Heading into the holiday season after dwelling on ghosts has me thinking about Charles Dickens’s “A Christmas Carol.” While winter weather is seemingly far away from San Francisco lately, the tale of Ebenezer being visited by three ghosts leading to his transformation and reformation feels ever closer in relation to what our City is facing.
As we prepare to pay our federal and state income taxes pursuant to two extensions granted this year by the always-benevolent Internal Revenue Service and Franchise Tax Board, I’m reminded of quips meriting reiteration, such as: “Sorry people feel the government owes them a living! The rest of us would gladly settle for a small tax refund.”
My apologies to those who have tried to contact me over the last several weeks. I had a medical emergency that prevented me from carrying out my duties as editor.
One of the first questions that I was asked after I filed to run for district supervisor was: “Are you a progressive or a moderate?”
Billionaires blame Progressives’ policies when nothing could be further from the truth. The City’s ills are the direct result of decades of so-called moderate mayors who prioritized big business over struggling San Franciscans.
San Francisco is grappling with homelessness and a drug crisis. Perceived misunderstandings of harm reduction approaches, inefficient housing strategies, and uncritical acceptance of status quo policies by city-funded nonprofits are exacerbating the problems. The public pushes for stronger responses such as implementing more shelters and treatments, and police reinforcement. Innovative treatment programs like ‘Seeking Safety,’ stressing varying support measures, could be more effective. Policymakers must prioritize both the vulnerable population and community safety.
As supervisor, while prohibited by Charter Section 2.114 to directly interfere with the City’s administration and operation, we do have the power of inquiry and can hold departments accountable by requesting they provide reports, program data and information on operation policies.
I always enjoy thinking about the Richmond District’s secret, nearly forgotten part of San Francisco history; the neighborhood used to house many cemeteries before we built houses here.
Chief Justice Earl Warren of the United States Supreme Court in the 1950s and ‘60s (who swore me in as a lawyer entitled to practice law in the U.S. Supreme Court, which I never did!), when governor of California, began a political address thusly: “Ladies and gentlemen, I’m pleased to see the dense crowd here tonight.” A voice from the back shouted: “Don’t be too pleased. We ain’t all dense!”
Many neighbors see the work I do to spur positive action and community in the Richmond District (I try to lead by example with integrity, both online and off) and they are constantly asking me what they can do to get involved and help our neighborhood. Here is the list I share with them.
Follow the $$$ By Julie Pitta They burst on the political scene with harmless-sounding names – “Neighbors for a Better San Francisco,” “TogetherSF Action,” and “GrowSF” – and slick websites that described […]
Tewolde, 60, was a recent heart surgery survivor. He passed away on Aug. 29, five days after being put in a coma, brain dead and in intensive care. His passing was devastating – the community was praying for a different outcome.
We built things to make it safer, reliable and improved. If we needed to do that now, what would we face? Complaints about the noise created by the foghorns. Upsetting the natural views with a giant International Orange-colored suspension bridge. This is an opportunity for innovation and growth. We shouldn’t hold hostage any new changes to the need to prevent any possible harm. Community inputs and insights should be helping improve changes and understanding how to best mitigate the transition.
A perk of serving as one of Mayor London Breed’s appointees to the San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center’s board of trustees is the availability of complimentary tickets to performances by the San Francisco Opera, San Francisco Symphony and San Francisco Ballet companies. One trustee, former jurist and growling, frequently scolding, public purse watchdog, the proud curmudgeon Quentin Kopp, has taken advantage of this perk since joining the board in October 2021, and the California Form 802 monthly disclosures listing the number of free seats he’s received needs sunshining.
Words of wisdom include the observation that a criminal doesn’t care who makes the laws of this country so long as they are not enforced.
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Richmond Review/Sunset Beacon 