Street-fair rescue plan sought
By: Joshua Sabatini
April 22, 2009
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| Giving back: San Francisco street fairs that would potentially charge admission may have to pay a higher permit fee or donate a portion of their proceeds to charity. (Cindy Chew/The Examiner) |
SAN FRANCISCO — Permitting the colorful street fairs in The City to charge admission would allow them to offset escalating fees they must pay to put on the events, according to a new proposal.
As reported by The Examiner, several street fairs and festivals are feeling the pinch more now as city departments are increasing fees to help offset a massive deficit.
Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi requested Tuesday that the city attorney draft legislation that would create a pilot program to allow street fairs to charge admission to help them at least break even as the price of rerouting Muni buses, police services and other city fees are rising fast.
“I don’t like the way that the street fairs ... are getting nickel-and-dimed to death to the point where everything is cost prohibitive,” Mirkarimi said, noting that he came up with the idea after reading coverage about the impact of the fees in The Examiner.
Under the proposal, organizers who could charge admission may have to meet certain requirements, such as be a nonprofit, pay a higher permit fee and donate a portion of the proceeds to charity, and conduct outreach to residents within one block of the event and offer them free admission.
The pilot program is intended for the Civic Center neighborhood and could go into effect in time to help organizers of October’s LoveFest, which attracts about 100,000 to the area for outdoor dancing.
examiner file photo
Giving back: San Francisco street fairs that would potentially charge admission may have to pay a higher permit fee or donate a portion of their proceeds to charity.
