Mayor Lee and Supervisors
Form Technology Advisory Council

April 13, 2011 | 2 Comments

Mayor Lee helped convene the group to evaluate how San Francisco’s current tax structure impacts companies’ ability to successfully grow jobs in San Francisco and to propose improvements to the current tax structure, while still ensuring everyone pays their fair share for City services.

Atlas Shrugged Revisited

April 12, 2011 | 2 Comments

Whether or not you agree with the premise of Atlas Shrugged, we probably can see Winston Churchill’s point of view when he said that the inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.

Peskin Makes Plea for Fee-Less Entrance
to Golden Gate Park Arboretum

April 12, 2011 | 10 Comments

The ordinance, sponsored by Mayor Ed Lee, seeks to close a funding shortfall due to a mandated 20 percent budget cut to the Department of Parks and Recreation

FCJ Interview with Jeff Adachi on Pension Reform

April 11, 2011 | 27 Comments

Last year, Mr. Adachi attempted to address pension and healthcare reform via the ballot and failed. After listening to those who support pension and healthcare reform but who did not support Prop B last year, Mr. Adachi has a new ballot proposal that is considerably more progressive and equitable than it’s predecessor. FCJ was availed an opportunity to discuss with Mr. Adachi’s his latest proposal which is expected to be considered by voters in November.

Supes Approve Twitter Tax Holiday
Without Community Benefits

April 07, 2011 | 8 Comments

The legislation was passed by an 8-3 vote amid concerns of gentrification impacts and without a promised Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) in place. The legislation’s sponsor, Supervisor Jane Kim, who said the legislation would be continued until a CBA had been formulated and ratified by the Board, told FCJ after the Board vote Tuesday the tax exemption legislation is not enforceable until a CBA has been approved.

SF Progressive Movement Needs a Shot in the Arm

April 07, 2011 | 6 Comments

There were no protests in the streets the other day when the Board of Supervisors passed, by an eight-to-three vote, legislation to give Twitter and other companies six-year tax breaks to move into the mid-Market/Tenderloin area which could effectively gentrify neighborhoods where the city’s poorest folks (many of them queer, transgender, immigrant and/or of color) currently reside. Three of the eight votes were cast by Supervisors who call themselves “progressives.” (Supervisor Jane Kim, David Chiu and Eric Mar). The three progressives Supervisors who opposed Twitter deal were John Avalos, David Campos, and Ross Mirkarimi.

SF Unions Rally to Support Wisconsin Workers, Condemn Corporate Greed

April 05, 2011 | 4 Comments

The rally, organized by the San Francisco Labor Council and part of a nationally coordinated “We are One” AFL-CIO campaign, began at the San Francisco headquarters of Bank of America, terminating at the San Francisco Federal Reserve building after passing by the offices of Chase Bank, Morgan Stanley, Deutsche Bank and the Hyatt Regency Hotel along the way.

Bait and Switch: A Walk Down Twitter Lane
(Part Two)

April 03, 2011 | 4 Comments

The corporate hucksters have really piled it on since I wrote my March 23 Fog City Journal article about the Great Twitter Tax Break. Predictably, once it became clear that our current City Fathers will kowtow to Twitter and give them a multi-million dollar dollop of corporate welfare, every Big Business crony and wanna-be in town has rushed to Silly Hall with their hands out. And, just as predictably, the majority of our Stupervisors have rushed to greet them, eager to win their favors.

Overheard in Fog City: Avalos Considering Mayoral Run
Peskin, Campos Out

April 03, 2011 | 9 Comments

The development provides former Supervisor Chris Daly a temporary reprieve on following through on his pledge in February to enter the race should no other leading progressive candidate enter the race.

Marketing and Promotion of Tobacco Products

April 02, 2011 | No Comments

Smoking is linked with lung cancer, emphysema, and other diseases. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) each year about 443,000 people die prematurely from smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke, and another 8.6 million live with a serious illness caused by smoking. Despite these risks, approximately 46.6 million U.S. adults smoke cigarettes. And cigarette smoking costs more than $193 billion, $97 billion in lost productivity plus $96 billion in health care expenditures.

Hellman to Run for Mayor of San Francisco?

April 01, 2011 | 3 Comments

The gruff and casual millionaire – who is not particularly given to public speaking – is expected to declare his candidacy in song while strumming a banjo on the steps of City Hall shortly before 11 a.m. this morning.

Hellman, who is also the chairman of The Bay Citizen, will bar The San Francisco Chronicle from the press event, according to Hellman insiders.

Court Jester Rates Class of 2011

March 27, 2011 | 12 Comments

And, given it’s getting ready to be the beginning of baseball season and we’re cutting players and making them feel miserable and making others feel great … I want to rate the value of the present members of the BOS individually on a scale of 1 to 10. Again, this is only my own humble opinion. Not being a religious man, I don’t claim that these are actually the choices of God. Passed down through me, as it were. Not that at all. No sir.

Save The Rave: Electronic Dance Music Community
Speaks Out

March 24, 2011 | 2 Comments

Public comment afforded many people, young and old, the chance to say how important EDM, rave culture and its values were to them. They spoke of acceptance, hope, and celebration of life. One young woman pleaded, “This is like my family. If you take this away from me, I don’t know where else to go.”

A Walk Down Twitter Lane

March 23, 2011 | 5 Comments

And up the street is the old Furniture Mart which Doug Shorenstein just bought for $110 million, so he can take advantage of the Twitter-inspired corporate welfare project that the current Board of Stupes is about to ram down our throats.

Zionist Extremist Hate Crime Against Rabbi Lerner:
Third Attack on His Home

March 16, 2011 | 3 Comments

This is the 3rd assault on his home since Lerner announced the award to Justice Goldstone whose report on Israel’s human rights violations during the Israeli assault on Gaza in Dec. 2008 and Jan.2009 was denounced by the State of Israel and by the AIPAC-dominated House of Representatives last year. You would not have known about the 2nd attack, which was reported to the police but not to the media because Lerner had been advised that not giving the attackers attention might make future attacks less likely. That strategy failed.

Mid-Market Payroll Tax Exemption:
Downtown’s Latest Land Grab

March 15, 2011 | 56 Comments

For decades, the stretch of Market Street between 5th Street and Van Ness Avenue has been a primary target for downtown special interests and their political allies. The slot between the Tenderloin and South of Market’s 6th Street had grown to be more alike its hardscrabble, adjoining neighborhoods than its past as a commercial destination. However, downtown’s plan to renew Market Street was always driven by their desire to line their pockets. With the needs of the neighborhoods not even a consideration, their grand plans to gentrify the area failed to take off.

Media Complaints Triggers SFPD Press Pass Revocations

March 15, 2011 | 2 Comments

While police policy specifically states press passes are reserved for outlets that regularly cover breaking news about fire and police events, a SFPD-issued press passes also provides access to press facilities at City Hall including the press box in Board chambers.