discretionary program. excellent news for creating -- completing the funding plan. particularly in the wrong part of the second phase of the project, making the park where one of four projects in the entire nation that applied for these loans, the second project from san francisco on the southeast waterfronts, of very lucky that two in the running. we have had significant activity with high-speed issues in san francisco to include

alternatives that are of interest and much more closely aligned with a line of investigation that the city would like to pursue. the fourth cycle working through caltrans local assistance has now been issued for local agencies interested in applying, grants up to $9 million for safety related projects. the bicycle plant injunction has been lifted in 2006, we will continue to work together with the mta to make sure, as has been our goal for the past

year, that there is a steady stream of projects ready to implement. at this point, up 21 bicycle projects will be completed by the nba next year -- mta next year with a bike schedule of the end of your packet including the names and locations of the project that are fca funded, many of them using crop k. we kick off the san francisco transportation plan with additional members for the community advisory committee and applications that are due on october 1 and anyone interested should check the web site, or

call 522-4800. on the transportation plan. we are actively working on the sustainability efforts strategy, thursday we will be hosting a leadership roundtable with participation from several members of this board looking at the big issues that are coming up related to greenhouse gas reduction in the air resources board approving targets on thursday for sb375 a capital reduction target for 2015 of 15%

per capita by 2035, which are ambitious targets keenly interested in the counterparts to these goals. that is what we are tracking seven street resurfacing project amounting to about $2.2 million, which is an unusual piece of news, pulling the money down to the next project, last so they can get done. the department of public works has been able to advance the initial projects in the program, reconstruction projects, which is essentially 29% of the program amount.

bonds of timber 17th, the city marked the street project and i was not able to attend, i was out of town. a really great celebration of a wonderful project including lots of trees, 30 accessible programs, 45 light fixtures, street art, street furniture as well. it was a collaboration of a number of city departments. the authority provided $1.7 million in grant funds to match $2 million from the regional. we also put in $300,000 in crop k funds.

a great partnership between prop k programs that work, generating the neighborhood. i would like to recognize fran martin, a tremendously important in pushing this project forward. we have good news on the better market street project. we received a $250,000 grant, matching the $790,000 in crop k. getting the project fully funded for the study phase. i believe that this afternoon the complete interviews for the short list of consultants we will bring back the recommendation before the end

of october. we have had significant activity on the boulevard study with an open house yesterday that was very well attended and quite successful. we are pursuing a three-pronged strategy there that includes it network development and strategy is to encourage sustainable roads and projects to improve the walk ability of the city center area. the project is much more far reaching than the civic center area as the circulation it ramifications in other parts of the city are west of sunset. on october 5 we will be hosting a community meeting to present and receive feedback on pedestrian improvement of three south of market alleys. ministry, tomah street, and -- mina, toma, and ringo streets.

part of a follow-through to the screening process that took place during the western meeting planned. people interested in that can also visit our web site. very good news, almost done with my report, very good news on the van ness ave transportation project. we received notice from the state historic preservation officer. i agree with the assessment of the classification of the old light poles. the office essentially agrees that because of lack of integrity to convey significance, the polls, although historically significant, are not an item that will be listed. so, that has removed a

potentially interesting obstacle to moving the project forward in an expedited manner. we are now at the point where we have read designated the project managers and engineers to staff the engineering effort. so, we are boys to have capital programs and construction division initiate 30% engineering on the project. we are moving this forward and i am delighted that we have achieved that major milestone. my last item is simply to welcome major markets, our new senior transportation planner. richard has a bachelor's degree in sociology and urban planning, 12 years of transportation planning experience, has worked for metro north in new york city, for the orange county transportation authority and the association of government and is in the private sector, he will be one of the experts covering a

number of topics related to transportation, like the regional transportation plan, expansion plan, and funding strategy for brought kay. i will be happy to answer any questions. supervisor chiu: any discussion? any public comment on the report? seeing no one, public comment is closed. item #5. >> item #5, approve a budget amendment to add $100,000 in prop k funds to the authority's adopted fiscal year 2010/11 budget for the purpose of partially defraying the cost of a management performance audit of the municipal transportation agency (mta); award a consultant contract to cgr management consultants llc, in an amount not to exceed $200,000, for audit services for a limited scope management performance audit of the mta, phase ii; and authorize the executive director to negotiate contract terms and conditions. colleagues -- supervisor chiu: colleagues, any discussion? any public comment?

c. non -- seeing no one, will call. >> [roll call] 9 ayes, the item passes. supervisor chiu: next item. >> item #6, amend the authority administrative code. supervisor chiu: any discussion from the public? seeing no one, this amendment is adopted. item number 7? >> adopt positions on state legislation. supervisor chiu: any discussion? any public comment? public comment is closed. this item is adopted. item #8. >> item #8,allocate up to $594,076 in prop k funds, with conditions, for five requests, subject to the enclosed fiscal year cash flow distribution schedules, and amend the bicycle circulation and safety 5-year prioritization.

supervisor chiu: any discussion? any public comment? seeing no one, the item is closed. item number nine? >> item #9, appropriate $100,000 in prop k funds, with conditions, for the purpose of partially defraying the cost of a management performance audit of the municipal transportation agency, in a total amount not to exceed $200,000. supervisor chiu: discussion? public comment? seeing no public comment, this item is adopted. item number 10? >> introduction of new items. supervisor chiu: would anyone like to introduce items? seeing no one, with no public comment, the item is closed. supervisor chiu: item number 11. >> public comment. supervisor chiu: is there any general public comment? seeing no one, public comment is closed. item number 12?

>> adjournment. supervisor chiu: we are adjourned for the day. >> good evening, and welcome. i am president of the league of women voters in san francisco. it is a nonpartisan political organization dedicated to the active and informed participation of all citizens in government. we never support or oppose candidates. but we do take stands on issues.

for further issues about candidates and election issues, visit the web site www.sfvotes.org. that's sfvotes.org. we want to thank our co-sponsors for tonight's forum. sfgtv and the san francisco public library. you will hear from the unopposed candidate for public defender. he will have a chance to present his views on issues affecting the city and the public defender's office, answering your questions about those issues. to submit questions for the candidate, look for a volunteer who will be handing out index cards. i also wish to remind you of our ground rules. the literature, campaign signs, or buttons can be distributed or posted inside the meeting room.

no video taping or flash photography is allowed due to the fact that sfgtv is taping this forum. please turn off or mute yourself loans and other electronic devices. it is my great pleasure to introduce our moderator this evening. barbara is a board member of the leak, serving as co-chair of voters services. her career includes teaching speech and communication at san francisco state university. the city college of san francisco. and new york university. she is a corporate trainer and public speaking, presentation, and media skills. >> this year, we have one candidate for public defender. the candidate will answer questions you in the audience segment as well as questions that have been submitted to the

web site. the answers will not be timed. you have many important decisions to make on november 2. this form will give you an opportunity to be heard. let's begin. >> i am very honored to be here. >> what are your thoughts on death by lethal injection and california's future related to the death penalty? >> it may not come as a surprise to you that i am very much opposed to the death penalty. if there is a lesson that we have learned, the death penalty in california, and for that matter, the indicted states, it has been a failure. we don't have a fair and objective way in order to determine who gets the death penalty. that is one of the fundamental problems with it. if you look statistically across

the united states or even here in california, you will see the people of color overwhelmingly suffer that fate. it has always been historically so. on top of that, it has been a fiscal failure. we're spending millions of dollars unnecessarily to incarcerate individuals who, in most cases, have appeals that go on for years and years. it doesn't give finality to victims in the case or the individual who has been sentenced. i think that the public sentiment has changed. i think it is time that we reconsider this state's laws relating to the death penalty, this nation's laws. the time is now. >> how will your office handle

arrests that come from prop l if it passes? >> that has been a very controversial issue, and i have seen it both sides of the debate. my personal feelings on this lot is that it is unconstitutional. i believe that having a citywide ban of sitting on the sidewalk will criminalize behavior that otherwise should not be criminal. we have reached a point in san francisco where we have a dialogue about a problem, and everybody wants a quick fix. the quick fix is to pass a law. i can tell you that we see the aftermath of these laws. and the very few cases wind up in court, because the justice

system does not have the time to deal with these cases. that is the reality. our caseloads are heavy, our dockets are heavy. beyond that, could you imagine a jury tile -- trial on whether someone was sitting on the sidewalk or not? there needs to be solutions. it will it change behavior the voters will decide. >> what is the hardest case you have had to defend relating to marijuana. >> marijuana cases, we still see them in san francisco we see sales and possession cases.

i represented a man that was charged in cultivation, and he was truly using marijuana for his health condition. but it was before the medical marijuana laws had passed. and so we had to argue to a judge that he had a right to use marijuana because his condition at that time, it was a novel idea. we won that case, but it took almost a year. i still see him. you occasionally become friends with your clients, and they will that never let me it -- they will never let me forget that. he would have faced a state prison sentence and had he been convicted. >> how has this shape your opinion on proposition 19?

>> i am for the legalization of marijuana. i think it is hypocritical in our society that we outlaw marijuana and not alcohol. i think that the time has come for california to reconsider its laws, and it is the citizens#o$ that have taken it o where it is now. it has taken a tremendous amount of public education on this issue. people have, for years, talked about the fact that as a society, it doesn't make sense that we are criminalizing marijuana. there was the movement to decriminalizing marijuana that made it a misdemeanor. and it was often charge as a felony. there are lots of places where

people are sentenced to jail and prison. hopefully through 19, calipf3 will lead the way. >> how will the revelations of the crime lab debacle4ma change discovery in representing the clients you have represented? >> these are excellent questions, don't get me started on the crime lab. that was certainly an event at this year that shook the foundations of the criminal justice system. what happened, there were reports that a chemist who worked in a crime lab for many years, a longtime employee, was taking cocaine from the crime lab home and using w technician's sister. when we found out about it, it

was several months later, and it was thought at the police had just learned about it, it turned outrv÷ that they d known about the problems with this chemist. $6the reason why it when you he a chemist that has access to it, it calls into question every case. ef@we have hundreds of drug cass that are tried every week hall of justice. hall of justice. p'd found that some of the weights were not properly recorded. there was no way for us zñ$@&e%i that because we don't have access to the crime lab,éçx the evidence was often late when the drugs were brought in.

cases were dismissed. #"vyou were asking about the legalization of drugsylj, and everyone would have thought that san francisco would have fallen in the oceantsm because 700 cass were dismissed. life wenté$. on as usual. the sad part of the debacle:j< s that justice was not served in those cases. ju$ose cases had to be reviewed by the office. we had to gou"ç back and look at hundreds of cases that involved at thisáwk particular technician and contact the individuals in those cases and determine whether the case is needed topñe brought back to court. there were some cases where there were more sample that was reported, and there were cases where thuwere . it was hard to figure out what exactly had happened. (xéwe are still reeling from the

impact from that, but we're making sure thatsdn every case s properly adjudicated. n$f>> what have you done to proe diversity on the public defender's desk? [ to me. whend of the things i pledged to do oft diverse offices in the country. i bej. i appointed the first woman chief attorney. vññpeople might not know this, t the whole concept was originated by a woman, ]h and she lived inn jose, had aí2ç family, and wantd to become a lawyer. at thatñ time, women could not become lawyers. she had to change the law÷/ allow women to become lawyers.

a+tthey used to say that only we males could become lawyers. she changed it to say person. s but fc minorities. she then s's under the law, andayd won her suit. she became the first woman california and became a criminal defense attorney. she tried manykky cases from san francisco to los angeles. b of the public defender'su office. defender's office came into being. íxçit reminds me about the importance of diversity. wye50% of my management team are

women. jxzthe office is led by women. almost 60% are women. , i am very proud of the diversity. g twice received the bar association's award for both genders. % statement. m0fif you are not registered to vote, others to register as well. the5ñz actual deadline is octobr yoy

of this overwhelmed public servant who, you knowvotez do a as grown into one of the best offices in the country. we received the american bar t association's top award in 2006. and i want to take this opportunity to thank my staff for their hard work in representing the 25,0y(ñ people in san francisco every year

the public defenders. )e to find us. thank you. >> on behalf of myself and the threeg of women voters and our partner organizes, sfgtv and the san francisco public library, our thanks to the candidate for participating and thanks for all of you for to yourself about your choices on november 2nd. good evening. [applause] >> great 2á great job.