The city attorney is hoping to launch a consumer protection unit.
Launching the proposed pilot program would require hiring an attorney and a legislative assistant, something City Attorney Dennis Herrera has yet to persuade city officials is a necessary new expense.
The unit would build on Herrera’s previous efforts to look out for consumers under a broader department initiative known as the Affirmative Litigation Program, which is currently staffed by 12 attorneys with a budget of $2.7 million.
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The City’s patchwork of tax breaks for various industries will live on even if voters replace its payroll tax on businesses with a gross-receipts tax under Mayor Ed Lee’s proposed November ballot measure.
Last year, San Francisco provided $3.786 million in payroll-tax breaks to 53 companies in the biotech, clean tech and technology industries, according to the treasurer’s office. And nearly $300,000 in tax credits were given to 94 businesses operating in so-called Enterprise Zones under a program that rewards companies for hiring residents in certain parts of The City.
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Labor negotiations between Mayor Ed Lee and about 18,000 nurses, dentists, lawyers, managers, and other city and county workers resulted in the employees’ compensation increasing by a combined $41 million during the next two years, according to an analysis by the City Controller’s Office.
Against the backdrop of looming budget deficits, but an improving local economy, Lee negotiated contracts with 26 union labor groups. The talks’ outcome will provide the workers with a 3 percent cost-of-living adjustment that will go into place in two years.
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San Francisco supervisors expressed unanimous support Tuesday for negotiations between the Golden State Warriors and city officials for a waterfront arena already being touted as the “envy of the world.”
The Board of Supervisors voted to waive The City’s competitive bidding requirements for the development of Piers 30-32 and bless the negotiations between the basketball franchise and The City’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development, which will act as the lead negotiator.
“This is merely the opening tip off,” said city project manager Ken Rich.
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Even as negotiations with business leaders are ongoing, Mayor Ed Lee will introduce a proposed November ballot measure today that would replace San Francisco’s payroll tax with a tax on businesses’ gross receipts.
San Francisco’s 1.5 percent payroll tax — the only one of its kind in California — is maligned by employee-heavy industries such as tech and hospitality as a “job killer” that discourages hiring. Yet because it only applies to companies with payrolls exceeding $250,000, it only affects 7,500 of The City’s 96,000 businesses.
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One city supervisor says the political will finally exists to allow homeowners to bypass the condo-conversion lottery system for a one-time fee.
Supervisor Mark Farrell wants people with tenancy-in-common units to get a one-time deal to pay up to $20,000 per unit to bypass The City’s condo-conversion lottery.
“It’s assisting property owners who need help,” Farrell said.
Similar proposals have gone nowhere at City Hall. Farrell acknowledged it has been a “third rail,” but he suggested the political climate has shifted.
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The battle over a luxury 134-condo development at 8 Washington appears to be headed to the November ballot.
The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday is expected to approve the Simon Snellgrove of Pacific Waterfront Partners development despite opposition from more left-leaning political factions and members of the Golden Gateway Tennis and Swim Club, which would be displaced. Approval, however, won’t stop opponents from fighting.
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Despite unresolved issues, the politically charged waterfront development at 8 Washington St. moved closer to reality Wednesday and is poised for approval next week.
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The 49ers were granted permission Tuesday to break their Candlestick Park lease to move into their new Santa Clara stadium in time for the 2014 football season, in a unanimous vote by the Board of Supervisors.
While losing the team is a blow for The City, board President David Chiu introduced legislation with Mayor Ed Lee authorizing San Francisco to enter into negotiations with the Warriors franchise to move here.
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The City is making strides toward solving what is described as one of the most frustrating issues for San Franciscans: streetlights.
Last year, The City’s 311 call center took about 6,000 complaints about outages, which averages to approximately 16 per day.
But the response time for fixes exceeded a month in some cases. Supervisor Scott Wiener said streetlights are among the top concerns he hears.
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People walking around San Francisco’s downtown are likely unaware they are missing out on enjoying a variety of unique public spaces.
But that could change under a proposal being voted on Thursday by the Planning Commission to require uniform and noticeable signage for what are known as privately owned public open spaces, sometimes referred to as POPOS.
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Riding the wave of an improving economy, Mayor Ed Lee rolled out a $7.3 billion city and county budget proposal Thursday that includes nearly 700 new government jobs, no cuts to health services and a likelihood of no political drama.
Lee presented a two-year budget — it will increase to $7.6 billion in the subsequent fiscal year — in a 14-minute speech at City Hall in the Board of Supervisors chamber filled with department heads and elected officials.
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City officials are looking to poach ideas to plan for the America’s Cup with reconnaissance in cities hosting America’s Cup-related events.
Next up: Rhode Island.
For about $5,000, Port Commission President Doreen Woo Ho and Vice President Kimberly Brandon will travel to Newport, R.I., on June 27-30 “to gather some preliminary information and observations to ensure the success of and best practices for the America’s Cup race in San Francisco,” according to a commission report. The money will come out of the commission’s budget for next fiscal year.
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San Francisco’s small businesses could be in a store for a tax break.
Billed as a way to incite job growth, the proposal by Supervisor Mark Farrell would exempt taxes paid on up to $250,000 of payroll growth yearly for small businesses during the next four years.
The City has a payroll tax that assesses a 1.5 percent tax on the total compensation paid to employees. The tax kicks in when a payroll exceeds $250,000 for a business.
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Mayor Ed Lee will unveil his two-year city and county budget proposal today at City Hall in the Board of Supervisors chamber.
The unveiling will take place at 11 a.m. and will come one day before the deadline for Lee to submit a balanced budget proposal to the board for review and adoption.
Lee has made several announcements in the days leading up to the unveiling, including plans for millions of dollars for commercial districts and small-business loans, funding to back-fill cuts to AIDS/HIV funding, and a hiring plan for police and firefighters.
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