News
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Rollbacks could bring BART and Muni back from brink

05.28.2010
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Partially restored transportation budgets in San Francisco and the Bay Area put buses and trains back at the top of the news agenda this week. The Municipal Transportation Agency plans to gradually roll back this year’s budget cuts by July 2011, and BART is still contemplating how it should use an unexpected operating budget surplus of $18.4 million. On Thursday the San Francisco Chronicle reported on an agreement between Muni and its unions that would save the transportation agency more than $18 million. The agreement entails concessions from train operators that is the equivalent to giving up a raise. It has yet to be voted on and accepted by the rank and file.

News
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Harvey Milk remembered on Castro Street on day in his honor

05.24.2010
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[Video by Youtube user cjeungmills]
About 200 people gathered on Castro Street Saturday for the dedication of a plaque honoring slain San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk, the first openly gay politician in California, on the state’s first official Harvey Milk Day, which would have been his 80th birthday. » Read more

News
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Bay Area health care gets an upgrade

05.21.2010
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Bay Area hospitals were in the news this week, and while the news was not all good for the facilities’ administrators, even the bad news is likely to benefit patients. One facility, San Francisco’s Laguna Honda Hospital is nearing completion. Meanwhile, two other Bay Area hospitals have been slapped with fines by the California Department of Public Health. On Wednesday the San Francisco Chronicle reported on the near completion, after 10 years, of San Francisco’s Laguna Honda Hospital renovations. The restorations for the nursing home hospital are, reporter Erin Allday wrote, “state of the art.” With a price tag $585 million — $296 million of from voter-approved bonds — the hospital can accommodate 780 elderly patients who need skilled nursing and rehabilitation care.

Labor

Domestic workers’ call for reform aired in City Hall

05.21.2010
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Fair treatment of domestic workers rose to the top of the agenda of San Francisco leaders this week, unleashing an emotional response from workers who said their contributions to society were under-valued.
“Domestic workers are the backbone of the economy, working to ensure the health of others and freeing others to work in the workforce,” said Supervisor Eric Mar. » Read more

News
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Better test scores roll in; fewer truants sought

05.14.2010
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California made progress in two ways this week to improve student achievement, with the passing of an anti-truancy bill and the release of a list with California’s lowest- and highest-ranking schools. On Thursday KTVU via the Associated Press reported on the state Senate-approved bill, SB 1317, which gives prosecutors the power to charge parents of chronically truant kids from kindergarten through eighth grade with misdemeanors. Parents of kids who miss too much school could face up to a year in jail and a $2,000 fine.  
State Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, who proposed the measure, said SB1317 “is a public safety measure, because children who do poorly in school or drop out are more likely to commit crimes.” Leno also told the Associated Press: “Three-quarters of our state inmate population are high school dropouts.”
 
The measure passed the Senate by a 21-9 vote, even with several Republican senators changing their votes from yes to no.  
On Friday the San Francisco Chronicle reported on the yearly release of California’s school rankings.

City Hall
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Supervisors support fee deferment to encourage building in the city

05.12.2010
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In an effort to encourage more construction and economic growth, the city may offer developers an easier fee process, with many of the fees delayed until occupancy.
The Board of Supervisors passed two ordinances Tuesday, written by Mayor Gavin Newsom and Supervisor Bevan Dufty, which streamline the fee collection process and allow for deferral of some development fees. » Read more

City Hall
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Supervisors consider sidewalk policing as public debate heats up

05.11.2010
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The broadest debate to date on Mayor Gavin Newsom’s proposal to criminalize the act of sitting or lying on the city’s public sidewalks landed in City Hall Monday.
 
The controversy centers around how and if civility could be legislated, and what is the most effective way to curb antisocial behavior while maintaining the basic rights of the city’s residents. » Read more

Immigration
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‘Sanctuary city’ policy threatened by federal database

05.10.2010
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 A new federal program is reigniting a longstanding debate about whether San Francisco can shield criminal suspects who have not been convicted of a crime from immigration authorities.
Secure Communities, a Department of Homeland Security initiative to place information from local law enforcement into a federal immigration database, will be installed in the San Francisco jail system next month. » Read more

City Hall
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Muni cuts begin Saturday; drivers fear backlash

05.07.2010
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Muni riders can anticipate longer wait times and shorter service hours beginning Saturday. And drivers fear the changes could spark angry reactions from passengers.
The San Francisco Municipal Transit Agency voted April 20 to reduce services by 10 percent in order to close a $12 million budget deficit by July 1, according to an online letter issued by the SFMTA. » Read more