Wade Crowfoot, former aide for Supervisor Aaron Peskin, is back from the London School of Economics, and Mayor Gavin Newsom wasted no time, snatching him up Thursday as liason to the BOS. Before leaving for school, Crowfoot was known as the backbone of the DCCC, a possible D8 candidate and all around fine fellow. ...

Gerardo Sandoval now has the SF Labor Council endorsement to add to the D11 Democratic Club on his next mailer. ...

The fight over Proposition K -- the new gross receipts tax -- is really heating up. Here's Ryan Chamberlain of No on K, famous citywide for his e-mail campaigning:

"See, I met up with some friends for dinner last night. Thing is, I had already eaten, but I joined up just to be social. I ordered an appetizer to be polite. Then lo and behold, the bill comes and this guy says, "I need $50 from you." Huh? Fifty? But I ordered an $8 appetizer?!?! He gave me this look...you know...that look that's calling you a cheapskate and a mooch? "We divided the bill up equally. You're going to pay your fair share, aren't you." And of course, the guy pointing the finger for money was the guy who ordered the biggest steak on the menu, apps for the table (that nobody wanted) and chased it all with three high-end scotch-rocks. So now I need 20 bucks to help cover this bill.

"And that, my friends, is the story of Proposition K!

"Do not let the term "fair share" guilt you into allowing Prop K to happen. Over-consuming special-interests throughout City government are trying to get their steaks subsidized through this back-room deal. This measure will pillage small businesses. Once again, Prop K is a gross receipts tax. So it hits a business on the top line...before payroll, before rent, before insurance, etc. You might be losing money, and still have to pay this tax. And, as an added bonus, it further taxes distributions to owners/partners."

The No on K folks seriously think the most people -- candidates even -- don't know that "gross receipts" doesn't mean "profits tax."

And now the Yes on K folks are getting their act together. Tuesday -- same day as the Ex article on K polling, and as Chamberlain's e-mail, the Yes on K site went up with this teaser:

"Please Join Our Campaign!

"The "Save the Services" campaign is in full swing and we want you to join us. Please check out our new website at www.savetheservices.com and pass this email along to your friends.
San Francisco Propositions J, K & O protect basic services that are the heart of our compassionate city. State and federal cutbacks have put San Francisco in a financial crisis - the largest deficit in the city's history - and now essential services are at risk. City Hall is doing its part. City leaders consolidated departments, eliminated wasteful perks, and reformed the way services are delivered to improve efficiency.
City workers volunteered to cut their own pay. But there is still a gap. Propositions J, K & O are a priority for San Franciscans.
Other cities around the state have closed their deficits by cutting services for those most in need: services such as health clinics, mental health programs, firehouses, parks, recreation centers and after-school programs. In San Francisco, we do things differently. We take care of our children, seniors and the poor.
Join Mayor Gavin Newsom and a broad coalition of business leaders, labor groups and service providers in voting YES on Propositions J, K & O."

Then No on K consultant Jim Ross sent out the following blast:

"Small Business Owners Call on the Yes on JK&O Campaign To Get The Facts Straight

"San Francisco- The Coalition of Small Business owners who have joined together to defeat Proposition K, today called on the Proponents of Proposition K to get the facts straight.

"The several inaccuracies on the Yes on JK&O website include:

· “Exempts small businesses that earn less than $500,000.” Proposition K is a gross receipts tax, it is on all of the money a business takes in, even if it is earning nothing or losing money.

· “Exempts small business” it seems like the proponents can even get their misleading statements straight. In one section they say this exempts small businesses that earn more than $500,000, then in another they state it exempts small business all together. The truth is small businesses will carry the burden of this tax. 93% of businesses who pay this tax will be small businesses.

· “Restoring a gross receipts tax on businesses earning more than $500,000 per year.” The previous tax was a one or the other situation, a business had to pay a payroll tax or the gross receipts tax which ever was higher. This is a new tax on top of the salary tax.

· That this tax is at a lower rate. That is true but the threshold for the previous tax was $2 million, this was a real exemption for small business.

· This tax is in response to a lawsuit brought by business groups. This one is true, but small business had nothing to do with the lawsuit, no small business was party to the suit. In fact it was Mr. Hellman’s allies among big businesses that lead the charge on the lawsuit that eliminated the previous business tax and now they want small business to pay the bill.

"Small Business Leader Scott Hauge stated “Small business are not exempt from Proposition K, in fact they are specifically targeted by this tax.” He went on to say. “This tax will add to San Francisco’s tax rate, a tax rate that is the highest on the west coast. Big businesses are leaving town because of these taxes but small business are committed to staying in town and serving our neighborhoods.”

Proposition K is a ballot measure in San Francisco that will create a new tax. This tax is a .1% tax on gross receipts or all money a business takes in regardless of expenses. It also changes San Francisco’s payroll tax to include pass-through entities such as partnerships. It was placed on the ballot by the Mayor and Board of Supervisors."

Sometimes it really pays off to read through all the neighborhood group e-mails. Courtesy of Matt Gonzalez aide Dave Grenell, here's the official City Hall D5 agenda for the next few months:
* Panhandle Bathroom
* Haight Street toilet
* Tree planting
* Tree trimming at Turk Street near Filmore, and perhaps more lighting
* CNG station at Golden Gate Park
* Getting the zoo to transfer its two elephans to sanctuary
* Cracking down on abuse of medical pot laws
* Attempting to open up DMV parking lot for night-time parking
* Continuing efforts to get MUNI to use low-emissions biodiesel fuel
* Wave-generation power project at Ocean Beach
* Tidal power project under the Golden Gate bridge, with a demostration project possibly leading to a bond measure
* Prohibition of .50 caliber wapons and ammunition
* Liquor store ban on lower Fillmore
* Domestic partners ordinance to stop rent increases for family member move-ins
* Implementation of ranked choice voting
Possible legislation:
* Independent monitoring for homeless shelters
* Hydrogen technology and fueling station
* Warning labels for fish with high risk of mercury poisoning
* Restricting animal research at UCSF
* Prohibiting elephants at SF Zoo

J.K. Dineen writes about Monster Park in the Tuesday Examiner. And another ballot measure bites the dust. ...

The Small Business Advocates endorsement in D5 goes to Francis Somsel and Jim Siegel. That's a good independent business endorsement from the group fighting with the mayor and his team on Proposition K.

National Women's Political Caucus SF endorsements:
District 1: Lillian Sing
District 2: Michela Alioto-Pier
District 5: Lisa Feldstein
District 7: No Endorsement
District 9: Renee Saucedo
District 11: Rebecca Silverberg
School Board: Heather Hiles, Jane Kim, Jill Wynns
Community College Board: Natalie Berg

Supervisor challenger Lucrecia Bermudez is spanking incumbent Tom Ammiano for welcoming the Guardian Angels into the Mission in an effort to combat street crime. One pithy paragraph: "If someone is wounded or killed, or somebody's civil or legal rights are violated because of the presence or actions of this 'informal' group of goons, who is responsible? The City? Supervisor Ammiano? Gavin Newsom? The cops? Nobody is talking about those issues and everyone prays the PR stunt can last without incident until Election Day." … There hasn't been much squawking about the Angels, though, with one longtime Mission activist remarking that they serve to put a spotlight on the needs of poorer neighborhoods that normally escape City Hall's attention. …

Best house sign spotted on the trail: Michael O'Connor for District 5. Win or lose, this retro placard with a childishly drawn streetscape and the slogan "Civic Thought, Civic Action" is a keeper. …

Heather blows the cap, first time in history?

"SF ETHICS COMMISSION ANNOUNCES THAT THE VOLUNTARY SPENDING LIMIT HAS BEEN LIFTED FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD

The San Francisco Ethics Commission announced today that San Francisco’s $90,000 voluntary spending limit for candidates for the Board of Education of the San Francisco Unified School District in the November election has been lifted. Elimination of the spending limit was triggered by one candidate, Heather Hiles, who rejected the voluntary spending limit and made expenditures of funds in excess of the spending limit. Yesterday afternoon, Ms. Hiles filed a form, as required by law, indicating that she had made expenditures to her campaign exceeding 100 percent of the $90,000 voluntary spending limit. Accordingly, by law, the Ethics Commission is required to lift the spending limit.

The Commission has notified all candidates for the School Board that the spending limit is no longer in effect in that election.

Under the City’s Campaign Finance Reform Ordinance, the voluntary spending limit for candidates for the office of Board of Education is lifted if a candidate who does not agree to abide by the spending limits receives contributions or makes qualified campaign expenditures in excess of 100 percent of the $90,000 voluntary spending limit. The limit is also lifted when a committee, or committees in the aggregate, make independent expenditures in support of or in opposition to a candidate that exceed 100 percent of the $90,000 spending limit.

Michael Garcia, Chairperson of the Ethics Commission, said: “It’s clear that the voters want voluntary spending limits because they approved it by a vote of nearly 80 percent in 1999. However, the lifting of the limits for the first time in a school board race makes clear that the Commission must revisit the law and make adjustments as necessary to make sure that spending limits are meaningful. I hope the Commission will be able to consider these matters after the November election.”
All candidates running for City office who agreed by the deadline to comply with the voluntary spending limits are acknowledged in the Voter Information Handbook distributed to San Francisco voters."

Candidate to watch in District 1: Leanna Dawydiak. Running as a moderate in the world of San Francisco politics, cop Dawydiak says she’d gotten used to a far-left label within the Police Department. “With the culture of the department, I’m considered left of Mao Zedong,” she said. “I’ve been called a ‘commie.’ ” …

While Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a model Republican on economic issues and appeases liberal state voters with his social stances, he’s earned the anger of a conservative pro-family group, which last week went ugly on the governor, using his favorite tongue-in-cheek slight to ding him for carrying out the “homosexual agenda” and signing an insurance coverage bill for domestic partners. Yes, according to the Campaign for California Families, Schwarzenegger is a “girlie man.” …

You know you’ve entered the world of San Francisco politics when wanting more parking makes you’re a conservative. ... when one side calls the move to preserve the low-rent Trinity Plaza apartments “saving rent control” and the other calls it “keeping dangerous slums.” ...

Pledge to vote, enter to win $100,000. You're doing it anyway. ...

Welcome news for some:

ETHICS COMMISSION ANNOUNCES FULL FUNDING OF CAMPAIGN FINANCE PROGRAM

The San Francisco Ethics Commission today announced that it will no longer pro-rate funding under the Election Campaign Fund and that participating candidates will be able to qualify for the maximum $43,750.00 allowed under the law. Due to a funding shortfall, the Ethics Commission previously had limited each candidate who qualified for public financing to $28,500 in matching funds.

The Commission has been working with the Mayor and Board of Supervisors to identify funding sources for the program. Initial funding was $670,000, about enough to provide maximum grants to 15 candidates who qualified for the full amount. Although the Commission was planning to seek a direct supplemental appropriation, that process could have taken until the end of October. Instead, funds for this election cycle will be used out of other accounts from the Ethics Commission’s operating budget and then replaced later in the fiscal year with a supplemental appropriation. This method allows candidates to seek additional matching funds immediately.

Ethics Commission Chairperson Michael L. Garcia praised Mayor Gavin Newsom and Supervisor Chris Daly for their efforts to secure funding for the program, which was created by a voter initiative known as “Proposition O” in 2000. He stated, “Mayor Newsom has really come through for this program. Due to the short time left before the election, swift action was needed and the Mayor and his staff responded to our request for assistance with speed and efficiency.” Garcia also pointed out that Supervisor Daly introduced a separate supplemental request to fully fund the campaign finance program. “I commend Supervisor Daly’s leadership on this issue,” Garcia added. “The public financing program is important to the citizens of San Francisco, and Supervisor Daly took the initiative to solve this glaring problem.” Daly is Chair of the Board of Supervisors Finance Committee.

“This funding solution also fixes another vexing problem,” Garcia added. “A supplemental appropriation at this time, however necessary, would have forced some members of the Board of Supervisors to face voting for campaign funds for themselves and/or their opponents. Such an awkward situation is symptomatic of some issues with Proposition O that need to be addressed in the future.”

Spelling is fixed on Ramos' site. ...

The Nader for President campaign today plans to kick off a write-in campaign with rallies on San Francisco and Berkeley campuses. Independent candidate Ralph Nader’s vice-presidential running mate, former gubernatorial candidate and Green Party member Peter Camejo, plans to appear at a noontime rally at San Francisco State University and an evening event at California State University, Berkeley. He will detail an “aggressive” write-in campaign for states like California where the Nader ticker failed to qualify for the ballot. ...

Community College Board trustee Julio Ramos has a new Web site. But he might want to spell check the text before putting it up, especially words like "education."

The San Francisco Bike Coalition has endorsed incumbents Jake McGoldrick, Tom Ammiano, Aaron Peskin and Gerardo Sandoval for re-election, and picked Ross Mirkarimi as its sole candidate in the hotly contested District 5. It backed no candidates in Districts 2 and 7. ... Meanwhile, the Guardian won't endorse until early October, according to City Editor Steve Jones. ...

Something about Monday night's District 1 forum makes one wonder if Supervisor Jake McGoldrick's not missing the forest for the trees. Locked in a fight with the groups organizers, the pro-business, pro-Newsom SFSOS, McGoldrick and his stalking horse challenger Rose Tsai refused to attend. Outside, an RBA guy handed out Tsai accusations against SOS, and McGoldrick talked about refusing to give the forum legitimacy after about 30 of his supporters walked out of the meeting hall at USF. ... But who was left inside? More than 250 people, and at least 200 looked like real live district residents. That's a rare sight in San Francisco politics, where these rooms are usually packed with insiders and campaign volunteers. Jake could have stood out in the room, since his four challengers are running on almost indistinguishable moderate platforms. ... Leanna Dawydiak rose above the others just a bit, railing on Presidio development, and on the budget deficit and taxes, saying, "We wouldn't be in this mess if City Hall would learn it's not an employment agency." She also stood when speaking after an audience member complained about low volume. The others continued to sit. ... On the way out, one older woman commented to a another - "Jake McGoldrick just lost my vote. You know I voted for him last time and I was going to vote for him again." The challengers did very little wowing, but Jake definitely made an impression. Many voters were talking about SOS and Republican ties - a la McGoldrick's charges - and they seemed confused and upset by the incumbents stunt. And voters talk to each other. ...

This Just In:

NEWSOM NAMES MARGARET BRODKIN AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN, YOUTH AND THEIR FAMILIES
San Francisco, CA - Mayor Newsom announced today his appointment of Margaret Brodkin to head the Department of Children, Youth and their Families (DCYF). Margaret has been the Executive Director of Coleman Advocates for Children and Youth since 1978. DCYF is one of the few city departments in the country dedicated exclusively to young people. The department enhances the lives of San Francisco’s children and youth through innovative partnerships with parents and youth, community organizations, city departments, schools, funders and the private sector.

"I am proud to appoint Margaret Brodkin as the new Executive Director of the Department of Children, Youth and their Families," said Mayor Newsom. "Under her leadership, Coleman has become one of San Francisco’s most respected and influential organizations, making children one of the city’s highest public policy priorities," Newsom continued, "Margaret has been a pioneer in developing the theory and practice of local child advocacy.
Under her leadership, Coleman Advocates’ work is known nationally, and is being replicated in communities throughout the country."

During her tenure as Director of Coleman Advocates, Ms. Brodkin has successfully fought for reforms in San Francisco’s juvenile justice, child welfare, health, recreation, and child care systems; expansion of preventative community based services for families; increased planning and accountability in the service delivery system; and increased funding for children’s services.
Ms. Brodkin has authored many of Coleman’s publications, including four "Children’s Budgets", five "Profiles of San Francisco’s Children," a series of four reports on youth development, "Making Children a Priority of Our
Local Communities," report cards on elected officials, hundreds of briefing papers on children’s policy, three reports on the impact of budget cuts on community based services, three guidebooks on civic engagement, and "From Sandboxes to Ballot Boxes."

"I am excited for the opportunity to serve the City and County of San Francisco as Executive Director of the Department of Children, Youth and their Families," said Ms. Brodkin. "Commitment to our children and offering
the necessary support and foundation for our families is essential to our growth as a healthy and vital society," Ms. Brodkin continued, "Once again San Francisco leads the way in recognizing this fact by making the appropriate investments in our young people and families to help ensure a bright future."

Ms. Brodkin has led a successful $1.4 million capital campaign to allow Coleman to create an advocacy community center in the neighborhood in San Francisco with the highest population of children. The new Center is a model for integrating neighborhood services and community organizing with broader child advocacy strategies and issues.

Ms. Brodkin graduated from Oberlin College in 1965 and received her Master’s Degree in Social Welfare from Case Western Reserve University in 1967. She is a member of the Academy of Certified Social Workers and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in California.

Benjamin Vanderford, the 23-year-old beheading video hoaxer and one-time supervisor candidate is back in the game in San Francisco's ultra-liberal District 5, making commercial videos for candidates. For Francis Somsel, a moderate Democrat, Vanderford and his cohort in the short beheading film aired as real on Arab TV charged $200 for a 98-second spot filmed mostly at Alamo Square. For Rob Anderson, a codgery candidate who likes to talk smack on hip-hop culture and bike advocates, he produced a video pro bono. But Vanderford said he's not sure the gruff Anderson, a one-time draft resister, will approve of the commercial: too sentimental. ... The FBI in San Francisco said Thursday they thought the U.S. Attorney's Office had declined to press charges against Vanderford, and inquiries to the USAO are pending. Vandeford said the FBI appeared concerned only that he had no genuine terror ties. ... The "vidiot," as the New York Post termed Vanderford, has a history of producing "conceptual rap" including a foul-mouthed parody of the little-known band Coil. ... "Why mock a band with 1,000 fans?" one Web posting asks. ... Vanderford's Web site now boasts of the fake beheading stunt that briefly fooled international media last month. ... He declined comment on whether he still has his job as a bank teller. ...

Rick Bruce is a cop with the soul of a poet. Here are a couple bits of his daily e-mails, which the Bayview Station captain fills with updates about community policing and enforcement:

TUESDAY

You Know It's a Bad Day When ...
You take one day off and your secretary phones you that afternoon to tell you that your office has been infested with fleas from the feral cats that live in the station parking lot. When you inquire as to the steps being taken to eradicate the flea infestation, she then informs you that they really can't deal with the fleas right now, because the plumbers are trying to figure out why raw sewage is backing up in your office's rest-room.
Lesson learned: don't take any days off.

WEDNESDAY

Saga of the Cats
As mentioned yesterday, we have a collection of cats which have taken up residence in Bayview Station's parking lot. Some time ago, the SPCA ensured that the cats were all spayed, but this is apparently flea season and the cats are now supporting a large community of fleas. We spoke with the SPCA who suggested that we buy some "Advantage" and apply it to the cats, and we intend to do this. Many of the officers have taken to the cats and provide them with food and water, which is of course why they choose to remain in our parking lot. If you are good with cats and could assist us with the application of the Advantage, please drop me a line and we'll enlist you to help out with our flea / cat problem.

Ah, this guy makes you just love the force. ...

S.F. Young Dems Endorse:

District 1: Matt Tuchow
District 2: Michela Alioto-Pier
District 3: Aaron Peskin
District 5: Bill Barnes
District 7: Postponed
District 9: Miguel Bustos
District 11: Rebecca Silverberg
School Board: Heather Hiles, David Weiner, Jill Wynns, Norman Yee
Community College Trustee: Julio Ramos, Natalie Berg, Milton Marks

BALLOTS TO JAM THE COGS

"Bring the Troops Home" site goes live - Yes on N

"Of all the enemies to the public liberty war is, perhaps, the most to be dreaded, because it comprises and develops the germ of every other. There is an inequality of fortunes, and the opportunities of fraud, growing out of a state of war, and ... degeneracy of manners and of morals ... No nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare."
- James Madison

BALLOTS TO JAM THE COGS

What's This Site For?

Stumbling around the 60-some Web sites organized around the November supervisor races, it's clear that some are great advertisements and some are just placeholders for election-oriented e-mail addresses. And past the catchy colors and "Host a House Party" bugs, there isn't a heck of a lot of policy on the pages. Christine Linnenbach's D7 site is an exception. ...

What's This Site For?

Indeed, Lisa Feldstein was arrested on Labor Day as part of the Local 2 action. Also among those cited and released were Tom Ammiano, Robert Haaland, Sara Shortt, Renee Saucedo, Leroy King, Walter Johnson, Father Louie Vitale, Sister Bernie Galvin and many more. ...

Dan Kalb in D5 has picked up the endorsement of Angela Alioto. That could help or hurt, depending on whether any of incumbent Matt Gonzalez's supporters in the district still harbor ill-will towards Alioto for her mayoral runoff endorsement of Mayor Gavin Newsom. ...

Interesting claim on Bill Barnes' candidate questionnaire for the Bike Coalition: not only does he ride a bike, he never learned to drive a car. ...

Will she be arrested as well? ...

MEDIA ADVISORY
Date: Monday, September 6
Time: 11:00 a.m.
Location: Market Street, between 3rd & 4th Streets
In front of the Four Seasons Hotel, San Francisco

LISA FELDSTEIN TO RALLY WITH SAN FRANCISCO HOSPITALITY WORKERS ON LABOR DAY

Feldstein Stands For Health Benefits and Decent Wage for Workers

San Francisco, Calif., September 6, 2004 – Lisa Feldstein, Supervisorial candidate for District Five and Labor activist, will rally on Labor Day with UNITE HERE Local 2, which represents 12,000 hospitality workers in San Francisco and San Mateo Counties. Feldstein supports Local 2 workers in their negotiations with the Multi-Employer Group, an organization that represents 14 of the largest downtown Class A hotels, and which have so far refused to guarantee the maintenance of employees’ health benefits.

“We are standing on the front lines of the battle for health care, decent wages and simple basic dignity for all, and I can think of no nobler cause,” said Lisa Feldstein. " On Labor Day, I honor Labor by joining my brothers and sisters from UNITE HERE Local 2, who are fighting to defend the livelihoods of their families,” added Feldstein.

About Lisa Feldstein: Feldstein, who lives in the Haight/Cole Valley with her husband and their 6-year-old daughter, comes from a union family. As a former city employee, she organized Special Assistants to gain union representation and works for the Professional and Technical Engineers Local 21 AFL-CIO as Policy Analyst. She is proud of her work to improve the lives of City employees and residents through the union. Her work reflects her commitment to improving the lives of City employees and residents through the union, and to social justice. More information about Lisa Feldstein for Supervisor District 5 is available at http://www.lisafeldstein.com

About UNITE HERE Local 2: UNITE HERE Local 2 represents over 12,000 workers in the hospitality industries of San Francisco and San Mateo. In 2004, more than 8,000 workers will struggle to renegotiate contracts in 60 of San Francisco's premiere hotels. More information is available at http://www.unitehere2.org

D1 Supe Jake McGoldrick’s housing record - highlights
* In 2001 sponsored a bill that would have limited the number of annual tenancies-in-common, a real estate transaction in which a group of people buy and occupy a multi-unit building, often pushing out tenants. A judge in * 2002 lifted the restriction, finding it in conflict with state law
* Supported affordable housing bond measures in 2002 and 2004
* Sponsored 2002 law beefing up the affordable housing requirement for new development
* Led the charge in 2002 to oppose HOPE, a measure to allow tenants to buy their units that was criticized as a loosening of rent control laws
* Sponsored the 2001 measure aimed at curbing the live-work loft boom

Looks like all those who boycotted the D5 debate Wednesday night did the right thing. No fireworks from the stage - might as well stay at home and surf candidates' Web sites. ... One univited candidate, Brett Wheeler, on Wednesday made the best of a poor situation and turned his site into an interactive debate session, posting answers to panel questions in real time. ...

Making it official ...

**PRESS RELEASE**
NEWSOM NAMES JOSE CISNEROS AS NEW CITY TREASURER FOR THE CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO
San Francisco, CA – Mayor Gavin Newsom named Jose Cisneros as Treasurer for the City and County of San Francisco. Treasurer Cisneros most recently served as Deputy General Manager, Capital Planning and External Affairs for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. As Deputy General Manager for MUNI, Cisneros had the task of managing one of the largest capital improvement projects in San Francisco, MUNI’s $7 billion capital program, a 20-year plan to repair, replace and enhance system assets. As a member of the Board of Directors for the Municipal Transportation Agency from 2000 to 2002, Cisneros played a major role in directing the 7th largest transit system in the U.S. with an annual budget of over $450 million.
The Treasurer serves as the banker, tax collector, collection agent, and investment officer for the government of San Francisco, the only combined City and County in the State of California. An elective office created by the City Charter in 1850, the Treasurer supervises a department of ten sections that receives over $10.6 Billion and disburses over $8.49 billion annually.
"Jose Cisneros will bring to the City Treasurer’s Office the same level of expertise and commitment that he has shown in his management of various extensive capital improvement projects," said Mayor Newsom. "Jose will further the city’s commitment to diversity as a new member of the city’s elected family. I look forward to working closely with him as our new Treasurer."
Prior to his service as Deputy General Manager, Capital Planning and External Affairs, Cisneros served as Group Manager of Vertical Industry Marketing, and Financial Services for IBM Corporation, Lotus North America Marketing. As Group Manager, Cisneros led a team that grew revenues over 100 percent, reaching over $250 million in 2000. From 1999 through 1995, he served as Senior Manager and Senior International Product Manager for Lotus Development Corporation. As Assistant Vice President of Bank of Boston in 1982, Cisneros managed financial product portfolios of over $100 million.
"It is an honor to have the opportunity to serve our City as Treasurer, " said Mr. Cisneros. "I will draw upon my experience in the public and private sector to carefully manage our City’s money so that we can provide the best city services and programs," Cisneros continued, "I look forward to working with the elected family and the many outstanding people in the Treasurer’s Office for a financially sound and strong San Francisco."
Supervisor Bevan Dufty applauded the Mayor’s pick. "Jose is an outstanding choice with his blend of experience and success in government and business," said Supervisor Dufty. "Jose is a sound manager and fiscal watchdog following in the outstanding tradition of Treasurers Susan Leal and Mary Callinan."
Jose Cisneros graduated from an intensive International Business Program at Stichting Nijenrode University in Netherlands. He received his Bachelor of Science from Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and was an MBA candidate at Boston University.

Amit Ghosh's supporters are expected to line up for public comment before the Planning Commission (link to live video below) to complain that he has been taken off the Eastern Neighborhoods plan. Am told Deputy Director Larry Badiner will take over that work. Various players in the planning and development community believe Ghosh is responsible for the holdup in getting neighborhood plans completed, and that Director Gerald Green's sin has been a failure to reign in Ghosh and his shadow government at Planning. ... Ghosh does have many supporters, but it looks like Green is doing a little house-cleaning before a new director comes in. ...

Jose Cisneros is the Municipal Transportation Agency board member (former) who in 2001 proposed selling naming rights to Muni stations. Oh, the progs are going to love this. ...

Huge fight brewing at Planning, where long-term planner Amit Ghosh is sidelined after years of working at cross-purposes with Director Gerald Green. Live at 1:30 p.m. ...

Shocking! Prop. M is toast. ...

... Jose Cisneros is a board member of the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club, where former Treasurer Susan Leal found her political base. ...

Confirmed - Jose Cisneros to treasurer. Former Deputy Director of Capital Managment from Muni. ...

Mayor Gavin Newsom today at 3:30 p.m. will name a new treasurer. Bets are on Jose Cisneros, finance guy from Muni. ... Will update. ...

It all makes sense now. ... The Bicycle Coalition is conducting its online endorsement as we speak. Well, good for Ross and Dan. ...

No Police Commission meeting tonight after the agenda went online to late to comply with The City's Sunshine laws. ...

The Mirkarimi Bicycle Policy

The need for safer and easier cycling in San Francisco goes beyond the enjoyment people get out of riding their bicycles. The increased use of cycling as a standard mode of transportation is a public benefit to all. Increasing bike ridership will reduce traffic, provide for cleaner air, and increase everyone’s quality of life. There are a number of steps that should be taken to accomplish this.

Implement the Bike Plan. The city should completely implement the recommendations of the San Francisco Bike Plan to get new bike lanes in place. The SF Bike Plan is a well thought out plan that has had a thorough public process, has been responsive to public input, and has had the benefit of the input of professionals. The plan has looked at successful models in cities around the world and incorporated what works, as well as compensating for some of the unique characteristics of San Francisco. We must not let this plan sit on a shelf.

Go to Citywide Bike Planning. We need a big-picture approach to bicycle transit planning. The old piecemeal approach to evaluating a system of interconnected streets is not only ineffective, but is far more costly, as the same issues are analyzed over and over again. It’s as if each mile of the state and federal highway system were evaluated separately.

Implement Regional Planning. The Metropolitan Transit Authority is a regional body that takes direction from Bay Area cities to provide direction and funding for transit planning and projects. The Board of Supervisors should direct the Metropolitan Transit Authority to implement a bike network in San Francisco that is citywide and integrated with other Bay Area cities. Safe bike lanes on the Bay Bridge should be part of this effort.

Streamline the EIR Process. Currently, the Planning Department adds roadblocks to creating bike-only and bus-only lanes by requiring an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for each individual project. It would make more sense to create a single Programmatic Environmental Impact Report for the entire city, and the Bike Plan, and then issue exemptions (Negative Declarations) for the individual projects.
Unfortunately, the Board of Supervisors cannot require that the Planning Department issue such exemptions to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). According to CEQA, each case must be considered on its own merits. However, the Board of Supervisors can make rulings on appeals to CEQA decisions made by the Planning Department. The Board can also appoint Planning Commissioners who are favorably inclined to issue categorical exemptions to bike projects.

Fund Improvements as Part of Street Repairs. A funding mechanism modeled after the Oregon Bicycle Bill could help pay for improvement projects. When a street is repaired, a small portion of the funding would be used to include the bike improvements at the same time. The bike improvements then become a standard part of street design.

Remove Parking. In some cases, removing parking can facilitate bike lanes. For instance, we could create a shared bike-and-bus lane on Masonic Avenue by removing parking. Removing parking can also increase safety. Removing just a few parking spaces along Fell Street at the Panhandle near Masonic would enable motorists to better see cyclists.
The opposition to removing parking and automobile lands is predictable. However, the benefits of removing parking outweigh the inconvenience that some will experience with the loss of parking. Aside from facilitating bikes, the loss of parking has other positive effects: it discourages people to drive or even to own cars, and encourages the use of bicycles and mass transit, which results in less pollution in the air. The public roadway system should not benefit only private automobiles users. We must educate people that the roads belong to everyone and must be shared with bicycles and mass transit.

Add Colored Pavement for Bike Lanes. Pavement with incorporated color (not just painted) has been successful in other cities for traffic calming and for keeping autos out of the lanes. There are several types of colored paving systems available that are inexpensive, including mixes for hot asphalt for new pavement.
We should conduct a large pilot program for colored bike lanes throughout the City, in different types of situations, and using different colors, as the SF Bike Plan recommends.
The results of the pilot program should include recommendations for moving forward with permanent colored lanes. That is, the Pilot Plan should result in a tangible Implementation Plan.

Create Bicycle Boulevards. There are streets where continuous auto traffic is facilitated. We should not require that autos have this privilege on every street. Some streets can be turned into bicycle boulevards that share the road with cars, but give bikes a higher priority over autos. Good candidates for bicycle boulevards are those that are not the main auto thoroughfares but run parallel to them. Page Street is an example of a good candidate for a bicycle boulevard.

Promote Bike Parking and Facilities

Increasing secure bicycle parking and facilities, such as showers and lockers, will enable more people to bicycle to work and reduce the number of cars on the roads. There are several steps that the city should take to create these facilities.

Install Bike Parking in City Garages. The Board of Supervisors can direct city-owned and private garages to remove parking spaces for cars to provide bike parking with built-in locks. There is a law on the books that requires some bike parking but it is limited. We need to expand the number of bicycle parking spaces and provide secure lockups.

Improve the Planning Code. The Board of Supervisors can make changes to the Planning Code that encourage the inclusion of bike parking and shower and locker facilities in new office buildings over a certain size. Currently, new developments are required to provide automobile parking, but no bicycle facilities.

Use Incentives to Add Bike Facilities. The city should use tax incentives to encourage the addition of facilities in existing businesses, universities, and hospitals. Some universities already include showers and lockers as part of athletic or gym facilities. We should push these organizations to open the shower facilities to staff and students who are commuting via bicycle.

Supply Bike Racks to Public High Schools and Colleges. The city should provide secure, high-quality bike lockers to cash-strapped education institutions that need them. This could include the high schools of the San Francisco Unified School District and colleges such as San Francisco City College and San Francisco State University.

Bikes and Muni

It has been Muni’s character to be resistant to change. Muni resists proposals to reroute lines or change bus stops that would benefit public institutions such as schools. It also resists the bicycle aspects of San Francisco’s Transit-First Policy and resists the use of clean alternative fuel technology. In fact, these issues are linked. There are concrete steps the city should take to improve Muni’s impact on bicycles.

Add Bike Lanes Along Muni Bus Routes. In many cases, it makes sense to put bike lanes along Muni routes. These routes most directly connect different parts of the city, taking travelers to important destinations, and tend to go around the steeper hills. The fact is that cyclists are using these routes now. Adding bike lanes makes it safer for the current users.

Move Bus Stops. Muni should make adjustments to the location of bus and streetcar stops, where the juxtaposition of autos, bikes, and unloading passengers creates an unsafe situation for cyclists and pedestrians. Often a simple relocation or reconfiguration of a stop would greatly improve the situation.

Increase the Number of Bike-Carrying Buses. Buses that carry bicycles provide cyclists a greater range of travel, but the number of these buses is limited. Currently, about a dozen Muni bus routes are guaranteed to have bike racks. We need to install bike racks on more buses, and increase the number of bikes that each bus can carry, which is currently two.

Provide Cleaner Air for Cyclists. For cyclists traveling along lines that use diesel buses, the diesel exhaust is a health hazard proven to cause cancer and asthma. Alternative energy fuel technology and the electrification of diesel lines benefits everyone, particularly cyclists on these lines and riders waiting at bus stops.

Diversify Funding for Muni. Muni-related bike solutions need funding that often is not available. The problem of Muni funding can be addressed by diversifying the sources of funding. This would include successive increases in parking taxes, as called for in the city’s Sustainability Plan. We should require developers of new projects to kick in more funding as a condition of permit approval. The city should implement a new downtown assessment tax to provide additional Muni funding. Muni fares should remain low to encourage usage.

Improve Muni Service. It is important to improve Muni. Increased use of Muni will remove cars from the streets, making the roads safer for cyclists and pedestrians. We should use additional funds to first prevent cutbacks that threaten Muni. The city should then expand Muni service in terms of frequency. There needs to be more and better connections between Muni lines and regional transit.
Speeding up bus routes also encourages use. We have a good opportunity on Geary Boulevard to add a bus-dedicated lane in the middle of the road, which also improves bike safety as well as speeding up service. We should create other groups like the Geary Transit Corridor Citizens’ Advisory Committee to study similar possibilities for other streets. Also, while there are many ways to get downtown from various parts of town, we need to rethink the transit connections of some of the lines, to make it faster and easier to go from one part of town to another.

A Note on the Rights of Cyclists
We must recognize that adult cyclists as well as children on bikes have a right to safety. They have the right to safe streets to ride on, the right to a secure area to park bikes, and the right that stolen bikes will be treated as crimes that will be fully prosecuted as a deterrent to further bike theft.Unwarranted, targeted actions against cyclists, such as that by the New York Police Department at the Republican National Convention, are unacceptable. We need to call on our city and cities around the country to hold police accountable for any instances of brutality against bicyclists when they occur.

© Perhaps the Ethics Commission should be looking into a new Web site that purports to represent Richmond tenants angry about District 1 Supervisor Jake McGoldrick's refusal to support Rent Board reforms. Problem is, the main forces opposing McGoldrick's re-election are landlord interests, and this dubious site was created last week using a fake address and telephone number. ... With the landlords at Jake's throat, turning tenants against him is a smart move. This looks like the kind of dirty trick we saw in last year's mayoral campaign. ...

The big-spending Building Owners and Managers Association Political Action Committee is gunning hard for Jake McGoldrick in District 1. In a ranked-choice endorsement, it endorsed Lillian Sing, David Heller and Leanna Dawydiak. … In District 2, BOMA picked incumbent Michela Alioto-Pier; in D3 it declined to back anyone; in D5 it picked Andrew Sullivan; in D7, Sean Elsbernd; in D9, no one; and in D11, Myrna Lim. …

Ok, who pulled the fast one? Just before 11 a.m. Tuesday, Dan Kalb's District 5 supervisor campaign e-mailed out an invite for a Labor Day bike tour of the district where Kalb will talk about his bike policies. Several hours later, around 5 p.m., candidate Ross Mirkarimi announced that he will unleash his bicycle policy today. ...