>> a good afternoon, and welcome to the rules committee meeting. joining us are supervisors elsbernd and farrel. we would like to acknowledge sfgtv and the transcripts they make available online. >> the items on the agenda go to the board on tuesday unless otherwise indicated. >> item 1, confirming the appointing of jane wu to the --

>> can you please introduce yourself to the committee, and talk about your interest in serving in this commission. >> i know you have a long agenda and i will be as brief as possible. you have a detailed by a. a couple of things i wanted to register with you. i was born in sydney, australia and have lived in japan and hong kong, and went to school for 12 years -- but i have lived in san francisco longer than any other place in my life. this is a gateway to the pacific. i love the natural beauty and also the diversity, for someone like myself who has a by cultural background.

my father was a career diplomat in taiwan, and my husband, james, was near port commissioner in the city. as you have seen in my biography i have been active in the community for many years. i bring extensive and relevant experience with citibank and wells fargo. i am excited about the ports commission. i think that this is the right timing for me in terms of my life. i have my experience from the private sector, and i think that this is the right use of my business and finance skills. this is one of the prime assets, and this is unique with seven and a half miles of border front.

this is unique in its visibility. it is unique in its uses, with the commercial real-estate and open space. and unique in its different characteristics that reside along the northern waterfront. i am excited about the opportunity to showcase san francisco and the ability to contribute to the city and its reputation. we have that opportunity at hand right now. i understand the complexities and balancing the stakeholders' interested in the waterfront. generating a positive bottom line for the city during these difficult fiscal times, and also, figuring out how to generate more jobs. i look forward to understanding of these projects with a capital

plan and how to move this forward in terms of timing and affordability and all the updates since these plans were issued. i want to thank some of the supporters who are here today, and those who also wrote letters on my behalf. thank you. >> we did get several letters of support on your behalf. and are there any questions? >> this is obviously an important partner in the city of san francisco. in the coming year we will be high profile. if you can touch briefly, you have mentioned some of the budget projects. what do you hope to prioritize in terms of the issues you want to work on? >> we had a tight timeline, with

what is dedicated to the america's cup. we're trying to make certain that everything is done on time, and there is a tight timetable. and this a big challenge for what i see so far. this is really about understanding how to find the major capital projects in addition to what is coming up. and i know about the project that you have scheduled for the board -- i know that this has been given to a developer. basically, this is on time and on budget for the america's cup, to figure out a long-term financing. i see no other questions. we will open this up for public comments. if there is public comment, please come up.

>> members of the rules committee, i am willie brown. she has been a very reliable source of information and guidance, from the time that i served in public service and for all the years i have known her and she has lived in san francisco -- i think that this may be the very first time that i have appeared before any committee on the board of supervisors since departing these grounds with this great city. i usually turn people down, not because of anything having to do with their qualifications, but because i believe public officials should be in a position to objectively make up

their respective mines. i care so much about the city and i care about quality candidates. i know how important these commissions really are, and how important that it is to get really quality people to provide the time that it takes, and people can afford to provide that time. we have exactly that unique ability. it is clear based upon the background, her previous experience represents the quality that you would want to have to participate -- she is offering to volunteer to do this by way of the commission's process. rather than just make a telephone call, i told her i

would stand publicly and say, if i were still the mayor of the city, i would appoint her to the commission, and i would come before you personally and ask you to support her thank you very much. >> the you for being here. >> i tried to avoid falling him in speaking, i will do my best. i am delighted to be here and offered my support for the city and county of san francisco. i have known her for 32 years, and she is one of the most impressive leaders i have ever met. and as she mentioned, she has lived in san francisco longer than i have.

i first had dealings with her when she was a banker, first city bank and wells fargo. and then she had major responsibilities with real estate and lending, and she struck me as someone within the banking establishment who really understood the importance of community banking. she supported affordable housing and was an advocate of small business lending practices in city bank and wells fargo. i think this combination of knowing how important the community relationships are, combined with -- combined with business expertise, financial expertise, the knowledge of small business, the knowledge of marketing, trade and finance, will serve her well and the port of san francisco very well. you can see that she has a host of community relationships and

involvement that keeper grounded. she was the commissioner for the entire city of san francisco and the people who need the port of san francisco. she will be a great commissioner and i urge her appointment to be the next ports commissioner. >> thank you. and is there any other public comment on this item? >> i am -- the chief operating officer and i have known her in the past from having worked with her in a couple of different institutions. i have known her for 13 years, with distinct present -- pleasure, eight of those years being part of her leadership team. and i can probably provide some perspective on how her leadership style may fit into a commission.

one of the things that she has an excellent mind, for getting not only the big picture, but keeping track of the little details that may get in the way of the big picture. she is able to synthesize information very well. perhaps, most importantly, and i have seen this in action in both areas, she can take people with different opinions and get them to reach a consensus decision that they all feel good about. the decision reflects the best thinking possible at the time. she is highly motivated, and she is a person of integrity, not afraid to speak the truth when she believes that this needs to be done. she cares about the welfare of other people and those around her, even in challenging

circumstances. she will still make certain to keep -- to take care of those around her. her skills as a leader are a huge asset, and i support, strongly, that she joined the ports commission, and hopefully this will help you get some perspective on this. >> and is there any other public comment on this item? public comment is closed. the motion to move? i see no objections. i want to congratulate you on your nomination. if so impressed by your background. we heard about fiscal feasibility yesterday, the report with the cruise

terminal, and i think your expertise and background will be very useful. and i am impressed by your dedication in this community. this will be an asset as well, if you work with many of the neighborhood association merchants, small businesses and constituents in that area. completing the project -- we want to work in a partnership with many of the people out there. i am excited to support your nomination, and you'll be one of four women on the five-member commission. this is very unusual for any commission in san francisco. it is great to see strong female leadership on the ports commission. we will move this forward with the recommendation to the full board and i see no objections. can you please call item no. 2?

>> motion to confirm -- to the transportation administration. could mr. ramos come forward? could you spend a couple of minutes talking about your background and your interest in serving in this commission. >> thank you, members of the board of supervisors. i appreciate the time he gave me to have this opportunity to speak to you. i am happy to have been nominated to serve, and i have an intimate history with san francisco. in so strongly attached to the city. i remember coming down here as a little kid, he said, you have to check out the size, and this

was true, it was about as big as my head was back then. and sometimes it would go over to market street, and my father used to enjoy the beer that they would serve on tap. this was a time in the '70s where san francisco was a place for families, and it had tremendous potential. that is the kind of san francisco i would like to see come back to us. worst of the region where families can stay together, and where people of all incomes and education levels will be able to thrive. i see this as being a challenge and i would like to bring a vision to help get us back there, in an environment where small business and families -- working-class families can really flourish in the city. if i am appointed to the board,

i will bring the experience i have had since these times. i've had the good fortune of being able to work on transportation and land use planning issues that will make this vision a reality. whatever decision i would make, it would be in the interest of this particular vision. right now, i am someone who is dependent on the transit system and i know what this is like to be left behind on the switch back, that so many of these let light rail systems are going through. i know what this is like, being left out in the cold. i would also -- i also know what it is like to be a pedestrian, having your life laid out before you in these busy intersections that are too busy for many of us. at the same time, this is a

phenomenal system. this delivers people on time to where they need to go. but this needs a lot of work and i am committed to making the system successful for everyone. the system is overdue for an overhaul. this is a wonderful system that we have inherited, and i will make certain that we address these shortfalls to achieve a level of service to give us the system that we deserve. i know this will not come in a particular way. this is no silver bullet. this is not a particular a efficiency or parking a share. this is a little bit of everything. i am hoping to be able to make certain that these are distributed throughout the whole city, and i take great pride in the fact that i am the son of

mexican immigrants. i have a history of working with the non-english speaking communities. it will be a priority to have the mark with this -- and i am also very sensitive to the needs of seniors. my parents will be turning in their keys very soon, and they are able to walk around and maybe depending on the system more than they do today. this is a major component of our population. i hope that will be making a better future -- for the seniors that we can anticipate. for a child that is 8 years old -- this is safe enough for everyone. i live at the top of the hill, where i can see cars regularly come over 16th and there are

traffic accidents there, regularly -- not every day, but frequently, car accidents that could've easily been prevented, with better regulation that would actually make the streets safer for drivers as well. and when the street is safer for the drivers, the transit system will benefit and become more efficient. and there is even more of a need that we all share. i want to stress my history as an advocate and a clatter. i have made my purpose to bring more representation and people of different communities to come together for common ground, to make certain that the system and the opportunities that we have meet the needs of everyone. we are in a place where change is necessary and i know that change is difficult, but if we all make small sacrifices we can

go where we need to be. if you are going over the side of a cliff, changes good. we need to do this. again, i want to thank you all for this opportunity to speak before you, and i am happy to answer any questions about anything i have said. >> and are there any questions? >> i do have a couple of questions. i am very impressed by your experience and your background with public safety. do you own a car? >> i not own a vehicle. i am a regular transit rider. i was 30 minutes late because i was stuck on the end, and i experienced these frustrations every day. i may sometimes take this multiple times per day.

my wife owns a car. she will give this up because of the system that i am describing. i recognize the value and the mobility. i want to make this easier for the cars to get around. this is a serious priority for me. >> you have brought this up, the issue a pedestrian safety in san francisco. this is a major issue for the office. what do you think we should do to make the record better? >> i was fortunate enough to attend a pedestrian hearing in the decided that we did more resources directed to implementing pedestrian improvements in the infrastructure. a little bit will go very long way, to keep someone from getting injured or killed.

i want to make certain that the system is critical of capitalizing on the small improvements so that the system obviously is as safe as possible with a small effort that this may take. >> this has been a controversial issue for the board of supervisors. what are your thoughts about the request for the increased fees? >> the developer fees? >> just -- >> i think the transit riders pay too much as it is. it has been very difficult. i know people who can no longer afford to get the fast pass, where the things that they need to get. they have to neglect the deal and pay more because they cannot afford this price all once.

i will see to it that we avoid the fare hikes, and the increase in the price of the passes as much as possible. in a stand that there are some increases we cannot go back on. i will do everything i possibly can as a member of the board to make certain that we avoid this if all possible. i hold this very dear to make certain that people are mobile. >> thank you. we will open for public comment. i forgot to mention this. just please come forward. >> good afternoon. i want to thank you for