Tag: Julie Pitta

Commentary: Julie Pitta

San Francisco voters are disgruntled. Their unease is being manipulated by a moneyed elite with a self-interested agenda. Members of the school board were blamed for the struggles of an education system long starved of resources. A district attorney was held responsible for an uptick in crime that was a consequence of a worsening gap between rich and poor.

Commentary: Julie Pitta

In news that came as no surprise to anyone, last month Marjan Philhour announced her third run for District 1 supervisor. Knocking out an incumbent – even in a district gerrymandered to improve her prospects – won’t be easy. That said, Philhour will benefit greatly from the largesse of the wealthiest political players in San Francisco, most notably the City’s tech elite.

Commentary: Julie Pitta

The billboard looms large over the mid-Richmond. For those who might have missed it, the brightly colored sign takes a swipe at the City’s response to the fentanyl crisis. Its banner teases, “That’s Fentalife!” The billboard is part of a $300,000 advertising campaign funded by Michael Moritz, a technology venture capitalist who is only the latest in a long line of business leaders willing to spend lavishly to influence San Francisco politics.

Commentary: Julie Pitta

We see it all too often: An unhoused neighbor in crisis. The San Francisco Police Department responds to tens of thousands of such calls each year. At a recent Police Commission meeting, Chris Herring, a sociology professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, said the practice is costly and frequently results in harm for our City’s most vulnerable.

Commentary: Julie Pitta

The shock waves were felt across the City: A tech executive was stabbed to death in the wee hours of a Tuesday morning. Even in the Richmond District, a quiet corner of town, residents were abuzz with the tragic news. An online news site, bankrolled by a Silicon Valley venture capitalist, asked a question on some minds: “Bob Lee Killing: A Tipping Point in a City Fed Up With Crime?”

Commentary: Julie Pitta

The shock waves were felt across the City: A tech executive was stabbed to death in the wee hours of a Tuesday morning. Even in the Richmond District, a quiet corner of town, residents were abuzz with the tragic news. An online news site, bankrolled by a Silicon Valley venture capitalist, asked a question on some minds: “Bob Lee Killing: A Tipping Point in a City Fed Up With Crime?”