>> the big commercial is on board one instead of 42. >> yes. >> i am curious that you just chose one. >> the commitment of time would be better served in a more interesting debate over what the value of the property. either one is fine.

>> this is a more administrative issue. i found out on tuesday that i did not check off all the boxes. i would serve on either. i am probably more qualified to serve on board one. that is what it to my business. >> despite not having it in front of our agenda, are we ok to consider them for board two? >> i think that last comments that was set was what i was going to say. if you look at his experience,

what they do it is appraise property. i would like to move forward in his name for seat 6 on board 1. >> i am happy to support mr. watts. there is a need with commercial real estate appraisal experience on this committee. i will support that as well. there is positive recommendation to the full board without any opposition. thank you to any of the applicants who applied for this position. madam clerk, will you call item number 6? >> a hearing to consider appointing two members terms

ending september 3rd, 2012 to the assessment appeals board number 2. >> i believe we at two of the three candidates. colin gallagher again, not mervyn conlan, and joyce lewis. is mervin conlan here? >> i have been a member of board two for about four or five years.

this is mostly due for medical reasons which have been resolved. we have found working on the board educational. given my background as a real estate broker, given the threat of my experience for single- family condominiums to fairly heavy-duty commercial. this was a surprise, the education received on this board.

mr. campana was raised in hunters point, i will have to introduce myself to him. i have a real estate background and experience from this board. thank you. >> thank you. >> our next applicant is joyce lewis. >> good afternoon. my name is joyce lewis. this is my second appearance before the rules committee. i made a presentation about three or four months ago.

i was motivated to apply for the sport after attending a women's league conference which focus on commission appointments in san francisco and board appointments. this conference was held to encourage women to get involved in civic activities. i have a strong interest in civic duties. i have lived in the city of san francisco for about 17 years. i have lived in the sunset district.

there was a store your regarding twitter. the budget is in jeopardy by the governor. what this can mean four san francisco. i am very much aware that the assessment appeals board serves a vital service to the city and county with regard to evaluating both residential and commercial property.

there is the high unemployment rate and the foreclosures that dropped their. the appeals that have been filed have increased significantly over the years and in 2009, 2010, there has been a threefold increase in the number of appeals. my experience, i am attorney. this is one of the requirements of this particular board.

i attend the university of santa clara. i have a master's degree from the cal state university system. in my practice as an attorney, i have managed a federal agency during hearings. i have worked on contract issues. there are some questions -- construction contracts. i also have some personal experience. i have dealt personally with

section 8, the regulation. i do have some personal experience and also filed an appeal. we of cecil -- successfully gathered up the evidence and this drop significantly. >> would you mind wrapping up? >> i did have an opportunity to attend one of the proceedings.

if i had to suggest something, it would be in terms of prepping people to participate in the process. >> do we have any questions? >> are you a veteran as well? >> no, i am not. >> thank you. we are having to continue some appointments for seats that are dedicated for women who are veterans and we do not have enough applicants to fill those slots. in your spirit of wanting to serve, i was wondering if they want to serve.

>> i am sorry i did not ask this. i don't think that they have any income. >> i am not sure why don't have a complete application. >> i don't have a complete form 704 mr. watts and i don't have a form for mr. gallagher.

>> i believe that you have submitted one but i don't think that i have one in my pack it. >> i believe that you have submitted form 700. this is on my 2009 until last year. the hearing and decision was back on may 4th.

there was an agreement to grant at least a reduction. i'm still waiting for the check. i would follow the law impartially. thank you. >> is there any public comment on this item? >> my name is richard lee. >> this is a very demanding role today. i stood here in 2003 and it feels like i have been through board two, board 1.

coming back this year for another reappointment, i am just preparing myself and preparing the new applicants. that is my 8 impartial, -- comment. i have enjoyed working with them. he does not have the experience. thank you for your service. >> is to any public comment at this time? public comment is now closed. >> the members of the public

cannot hear you until you're at the microphone. >> thank you. >> ok, thank you. >> colleagues. >> we have seats 3 and 7 and we have three applicants for those seats.

>> i am open to reappointing mr. conlan. i also would like to give mr. campana time. i spoke to don and said that there would be three seats open in september. those people who cannot get it will have the opportunity in just a few months. i am open on this one. >> i guess i would be open as

well. in the spirit of the today, i would otherwise have said to continue. are you willing to do that? >> well, i spoke to people who are willing to do that. >> i would go ahead and have a ministerconlan for seat 3 and ms. lewis for seat 7. >> i would support that recommendation. "we have a motion to appoint

mervynconlan for seat 3 and joyce lewis for seat 7. -- >> we have a motion to appoint mervin conlan for seat 3 and joyce lewis for seat 7. thank you for your desire to serve our city. >> item 7, hearing be to appoint one member term ending january 30th -- 31st, ijanuary 2013, and term ending january 31st, 2014, five members for terms ending january 31st, 2015.

>> there are 11 candidates. >> have any withdrawn their names? >> yes, kenneth breiten. >> we have open seats won, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12. 5 and 12 our reserve for women's veterans. we don't have any female applicants. we are considering the nine applicants.

i will call your name in the order that you are listed on the agenda. first, we have edwin wilkerson and then add water ramirez. come up and talk about your qualifications and why you would like to serve. -- we have eduardo ramirez. >> i am a veteran. my attendance to the meetings has been under%. i believe this commission under the recent leadership has continued to have significant impact on the cooperation and coordination between the various better an advocate organizations and their support of the current returning veterans. this includes federal, state and

city. i would like to continue to be a part of this effort by reaching out to veterans in the streets, in the colleges, at the v.a. hospital where a volunteer. i would like to meet with young and old and thank them for their service and ask them about their experience in dealing with these systems. they are often surprised by my question. i am also surprised by their answers. most importantly, the city cares and significant feedback is sometimes gain. i like getting out there and doing sometimes things with the best. i am an old battalion commander and i also know how to be humble. i have worked as a job- serviceperson. my military service and my

desire to rehabilitate the fallen and urge success on to greater accomplishment drives me to that end. since 1991, i have assisted hundreds of veterans with -- i have organized and conducted hundreds of workshops and 20 annual job fairs in concert with edd and the san francisco veterans employment committee. since my earlier working days, i have had a strong desire to build a bridge between factions, whether they are racial, sexual, or veteran. the commission is a bridge to our veterans and to the services that they deserve. thank you for listening to me and i look forward to being

reappointed to this important position. >> thank you for your service on the commission. next, we >> supervisors, thank you for this opportunity to be in front of you to present my case as to why i want to be on the veterans affairs commission. i am a native san franciscan, born and bred in potrero hill. i now currently live in rural heights, homeowner. i graduated from mission high school. i served 22 years active air force. my son attended three different schools in one year. i have moved 14 times in those 22 years. i am service connected. i am also a neighborhood emergency response team coordinator for vernal heights

-- burn all heights -- for bernal heights. i work for nasa when i was 17. went to san jose state. joined the air force. data are entered two years off. i have been through the issues that our veterans are going through now. employment issues. thank god i have not been homeless, but that is a big issue now that we have with veterans. secretary shinseki is trying to eradicate homelessness for our veterans by 2012. suicide rates are up. divorce rates are up. veterans are unemployed. they need work. women's issues. lgbt issues.

all these things i am very familiar with. in the administrative officer for mental health at the san francisco va, and i'm also the minority veteran program coordinator, where i have been appointed by the center co- director -- the center director, and i received a letter of recommendation from him. i have done about reach to women's clinics. i have taught classes on how to get a government job. i have attended eee meetings. i'm trying to get out there and get the word known out there for these veterans and educate them on the benefits and services that the va offers, that the state of california offers. my daughter goes to san diego state tuition-free, and that is a benefit that a lot of veterans do not know about. my vision for the veterans

affairs commission is to be a conflict of resources for our veterans -- conduit of resources for our veterans in san francisco and outlying communities. we need new blood. we have a lot of veterans returning. my son deployed to afghanistan. my nephew has had his friend blown -- his head got blown off in front of him. there is a lot of issues that need to be addressed to our veterans. this city used to be a military city. it is now no longer. a lot of our veterans out there need our help, and as a member of the committee, if i do get appointed, want to be that link between the community and the city of san francisco because san francisco is an open city, and we can do this. we have the resources to be able

to do this. we just need to bring it together and have a focal point for these resources, and the veterans affairs commission is the focal point. with that, i thank you for your public service, and i salute you for your public service. thank you. supervisor kim: thank you, mr. ramirez. next, we have matthew shea. i'm sorry, i just realized that matthew shea is deployed currently, so he was not able to attend today. >> thank you, and good afternoon, commissioners. i stand before you as an incumbent of c four. currently, in the only district 5 commissioner on the veterans affairs commission, the only

latino on the veterans affairs commission, and i am the only openly gay man on the commission of the veterans affairs commission, but that is not why you should reappoint me. in a world where actions speak louder than words, since my appointment from the board of supervisors, i have obtained a 100% attendance on this commission, and i care deeply about the future of our veterans. when i joined this commission, i mentioned at the time that roughly one in five or one in four veterans we encounter on the streets of san francisco is more likely homeless. at that time, a world war ii veteran got in my face and said he did not believe me and asked me to prove it appeared the next month later, i came with not one but three statistics from the veterans affairs and american legion to verify those facts. sadly, the numbers are going in the wrong way. right now, one in three to one in five of our homeless are veterans. the numbers are getting worse. it is true that the et