get some policy direction from the chief. as i said, we need to go find a basis for closed session and if we cannot find one, we will have to think of a way to get the matter before the commission. we do have meetings scheduled. >> we are dark next week? >> that's correct. >> there was a bulletin that went out that i believed the it department gave to the commission and we are looking at

the that bulletin and whether there needs to be some further changes were clarification. >> this is a policy matter and i don't understand why this would be in close to session. -- in closed session i don't understand this. >> a brief update on the court hiring process. we spent most of the day interviewing applicants and we will most likely have a candidate by december 15th in time for a background check. it is to give you that time line. >> thank you. >> following up on the question of whether this should be an

open session are closed session. discussions like this should be in open session. my only concern is if it would have an effect on any pending cases and if there could be attorney-client privilege questions that might be raised as to effective pending cases. i would like to city attorney to perhaps look at that. otherwise, if there are any other concerns, we will look at this. >> fighting that it should be a general hybrid and should be in open session. this will be a delicate balance. this is one that we need to address. we don't want to have our officers at risk. we need to move sooner than later on this.

thank you. anything further? >> commissioner, i would like to also think the city attorney's office has been a tremendous asset to my tenure as commission secretary. also to follow up on dr. marshall's comment, we will be dark on the 22nd. this this thanksgiving week. no commission meeting next week. >> thank you, everyone. any other public comment? >> that is when said the 24th. i beg your pardon. >> my comment is on the shoe law. transparency is very important.

the officers' conduct should be public. if i go in front of a judge, my conduct is public. an officer is not public. this lot needs to be overturned in my honest opinion. thank you. >> is there any other public comment? >> hearing none, next item. >> item four is all the items pertaining to closed session which is items 6. this includes public comment on whether to go into closed session. >> is to any public comment regarding closed session? >> hearing none, please call the next session. >> this is the vote on whether to go into closed session. >> seconded. >> we will now move into closed session regarding disciplinary matters. thank you.

>> it is 9:42 p.m. we are moving out of closed session and moving to item seven. i want to know for the record the presence of commissioners slaughter, marshall, dejesus, and kinglsey. we can move to item seven with your indulgence, a vote to elect whether to disclose any or all of the discussion held in closed session. >> i move that we do not disclose. >> any public comment? >> lastly, moving to item 8, adjournment.

>> so moved. >> thank you. >> thank you very much. thank you lieutenant riley. >> a good meeting, everybody. >> i have a feeling i will not be saying it for the last time.

supervisor avalos: good morning. welcome to a budget and finance committee. my name is john ablow. we are joined -- avalos. we are joined by ross mirkarimi and sean elsbernd. mr. kirk, please go ahead with the announcements. >> [clerk announcements]

supervisor avalos: item #one please. -- 1 please. >> item 1. resolution fixing prevailing wage rates for: (1) workers performing work under city contracts for public work and improvement; (2) workers performing work under city contracts for janitorial services; (3) workers performing work in public off-street parking lots, garages, or storage facilities for automobiles on property owned or leased by the city; (4) workers engaged in theatrical or technical services for shows on property owned by the city; (5) workers performing moving services under city contracts at facilities owned or leased by the city; and (6) workers engaged in the hauling of solid waste generated by the city in the course of city operations, pursuant to a contract with the city. supervisor avalos: thank you. representative from the department? >> good morning, supervisors.

this is the annual setting of the prevailing wages for the crafts of labour that will be done -- performed for the city. this is in accordance of charter section 80.7, and various administrative sections -- code sections. supervisor avalos: thank you. i recognize there are a number of contracts that were referred to which included prevailing wages. my main question is, the wages become different as those contracts changed here every year -- year after year. that is what we provide the prevailing wage as? >> we provide them as mou's, the kind of labor, as well as the labor determinations as given by

the department of industrial regulations. supervisor avalos: thank you. mr. rose, if you could share your report. >> the prevailing wage rates are set forward in our report. our recommendation is a policy matter for the board of supervisors. supervisor avalos: thank you for your presentation. we can go on to public comment. is there anyone from the public that would like to comment on this item? seeing none, public comment is closed. okay, without objection. to the full board with recommendations. mr. young, please call item no. 2. >> item 2. resolution approving the issuance of water revenue bonds and water revenue refunding bonds in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $600,000,000 to be issued by the public utilities commission of the city and county of san francisco; affirming covenants contained in the indenture pursuant to which the water

revenue bonds are issued; authorizing the taking of appropriate actions in connection therewith; and related matters. supervisor avalos: thank you. we have various representatives from the puc. >> tottery strong, general manager, cfo. we are here as part of our quarterly bond sale. since we last visited you, we sold bonds in may for the sewer system, in may -- june for the water supply system, again in july for the water supply system. every time we come before you for the file and record as well as reviewed by the public utilities commission, is about 700 pages of bonding and funding documents. this is your high-level review in the brief, in addition to the documents that are on file with the clerk and commission. we have issued $2.2 billion

worth of bonds over the past couple of years, specifically for the water improvement system plan. that, along with sorbonne sales, and sales for the new headquarters building, we have sales of $400 million of estimated debt service costs for ratepayers for the next 30 years. we have done that because we have been fortunate beneficiaries of what has been record low borrowing rates in the u.s. economy for tax-exempt and build america bond financing. we come to you today because the american recovery and reinvestment act is scheduled to sunset the bill the american bonds. dependent upon how congress acts or does or does not renew the program, a window could potentially close for municipal issuers on december 31. we would like to be able to capture one more quarter's worth

of savings in order to do that. for today, it is a similar size to our other quarterly sales, up boards of $600 million for the water system improvement program. we have gone to the sfpuc commission and got approval last week. we come before you this week. the next week there is a resolution. we are continuing our plan of content -- competitive bond sales. bidders are allowed to bid on our bonds. if we sell a combination of tax- exempt and taxable bonds. they have to buy everything or nothing, so they have to put in their best and lowest bid from the outset. we do not do that on the electronic markets, so you can watch it in real-time bidding. the closing is slated for the middle of december. the hybrid structure includes

tax exempt and build america bonds. we looked at the price of those together to make sure the combination of those two bonds are the lowest cost to ratepayers to lock in the cheapest cost and cheapest financing we can. funding for the water improve the system program, they are long-term assets that are part of the program. we are looking at 40-year debt. to give you a flavor, we have been selling bonds recently, july and june, getting 3.7% total interest cost. that is 3.7% effectively over 30-year financing. this gives you a frame of reference for every percentage we are lower than the 5% model, which is a prudent planning model for a double a highly rated utility, such as the public utility commission, here in san francisco. for every% under 5, that is $23

million in savings for every $100 million for road. that savings occurs over 30 years. as much as we can sell now at the lowest rate, the better for ratepayers. the financing overview also included in your report and summarized in the budget analyst report, financing authority is an under proposition e. this is consistent with your earlier ordinance reviewed in the past. the comptroller continues to keep any budgetary appropriations on controllers reserves until funding is actually in the treasury to spend. we will be capturing what we think might be the last bill the american bond that ms. paley's -- ms. allen is can claim through congress. -- municipalities can claim

through congress. the documents were pretty lengthy, but in summary, about $0.83 of each dollar goes to construction costs and work. again, we fund capital interests for three years on average. we are also required to fund in- cash debt reserves, and that is the case since 2008. our credit now is basically equal to or higher than most assuredly companies and bond insurers. when we offer bond buyers the potential to have the option to purchase insurance, they had not done that because of sfpuc's high credit rating. the forms of agreement are the usual ones. there are 10 of them primarily. the commission resolution, preliminary official statement. we would then make updates on

that based on our financial statement. the 10th, 11th, and potentially 12th indenture, every time we have to issue bonds. the official notice of sale, intent to sail, bond purchase agreements in the event that the markets turned south and then we have to renegotiate a sale. we do not anticipate that. company agreements. escrow agreements. that is the key highlights. with that, i am happy to answer any questions. i would like to thank the budget analyst for their report. >supervisor avalos: great. thank you. it is great to hear the work of the puc, especially on maintaining and achieving a high credit rating. it goes very far with so many projects, but with the others

coming up as well. mr. rose, if you could share with us your report. >> mr. chairman, members of the committee, i would point out on page five of the report the estimated debt service for this issuance is $1.3 billion, that includes the $600 million of subject principal and $720,000 -- $720 million of interest, average annual debt service over a 40-year period, $42.2 million. we recommend you approve this resolution. supervisor avalos: thank you. supervisor mirkarimi? supervisor mirkarimi: just to echo, a good job. supervisor avalos: let's go on to public comment. seeing none, public comment is closed.

>> i believe there is an amendment that needs to be posed? supervisor avalos: on our desk we have an amendment on the whole. >> on page 3 row 10, there was a clarification to make a number, the digit 6 instead of five. only wrote 10, page 3, change that digit to make it consistent. i think that is the only edit. i do see one additional edit

provided by the city attorney's office. it is again to provide consistency with our other financing documents. on page 6, provided on rows 6 through 8, proposition p requirements to cover said cost with oversight committees, nothing shall preclude the commission from paying the fees associated with oversight costs of the revenue bonds committee from any legally available funds other than the commission. this is consistent policy. we would plan to and would always plan to fully fund what is the least cost funding source for the oversight. but i should mention as well, every time we meet with the rating agencies as well as potential bond investors, they are very thrilled that the san francisco government has an independent comptroller's office that does their audits, and oversight committee that does their audits, the additional

scrutiny of the budget analyst. they consider that a credit strength as well for the public utility as we sell bonds. thank you. supervisor avalos: ok. supervisor mirkarimi: continue the motion as amended. supervisor avalos: as amended. a very good. >> this will be recommended to the full board next week. that completes our agenda. supervisor avalos: we are adjourned.

>> welcome to culture wire. the arabs don't possible has bringing you the best of the arab film to the bay area. this year's festival is no exception.

consider the most important arab film festival outside of the arab world, the festival offers a rare window to the arab world and its diverse community. featuring 24 films from over 18 countries, it is also one of the only four runs that showcases new works by established and emerging arab filmmakers. the possible films in four cities. in addition, the festival organizers a film series for high-school students free of charge. this year's lineup offers something for everyone, including shorts, documentary's, comedies, and dramas.

>> [speaking arabic] the mission of the arab film festival, since it its inception in 1996, and it came about -- members of our community realized there was stereotyping of arabs in the media, and they wanted to change that proactively. they wanted to use the power of film to bring in the stories, to bring in authentic images and narratives of the arab world, here to american audiences, in order to fight the negative stereotyping, and to introduce the positive, authentic images

to america, which iraq california, -- throughout california, a teasing familiarity, establishing harmony between our communities. the selection this year it is really a good selection. it is perverse, comes from more than 18 countries. it has a bit of everything for everyone. -- it is diverse, comes from more than 18 countries. there are shorts, and from us, comedies, you name it. this year, the film festival takes place in the castro. there is a comedy film from nigeria that is pretty hilarious. you can get to know arabs threw their laughing as well.

[speaking in foreign language] >> when you come to see all the diversity, nationality, ethnic, skin color, dialect, anything that you can think of, that world is very rich in diversity. we are trying to represent that diversity so people can see the different parts of the arab world. [speaking in arabic] >> people should participate in the festival because of the benefits they can get. first, the educational benefit

of learning about the stories of the arab world. diverse stories. people in the united states sometimes think of the arab world as a lump sum. what is good about the arab film festival is the also have a festival for the school's program, which we have films where we invite free of charge, i schoolers to come and attend. every year, high schoolers to go out really with a good experience, attending and watching these films. the arab film festival is not only about the festival in october. we also have year-round programs. check out the film festival to run the year, not just in the fall. -- throughout the year, not just in the fall. the best thing that somebody can

take away from the arab on festival is the arab cinema is talent. it is beautiful. the stories have that they represent are good stories, beautiful stories. also, the art form is beautiful and well made. >> for a complete film schedule and to learn more about the arab film festival, visit >> good morning. today is wednesday november 17, 2010. this is the meeting of the abatement appeals board. i want to remind everyone to please turn off the electronic devices. first item on the agenda is roll-call.

[roll call] we are expecting commissioner romero. we have a quorum. the next item on the agenda is the oath. what all parties giving testimony today please rise and raise your right hand? do you swear the testimony you are about to give is the truth to the best of your knowledge? thank you. item 3 is approval of the minutes from the meetings held on january 20, 2010 and march 17, 2010. we will take a motion on january 20, 2010 first >. >> move to approve. >> move to approve.