a vote today by the Board of Supervisors. “The legislation will prevent...

Continued...

 

S.F. Board of Supervisors intrudes on Presidio fight

Gap founder Don Fisher’s vision of building a museum in the historic Presidio to house his private art collection could fall apart under opposing political pressure that’s on the verge of becoming amplified. On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors is scheduled to vote on a resolution making it city policy to oppose the project. The legislation, introduced by board President Aaron Peskin, says the project would ruin the historic integrity of the Presidio and violate demolition restrictions. The City has no jurisdiction on Presidio decision-making, but the resolution would indicate its feelings on the proposal and may apply enough pressure to ensure the Presidio Trust does not...

Continued...

 

Progressives holding on in board races

The progressives held their own in the Board of Supervisors race after moderates attempted to gain a more powerful presence, according to preliminary results released late Thursday. The next step: electing a board president. As a result of the Nov. 4 election, the board’s number of progressive seats and moderate seats will remain as they were, preserving the existing progressive stronghold — which has been at odds with Mayor Gavin Newsom. Progressives David Chiu, John Avalos, David Campos and Eric Mar will fill the seats of termed out supervisors Aaron Peskin, Gerardo Sandoval, Tom Ammiano and Jake McGoldrick, respectively. Mar faced the closest contest, against moderate...

Continued...

 

City eyes profits of nonprofit CEOs

The City is considering capping the amount of taxpayer money used to pay the salaries of nonprofit executive directors. San Francisco spends millions every year on contracts with tax-exempt agencies to provide services and arts and culture programs for residents. Last fiscal year, The City doled out $483 million in federal, state and local taxpayer dollars to nonprofits while facing a budget deficit. During Wednesday’s Board of Supervisors Budget and Finance Committee meeting, Supervisor Jake McGoldrick amended legislation to limit the amount of public dollars used to pay the salaries of nonprofit executive directors based on what the agencies’ lowest-paid workers earn. As...

Continued...

 

Tiger-mauling victims file suit

The two brothers that survived the fatal 2007 Christmas Day tiger mauling have filed a federal lawsuit accusing the San Francisco Zoo and city officials of negligence in the attack and of violating their civil rights during the investigation. The suit also accuses a hired zoo public-relations official of libel, saying he engaged in a “smear campaign” by saying they had taunted the tiger and had been drinking prior to the attack. The brothers, then 19 and 23, were seriously injured when the 250-pound Siberian tiger, Tatiana, escaped her grotto and attacked them and their friend, 17-year-old Carlos Sousa Jr., who was killed. The suit says Paul and Kulbir Dhaliwal, both of...

Continued...

 

Refuse to sort refuse and you lose

San Franciscans would be forced to sort their garbage into three bins or face fines under proposed legislation. Mayor Gavin Newsom first announced the plan to ding those who do not properly sort compostable material and recyclable material from regular refuse earlier this year, which raised a number of concerns among business and property owners. Despite the criticism, Newsom quietly introduced legislation to the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday that would implement the mandatory recycling and composting program, beginning in January. The law is intended to move The City toward its goal of zero waste, with the milestone of having 75 percent of the trash diverted from landfills by 2010....

Continued...

 

Newsom’s goal of veto power blocked by strong showing from progressives

The hope of moderates to gain a stronger voice on the Board of Supervisors appears to be dashed. Moderates aggressively sought to strangle the progressive stronghold on the Board of Supervisors, in place since 2000, by filling seats vacated by termed out progressive supervisors with moderate ones more aligned with the political agenda of Mayor Gavin Newsom. Over the years, moderates could generally count on just three, sometimes four, of the 11 board votes. The battle over the political future of the Board of Supervisors was concentrated in the District 1, 3 and 11 races — seven seats on the 11-member board are up for grabs and three of those seats have incumbents running. The...

Continued...

 

Voters allow city employees to serve on boards

Voters rejected Proposition C, a charter amendment prohibiting city employees from serving on most city boards and commissions. Measure supporters said it would have helped ensure those on boards and commissions are free of any conflict of interest. Voters also did not pass Proposition P, which would have changed the San Francisco County Transportation Authority Board, which currently consists of the 11 members of the Board of Supervisors. The measure would have reduced the board membership to the mayor, the president of the Board of Supervisors, the treasurer, a city official selected by the mayor, and a city official selected by the president of the Board of...

Continued...

 

Recalls reformed; no even-year-only voting

Voters decided to make it more difficult to get rid of a city legislator. Proposition E increases the number of signatures necessary to recall a member of the Board of Supervisors. Measure supporters said it would do away with frivolous recall efforts. Voters rejected Proposition F, which would have eliminated odd-year elections, when voter turnout is lowest. Proponents said holding all local elections during even years — along with elections for the governor and for the president — would ensure more of The City's voters weigh in on issues and choose San Francisco leaders. Opponents said the large mix of elections would decrease attention to local races. jsabatini@sfexaminer....

Continued...

 

City sends out noise patrol

The City is going on noise patrol. After mostly leaving the noise ordinance untouched since the 1970s, the Board of Supervisors approved a new law Tuesday allowing departments to better measure sound and more aggressively go after those emitting loud noises. The law comes as city health officials say San Francisco is simply too noisy for the good of its residents. “San Francisco noise levels are unhealthy,” said Dr. Rajiv Bhatia of the Department of Public Health. “Many places have noise levels much higher than World Health Organization’s standards. That is resulting in problems like hypertension and sleep disturbance.” Supervisor Tom Ammiano, who...

Continued...

 

City ID cards more secure than driver’s license, supervisor says

Issuing municipal identification cards to illegal immigrants and others living in San Francisco has raised security concerns, but advocates of the plan say the IDs will be even more secure than California driver’s licenses. The City’s plan to offer the ID cards is meant to ensure access to city services, financial institutions and increase crime reporting to local police. The program has suffered delays over legal and security concerns. On Monday, the Board of Supervisors government audit committee supported amendments meant to address lingering security concerns. The amendments change the types of documents needed to prove residency and identity to obtain a...

Continued...

 

City works overtime to cut costs

As The City faces a catastrophic deficit, the top five departments that log hundreds of thousands of employee-overtime hours each month have had little success in cutting the costly budget line. Overall, the combined overtime usage by the five departments — MTA, fire, police, public health and sheriff — increased from 198,701 overtime hours worked in July to 203,515 overtime hours worked in September. However, the percentage of overtime versus regular hours decreased by more than 6 percent. Earlier this year, legislation was passed to crack down on OT usage by capping allowable overtime hours worked per employee and requiring monthly reporting. The legislation came as city...

Continued...

 

New restrictions proposed for S.F. ID

In response to concerns that The City’s new municipal identification cards for illegal immigrants and other residents could be fraudulently used, requirements for obtaining one may be tightened. The changes were introduced Tuesday by the city legislator who initially proposed the card, Supervisor Tom Ammiano. While the program was approved by the Board of Supervisors and signed into law by Mayor Gavin Newsom in November, it has been delayed, according to the Mayor’s Office, to address outstanding legal and security questions. The program would provide all residents with an ID card to open bank accounts, access city services and report crimes to local police, who would be...

Continued...

 

Cash aplenty in San Francisco District 3 Supervisor race

Buckets of cash are raining down on the race to represent North Beach and Chinatown, which could determine whether the Board of Supervisors remains progressive or goes more moderate. Big names, highstakes and a strong pool of candidates have contributed to the large war chests of candidates running for the District 3 seat in Tuesday’s election, vacated by termed-out board President Aaron Peskin. Of the seven seats up for grabs, District 3 is one of three races where a more moderate candidate could fill a seat long held by progressives. The board has enjoyed a progressive rule during the last eight years, and moderates are looking to gain ground to shift the board toward a moderate...

Continued...

 

The City likely to halt pension investing

A plan to invest $100 million from The City’s pension fund into real estate assets has been reconsidered due to the nation’s economic downturn. A new report by the Townsend Group, which invests funds for the San Francisco Employees’ Retirement System, noted that while the original plan for this fiscal year called for directing $200 million into real estate, the financial downturn has made that a less desirable investment option. About $100 million has already been invested, the report states. “It would not be prudent given the slowdown in property markets and given the credit/financial crunch to invest another $100 million,” according to the Oct. 14 report....

Continued...

 

Newsom: Department heads must cut spending

In response to a $75 million revenue shortfall this fiscal year, Mayor Gavin Newsom ordered city department heads Wednesday to cut spending by laying off workers, eliminating services, freezing one-time spending or imposing other reductions. Department heads were informed in a memo from Newsom budget Director Nani Coloretti, obtained by The Examiner, that they must submit proposed spending cuts to the Mayor’s Office by Nov. 7. “We will need 60 days to implement any layoffs, and would like to implement such reductions as early in the year as possible,” Coloretti said in the memo. San Francisco is projected to come up short by at least $75 million in revenues...

Continued...

 

Dead woman’s family files suit against printer

The family of a pregnant woman killed while operating a printing press in Potrero Hill earliler this year filed a wrongful death lawsuit Wednesday against the company, claiming the machine lacked proper safeguards. On Jan. 29, 26-year old Oakland resident Margarita Mojica, who was four-months pregnant, started operating a press at Digital Pre-Press International. Five minutes later, she “became entangled and crushed in the power press,” according to the lawsuit, which was filed in San Francisco Superior Court. The lawsuit, which also names the machine supplier and manufacturer, alleges the machine lacked the proper “safeguarding devices intended either to keep a...

Continued...

 

Blight will cost property owners in San Francisco

The City plans to penalize owners of dilapidated properties, or even do their work and charge them for it. The Board of Supervisors unanimously adopted legislation Tuesday empowering the Department of Public Works to ramp up enforcement against owners of blighted properties. Supervisor Gerardo Sandoval said he introduced the legislation “in response to a growing number of blighted and dilapidated properties in my district, but also across The City.” Sandoval said there is even a two-block stretch of blighted properties in the Ocean View and Ingleside neighborhoods. The properties have become “an attractive nuisance for various illegal crimes.” The law empowers...

Continued...

 

Haight head shops may burn out

San Francisco’s Haight Street has a worldwide reputation as a haven for counterculture hippies and marijuana smokers. But that image could soon change. The City’s counterculture gave birth to head shops — businesses that sell smoking paraphernalia — and through the years San Francisco’s pot-friendly attitude has helped those businesses flourish. But now city officials are saying there are too many. The shops sell items such as hookahs and hand and water pipes. Selling drug paraphernalia is against the law, but the pipes are considered legal because they are said to be used for tobacco smoking. Last week, the Board of Supervisors adopted a law requiring any...

Continued...

 

Hotel fees would promote The City

Look out, San Diego and Los Angeles: San Francisco may start charging an extra hotel-room fee to pay for marketing campaigns to attract visitors here instead of competing cities. The City’s 349 hotels are expected to begin tacking on an extra 1 percent or 1.5 percent charge as soon as January to generate $856 million in the next 15 years for marketing purposes. The Convention and Visitors Bureau, which would receive the millions to beef up advertisements, is working with officials and hoteliers to form a Tourism Improvement District to protect The City’s top industry. Some of those destinations, such as San Diego and Los Angeles, are taking away a significant market share...

Continued...

 

Small businesses offer big ideas

Free public transit on Sundays, fee relief for business owners and requiring drivers to pay metered parking on Sundays are among new ideas being floated to help The City’s small businesses stay afloat amid the national economic crisis. San Francisco’s small businesses make up about 40 percent of The City’s work force and are key contributors to fees and tax revenue. But the national economic crisis and uncertain forecast has small businesses worried about the future. Adding to the troubled economic times, the cost of doing business in San Francisco will increase. The City’s minimum wage is scheduled to rise Jan. 1; city business fees are scheduled to increase;...

Continued...

 

District 11 plays up fight for control of Board of Supervisors

The Excelsior may have felt neglected by City Hall for years, but the race for the District 11 seat on the Board of Supervisors has shined an intense political spotlight on the predominately working-class neighborhood. Seven seats on the board are up for grabs Nov. 4, and the outcome of those races could shift it more in line with the moderate political agenda of Mayor Gavin Newsom. The board has enjoyed a progressive stronghold during the last eight years. The overall battle this November between progressives and moderates hoping to sway future political leanings is perhaps best captured in the race for the District 11 seat, which is being vacated by termed-out Supervisor Gerardo...

Continued...

 

Propositions could cost The City over two decades

Four months after The City made numerous budget cuts to erase a $338 million shortfall, voters will head to the polls in November to decide the outcome of several measures with sizeable cost. The 22 measures on the ballot address an array of issues: spending money on affordable housing; issuing a bond to pay for rebuilding San Francisco General Hospital; moving The City toward public power; and effectively legalizing prostitution. One of the largest costs facing The City is the Affordable Housing Fund. If Proposition B is approved, San Francisco would be required to set aside and spend money on affordable-housing needs during the next 15 years — 2.5 percent of every dollar in...

Continued...

 

City moves to silence noise complaints

Those who make excessive noise in The City could find themselves slapped with a ticket and a fine that could run up to $300, under a proposed law modeled after ordinances in Palo Alto and New York City. The proposed noise ordinance, introduced by Supervisor Tom Ammiano, is embraced by city health officials who say San Francisco’s background noise alone exceeds standards for good health. “The background level of noise is already causing problems like heart disease, impairments of children learning, of hypertension,” Dr. Rajiv Bhatia of the Department of Public Health said Thursday during a board committee hearing on the proposal. The City’s sound codes have not...

Continued...

 

Report: Police department needs big shakeup

The San Francisco Police Department must undergo a dramatic shakeup to more effectively combat violence in The City, according to a report scheduled for release today that was obtained by The Examiner. Imposing top-to-bottom changes in Chief Heather Fong’s Police Department would ensure the law enforcement agency functions “more effectively and efficiently to reduce crime and enhance the quality of life in The City’s neighborhoods,” says the report conducted by Washington, D.C.-based Police Executive Research Forum, a group of national law-enforcement experts. The firm was hired by The City last year to provide the first comprehensive review of the department in...

Continued...

 

City may freeze business fees

The City’s small businesses could catch a break from higher fees as elected officials attempt to stimulate the local economy amid the nation’s economic crisis. Freezing business fees or reducing them could keep small businesses above water during these tough economic times, when any amount of extra cash can make the difference, business advocates say. Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin introduced a resolution Tuesday requesting the Controller’s Office and other related departments to figure out the number and amount of fees small businesses pay and the impacts of freezing or reducing those fees for one year. That study could come out in two weeks. Small...

Continued...

 

Muni may pay for safety lessons

After years of shelling out tens of millions of dollars in claims, the agency overseeing Muni is seeking outside help to improve safety for employees, pedestrians and passengers. This year, Muni collisions have already killed four people — the most recent coming last month when a cable car struck an 80-year-old woman. In 2007, there were seven Muni-related fatalities and 62 Muni-pedestrian accidents. Pedestrian and bicycle advocates have long asked the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency to ramp up efforts to improve safety on The City’s roadways. “I’m glad they are finally doing this,” said Manish Champsee of WalkSF, a citizen advisory group...

Continued...

 

Muni waiting for culture vultures

Those new bright-yellow Muni buses stopping at San Francisco’s hottest cultural spots are catching people’s eyes, but not picking up the anticipated number of riders. Put into service Sept. 20, the 74X express bus transports riders between SoMa’s museum district, Union Square and the museum concourse in Golden Gate Park. The bus has a catchy name, Culture Bus, and its own Web site. It drops sightseers off at The City’s most prized institutions: the Asian Art Museum, California Academy of Sciences and the SFMOMA. The line — supported by Mayor Gavin Newsom, the Visitors and Convention Bureau and the cultural institutions it links — attempts to build...

Continued...

 

Doctors, families of dead to blame for abuse of disability placards?

Doctors writing phony notes and the mailing of disability placards to dead people contribute to the rampant abuse of the parking privilege in The City, officials said Thursday. The illegal use of disability placards takes away from revenue for Muni, occupies high-demand parking spots for those who truly need it and cuts down on parking turnover, hurting local businesses. The placards are issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles after a doctor confirms a disability. “It’s the doctors,” Joyce Whitley, manager of The City’s DMV office, said during Thursday’s Board of Supervisors’ City Operations and Neighborhood Services Committee meeting. “We...

Continued...

 

ID card program OK'd, but launch is TBD

Although a judge tossed out a lawsuit Tuesday against San Francisco’s plan to begin issuing identification cards to illegal immigrants, Mayor Gavin Newsom’s office said it would not commit to a date to start the program. In November, the Board of Supervisors voted 10-1 to adopt a program to issue municipal ID cards to illegal immigrants and anyone else who has been residing in The City for at least 15 days. Immigrant-rights advocates say The City will see a number of benefits by offering the cards, including an increase of crimes reported by illegal immigrants who currently are reluctant to do so for fear local police will punish them for not having a valid ID. Newsom, who...

Continued...

 

MTA eyes high-tech transit relief

Riding a Muni bus or paying a parking citation can ruin one’s day by eating up more time than expected. But a set of new and unique ideas could bring relief to parking and transit aggravation in San Francisco. The Bay Area’s busiest transit agency is proposing a number of high-tech measures that go above and beyond the usual customer services. Among the proposals is allowing a driver to type a code into a wheel clamp or boot to release it from the vehicle as well as doing away with residential parking stickers by creating electronic parking permits. The new proposals are part of a proposed five-year, $53 million contract between the San Francisco Municipal Transportation...

Continued...

 

Jew plans to name names during sentencing

Pleading guilty to federal public corruption charges, former Supervisor Ed Jew blamed his behavior on his “inexperience and naivete and lessons taught by other politicians.” Who those politicians are, neither Jew nor Jew’s attorney Stuart Hanlon would say Friday. But Jew does plan on naming names during his sentencing hearing, when U.S. District Court Judge Susan Illston holds a sentencing hearing Feb. 13 to decide how much jail time Jew deserves for shaking down local business owners in the Sunset district, which he represented. “[Jew] is going to name the people he learned this from,” Hanlon said after Friday’s court appearance. Since accused of...

Continued...

 

Ed Jew pleads guilty to federal charges

Former Supervisor Ed Jew, who resigned from office amid public corruption charges, pleaded guilty in federal court Friday morning to charges of mail fraud, bribery and extortion in connection with a shakedown of business owners in the Sunset district. The guilty plea — which came 30 days before his trial was scheduled to begin — is a surprising turnabout for the former Sunset district representative, who had adamantly maintained his innocence since a year and a half ago, when his daunting legal troubles began. Jew made an open plea in federal court Friday morning, meaning the prosecution and defense did not agree on a punishment, leaving that up to the discretion of U.S....

Continued...

 

Pot clubs could start taking names

The City may soon force medical marijuana dispensaries to have on file a list of the names and addresses of those who purchase the drug as state officials crack down on pot clubs. Medical marijuana advocates are alarmed over the proposed requirement and are working to squash the provision quietly introduced by Mayor Gavin Newsom. They fear it jeopardizes the confidentiality of patients and puts them at risk for legal persecution. “Medical cannabis dispensaries shall maintain a current record of their members, including each member’s name and address,” a provision in Newsom’s proposed bill says. The legislation introduced Sept. 16 amends The City’s existing...

Continued...

 

Bailout bill may boost bike riding

Commuting to work on a bicycle could soon come with a cash incentive to help pay for bike-related costs. A federal program currently exists that allows workers to devote pretax wages to pay for the cost of public transportation to and from work. A provision in the $700 billion bailout bill — signed into law Friday by President Bush — expands the federal program to include an incentive of up to $20 per month for anyone who bikes to work. The incentive, which goes into effect Jan. 1, could be used by employees to pay for bike-related costs, from tune-ups to paying for parking. Now, Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi is working to add the bicycle incentive into The City’s own...

Continued...

 

Supes OK ban on new bars, restaurants in North Beach

No more restaurants or bars will be allowed in North Beach, along with ATMs, after a new law was adopted Tuesday. In recent years, North Beach has lost neighborhood-serving businesses such as hardware stores and seen an increasing number of bars and restaurants open. The increase has brought along violence attributed to those partying at night in the area, creating a challenging problem for the Police Department. Recent attempts to cut down on the rowdiness include banning the sale of pizza in the wee hours and assessing property owners a tax to pay for ramped up enforcement. Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin’s legislation was adopted Tuesday by the Board of...

Continued...

 

District 3 race bringing in campaign dollars

With the future direction of San Francisco politics on the line, money is rapidly filling up war chests for supervisorial candidates vying for District 3 — which includes North Beach and Chinatown — while less furious fundraising is happening in other districts where candidates appear to be relying on cash provided by The City's public-financing program. This November, seven seats on the Board of Supervisors are up for grabs with more moderate interests — those often aligned with Mayor Gavin Newsom — seeking to upset the progressive majority that has ruled the board for the last eight years. In four of seven races — districts 1, 3 and 11 — no...

Continued...

 

Lobbyists may be required to report City Hall contacts

The public could gain more insight into the activities of political consultants seeking to influence city officials under a new law forcing lobbyists to report who they try to sway. Political consultants are currently not required to report lobbying contacts if they do not engage in full-time lobbying activity, defined by The City as earning more than $3,200 in a three-month period, or making 25 contacts within two months. But political consultants with high-profile clients arguably exert significant influence over decision-makers without engaging in the level of lobbying activity defined by The City. Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin introduced legislation that would require...

Continued...

 

Presidio Museum better off downtown, group says

Gap founder Don Fisher’s proposed contemporary art museum for the Presidio would be better placed downtown, not on federal parkland, neighborhood groups told city legislators Thursday. The Presidio is a former military base that was designated a national park in 1994. As a condition of its preservation, the federal government is requiring that the 1,491-acre park become financially self-sufficient by 2013. It is governed by a seven-member board called the Presidio Trust. Last year, Fisher announced an offer to fund the building of a contemporary art museum to house his personal art collection at the Presidio’s Main Post, an area comprised of historic buildings and a large...

Continued...

 

Need a cab? Carry more cash

Come November, you may be diving into your pockets for an additional 50 cents to pay for the initial cost of hopping into a taxi, according to a new report. Taxicab fares will automatically go up Nov. 1 with the “flag drop” — the initial cost of getting into a cab — increasing from $3.10 to $3.35, barring any action by the Board of Supervisors. The cost per mile will also increase from $2.25 to $2.50 while the price per minute of waiting time will rise from 45 cents to 50 cents, according to the required City Controller’s Office report on the taxi industry issued every two years. The report additionally proposes that the Board of Supervisors adopt an...

Continued...

 

Supes seek to limit bar, dining space in North Beach

A ban on new restaurants and bars in North Beach is intended to create balance in a neighborhood plagued with nightlife crime, according to its author, Supervisor Aaron Peskin, but critics of the proposal say it will lead to vacant storefronts. Although the North Beach neighborhood is known for its restaurants and nightlife, in recent years the area has attracted groups of rowdy partygoers set on drinking to excess and igniting trouble in the streets. Peskin’s legislation prohibits new bars and restaurants, only allowing new ones to replace old ones, which would help ensure the survival of businesses in the area that serve local residents. President of the North Beach Merchants...

Continued...

 

Drugstore sales go up in smoke

If you are looking to purchase a pack of smokes today, forget about Walgreens. The City’s ban on drug stores selling tobacco products, proposed by Mayor Gavin Newsom, goes into effect today despite two separate legal challenges filed by Walgreens, the nation’s largest drug-store chain, and Philip Morris USA, the nation’s largest cigarette maker, seeking to block the prohibition. The legal victory was one of two for Mayor Gavin Newsom and The City: Earlier on Tuesday, a federal appeals court ruled that San Francisco’s universal health care program dubbed Healthy SF can continue to operate, after finding that the plan does not violate federal law. Both Healthy SF...

Continued...

 

Could 19th Avenue be scarier?

One of the most dangerous roadways in The City could see an influx of traffic and pedestrians with thousands of new residential units proposed for the area. The prospect of 7,200 additional residential units and thousands of square feet of retail space near the southern 19th Avenue corridor prompted Supervisor Sean Elsbernd to ask to halt any new development and for The City to examine the combined impacts of all proposed projects. Among the concerns is how the density and population increase would affect the already dangerous 19th Avenue. Between 2000 and 2005, there were 786 accidents on 19th Avenue. The accidents resulted in 1,205 injuries and 12 deaths. Most of the deaths were...

Continued...

 

Music festival may be first of many

Despite widespread rave reviews, not everyone was pleased with last month’s three-day music and arts festival in Golden Gate Park. The Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution Tuesday “celebrating the success of the Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival,” setting the tone for approval of similar events to come. However, Supervisor Carmen Chu — who represents the Sunset, one of two district’s most impacted by the event — opposed the legislation. The three-day event was the largest of its kind — with 65 musical acts on six stages in the park — and the first to obtain approval by the Recreation and Park Commission to play music into the night....

Continued...

 

Influence peddlers flexing financial muscle in San Francisco races

Money is starting to flow to help persuade voters in the Board of Supervisors’ races in November. A labor union group and a pro-development group are among the first of the private interest groups funneling money into local supervisorial races by paying for political advertisements that have started to fill up mailboxes and hang on entryway door knobs. “First and foremost, it’s name recognition,” political analyst David Latterman said of the mailers. “People don’t vote for people they haven’t heard of. That’s rule No. 1.” Latterman, who is involved in several of the races, said given their contentious nature, many more mailers are...

Continued...

 

SFPD charged with disorder

A top-to-bottom overhaul of the Police Department is required to make the agency more efficient in halting murders and cracking down on low-level offenses such as car thefts and pickpockets, according to a draft report obtained by The Examiner. As The City struggles to reduce the number of killings and low-level offenses plaguing neighborhoods, the report says the Police Department should undergo a “substantial organization change” that would put more officers in the field, improve district stations’ response to neighborhood crime and help the investigations bureau solve more homicides. The draft report was conducted by Washington, D.C.-based Police Executive Research...

Continued...

 

Police use of chokeholds is a ‘liability’

Stop choking and start using Tasers, a city-hired consultant tells the police, warning that officers are exposing The City to “unnecessary liability” using a technique that was banned by several major police departments as early as the 1990s. The use of force policy says San Francisco officers can use, in descending order, “verbal persuasion, physical control, liquid chemical agent, carotid restraint, department-issued baton and firearms.” Carotid restraint is a chokehold in which an officer squeezes someone’s neck between the officer’s forearm and bicep. The hold cuts off blood circulation and causes the person to become unconscious. In the 1990s,...

Continued...

 

Chain-store bills move to new areas

Chain stores came under fire anew by members of the Board of Supervisors who introduced two separate resolutions this week: one that would ban formula retail stores in Chinatown and another that would expand the neighborhoods where chain stores would have a tough time setting up shop. In recent years, San Francisco has increasingly rolled up the welcome mat for chain stores. In 2004, The City’s first ban on chain stores — described as businesses with more than 10 locations nationwide — was enacted in Hayes Valley by the Board of Supervisors. The board subsequently adopted a chain-store ban in North Beach in 2005. The next year, San Francisco voters approved a measure...

Continued...

 

Pet-friendly S.F. may ban rentals

Renting dogs is akin to renting kids: You just don’t do it, says an animal-welfare commission that is proposing a ban in San Francisco on all animal rentals. The proposed ban is in response to the dog-rental company Flexpetz’s announcement of opening a location in The City. The Animal Control and Welfare Commission said it has serious concerns about the concept of pet-renting and is drafting a resolution urging the Board of Supervisors to adopt a new city law banning the rentals. “One of the commissioners likened this to renting a kid from an orphanage for a day, and you wouldn’t consider doing that,” commission Chair Sally Stephens said. San...

Continued...

 

S.F. students plan violence protest at City Hall

Students in the Mission district are planning to march on City Hall during school hours Friday to demand Mayor Gavin Newsom and other officials respond to the outbreak of violence that has left a classmate and a school graduate dead. The scheduled march comes as violence in the Mission has erupted and city officials and law enforcement attempt to hash out a strategy to prevent more shootings and killings. In the past three weeks, there have been seven homicides in the area. The San Francisco Unified School District’s June Jordan School for Equity, with an enrollment of about 280 students, has put together the march and rally to “demand that the recent rash of violence that...

Continued...

 

Walgreens fights city over tobacco sale ban

Walgreens heads to San Francisco Superior Court Tuesday in an effort to stop The City from prohibiting the sale of tobacco products at drug stores. In July, the Board of Supervisors adopted a law proposed by Mayor Gavin Newsom that made San Francisco the first city in the nation to ban the sale of tobacco products in drug stores like Walgreens and Rite-Aid. The ban does not impact grocery stores or big-box stores that also have pharmacies, such as Safeway or Costco. The ban is slated to go into effect Oct. 1. Walgreens argues that the ban is discriminatory since in only applies to drug stores. “I’m really disappointed with [Walgreens],” said Mitch Katz, director of...

Continued...

 

Cleaning changes irk residents

The cancellation of street cleaning on a weekly basis in residential areas is sparking criticism from those living in the Marina and Pacific Heights neighborhoods, where the service reduction begins first. In a cost-saving measure, the Department of Public Works plans to curtail street sweeping in many neighborhoods. The change will affect about 8,500 city blocks, according to the department. Postcards notifying residents of the change have begun arriving in mailboxes, prompting many to contact the office of Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier, who represents the two neighborhoods objecting to the reduction of street sweeping from once every week to once every other week. They say their...

Continued...

 

San Francisco's job market losing steam

San Francisco’s job market is weakening, being buoyed by ongoing strength in the tourism industry, according to The City’s monthly economic barometer. The report, released Thursday by The City’s Office of the Controller, also said the ailing economy has begun to cool off in San Francisco after several years of strong growth. San Francisco may be receiving unemployed migrants from more hard-hit parts of the state who are looking for work, according to the report. “San Francisco’s labor force [employed plus unemployed] has grown at twice the state rate over the past year, and the unemployed make up nearly half of that growth,” according to the report....

Continued...

 

New soapbox race may roll through park

San Francisco is known for its quirky events, from big-wheel races to road races with costumed participants. This October, a new one is expected to join the club — the Red Bull Soapbox Race at Mission Dolores Park. The commercial event, which will take place in The City on Oct. 18, is expected to draw 40,000 attendees. The first race of its kind in the United States was held in St. Louis in 2006. In 2007, it was held in Seattle and Providence, R.I. Red Bull, the energy-drink company, said it has produced more than 35 such races worldwide. This year, San Francisco would join Philadelphia, Cincinnati and Denver as host cities of the event. “More than 30 teams of gear heads...

Continued...

 

Callers crabby about cabbies contacting 311

A bystander at a Muni bus station watched a taxi driver pull up to the stop, exit the vehicle, dispose of a beer can, saunter into a convenience store and walk out with another beer. But instead of calling the police about the late July incident, the observer immediately called The City’s 311 call center. Shortly afterward, a Taxi Detail police officer tracked down the driver and administered a breath test. The cabbie blew a 0.05, above the legal limit of 0.01 blood-alcohol content for cabdrivers. The driver’s driving privileges were suspended. While the 311 center is mostly used to find out when the Muni bus will arrive or to request information on city services, it has...

Continued...

 

Funds fodder for mudslinging

While funding for Muni and road resurfacing, comes up short, members of the San Francisco agency that approves funding for transportation-related projects is spending thousands of dollars on furniture, cell phones, computers and other office supplies. The 11 elected members of the Board of Supervisors also sit on the San Francisco County Transportation Authority. The agency allocates the voter-approved half-cent sales tax to transportation projects. including the purchase of Muni buses, road resurfacing, bike lanes and road safety projects. Each authority board member is authorized to spend as much as $2,000 annually for office needs, can elect to receive a monthly $45 commuter check,...

Continued...

 

3-Minute Interview: Edward Reiskin

The director of the Department of Public Works has more than 17 years of experience in the private, academic, nonprofit and public sectors. Any successes that the department has achieved recently? I think we’ve improved the way in which we choose the streets to resurface and how we are actually executing the projects to resurface the streets. What is the DPW doing this fiscal year that residents will be happy about? I think we are continuing to improve our response to requests for service that go into 311. So whether it’s to get graffiti removed or get a pothole filled, I think we are working to improve how we do that. We are continuing our efforts in the major commercial...

Continued...

 

Supe seeks to heighten the hush

The rattling roar of a car without a muffler, the booming bass from a nightclub or construction workers who begin too early are all sounds residents in The City may know — and hate. The City, however, is looking to bring relief to residents’ eardrums by cracking down on noise polluters. Proposed legislation would make it easier for The City to penalize those who exceed the noise limits and impose stricter noise controls. Under the proposal, The City could charge someone with an infraction of $100 for a first offense and up to $300 for three or more offenses in a year. The noise-control ordinance was introduced Tuesday by Supervisor Tom Ammiano, who said the legislation...

Continued...

 

Placard cheaters run ‘rampant’

One out of five disability placard users is likely taking advantage of the parking privilege illegally, despite a call by elected politicians two years ago to fix the “rampant” abuse, according to city officials. The illegal use of disability placards continues to plague San Francisco, with the most widespread abuse in Chinatown, downtown and Laurel Heights, city officials said. The illegal use is costing The City a great deal of money and taking up sought-after parking spots, officials said. “I’m convinced there is rampant abuse,” said Susan Mizner, deputy director of the Mayor’s Office on Disability. She said about “one out of five placard...

Continued...

 

Fare boxes require costly repairs

Nearly $2 million each year is lost as a result of Muni’s aging fare-collection boxes, according to a city report. But $19 million in state funding will pay for a major fare-box refurbishment that will ultimately ensure “100 percent working fare boxes in all our fleets,” said Kenneth McDonald, chief operating officer for SFMTA, which oversees Muni. Muni’s 17-year-old fare boxes come with a life expectancy of 10 years, and are now costing the agency about $750,000 per year to repair and up to $2 million in lost fares, according to a Budget Analyst report. “MTA estimates that approximately 20 percent, or 40 fare boxes, are so defective that they cannot be...

Continued...

 

City Hall Watch: Board votes to rein in overtime hours

San Francisco is cracking down on city workers’ overtime by restricting the number of extra hours logged. Under a new law adopted unanimously Tuesday by the Board of Supervisors, the number of overtime hours, which are paid at 150 percent of normal hourly rate, will come under the scrutiny of a board committee. The bill was introduced by Supervisor Jake McGoldrick and Mayor Gavin Newsom. The law also caps the amount of overtime a city employee can work. Employees can no longer work overtime in excess of 30 percent of their normally scheduled hours. A full-time employee who works 2,080 hours in a year could only work up to 624 hours in overtime. The law permits overtime usage to...

Continued...

 

Transit law has support

The City will legally require San Francisco businesses with 20 or more employees to offer workers one of three transit benefits by the end of the year. The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the business mandate Tuesday, but unlike previous measures — including forcing businesses to provide workers such benefits as health care and sick leave that drew the ire of the business community — this one came with the backing of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. Supervisors also promised that the mandate would cost business owners no additional money and even save them money. The law, introduced by Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, requires businesses to offer one of three...

Continued...

 

Cabdriver’s history of DUIs costs him permit to operate

A veteran San Francisco cabdriver who was found to have four charges of driving under the influence had his permit to operate a cab in The City revoked Wednesday.Robert Friedman has drunken driving convictions from 1999 and 2001 in Plumas County, a 2001 conviction in Contra Costa County and a 2006 arrest in Alameda County that hasn’t resulted in a conviction.The convictions came to light after San Francisco police sent a letter to the Taxicab Commission nearly one year ago, San Francisco Taxicab Commission Executive Director Jordanna Thigpen said.After an......

Continued...

 

Supervisor ‘dusts off’ old idea for new proposal

Supervisor Chris Daly asked the City Attorney on Tuesday to draft legislation prohibiting cars from traveling on Market Street 24 hours a day, seven days a week, from Octavia Boulevard to Justin Herman Plaza, across from the Ferry Building.His proposal follows Mayor Gavin Newsom’s announcement of plans to close 6 miles of roadway — including the northern lanes of one of the city’s main roadways, The Embarcadero — on Aug. 31 and Sept. 14.Newsom’s plan to connect Chinatown with the Bayview and provide open space for bicycling, jogging and dancing......

Continued...

 

City Hall Watch: Budget, funding for court OK’d

The City’s proposed $6.5 billion budget was approved Tuesday by the Board of Supervisors, along with nearly $500,000 in funding for Mayor Gavin Newsom’s ambitious new court designed to bring help to those arrested in the crime-plagued Tenderloin.Newsom submitted his proposed budget for Board of Supervisors review after closing a $338 million projected deficit in June. The board’s budget committee made a number of changes to the budget by the time it arrived before the full board for a vote Tuesday.No major budget changes were made by the board Tuesday.......

Continued...

 

Political sects duke it out

A behind-the-scenes battle for control of an influential political committee comes to a head Wednesday with the election of its chairman, and the winner is poised to have significant sway over November’s race for seven seats on the Board of Supervisors. An unusual amount of political wrangling has taken place around the San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee — commonly referred to as the D-triple-C — an influential group for the power of its endorsements, one of......

Continued...

 

Mayor touts Sunday closure

While Fisherman’s Wharf merchants worry proposed closures of The Embarcadero for bicycling, jogging and dancing will hurt business, the Mayor’s Office said it is "supremely confident" they will have a positive impact on the economy.The Board of Supervisors will vote today on legislation calling for The City’s Controller’s Office to conduct an economic analysis of the closure. Mayor Gavin Newsom is moving to ban cars along part of a six-mile route from......

Continued...

 

Housing measure may be removed from ballot

A controversial charter amendment that would require San Francisco to spend nearly $3 billion to boost The City’s affordable housing stock could be knocked off the November ballot.The affordable-housing measure was placed on the ballot in January by Supervisor Chris Daly with a super majority of support on the 11-member Board of Supervisors. The three city legislators who voted against it are considered more moderate members and allies of Continued...

 

Lights Out is for the birds

Turning off lights at night in San Francisco’s multi-storied office buildings won’t just save energy, it will also help save The City’s feathered friends, according to one bird advocacy group.Having too many lights on at night creates a "collision hazard for migratory birds," according to an American Bird Conservancy report, which has been submitted to The City’s Environment Commission.Today, the commission’s......

Continued...

 

Proposal to widen nonsmoking spaces may affect dense areas

A business advocacy group says a proposal that would significantly broaden nonsmoking areas in San Francisco will prohibit smoking in all of downtown San Francisco.The proposal, introduced by Supervisor Chris Daly in April, includes a provision that would make smoking illegal within 20 feet of operable windows, exits and entryways of private nonresidential buildings as well as 20 feet from ticketing, boarding and waiting areas of public transit systems."Particularly troubling is the 20-foot radius," said Rob Black, public policy director for the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. "In areas downtown......

Continued...

 

Mayor’s street soirée under attack

Not everyone is jumping for joy about Mayor Gavin Newsom’s planned party along a main roadway in San Francisco.Proposed legislation has surfaced that could empower elected officials to cancel or postpone the mayor’s plan. Newsom has secured the permits and is moving forward to ban cars along the northern lanes of the Embarcadero, part of a six-mile route from Bayview to Chinatown. The closure will take place on two Sundays: Aug. 31......

Continued...

 

City Hall Watch: Supe proposes ban on tobacco promotions

The City is going after the tobacco industry for distributing free products, discount coupons for cigarettes, T-shirts and other promotional gimmicks."The tobacco industry is very savvy at aiming its free poison on the unsuspecting and vulnerable young people," said Supervisor Sophie Maxwell, who introduced legislation Tuesday banning the free distribution of tobacco products and tobacco-promotion items in public places. The proposal imposes up to $500 in penalties for repeat offenses. Maxwell’s bill comes as The City is considering two other restrictions on tobacco."We are the only city in the Bay......

Continued...

 

City aims to cut smokers’ havens

Smokers in San Francisco said a cigarette sales ban at drugstores would raise the already high price for a pack of cigarettes,while business owners said a proposal to increase the number of nonsmoking public places is going too far."Pretty soon, its going to be you can’t smoke in your own house," said San Francisco resident and smoker Mark Hanoum. "[It’s] getting kind of ridiculous. I sit out front here and have a cigarette and a cup of coffee, and I am not bothering anyone’s rights."Two separate proposals intended to reduce......

Continued...

 

With Newsom's eyes on the Capitol, who's next?

While Mayor Gavin Newsom pursues his ambitions for higher office, a number of San Francisco’s best-known political figures are eyeing the seat he will vacate.It may seem too soon to think about 2011, when Newsom will be termed out of office, but already there is talk about who might run to replace him.Newsom’s own political future came into clearer focus last week, when he filed papers to form an exploratory committee for......

Continued...

 

City’s set-asides a ballot target

San Francisco voters have approved a number of requirements for how The City must spend money, but they could end up voting in November to eliminate all of them.Last fiscal year, The City was required by law to spend $860 million dollars on a number of needs, including $200.9 million for a mandated staffing level at the Police Department, $137.4 million for children services, $75.5 million for public libraries and $1.6 million for the Continued...

 

Ailing roofs may pose health risks

Poorly maintained restrooms, indoor pools, recreation centers and other park facilities in The City are health and safety hazards, according to a lead foreman in the Recreation and Park Department.At least 50 structures require re-roofing and a staffing shortage has the department completing less than 60 percent of monthly requested work orders for roof maintenance, Rob Rowland, a chief roofer with the department’s structural maintenance division, said in a letter to the Board of Supervisors.The letter was sent to the Board of Supervisors Budget and Finance Committee last month as......

Continued...

 

Use of public finance dollars raises concerns

Mayor Gavin Newsom’s plan to balance the city budget by dipping into a $5 million fund set aside to finance political campaigns could leave nothing for candidates, critics said Wednesday.However both Phil Ginsburg, Newsom’s chief of staff, and Supervisor Jake McGoldrick said Wednesday there will be more than enough money in the fund for those running this November and in 2011.McGoldrick, in cooperation......

Continued...

 

City Hall Watch: Resistance to privatization could cost city millions

The City could lose up to $5 million this fiscal year if a plan to contract out for private security guards at San Francisco General Hospital and other medical clinics is shot down amid pressure by an influential labor union. Mayor Gavin Newsom’s proposed $6.5 billion budget closed a $338 million projected deficit and included a proposal to contract out services to replace security guards at San Francisco General Hospital,......

Continued...

 

Taxi fees could get even higher

Taxi riders in The City may be facing a $1 per passenger fee to offset rising fuel costs. San Francisco cabs are already among the most expensive in the nation and it’s been less than two years since the last price hike. Taxi riders currently pay $3.10 just to enter the cab, the second-highest "flag drop" rate in the nation, trailing only Las Vegas. Additionally, the price per mile — $2.25 —......

Continued...

 

Many employees spared city’s chopping block

Although Mayor Gavin Newsom proposed layoffs for nearly 500 workers when he unveiled his $6.5 million budget last month, hundreds of positions have since been restored, leaving the number of city employees expected to wind up jobless at less than 200.Newsom’s budget for this fiscal year, which started July 1, closed a projected $338 million budget deficit, in part by cutting funding for hundreds of unfilled positions within the city government, as well as the proposed layoffs.More than 300 of the jobs will be spared by shuffling those employees to......

Continued...

 

Commuter checks could be mandated in S.F.

Matthew Quach is one of many San Francisco residents who said business owners should be forced to provide pretax deductions for employee commuting expenses."I would drive less and save the environment," he said Thursday.Under afederal law, employers can provide employees the benefit of deducting up to $115 of pretaxed wages for a commuter check, which an employee can then use to purchase monthly transit passes. But San Francisco officials, in an aim to become a transit-first city, are pushing legislation that would force employers in The City to offer the......

Continued...

 

Money spotted for ShotSpotter technology

Funding for a high-tech gun detection system was restored Friday morning and police academy classes were spared cancellation in a proposed city budget that is headed to the full Board of Supervisors for adoption.After making a slew of cuts to Mayor Gavin Newsom’s proposed $6.5 billion budget Thursday, the Board of Supervisors’ Budget and Finance Committee took a recess and made final funding decisions starting at 3 a.m. Friday. Prior to recess, the committee voted 3-2 to kill $60,000 in funding......

Continued...

 

Former supervisor to stand trial in November

Former Supervisor Ed Jew is slated to stand trial in November on federal public corruption charges, after settlement talks failed to negotiate a deal.Jew, who continues to maintain his innocence, is accused of extorting money from local business owners. On Friday, a trial date was set for Nov. 10. The trial is expected to last three weeks.Last year, the FBI conducted a sting operation on the District 4 supervisor after receiving a tip that Jew was asking for cash......

Continued...

 

Crime cameras out of the picture?

Funding for controversial crime cameras, touted as part of a solution to The City’s increased violent crime rate, was killed Thursday as San Francisco looks for cuts to balance its budget.In 2005, The City began installing surveillance cameras. Now, there are more than 70 cameras monitoring 25 crime-plagued intersections in The City.On Thursday, the Board of Supervisors’ Budget and Finance Committee, which was finalizing deliberations Thursday on Mayor Gavin Newsom’s proposed $6.5......

Continued...

 

Proposal for 'culture coupons' chided

Despite having to close a projected $338 million shortfall by imposing service cuts and layoffs, Mayor Gavin Newsom’s proposed budget includes a new $375,000 initiative to give $75 vouchers to sixth-graders for cultural learning. Newsom, however, is having a challenging time convincing members of the Board of Supervisors to approve the program and a $1.4 million so-called Baby Savings Bond program. Last week, the Board of Supervisors Budget and Finance Committee unanimously voted to shoot down the funding for the baby......

Continued...

 

City Hall Watch: Plastic bag ban may apply to newspapers

After banning plastic bags from large grocery stores and drug stores, The City is now proposing to force the newspaper industry to stop using plastic covers protecting publications from the elements.Newspapers would have to come in compostable or recyclable bags under a law introduced Tuesday by Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, which builds on his groundbreaking legislation.Prior to the ban, city officials estimated that 180 million plastic bags are used annually, and blamed them for littering the streets, clogging storm drains, harming wildlife......

Continued...

 

State help sought for plant closure

A state agency may be asked to allow the shutdown of the polluting Mirant Potrero Power Plant without having to replace its energy-producing capacity. The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday adopted a resolution asking the Public Utilities Commission to submit a proposal to the state for the shutdown. The action comes before the board’s July 15 vote on a project to build a less-polluting power plant. City officials have said that the Continued...

 

City must negotiate a rough road for repairs

After years of neglect, some of The City’s cracked and pothole-riddled streets will finally be repaved.The City is expected to spend a record $38 million to upgrade 11 major roadways as well as smaller neighborhood roads deemed in poor or fair condition this budget year, which begins July 1.However, after years of failing to spend money for improvements to streets, The City will make only a small dent in the decades of backlogged repairs.The big-ticket projects include $3.9 million for the resurfacing of Seventh Avenue, from Lincoln Way to Laguna......

Continued...

 

Management hires outpacing others

During the past decade, city government has added a greater percentage of new managers than frontline services workers, such as gardeners, meter collectors and 911 operators, according to a Controller’s Office report."We have fattened up the highest levels," Supervisor Chris Daly said during Monday’s Board of Supervisors’ Budget and Finance Committee meeting. "We have a responsibility to start changing this back in the other direction."The budget committee of the Board of Supervisors is currently reviewing the $6.5 billion financial plan for......

Continued...

 

Pay for nonprofit executives scrutinized by city controller

A number of top executives at nonprofits receiving significant funding from The City are earning more than the average of their Bay Area counterparts, according to a new city controller report obtained by The Examiner.The report comes as members of the Board of Supervisors deliberate over Mayor Gavin Newsom’s proposed budget for next fiscal year, which closes a projected $338 million deficit through job eliminations and service reductions. Additionally, the mayor asked labor unions to make cuts to help balance the budget.Nonprofits — which provide a variety of services and......

Continued...

 

Tenderloin community court may go before voters

Voters in November may decide what City Hall politicians could only fight about: whether to spend millions of dollars annually on a new kind of court designed to bring much-needed help to those arrested in the crime-plagued Tenderloin.Mayor Gavin Newsom introduced a ballot measure Tuesday that, if approved, would allocate nearly $1.8 million in city funds for start-up, lease and first-year costs for the so-called Community Justice Center, a courthouse that......

Continued...

 

Ballot measure would give small business a tax break

Thousands of small businesses would see a payroll tax break under a measure submitted Tuesday for the November ballot by Mayor Gavin Newsom. The business community often complains that City Hall keeps increasing the costs of doing business, from laws requiring paid sick leave to San Francisco’s relatively higher minimum wage. Currently, 17,000 businesses do not pay San Francisco’s 1.5 percent payroll tax under The City’s existing exemption for businesses that have......

Continued...

 

Supervisor looks to raise bar for recall efforts

Voters could decide this November whether they want to make it more difficult to recall a member of the Board of Supervisors. City law requires residents to gather signatures from 10 percent of the registered voters in a district to put a recall measure on the ballot. A charter amendment by Supervisor Jake McGoldrick would raise that percentage to 20 percent. Last year a recall effort against McGoldrick, the Distrct 1 supervisor, failed to gather enough valid signatures — about 3,500......

Continued...

 

Pot clinic to become a legitimate business

Michael Welch will soon have the distinct honor of acquiring the very first permit to legally operate a medical marijuana dispensary in San Francisco.His store, Sanctuary, at 600 O’Farrell St., is across the street from an electronics repair shop and near a Subaru auto shop and a hair salon. The medical marijuana clinic has been in operation for three and half years......

Continued...

 

Act aims for animal-abuse artists

Artists and those who display works showing animal cruelty could wind up behind bars under a proposed law being heard today by a city commission.The Humanitarian Art Ordinance would allow the district attorney to bring charges against any artist who creates images of animal cruelty as well as the person putting the work on display, according to Christine Garcia, author of the law and a member of The City’s Animal Control and Continued...

 

Tenderloin court plan hits wall

Startup funding for a new court in the Tenderloin that would deal with the quality-of-life crimes that concentrate in San Francisco’s downtown — a plan championed by Mayor Gavin Newsom — was shot down by the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday.Newsom’s political opponents on the Board of Supervisors were critical of a $500,000 spending request for court since funding for other long-standing community services is being cut in the mayor’s proposed $6.5......

Continued...

 

Daly drops bill for housing on Treasure Island

Supervisor Chris Daly tabled legislation Tuesday that he had proposed to increase to 50 percent the amount of below-market-rate housing offered in the planned major redevelopment of Treasure Island.His decision to drop the item comes a week after another housing measure he backed at the polls suffered a decisive defeat. That measure, Proposition F, would have required the redevelopment of Bayview-Hunters Point to offer 50 percent of the housing at below......

Continued...

 

Anti-loitering ordinance for nightclubs is watered down

Proposed legislation to prohibit loitering outside of San Francisco clubs for more than three minutes was amended Thursday to make the crime a ticket infraction, not a misdemeanor that could have carried a fine of between $50 and $500.Police and entertainment officials say the anti-loitering law, sponsored by Mayor Gavin Newsom and Supervisor Sophie Maxwell, would help reduce the violence outside of clubs......

Continued...

 

Supervisors start dissecting mayor's budget proposal

Two days after Mayor Gavin Newsom unveiled his proposed $6.5 billion budget, which includes 450 layoffs, supervisors held their first public meeting to pick apart the financial details of the fiscal plan.The layoffs and other cost-cutting measures were needed to erase a $338 million projected budget deficit, Newsom said.His cuts include reducing use of beds at the county jail to save $6.8 million, $29 million in one-time cost savings identified by a number of department heads and $28.8 million in cuts......

Continued...

 

City Hall Watch: Solar-panel plan would give green

Property owners and businesses that install solar panels could soon receive thousands of dollars apiece under a program approved Tuesday.The legislation, approved by the Board of Supervisors in a 7-4 vote, authorizes the Public Utilities Commission to hand out money to help defray the cost of installing solar systems. Between $2 million and $5 million would be doled out annually.Supervisor Bevan Dufty, sponsor of the legislation, said the program would "accelerate solar in Continued...

 

Municipal ID launch is pushed back

Plans to marry same-sex couples this summer will likely delay the launch of a program to give city identification cards to illegal immigrants, according to Mayor Gavin Newsom’s office.The Mayor has included $730,000 for the program in the budget he will unveil today, according to his spokeswoman Giselle Barry."These municipal ID cards will help improve public safety, and enable all of San Francisco’s residents to access city services consistently and safely," Barry said. "The cards will be a mechanism for inclusion, allowing our government tobetter serve all of our city’s......

Continued...

 

Nonprofits’ salary decisions questioned

Nonprofits operating in San Francisco that receive significant funding from The City have employees on the payroll taking home six-figure salaries, according to an Examiner review of tax forms and city data.Nearly 60 of the more than 100 nonprofits that are each slated to receive at least $1 million in city funding this year have paid top executives more than $100,000 per year in salary, and 12 have paid high-ranking employees more than $200,000.In total, San Francisco has doled out more than......

Continued...

 

Incumbent state senator boasts largest war chest

With less than two weeks before voters go to the polls, the state Senate candidates fighting to represent residents from northeastern San Francisco to Sonoma County still have money to burn.Since last year, incumbent Carole Migden, who is seeking her second term in office, has raised nearly $1.2 million, according to campaign-finance statements released Thursday. Since a judge ruled in April that she could transfer $640,000 from an old campaign account, she......

Continued...

 

Developer is the main financier for Hunters Point proposition

In the last month, the developer in line to rebuild Candlestick Point and the former Hunters Point Shipyard has spent about $800,000 to generate support for a measure going before voters next month that would signal approval for the major redevelopment project, bringing its total spending to $3 million, according to campaign-finance statements filed Thursday. Proposition G asks voters to "encourage the timely development" of the new mixed-use project and authorizes a park land-swap needed to go forward with the redevelopment plan. Continued...

 

Sidewalk art permits’ cost may increase

Street artists selling their artwork in San Francisco are worried a recommended fee hike will hurt their estimated $4 million industry.Under The City’s street-artist program, artists must pay an annual fee to obtain a city permit to set up shop at various sidewalk locations and sell artwork, which is required to be made by the seller.The Arts Commission has recommended that the 390 permit holders, who have paid $419.20 a year, start paying $532.28 a year.That is not sitting right with......

Continued...

 

City Hall Watch: Supervisor grants new court an appeal

Although a committee of city legislators refused to approve $500,000 in funding for a new Tenderloin court proposed by Mayor Gavin Newsom that would be used to tackle drug use and other quality-of-life crimes, one supervisor has launched a new effort to save the plan.Supervisor Bevan Dufty introduced legislation Tuesday that would move the matter out of committee and allow the full 11-member board to weigh in on the proposal. Dufty says he's one vote shy of the six needed for approval.City officials say the so-called Community Justice Center would......

Continued...

 

Developer sets sights on Daly

A complaint filed with the Ethics Commission attempts to draw a closer connection between a controversial supervisor and a committee supporting a June ballot measure and alleges violations of campaign-finance laws less than three weeks before voters head to the polls.Lawyers for Lennar Corp., the developer tapped for efforts to redevelop the Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood, filed the 82-page complaint. It alleges a series of violations involving Supervisor Chris Daly — an outspoken......

Continued...

 

Navy man to run Bay to Breakers in Afghanistan

A Bay Area Navy man was not about to let his deployment in war-torn northern Afghanistan stop him from getting in on the fun of Sunday’s famed Bay to Breakers race.U.S. Navy Lt. Francis Montojo is putting on his own version of the festive footrace.The annual ING Bay to Breakers race in San Francisco, an event that has been described as cross between a footrace and Mardi Gras, draws serious athletes as well as the novices, many who run or walk the 7.5-mile route dressed in costume.Bay to Breakers organizers......

Continued...

 

Sandoval drives proposal to tow illegal limousines

Limousine drivers illegally stealing fares from taxi cabs in The City, a problem that authorities say is rampant, could have their wheels swept from under them.Supervisor Gerardo Sandoval said he plans on introducing legislation in the coming weeks that would allow law enforcement to tow any limo illegally operating in The City. For years, cab drivers have complained that limousines have been dipping into their livelihood by stealing fares illegally. And with the recent increase in cab fees, gas prices and......

Continued...

 

Decision is unlikely to sway other states

"As goes California, so goes the nation," Mayor Gavin Newsom said to hundreds inside City Hall celebrating after the state’s highest court overturned the ban on gay marriage.While California is often a trendsetter, Thursday’s ruling has little legal authority in other states.George Washington University constitutional law professor JonathanTurley said that although the......

Continued...

 

Tenderloin court funding locked up

Mayor Gavin Newsom’s plan to put a new kind of court in the crime- and drug-plagued Tenderloin neighborhood is in jeopardy after a Board of Supervisors committee Wednesday refused to approve a $500,000 allocation for the project.The so-called Community Justice Center would be used for people in the Civic Center, Tenderloin and South of Market areas charged with misdemeanors and such nonviolent felonies as drug use and theft.The new center would......

Continued...

 

Power, police may go to voters

This November, San Francisco voters will be asked to make decisions on a wide range of changes — from whether to grant more authority to city legislators over redevelopment projects to making a move towards more city-owned power. A total of 17 proposed amendments to the city charter were submitted by members of the Board of Supervisors and Mayor Gavin Newsom by Tuesday, the final day to do so.Continued...

 

CitiApartments’ conduct comes under fire — again

One of San Francisco’s largest landlords and apartment-management companies continues to purchase property and garner complaints from tenants despite a lawsuit filed by The City two years ago charging that it uses strong-arm tactics to force residents out of rent-controlled apartments. The management tactics of CitiApartments and its parent company — Skyline Realty Inc., which owns hundreds of San Francisco buildings — have become the focus of the Board of Supervisors,......

Continued...

 

Plastic bags on their way out of The City

Love them or hate them, plastic bags are nearing extinction in San Francisco.In November, San Francisco became the first major city in the country to ban grocery stores from using plastic bags. The ban will extend to The City’s chain drug stores, such as Walgreens and Rite Aid, on May 20.Rite Aid has already made the switch from plastic to paper. "It was......

Continued...

 

Community funds to bridge economic gaps in SoMa

As high-rises fill the sky of the South of Market neighborhood, so do the coffers of a community fund that will put $34 million up for grabs in the next four years for neighborhood and nonprofit groups.Fears that high-priced development would force longtime residents out of the downtown neighborhood were behind a controversial demand by Supervisor Chris Daly that developers pay unprecedented amounts of "impact" fees to help prevent gentrification of the area.In 2005, developers agreed to pay an unprecedented $25......

Continued...

 

Tiger-mauling survivors poised to sue San Francisco

The two brothers who were attacked by a tiger at the San Francisco Zoo — which also fatally mauled a friend — plan to file a lawsuit against The City, according to their attorney.In March, San Jose brothers Paul Dhaliwal, 19, and Kulbir Dhaliwal, 23, filed claims against The City, seeking an unspecified......

Continued...

 

Muni bus hits pedestrian; service rerouted

A pedestrian was struck by a Mission Street Muni bus Thursday afternoon, the 20th such accident involving San Francisco’s public transit agency this year. The accident, which involved a 14L-Mission bus driving near Seventh Street, prompted Muni to reroute its Mission Street service to bypass five blocks along that roadway. The rerouting stopped at 5:07 p.m. and service subsequently returned to normal. Muni spokesman Judson True declined to discuss the accident......

Continued...

 

Activists on prowl for artists showing animal cruelty

Anyone who displays artwork that shows animal cruelty could wind up behind bars as the result of a proposed law that comes in the wake of a controversial exhibit that was shut down because of public outrage.The so-called Humanitarian Art Ordinance would allow the district attorney to bring charges against the artist who created the images of animal cruelty and the person putting the work on display, according to Christine Garcia, author of the law and an Animal Control and Welfare......

Continued...

 

City Hall Watch: Medical marijuana dispensaries receive waiver

Although The City’s medical marijuana dispensaries were initially told to obtain permits nearly two years ago, the Board of Supervisors voted to grant another extension Tuesday.City legislators adopted rules governing the marijuana dispensaries in November 2005 in response to resident complaints that there were too many pot sellers, and that the businesses were often clustered together in neighborhoods, in some cases near schools, attracting drug dealing and crime.The law required clubs to obtain city permits by June 2006 or be forced to close down.On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors voted......

Continued...

 

Funding for 911 could disappear

In San Francisco, phone bills include a monthly fee to pay for 911 emergency communications that this fiscal year generated $43 million.That funding source, however, is now in legal jeopardy since a state appeals court struck down a similar fee in nearby Union City.Today, the Board of Supervisorsis scheduled to meet in closed session with the city attorney to discuss the legal ruling, as The City could face a lawsuit about......

Continued...

 

Four days off could save millions

San Francisco could shave as much as $26.5 million from the projected $338 million budget deficit if 12,562 employees were required to take four unpaid days off from work next fiscal year.The labor unions that represent these employees — who are paid from The City’s general fund and provide basic services such as police, fire, gardening, street cleaning and health services — would have to accept the mandatory furlough.Facing a projected $338 million deficit for the next fiscal year, Mayor Gavin Newsom sent a letter to labor unions representing city......

Continued...

 

Mayor aims to kick drug stores’ habit

San Francisco would become the first city in the nation to ban the sale of tobacco in pharmacies if legislation that was quietly introduced by Mayor Gavin Newsom is approved.If the Board of Supervisors adopts the legislation, hundreds of pharmacies in The City would have to stop selling tobacco products — including cigarettes, cigars, pipes and chewing tobacco — as soon as October."This is a sensible measure to deal with health problems......

Continued...

 

City HallWatch: Board backs big settlement in lawsuit

The City is slated to dole out a record $5.1 million as a result of a medical malpractice lawsuit filed in San Francisco Superior Court regarding care provided by San Francisco General Hospital.Although the details of the lawsuit and the settlement were not released publicly by The City Attorney’s Office, citing issues of confidentiality, the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to accept the terms of the settlement."This proposed settlement would be the largest in recent memory involving malpractice," City Attorney’s Office spokesman Matt Dorsey said.The medical malpractice lawsuit was......

Continued...

 

Neighborhood parks are making the grade

While a higher percentage of San Francisco playgrounds is getting top marks, according to a study done by local park advocates, one in five is in poor condition and could pose safety risks to the children playing there.The nonprofit Neighborhood Parks Council sent volunteers to survey 118 playgrounds and, based on the findings, gave D or F marks to 25 of the children’s play areas. Some playgrounds received the same failing......

Continued...

 

Property leases costing millions

The City is paying landlords nearly $40 million annually in rent for parking, office space and other government uses while it faces a $338 million budget deficit.City departments — such as the Municipal Transportation Authority, which oversees Muni, police, Department of Public Health and the Sheriff’s Department — are paying landlords a combined $3 million per month to house such things as health clinics, training areas and storage units, according to Office of Real Estate records of active leases with......

Continued...

 

City may lock up settlement

After years of litigation with the construction company contracted to build a new jail in San Bruno, The City stands to settle for $23.3 million.The proposed settlement agreement with AMEC, a London-based construction company, was submitted to the Board of Supervisors Tuesday for approval.AMEC sued The City for $46 million, what it thought it was owed for the work after walking away from the......

Continued...

 

Green goal for city fleet is fizzling

Despite numerous efforts to green San Francisco’s vehicle fleet — which this year is expected to guzzle more than $20 million in fuel — less than 30 percent used by city departments are running on alternative fuels, according to City Administrator’s Office data.The City’s various cars, trucks, SUVs and other vehicles used by city employees total 4,669, including Muni buses and trains, according to the data.The list includes, but is not limited to, police and Sheriff’s Department cars and vans; Recreation and Park Department pickuptrucks; and cars and SUVs operated......

Continued...

 

Developer funds may build up city coffers

Developers could be asked to pay more than $200 million in fees in the coming decades for child care sites, parks and fire services to keep up with the number of new residents projected by 2025.A new city report reviews the fees San Francisco charges, looks at population and employment growth forecasts, and reviews fees charged in other areas.Currently, The City requires developers to contribute to San Francisco’s below-market-rate housing stock and has wastewater impact fees for residential developments. Additionally, members......

Continued...

 

Ed Jew started property transfers as charges loomed

As former Supervisor Ed Jew’s legal troubles mounted, he began transferring ownership on the deeds for his properties; now, he is asking the federal court for $45,000 to help defray his legal costs.The first sign of Jew’s legal trouble came on May 18, 2007, when federal agents raided his City Hall office, his Chinatown flower shop on Waverly Place, and his house in Burlingame.He was later indicted by a federal grand jury for an alleged bribery scheme involving local tapioca shop franchise......

Continued...

 

Newsom seeking flexibility in budget

In the past, San Francisco voters have shaped The City’s budget priorities by approving "set-asides" for everything from children’s services to minimum firehouse funding.On Tuesday, Mayor Gavin Newsom proposed a nonbinding resolution to the Board of Supervisors that would make it "official city policy" that no new mandatory spending requirements be added to city law unless "it identifies or provides a specific, adequate new source of funds."San Francisco is facing a projected......

Continued...

 

City looks to detour party-bus problems from its streets

The party buses rolling through San Francisco carry more than good times.The growing industry is also wheeling in headaches for neighbors and police, according to San Francisco Entertainment Commission President Audrey Joseph, who wants the city attorney to examine how the party-bus business could be regulated.The for-hire buses carry groups of revelers from club to club, boosting business for clubs, while also keeping drinkers from driving.Joseph and other city officials said the party buses bring people mostly to clubs in North......

Continued...

 

Residents displaced decades ago may receive reprieve

In an effort to make good on a city promise to thousands displaced by redevelopment projects decades ago, Mayor Gavin Newsom introduced legislation Tuesday that would provide those ousted with a first crack at affordable-housing units built citywide.In the 1960s and ’70s, redevelopment projects led by the Redevelopment Agency displaced thousands in Hunters Point and the Western Addition, tearing apart the predominantly black communities.State law required that those displaced be given a so-called certificate of preference, which promises they would......

Continued...

 

High-ranking face slashing under new Peskin legislation

Dozens of attorneys employed by San Francisco and several top members of the Police Department’s command staff could be among those pink-slipped under proposed legislation that would cut $13.8 million in city salaries.The resolution, authored by Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin, is aimed at helping The City close a $338 million deficit projected for next fiscal year.In March, Peskin said he was looking to ax city workers who earn......

Continued...

 

Board’s attempt to save clinic likely moot

The Board of Supervisors voted 8-3 Tuesday to override a veto by Mayor Gavin Newsom in order to allocate $246,000 for a city-operated wokers’ compensation clinic that the Department of Public Health had approved for closure.The clinic closure at S.F. General Hospital comes as The City faces a projected $338 million deficit next fiscal year.Without the facility, city employees will go to privately run clinics for treatment of......

Continued...

 

Famous names sprinkled among torchbearer list

Former Mayor Willie Brown, a Daly City marine biologist, a Palo Alto pediatric surgeon and a star San Francisco basketball player whose father was recently gunned down are among the 41 people chosen to carry the Olympic torch during its only North American stop Wednesday in San Francisco.The group was......

Continued...

 

Power plant debate sparks to life

The smoldering issue of building a power plant bordering the Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood to replace an older and more polluting one is expected to heat up again after the company selected to construct it walked away from the deal.A new agreement with Cleveland-based Industrial Construction Corp. to build the project is expected to be introduced to the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, said Continued...

 

Smile, city government, you’re on webcast camera

San Francisco government could have a lot more eyes and ears on its business — in real time on the Internet.The City provides live audio and video broadcast on its Web site for 14 boards, committees and commissions that hold public meetings at City Hall. Archives of the meetings — which include the Board of Supervisors and its six committees along with the Municipal Transportation Agency, which oversees Muni — are also provided on the site for up to one......

Continued...

 

City reaches out to illegal immigrants

San Francisco has launched an $83,000 advertisement campaign to inform The City’s estimated 40,000 immigrants who are not here legally that they can use city services without fear of punishment. Mayor Gavin Newsom, along with Supervisor Tom Ammiano, held a news conference Wednesday to announce the public outreach effort, which is being funded with dollars from The City’s Public Health and Human Services Departments. The campaign message, which promises "safe access to public services," will be disseminated in brochures, print and radio ads, on bus shelters, billboards and in public-service......

Continued...

 

Supes approve tough greeting

When San Francisco officials receive the Olympic torch next week, they should do so with "alarm and protest" over China’s human-rights record, the Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday.The resolution, authored by Supervisor Chris Daly, is a policy statement, and does not legally force The City representative to do or say anything. It was approved 8-3, with Continued...

 

Lighting up in taverns under fire

Although smoking in bars was banned by the state in 1998, some drinking establishments, including a handful in San Francisco, have escaped the prohibition by taking advantage of a labor code loophole that one city supervisor said he hopes to close.The state labor code prohibits exposing employees’ to secondhand smoke. However, if a bar is owner-operated, does not have other employees and has successfully applied with the Department of Public Health to allow smoking, it is legal, according to the......

Continued...

 

Sick leave costing city millions

City government workers cost San Francisco $160 million last year in paid sick and injured leave time — the equivalent of losing 1,800 full-time employees, according to a report.Although The City has seen an overall reduction in lost work hours compared with recent years, San Francisco "continues to experience high costs for lost work hours" when it comes to employees using sick leave, disability leave and workers’ compensation, according to a report issued by Budget Continued...

 

Smoking ban expected to balloon

San Francisco snuffed out smoking in bars, restaurants and transit stops, but now a whole new set of locations — from ATMs to concert lines — could join The City’s no-smoking zones.A law expected to be introduced Tuesday to the Board of Supervisors does, however, stop short of stricter bans that have been enacted in other Bay Area cities. The legislation would make secondhand smoke a "public health nuisance" and grant residents living above or adjacent to a business the right to go to small-claims court if bothered by secondhand......

Continued...

 

City: Torch route not secret, nor will access be restricted

The route that the Olympic torch will take through The City is not completely in the dark anymore.Mayor Gavin Newsom’s office said Wednesday that San Francisco is not keeping the route secret and protesters will not be restricted. The announcement was in response to a public records request filed March 13 by the American Civil Liberties Union. The......

Continued...

 

City’s pruning may begin at the top

City employees earning more than $150,000 a year could be jobless by July under a proposal aimed at trimming The City’s projected $338 million budget deficit. There are 596 city employees earning more than $150,000, according to the City Controller’s Office, spread out in various city departments, including the City Attorney, District Attorney, Public Defender, Muni, Police and Department of Public Health.Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin said Tuesday......

Continued...

 

City Hall Watch: Supes approve fine for paving over front yard

Maybe it’s not paving over paradise to put up a parking lot, but it could cost property owners up to $500.The City could start issuing citations to property owners who pave over their front yards or violate any other planning code.The Board of Supervisors gave initial approval to a legislation introduced by District 11 Supervisor Gerardo Sandoval, who proposed it as a way to address a problem in his district: residents getting rid of gardens and front lawns by paving them over with concrete. The motivation is usually to gain......

Continued...

 

‘Alarm and protest’ resolution for Olympic torch rekindled

The same day that the Olympic torch was lit in Greece to start its trip around the world, a controversial resolution that would call on The City to welcome the Beijing Olympic torch with "alarm and protest" was rekindled after suffering a defeat last week.Supervisor Chris Daly is expected to reintroduce a resolution that would "urge" The City’s representative who will officially receive the torch "to make publicly known that the 2008 Summer Olympics Games torch is received with alarm and protest" over the "ongoing human rights abuses in China......

Continued...

 

2008 is becoming a very deadly year for black men in The City

As San Francisco looks to decrease the number of homicides in The City from last year’s decade-high tally, a newly released statistic — that 70 percent of the homicide victims so far this year have been black — is raising concerns from city officials. Supervisor Sophie Maxwell called on the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice on Monday......

Continued...

 

Art Institute stands behind violent exhibit

A San Francisco Art Institute exhibit that shows video clips of animals being killed by hammer blows has provoked controversy.The art school, which dates back to 1871, opened the "Don’t Trust Me" exhibit on Wednesday at the Walter and McBean Galleries on Chestnut Street. The exhibit, by Paris-based artist Adel Abdessemed, consists of video screens that show six animals......

Continued...

 

Ed Jew’s federal trial set for July

Former Supervisor Ed Jew is to stand trial July 7 on five felony counts connected to an alleged scheme to extort money from local business owners when in office, a federal judge ruled Friday.Jew appeared in U.S. District Court, periodically laughing or smiling as he waited for his turn before Judge Susan Illston.Illston denied a motion by Jew’s attorney Continued...

 

Olympic torch China-protest resolution reduced to ashes

The Olympic torch for the Summer Games in Beijing is set to go on a "journey of harmony" around the world, but its scheduled stop in San Francisco is flaming discord.Ongoing protests in San Francisco are expected to continue leading up to the April 9 torch ceremony in The City as those critical of China’s human rights record and its recent crackdown......

Continued...

 

Chinese Consulate attacked, damaged by fire

An attack on the Chinese Consulate early Thursday involved as many as four people that were possibly captured on camera, according to police. A resident alerted authorities at around 4 a.m. after seeing two people near the Chinese Consulate facing Geary Street, then moments later, a burst of flame. The witness also reported seeing two people running after the incident. By the time police arrived, the fire was out and what remained was a large charred mark......

Continued...

 

Budget proposal ramps up debate among committee

The City’s budget process is promising to yield heated political battles. During the Board of Supervisors’ Budget and Finance Committee meeting Wednesday, Supervisor Chris Daly attempted to take funding from a wheelchair ramp project to offset health service cuts announced earlier this year. During the hearing, Daly criticized Mayor Gavin Newsom for not consulting with board members about $18 million in midyear cuts, which took dollars away from items board members funded during last year’s budget process."We have an administration that is running roughshod over board priorities," Daly said. The......

Continued...

 

City Hall Watch: Alioto-Pier argues about a third term

A question of appointment versus election may force a supervisor to not seek re-election.District 2 Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier is caught up in a feud with the city attorney about a legal opinion that says she cannot run again for re-election. Alioto-Pier told The Examiner on Tuesday that she should be legally entitled to serve another four-year term. Alioto-Pier was initially appointed to the Board of Supervisors by Mayor Gavin Newsom......

Continued...

 

City slaps derelict property owners with $675,000 in fines

A week after the city agency that enforces building codes was criticized for not referring cases to the City Attorney’s Office to have charges brought against owners of derelict properties, the legal office announced the outcomes of two lawsuits filed in 2006.One Mission district residential hotel will have to install a security gate and cameras to stomp out drug activity while another building owner must fix code violations and cease renting out the illegal "tiny" units, judges have ordered.City Attorney......

Continued...

 

Menu law to show what’s for dinner

Diners in San Francisco will soon have a much clearer picture of what is in their meals.More than 200 chain restaurants throughout San Francisco — from Starbucks to Pasta Pomodoro — will have to list the fat content of their foods and drinks on menus and menu boards, under a law unanimously adopted Tuesday by the Board of Supervisors. San Francisco follows in the footsteps of Continued...

 

‘Question time’ still on board’s schedule

Although voters defeated a measure that would have required San Francisco’s mayor to come before the Board of Supervisors for a monthly "question time," the legislative leaders decided Tuesday to keep the standing appointment on the agenda.The idea for "question time" with the Mayor had become one of the most divisive issues at City Hall in recent years. It was the focus of two ballot measures and was adopted bythe Board of Supervisors as a rule in January 2007. Continued...

 

Supervisor proposes standards for shelters

Published: Mar 11, 2008

In response to complaints about the conditions of San Francisco’s homeless shelters — from lack of toilet paper to verbal abuse — city officials are expected to adopt standards and approve funding to improve the quality of the temporary bed sites.The City’s 19 homeless shelters are on the front lines of one of San Francisco’s most vexing problems, homelessness, and critics of the shelters’ conditions say the facilities should serve as sanctuaries.Supervisor Tom Ammiano authored the legislation to establish standards for the shelters, which serve about 1,800 homeless people daily.......

Continued...

 

Outgoing supervisors vie for sway

Published: Mar 08, 2008

With a battle for seats on the Board of Supervisors in November already heating up, The City’s progressive legislators are making what political analysts are calling a power grab by running to sit on an influential party committee in order to affect the outcome of that fall election. Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin and Supervisors Chris Daly and Jake McGoldrick......

Continued...

 

3-Minute Interview: Tiina Booth

Published: Mar 08, 2008

The English teacher from Massachusetts has been an ultimate Frisbee player and coach for more than 25 years. Along with fellow coach Michael Baccarini, she is the coauthor of a new book titled "Essential Ultimate," aguide to everything a would-be participant needs to know to play the game. She also is the founder of the Amherst Invitational, the oldest high school ultimate tournament in the United States. Bay Area fans of the sport can catch the college-level Stanford Invite, which will host 32 ultimate Frisbee teams in Palo Alto today.......

Continued...

 

Mayor’s spurned appointee returns

Published: Mar 07, 2008

A city commissioner chosen by Mayor Gavin Newsom who was recently turned down by the Board of Supervisors for reappointment to the board that oversees The City’s water and electricity utilities is now facing another possible rejection by the board, after the mayor put him on another city commission.Newsom appointed Ryan Brooks, an executive with CBS Outdoor Inc., an......

Continued...

 

Board rejects call for $1M wheelchair ramp

Published: Mar 05, 2008

A more than $1 million wheelchair ramp project proposed for the Board of Supervisors meeting room was shot down Tuesday and a proposal to use the money instead to offset health service cuts surfaced.Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier, who uses a wheelchair, said the Board of Supervisors vote was a "slap in the face of the disabled community," and that she intended to file a lawsuit against The City to force the project’s completion."This isn’t for me," Alioto-Pier said. "This is about......

Continued...

 

Businesses targeted for ‘litter’ fee

Published: Mar 04, 2008

Those San Francisco businesses oft-blamed for the litter in the streets — the food wrappers, drink cups, bags and napkins — could be forced by The City topay an annual fee to help fund cleanup efforts. Supervisor Gerardo Sandoval told The Examiner on Monday that he will introduce legislation today that would impose a fee on fast-food businesses, convenience markets and gasoline-station markets. The money would go into a city......

Continued...

 

Should lobbyists receive a label?

Published: Mar 03, 2008

Lobbyists looking to influence City Hall decision-making could wind up sticking out in the crowd under a proposal by one city legislator that would require special-interest representatives to wear identification badges when making contact with elected and city officials — even at events outside the building. Supervisor Chris Daly, who introduced the legislation, told The Examiner on Friday that it would add "transparency" to government and called it "very San Francisco." The badge would serve as a reminder to "decision-makers" that the lobbyist is representing a client "who has interests,"......

Continued...

 

City premieres extra incentive for films

Published: Feb 29, 2008

The City is looking for some more lights and cameras to create action in the local economy.By lifting a cap in The City’s film rebate program, San Francisco could create more than 100 jobs in its ailing industry and sink an additional $24 million into the economy by next year, a city report says.The report was commissioned after Supervisor Michele Alioto-Pier introduced legislation to lift the cap off the rebate......

Continued...

 

City to publicize its status as sanctuary for illegal immigrants

Published: Feb 28, 2008

San Francisco’s "sanctuary" policy for illegal immigrants, which has drawn sharp criticism from conservatives, will be promoted in an advertisement campaign complete with multilanguage brochures and radio and TV public service announcements. The city-funded outreach campaign is expected to roll out this spring and build on San Francisco’s response to last year’s federal immigration raids, which city officials said scared undocumented immigrants into not accessing city services, reporting crimes or sending children to school. City officials Wednesday were not able......

Continued...

 

The City to publicize its status as sanctuary for illegal immigrants

Published: Feb 28, 2008

San Francisco’s "sanctuary" policy for illegal immigrants, which has drawn sharp criticism from conservatives, will be promoted in an advertisement campaign complete with multilanguage brochures and radio and TV public service announcements.The city-funded outreach campaign is expected to roll out this spring and build on San Francisco’s response to last year’s federal immigration raids, which city officials said scared undocumented immigrants into not accessing city services, reporting crimes or sending children to school. City officials Wednesday were not able to......

Continued...

 

Academy withdraws Flower Mart bid

Published: Feb 27, 2008

San Francisco’s decades-old Flower Mart escaped a proposed land deal that threatened to put it out of business after city leaders pressured the buyer, the Academy of Art University, to back out. On Tuesday, Academy of Art University announced that it withdrew its offer to purchase the South of Market Flower Mart. "We are extremely disappointed that we could not make this work," university President Elise Stephens said in a statement. He cited "a lack of support among top city officials" for the decision to give up its plans. The......

Continued...

 

City Hall Watch: Change in retiree benefits will be up to voters in June

Published: Feb 27, 2008

With unanimous support from the Board of Supervisors, a measure was approved for placement on the June ballot Tuesday to reduce The City’s projected $4 billion retiree health care costs during the next 30 years. The measure, which was co-authored by Mayor Gavin Newsom, includes provisions that establish an interest-earning retiree health care fund with contributions from new city employees — 2 percent of their paycheck — with another 1 percent from The City. The charter amendment would also require newcity employees to work for 20 years to obtain full......

Continued...

 

Lake needs cleanup, warnings, supe says

Published: Feb 26, 2008

The reportedly slow response to cleaning up one of San Francisco’s last remaining natural lakes in the idyllic Presidio is drawing criticism by a supervisor who now wants signs installed alerting passers-by to the dangers.A 2000 study by students on pollen levels in the area led to the discovery of "high concentrations of lead" and pesticides in Mountain Lake, according to Doug Kern, who sits on the Continued...

 

Supervisor looks to limit liquor licenses

Published: Feb 22, 2008

A proposed measure would prohibit liquor stores from being on "every corner" in San Francisco, according to the supervisor that wants it on the June ballot, but critics say the restrictions could have unintended consequences. Proposed by Supervisor Gerardo Sandoval, the measure would prohibit new liquor stores from opening up within about two blocks (500 feet) of other liquor stores, schools and children’s recreation centers. There are nearly 900 businesses......

Continued...

 

Prices to buy, rent in city climb

Published: Feb 21, 2008

Since 2002, more than 10,000 new housing units were created in San Francisco, but the added supply has not reduced the price; the cost to buy a home, aswell as rent, is reaching levels experienced during The City’s dot-com days, according to a city report."This report is the smoking gun that explains why housing costs so much in San Francisco," said Gabriel Metcalf, executive director of San Francisco Planning and......

Continued...

 

Lawyer says Ed Jew victim of conspiracy

Published: Feb 20, 2008

Former Supervisor Ed Jew "appears to have been" the victim of a calculated attack by political enemies who promptedan FBI investigation that ultimately led to the charges of public corruption he is now fighting, his lawyer said in a motion filed in U.S. District Court on Tuesday. Jew’s attorney Stuart Hanlon requests in his motion that U.S. District Judge Susan Illston grant a hearing to look into whether wrong-doing was committed by Jew’s former attorney Steven Gruel. Gruel alerted the FBI to allegations that the District 4 supervisor was extorting......

Continued...

 

Chain store ban faces ire of commissioners

Published: Feb 19, 2008

A proposed ban on chain stores along major commercialcorridors in the Mission and Bernal Heights neighborhoods is being blasted by planning commissioners who indicated at a recent meeting they would recommend its rejection.The Board of Supervisors passed legislation banning new chain stores — defined by The City as those businesses with 11 or more locations nationwide — in Hayes Valley in 2004 and in North Beach in 2005.Additionally, city voters passed Proposition G in 2006, which requires chain stores that......

Continued...

 

Modicum of moderation on the way?

Published: Feb 18, 2008

The candidate field is growing in tough races for Board of Supervisors seats as moderates fight to shift the political power away from the board’s current progressive majority.Seven of the 11 seats on the Board of Supervisors are up for grabs this November. Three districts involve incumbents, who traditionally have a political advantage, setting up heated contests for four other seats to be vacated by left-leaning leaders being termed out of office: Jake McGoldrick in District 1, Aaron Peskin in District 3, Tom Ammiano in District 9 and Gerardo Sandoval......

Continued...

 

Ballot measure aims to make The City’s housing affordable

Published: Feb 15, 2008

A ballot initiative that a city legislator said will make San Francisco more affordable ignited a heated debate Thursday.Supervisor Bevan Dufty has authored a June ballot measure that would give developers who agree to build below-market-rate family-size units the ability to build more units per project site than current planning rules allow. On Thursday,at a Board of Supervisors committee meeting, members of the Continued...

 

City’s budget cuts igniting criticism

Published: Feb 14, 2008

With The City facing a $233 million budget deficit next year, criticism over mid-year funding cuts and a hiring freeze mandated by Mayor Gavin Newsom are surfacing from the Board of Supervisors.On Wednesday, members of the public and the legislative leaders focused attention on eight recreation director positions that are being left vacant as a result of the belt tightening.Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin said he wants to......

Continued...

 

City Hall Watch: Newsom sees mixed reaction to his PUC appointees

Published: Feb 13, 2008

Caught up in disputes over public power and Mayor Gavin Newsom’s move to fire San Francisco Public Utilities Commission chief Susan Leal, one mayoral appointee to the agency was shot down Tuesday while another narrowly passed through. "If it’s the mayor’s intent that we turn a page, we will turn a page," Supervisor Bevan Dufty said, casting a vote to reject Newsom’s reappointment of Ryan Brooks to the Public Utilities Commission. Brooks is an executive with CBS Outdoor Inc., an advertising company. It takes eight votes to reject a PUC......

Continued...

 

Supervisor Daly wants half of proposed Treasure Island housing to be affordable

Published: Feb 12, 2008

The redeveloped Treasure Island would provide 30 percent of the new housing at a below-market rate, according to city officials, but the city legislator that represents the area says half of the units should be affordably priced.Supervisor Chris Daly’s resolution calls for 50 percent of the 6,000 proposed housing units on Treasure Island to be offered to moderate- and low-income families. At a Board of Supervisors committee meeting Monday,......

Continued...

 

Newsom salary spat may spawn tighter restrictions on city funds

Published: Feb 12, 2008

In response to Mayor Gavin Newsom’s admission that he used nearly $1 million from four different city departments to pay for some of his staff members, one supervisor said he is considering legislation to increase oversight of such spending decisions.Supervisor Jake McGoldrick also blasted the administration for releasing a draft copy of a city audit investigating the spending that he requested. Last Friday, Newsom’s office held a sit-down meeting with......

Continued...

 

MTA board picks closer to approval

Published: Feb 08, 2008

Although members of the Board of Supervisors have held up Mayor Gavin Newsom’s appointments to The City’s public transportation board for weeks, on Thursday the candidates were forwarded out of committee and are now headed for confirmation.When the three appointees first came up before a board committee on Jan. 17, Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin said he wanted a presentation on the mayor’s "vision" for the transportation agency before making any appointment decisions. Several days later, the legislative leader raised questions about recent revelations that Newsom used $749,232 dollars......

Continued...

 

Schools eye rainy day funds to cover budget cuts

Published: Feb 08, 2008

San Francisco’s cash-strapped schools, which stand to suffer a financial blow at the hands of state funding cuts, could find relief in millions of dollars socked away in The City’s rainy day account.Supervisor Tom Ammiano brought the funding source to light at a hearing of the Board of Supervisors City and School District Committee on Thursday.The Controller’s Office said that the school......

Continued...

 

S.F. eateries may start counting calories

Published: Feb 07, 2008

Following the lead of New York City and Seattle, San Francisco is on the verge of requiring restaurant chains to prominently display calorie counts and other health information for its menu items. Today, a Board of Supervisors committee will weigh in on legislation authored by Supervisor Tom Ammiano that would require restaurants with 15 or more locations throughout the state to list on its menus, for each food item offered, the number of calories, and the amount of saturated fat, carbohydrates and sodium — in letter size as prominent as......

Continued...

 

Green taxi ordinance on its way to full board

Published: Feb 06, 2008

By 2012, San Francisco's 1,500 taxicabs would be running greener — if The City approves a law allowing cab companies to charge its drivers more per shift.The Clean Taxi Ordinance, scheduled to come before the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday for a vote, would increase the gate fee — the charge drivers must pay cab companies per 10-hour shift — from $91.50 to $96.50, and an additional $7.50 charge if the cab is a green cab. With a low estimate......

Continued...

 

Deal aims to diffuse ‘fiscal time bomb’

Published: Feb 06, 2008

Faced with ballooning retiree health care costs — an estimated $4 billion during the next 30 years — an agreement brokered with The City’s labor groups would restructure benefits and provide financial security, its backers say.Supervisor Sean Elsbernd has spent weeks in negotiations to strike a deal that would solve what he has likened to a "fiscal time bomb." The proposed charter amendment is expected to come before voters for adoption in June.In 2000, The City spent approximately $17 million......

Continued...

 

Daly’s measure could ‘kill’ Bayview development

Published: Feb 05, 2008

A plan for as many as 10,000 new homes in Bayview-Hunters Point — and a possible new stadium for the San Francisco 49ers — would be "killed" if voters this June demanded that 50 percent of the housing be sold below market rates, a top city official said. Supervisor Chris Daly has championed a ballot initiative to require that at least half of all housing built in the planned Hunters Point-Candlestick Point development be affordable to San Franciscans with household incomes between 30 percent and 80 percent of the county’s......

Continued...

 

Remodels for public housing are closer to becoming reality

Published: Feb 05, 2008

The plan to rebuild San Francisco’s most troubled and decrepit public housing sites is moving forward with nine developers applying to rebuild the sites. The idea of creating a local version of the federal Hope IV program — which provides funds to local housing authorities to rebuild dilapidated housing projects was planted during the tenure of former Mayor Willie Brown. Continued...

 

Candidate coffers offer first peek at supervisor race

Published: Feb 02, 2008

In November, San Franciscans will not only go to the polls to pick a president, but also to cast a vote for the future of The City — with seven of 11 seats on the Board of Supervisors up for grabs. With some termed-out seats expected to be hotly contested, thousands of dollars are already starting to pile up in the war chests of several candidates. Significant political power is at stake, including a chance for Mayor Gavin Newsom to......

Continued...

 

Proposals put forward to cut emissions from cabs

Published: Jan 29, 2008

It may take some green for all of the cabs in The City to go green. Two proposals have been put forward to increase the fee cabdrivers pay companies per 10-hour shift by at least $12.50. Both are aimed at reducing carbon emissions from cabs by 20 percent by 2011. Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin introduced a proposal Monday at the Board of Supervisors Government Audit and Oversight Committee that would increase the gate fee across the board by $5 — from $91.50 to $96.50 — and then allow......

Continued...

 

Payroll system part of city’s $229M deficit

Published: Jan 28, 2008

News of The City’s projected $229 million deficit has made headlines, but less attention has been paid to a plan by city officials to spend $41 million for a new high-tech payroll system.Although the cost will be spread out over several years, next fiscal year $15 million of the project’s total cost is slated to come out of the general fund."This is $15 million that I could use to keep critical units at San Francisco General Hospital open and a whole host of other things," said Board of Supervisors President......

Continued...

 

Zoo to sink $1 million into grottoes

Published: Jan 26, 2008

The price tag for new security measures at San Francisco Zoo’s big-cat grottoes, where a tiger escaped on Christmas Day, killing one teenager and injuring two of his friends, is at least $1 million, according to a memo from the city official who oversees the zoo.The work, being handled by two companies, includes the "extension of the concrete wall at all three big-cat grottoes to meet current AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) minimum guidelines," wrote Recreation and Park Department General Manager Yomi Agunbiade.Two days after the fatal attack, it......

Continued...

 

Jew's attorney alleges 'conflict of interest' in case

Published: Jan 26, 2008

Former District 4 Supervisor Ed Jew was in federal court Friday on public corruption charges where his legal counsel was granted time to file a motion arguing for a dismissal. In court, Jew’s attorney, Stuart Hanlon, alleged that Jew’s former attorney had a "conflict of interest" that could have "affected [Jew’s] right to a fair trial." "I’m not sure what you’re talking about," replied U.S. District Judge Susan Illston, adding......

Continued...

 

Newsom siphons Muni money for staff

Published: Jan 25, 2008

Mayor Gavin Newsom is coming under fire for dipping into Muni cash to pay for his own staffers, while The City’s public transportation agency struggles with a triple-digit structural budget deficit and falls below on-time performance goals. At least seven positions in the Mayor’s Office ranging from a press deputy director who was hired two weeks ago to Newsom’s newly created position of Director of Climate Protection Initiatives, have all or part of their salaries funded with money from the budget of Municipal Transportation Agency, which oversees Muni, according to......

Continued...

 

Marin leaders set to reject toll on Doyle

Published: Jan 24, 2008

Marin County officials are poised today to send a strong message against a planned toll along Doyle Drive, part of a proposal to raise money to rebuild the seismically unsafe San Francisco-side approach to the Golden Gate Bridge.The plan to add a toll on the southern approach to the iconic span — that would be in addition to that already required to cross the bridge — has provoked the ire of those in the North Bay, who are the majority of bridge users during peak times.The proposal calls for a......

Continued...

 

Supervisor’s measure could please opposing sides on parking issues

Published: Jan 23, 2008

San Francisco could see a couple changes to parking regulations that would make condos slightly cheaper for the buyer and remove parking requirements for certain housing projects.Parking has long been one of the most divisive political issues in The City, with the battle lines generally drawn between business advocacy groups and transit-first advocates. While one group feels there is a need for additional parking, the other group views parking as a threat to transit-first policies and efforts to protect the......

Continued...

 

Flower Mart deal possibly blooming

Published: Jan 19, 2008

A compromise may be in the works that could prevent a complete closure of San Francisco’s beloved and decades-old Flower Mart, according to an attorney for the Academy of Art, which has plans to buy the site for new sculpture studios.On Friday, city and state leaders flexed their political muscle at a Friday afternoon rally to protest the deal, which has already led to eviction notices being sent to 30 small business owners. "It’s about a way of life that has gone on for almost a hundred years with people......

Continued...

 

Mayor’s appointees held up by supervisors

Published: Jan 18, 2008

Just weeks into 2008 and politics are already heating up City Hall, with members of the Board of Supervisors holding up three of Mayor Gavin Newsom’s appointees to The City’s transportation board.As part of Newsom’s promised shake-up at City Hall, he replaced three members on the seven-member Municipal Transportation Agency board of directors, which oversees all things Muni, long criticized for being slow and unreliable. Among those Newsom disposed of was Leah Shahum, who is also executive director of the politically influential San Francisco Bicycle Coalition.MTA board members are all......

Continued...

 

Newsom’s appointees held up by supervisors

Published: Jan 18, 2008

Just weeks into 2008 and politics are already heating up City Hall, with members of the Board of Supervisors holding up three of Mayor Gavin Newsom’s appointees to The City’s transportation board.As part of Newsom’s promised shake-up at City Hall, he replaced three members on the seven-member Municipal Transportation Agency board of directors, which oversees all things Muni, long criticized for being slow and unreliable. Among those Newsom disposed of was Continued...

 

Newsom spends big amid $229M deficit

Published: Jan 17, 2008

Mayor Gavin Newsom is bolstering his internal staff while asking other city departments to reduce spending. Newsom recently made sweeping changes in his inner circle and increased the salaries of several positions. Additionally, Newsom is funding one position with money from the cash-strapped Municipal Transportation Agency, which oversees Muni. Newsom announced in November a projected $229 million deficit for next fiscal year and subsequently instituted a hiring freeze. He directed departments to reduce spending and also told department heads to submit budgets for the next fiscal year identifying cuts of......

Continued...

 

Affordable homes, solar panel incentive could be put to vote on June ballot

Published: Jan 16, 2008

An incentive to build family housing, a tightening up of campaign finance rules and giving cash to those who install solar panels are three proposals that city officials would like to put before voters this June.A measure can end up on the ballot with the support of four members of the Board of Supervisors; the mayor also has the singular power to submit a measure for the ballot. This practice has been criticized for not allowing enough public scrutiny of the measures. However, voters did approve of more open discussion......

Continued...

 

Measure aimed at shortage of police officers

Published: Jan 14, 2008

Next month voters will be asked to approve a ballot measure that would give San Francisco police officers both a salary and a pension if they stayed on past retirement.The San Francisco Police Officers Association gathered the 41,672 signatures required to place a city charter amendment on the Feb. 5 ballot to create a "deferred retirement option program," or DROP.An officer, who is at least 50 years......

Continued...

 

Chu now officially fills Ed Jew’s shoes

Published: Jan 14, 2008

Mayor Gavin Newsom quietly swore in Carmen Chu as District 4 supervisor Friday evening, hours after embattled Supervisor Ed Jew’s resignation took effect.Newsom had appointed Chu as interim supervisor on Sept. 25, after suspending Jew from office for official misconduct as criminal and civil cases were being lodged against him for perjury, extortion and misrepresenting where he resided.Chu, 29, previously worked in Newsom’s budget office, and was serving as interim supervisor with no prior political experience.It appears as if Chu......

Continued...

 

Bridge board rebuffs Doyle Drive toll proposal

Published: Jan 14, 2008

After a heated exchange between San Francisco and Marin County politicians Friday, the agency that oversees the Golden Gate Bridge held off on taking a position on a proposed toll on Doyle Drive, the southern approach to the famous span.A toll is being proposed as a revenue source to help fund the seismic upgrade of Doyle Drive.The idea of......

Continued...

 

Embattled supervisor resigns post

Published: Jan 11, 2008

Under a settlement agreement with the city attorney, the resignation of suspended Supervisor Ed Jew goes into effect today at noon, closing a chapter in San Francisco politics described by his legislative colleagues as both disgraceful and bizarre. Just months after being elected, Jew wound up in legal hot water, indicted by a federal grand jury for extorting cash bribes from local business owners and accused of not living in the district he represents. Continued...

 

Healthy S.F. can move forward

Published: Jan 10, 2008

The City can move forward with a groundbreaking program that provides sliding-scale health services for San Francisco’s uninsured residents, as well as impose the legally contested requirement that has some businesses paying up to $1.76 per employee hour worked, a federal appeals court ruled Wednesday.Healthy San Francisco was created through an ordinance adopted in 2006 to provide sliding-scale health care for the city’s 73,000 uninsured. The $200 million program was to be funded through state, federal and city dollars along with revenue from an employer spending requirement, slated to go......

Continued...

 

Affordable-housing measure headed to November ballot

Published: Jan 09, 2008

A measure that would put millions of taxpayer dollars into building affordable housing was approved by the Board of Supervisors for the November ballot Tuesday, with the support of The City’s state representatives. Advocates of the charter amendment say the measure is necessary as San Francisco’s soaring housing prices have families and the working class fleeing The City, destroying its diversity. "This is and remains the most pressing issue facing San Franciscans," said Continued...

 

Storm handicaps Bay Area commuters

Published: Jan 05, 2008

San Francisco was rocked Friday by the powerful punch of the biggest winter storm in two years with high winds and heavy rains disrupting transit service, causing widespread power outages and road and bridge closures. The winds were so powerful, blowing 40 mph to 50 mph with gusts reaching up to 70 mph, that a skylight was ripped off of Washington High School and scaffolding blew off a building......

Continued...

 

Newsom keeps Fong on as police chief

Published: Jan 05, 2008

Police Chief Heather Fong remains at her post despite months of speculation that she would be forced out as part of Mayor Gavin Newsom’s request of resignation letters from department heads. On the day Newsom announced who is out and who is in, Fong jointly announced promotions to the department’s command staff. City officials and the Police Officers Association......

Continued...

 

Three storms to wallop San Francisco

Published: Jan 04, 2008

The second of three back-to-back storms from the Pacific Northwest is expected to pound San Francisc