when he was promoted to vice president. all employees including nurses and health care workers have their wages frozen in 2009. there was a hiring freeze put in place and all departments were asked to cut their budgets by 10%. this resulted in layoffs and services that directly affects our patients as well as the nurses that provide that care. we lost to the consultants that helped premature berries -- babies. we lost the translators. they basically lost the full time positions. they do all of the staff and supply and of stocks that are needed for nurses to do their job. all of these fell on to the

remaining nurses. it increased our workload. nurses have observed practices that management has never fully explained and could call into question how billing is done. and practices that have nothing to do with recent allegations regarding false anesthesia billings. supervisor campos: don't be shy. >> the experience that my family has had with services for very young children, my daughter was born premature. we looked at the facility. every aspect of the care that they need is essential. losing a specialist is something

that can really put a family in jeopardy of losing a life. it is the critical and they are so young and so small. they want to provide the high quality care. they rely on the care to live more peaceably with what the outcomes will be about. it is really unfortunate that these of the conditions being forced upon you. i think we can do better as a society. >> and the evening, supervisors. my name is donald armstrong. by working with a lot of the populations, i am seeing the effects of the high cost of the health-care field. some are going without procedures because of the high cost. they either can't afford it.

some of the other things i am saying as far as identical vision, they can't even get glasses now or even get dental care. it is getting a little ridiculous. i hope that we can work together and the supervisors can have some type of oversight that is going on. and to make health care more available to a lot of the demographics we're working with. it is quite disturbing when you go to a home and you can't get a certain procedure. i see a lot of things going on. maybe a year ago. those facilities are very important.

that is all i have to say. >> both of my parents are retired and both have chronic health problems. i am the only child currently working to support them. sometimes we have to choose between their medical care and essentials because medical costs are so high. a mom would rather suffer back pain because we simply can't afford it. that is not fair at all. there is a 70% difference that one gentleman mentioned earlier. because the health care providers are more consolidated in the biggest health care provider has the power to charge higher premiums. and what they don't expect me and my family to move just to

get medical care. listening to the presentations, i heard a 3 million of executive pay. how much can they serve the community? they are basically a nonprofit, but why are they concerned about making the most profit on their care? shouldn't they give more back to the community? it is actually very low. some of francisco should not approve any development until they meet the needs of the community and residence including medical costs. >> we have been joined by president chiu. president chiu: i wanted to apologize to folks.

typically our meetings last around a couple of hours and we didn't realize a couple of us has scheduled something at noon. i appreciate all the members of the public that are here and commenting on this important issue. >> i am a direct care registered nurse as well as president of the california nurses association. thank you, supervisors for convening this important hearing. we believe is important to know there is a cost like the previous speaker has mentioned between northern and southern california. various factors might play a role in the disparity. we believe the the market dominance does play a bigger

role. secondly, the assertion that labor costs are largely responsible for the higher cost of health care are quite frankly preposterous. the only grain of truth to that assertion can be found in the salaries. as an example, and the ceo is now the highest paid and ceo of the sacramento valley. that is because after a wage increase of 43%, there are over two dozen corporate officials just in the sacramento area that earned over a million dollars apiece. here in san francisco, the wage increases for officials have

surged dramatically in the past several years. the latest available data shows that the corporate salaries jumped from anywhere from 40% to 50% a year. i want to make it very clear that no registered nurse, housekeeper, a nurse's aide, a dietary worker, or any other management hospital employee has ever nor will ever in the future have their salaries of words in the same manner. supervisor campos: next speaker. mr. smith, thank you for waiting to speak. >> thank you for this very interesting hearing. we take it as a very sincere question of how we can cut costs. one way that we can tell you is

cutting $40 million of the city costs by doing one then. but you asked for an economic figure. i called my office and they brought it over. what do i do, but this sunday -- i want to make clear that these are zero well-deserved wages. we have an effect of work force. the hospitals in northern california, particularly in the bay area are the most effective anywhere in the country. that is because of our incredibly effective work force. here is the information you have

asked for. nurses received about -- ken dollars more an hour. i want to look forward to working with you on reducing costs. supervisor campos: is there any member of the public that would like to speak? >> of what to say thank you for organizing this hearing. it comes at a very timely point in the city's development. i was blown away by some of these statistics. quality doesn't change. it is a factor of looking at the

market. then made a statement that what we need is more transparency. an understanding how it is charging consumers and looking and thinking creatively. we should be asking to see what the rates of success are in terms of the health care services. and we need to know that in order to provide health care to our residents in san francisco employees. i think what this all shows, it shows community residents that in light of what we have seen today, they are making huge profits this year and they are providing only 10% of their services to medical patients.

they are getting pushed to sf general. i think it is just another sign that it is not about labor costs. a lot of the evidence shows that they are looking at not just providing the best affordable care, but looking at the bottom line to change services. [chime] supervisor campos: any other member of the public that would like to speak on this item? public comment is close. colleagues, let me make a couple of brief remarks about this hearing. i started hearing by noting that one of the most difficult issues facing the city and county of san francisco is the fact that as we are facing a pretty difficult budget year a

city, for the incoming fiscal year, the protection is $491 million,. it is a very serious issue. these are truly some of the most knowledgeable people on this issue. we heard from them about different factors, there is market consolidation by

hospitals. we heard from experts today that since francisco is among the most consolidated if not the most consolidated market in the state. in trying to understand why it is that it costs a patient $7,349 a day, why it costs a patient other places 3931, consolidation is an issue. we heard from the doctor today that testified that consolidation and it definitely drives the prices. even when taking into account higher labor costs, even when factoring in the cost of living, you still have a very significant difference.

it is an issue and it is something that we have to deal with. it is something that is not going to be resolved in the near future. i thought was important for us to have this discussion. there is a lot of discussion going on around pension reform. it is directly tied to health care costs. we need to make sure that we have a better understanding of why we are where we are. this is not happening in a vacuum, which is a larger regional state context. this gives us a better sense of that. how to think the city officials have been working. kathryn testified and talked about some of the measures that have been taken by the health services system to address these issues. live heard from representatives that they have also taken some very important steps including

the issue of narrowing the hospital network that they utilize. those are all things that have to be considered. the final thing that is very disturbing is that some of the allegations that are found in the lawsuit and and was recently joined by the california insurance commissioner points to possible fraudulent practices, those are very serious allegations. in the complaint, they also point to an alleged practice of working with insurers and having provisions in their contracts were their billing will not be questioned. that leaves patients throughout the region very vulnerable. i of know of my colleagues want to add anything to the hearing. president chiu: a couple of

quick things as the chair just said. a lot of our pension and health care benefit costs, the fact that they're going up as directly related to the topic of today's discussion. we really need all the difference stakeholders to think as hard as possible. there was an announcement this year by various health care providers about efforts that would be made to contain the costs. a lot to applaud that and encourage its. we still have a long ways to go. hopefully this hearing is a step in that direction to really understand what the cost drivers are, in getting a handle on that. i think it is important to have all of the partners, all of the people, all of the players involved. which is why i think it was important for us to hear not only from these experts, but

from labor and the hospital council. i think everyone's voice needs to be heard. supervisor campos: 5 would ask my colleagues to continue this item to the color of the chair in the event that we have the opportunity to come back have lived in these issues? is there any other business before the committee? hong >> there are no items. supervisor campos: the meeting is now adjourned.

>> welcome to culture wire. we will look at the latest and greatest public art project. recently, the airport unveiled the new state of the art terminal. let's take a look. the new terminal service and american airlines and virgin america was designed by a world- renowned architecture's firm. originally built in 1954, the building underwent massive renovation to become the first registered terminal and one of the must modern and sustainable terminals and the united states. the public art program continues

its 30-year legacy of integrating art into the airport environment with the addition of five new commissions that are as bold and dynamic as the new building. >> this project was completed in record time, and we were able to integrate the artist's early enough in the process that they could work with the architect said that the work that is completed is the work that really helps complement and instill the space as opposed to being tucked away in a corner. >> be experience begins with the glass facades that was designed with over 120 laminated glass panels. it captures the experience of being under or over clouds when flying in a plane. depending on the distance or point of view, it can appear clear for more abstract and

atmospheric. the subtle colors change gradually depending on the light and the time of day. >> i wanted to create an art work that looks over time as well as working on in the first glance. the first time you come here, you may not see a. but you may be able to see one side over the other. it features a couple of suspended sculptures. each was created out of a series of flat plains run parallel to each other and constructed of steel tubing. >> it is made up of these strata. as the light starts to shift, there is a real sense that there is a dynamism. >> it gives the illusion that this cultures might be fragments of a larger, mysterious mass.

>> the environmental artwork livens it with color, light, and the movement. three large woven soldiers are suspended. these are activated by custom air flow program. >> i channeled air flow into each of these forms that makes it move ever so slightly. and it is beating like a heart. if-0 when as of the forces of nature moving around us every second. >> shadow patterns reflect the shapes of the hanging sculptures. the new terminal also features a children's play areas.

both of the market the exploratory n.y. -- exploratorium. the offer travelers of all ages a playful oasis. using high quality plywood, they created henches shaped like a bird wings that double as musical instruments. serving as a backdrop is a mural featuring images of local birds and san francisco's famous skyline. >> in the line between that is so natural, you can see birds and be in complete wilderness. i really like that about this. you could maybe get a little snapshot of what they are expecting. >> it is an interactive, keck

sculpture that is interacted with by the visitor. >> they are a lot about and they fall down the belt. it moves the belt up, and if you turn that faster, the butterflies fall in the move of words. >> the art reflect the commission's commitment to acquiring the best work from the bay area and beyond. in addition to the five new commissions, 20 artworks that were already in the airport collection were reinstalled. some of which were historically cited in the terminal. it includes major sculptures by the international artists. as a collection, these art works tell the story of the vibrant arts scene in the early 1960's through the mid-1980s's.

the illustrate san francisco's cultural center and a place of innovation that is recognized and the love throughout the world. one of the highlights is a series of three left tapestries. they are on view after being in storage for 20 years. these tapestries representing various gardens. from his years of living in san francisco. hydrangeas, chrysanthemums, and whilst dahlias in rich, deep shades as they make their way to the baggage area. they can access behind-the- scenes information and interviews with the artist through an audio to work. it features archival audio as well as interviews with living artists.

he can be accessed on site by dialing the telephone numbers located near the artwork or by visiting the commission's web site. the public art speaks volumes of san francisco as a world-class city with world-class art and culture. for more information, visit >> [speaking spanish] supervisor campos: district 9, as all of you know, is one of the most amazing places in san francisco. [applause] it includes some of the most successful neighborhoods in our city.

brno heights -- bernal heights. [applause] and, of course, the mission. [applause] i want to begin by thanking each and every one of you for being here tonight, for taking time out of your busy schedules and making time to come to this town hall meeting. [speaking spanish] by the way, i see dean. i do not know if you want to come up here -- i see the dean of the city college. i do not know if you want to come up here. please come on up. [applause] we are going to first go to the big production, so you will hear

from each of the individuals we have here. they are going to say their names, who they are, what they do for the city. i also see a supervisor -- i also see supervisor kim. thank you for being here. she represents the neighboring district. this shows how much she cares about the city, so thank you for being here. this meeting would not be possible without the help of so many people that have worked in the last few weeks to make it happen. i want to begin by thanking mayor lee, first and foremost. [applause] one of the first conversations we had was about the importance of involving the community in these discussions. one of the first things we talked about was how he was going to come to district 9 and have a budget town hall meeting so that the budget discussions n