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Mark Farrell

San Francisco scores with Zynga going public

Following its Friday initial public offering of stock, online game developer Zynga is positioned to become the first company to benefit from San Francisco’s recently adopted tax break on the sale of stock options.Yet The City also could benefit from the company’s IPO by setting a record for option-related payroll tax revenue from a single company. Read More

San Francisco Board of Supervisors breaks ranks on voting system

Progressive members of the Board of Supervisors are considering ways to derail a proposal to eliminate San Francisco’s ranked-choice voting system.As Tuesday’s deadline approaches for supervisors to submit proposed charter amendments for the June ballot, City Hall insiders say Supervisor David Campos is considering a measure to compete with Supervisor Mark Farrell’s plan to eliminate ranked-choice voting and revert back to runoff elections. Read More

Move to kill ranked-choice voting begins before Election Day ends

Even before the Election Day is over, Supervisor Mark Farrell has introduced a charter amendment for the June 5 ballot that would eliminate ranked-choice voting and revert back to the system of a run-off election if no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote. Read More

Cyberbullying targeted in talk with DA George Gascón, Supervisor Mark Farrell

While old-fashioned bullying remains a problem in area schools, especially for LGBT teens, tormenters are increasingly relying on the Internet and mobile phones to harass their victims. Read More

San Francisco supervisors tweaking campaign cash law for 2012

San Francisco City Hall
Candidates vying for a seat on the Board of Supervisors next year could receive up to $150,000 in taxpayer money, a $61,000 increase to the existing public financing cap. The public finance program provides matching funds to candidates running for mayor or supervisor if they agree to a spending cap. If third-party spending exceeds the cap, candidates are entitled to receive more matching funds. Read More

Muni once again on pace to exceed overtime levels

Despite promising to rein in overtime spending, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency is on pace to dole out 75 percent more money this year for extra pay than it budgeted. Through the first 2½ months of this fiscal year, the agency that manages Muni has already shelled out $12.2 million in overtime pay, and it is projected to spend $56.6 million this year. That’s nearly $25 million more than originally forecasted. Read More

San Francisco supervisors' refusal to cap campaign cash opens door to lawsuits

San Francisco City Hall
The City remains at risk of being sued over its public financing program after a proposal to make it comply with a U.S. Supreme Court ruling was rejected Tuesday.Despite facing a legal bill that would be footed by taxpayers, the Board of Supervisors failed to pass legislation that would prevent San Francisco from being sued over its public financing program, which provides matching funds to candidates running for supervisor or mayor. Read More

Film rebate extended to include reality TV, documentaries

The City adopted a film rebate program five years ago to try and breathe more life into a dying film industry. Now five years later, after some success in attracting more film activity, the rebate program was extended Tuesday by the Board of Supervisors in an 11-0 vote to include documentaries and television series. Read More

Vote to scale back San Francisco’s public financing program postponed

San Francisco’s public financing program could turn into a scaled back version, but the Board of Supervisors postponed a vote Tuesday on doing just that.Supporters of scaling back the program say San Francisco has no choice after a June Supreme Court ruling struck down Arizona's public financing program. And if The City doesn’t make the change it would be sued which would then waste hundreds of thousands of taxpayer money on a case it can’t win. Read More

Filming of movies, TV series up 26 percent in San Francisco

Contagion
Hollywood actor sightings, movie-extra auditions and production jobs are on the rise in San Francisco, a promising sign as The City has spent years trying to breathe life into the film industry. There was a 26 percent increase in film activity such as commercials, feature movies and television series last fiscal year compared to the year before, a trend the Film Commission hopes continues. Read More
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