San Francisco group criticizes Newsom

By Brigid Gaffikin, Bay City News Service

October 26, 2006

SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) - Hours before San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom's State of the City address, an organization of union and community groups has drawn attention to a comprehensive critique of the mayor's first two and a half years in office, charging Newsom with a pattern of selective inaction in five policy areas.

"State of the City: Style Over Substance," a 16-page report the San Francisco People's Organization issued to its membership on Sept. 30, emphasizes broad-based approaches to tackling violence, homelessness, transportation, land use and housing, and economic development in the city.

According to the report, Newsom has taken little action to deal with the "root causes'' of violence in the city -- poverty and inequity in housing, employment and educational opportunities -- and has instead addressed violence chiefly through increased police action rather than efforts to develop a "culturally competent public education campaign against violence.''

The group also argues that the mayor's office is doing little to address a growing wealth and opportunity gap between communities of color and other residents. This inaction, they contend, is reflected in policies that continue or even exacerbate inequity, such as preferring an increase in San Francisco Municipal Railway fares over supporting a proposed parking tax.

The group says that small business is the backbone of the local economy and argues that eliminating the payroll tax in favor of a gross receipts tax would foster small business growth.

The organization also proposes policy intervention to ensure affordable housing for all San Franciscans and says the city should make efforts to develop jobs in the tourism industry that pay living wages for low-income workers.

While the group praises the mayor's Project Homeless Connect, the group says Newsom has failed to provide adequate funding for support services for all homeless people, rather than only the co-called chronically homeless.

The San Francisco People's Organization describes itself as a coalition of groups "committed to building a progressive vision'' for the city. Its board members come from organizations including the Chinatown Community Development Center, several unions, the Harvey Milk Club, the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights and the Senior Action Network.

A representative from Newsom's office did not respond to requests for comment this morning.

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