tv [untitled] July 26, 2011 4:30pm-5:00pm PDT
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;vo;; -- calvillo: item number 38, the settlement of an unmitigated came not -- unmitigated claim with pearl howell. president chiu: same house same call. next item. clerk calvillo: item 39, in dealing with business and tax regelation codes. -- regulation could. supervisor mirkarimi: i would like to make a motion. president chiu: supervisor w iener. supervisor wiener: i want to
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thank supervisor mirkarimi for bringing this forward. i do not support a continuance. this is gone through an extensive, expensive process, gone through several conditions, gone through the land use committee, and at the very, very last minute, as is often the case in san francisco, those who are sophisticated about trying to kill things waited until the end and then raised an objection, and i am concerned that this could, and i hope this doesn't happen, but it could be an opening for those who want to unravel this ordinance to unravel it. we received an email from nancy shanahan yesterday, outlining all sorts of changes that she once that i think would severely undermined -- that she wants that would severely undermine
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this. i am against this. this ordinance did go through a strong process. there are things i would change if i could, but i would like for it to include the entire city. i would like it to include digital and analog music, but it does not, and that is the legislative process, so i am ready to vote on it today, and i would be voting against the continuance. president chiu: supervisor elsbernd? supervisor elsbernd: this is really not one week. it would actually be six weeks, because we are recessed for about four or five weeks after next week, so we could get this thing going in the middle of august. if we continue in just one week, it will not get going until the end of october. if there are just such nominal changes to be discussed, that could be done on the second reading. we do not need a one-week continuance. president chiu: any further
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discussion? supervisor mirkarimi? supervisor mirkarimi: i just want to say thank you from supervisors elsbernd and wiener. this has been a work in progress, while sculpted by the input of all of you, but i am, as i have from the beginning, provided, i think, the collegial courtesy that we are trying to get i think as much from everybody, so i have been asked by one of our colleagues that it would be best for a one week continuance, and i am certainly consider it of that, and i understand -- i am certainly considered of that. -- consider it -- considerate of that. let's make sure that we fortified that expectation.
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dealing with the inner clement, outer clement, and geary neighborhood commercial controls. president chiu: supervisor mar? supervisor mar: i want to thank some from my office to have a lot of time in gauging many different community forces on this one but especially the work of the planning department -- from my office who have spent a lot of time engaging many different community forces. there has a lot gone in from the small-business community, especially the small-business commissioners and staff, and i wanted to thank them tremendously for their work on this issue, and also the planning commissioners, as well. this legislation has the principal and altman objective
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in supporting the district, especially those that are locally owned and to encourage economic activity there, especially in the greater respect -- the greater geary corridor. this is the diversity of the businesses. it utilizes the legislative process, our powers to update controls or modernize emperor in a way that leads to greater opportunity for all of our small businesses. it also encourages other residences was strengthening businesses. i wanted to say that after hearings of the small business commission but also at the planning commission and also the land use committee, there have been a lot of great stories of small business owners, and i wanted to say that a coalition
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has signatures in support of our legislation and to promote small businesses in the city, but one of the key points was a story told by jonathan, one of the co- owners of per corner in my district. jonathan owns that store, and his statement at the land use committee is "i work seven days a week, sold back home, move back home, put myself in debt to pursue my dream of being a small-business owner 10 months ago. i have never been happier. most of the money i make at the pet store is put right back in the neighborhood. i shop, patronize restaurants, bookstores, and even other pet stores in the neighborhood. i have had many coming to thank us for increase in the neighborhood and inspiring them to take action and inspiring them to start their own small business, or just to be a better
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neighbor. our vision is to grow with our beloved customers and in doing so make the richmond district a beloved neighborhood to everyone who shops or reside here. that is really the heart of our ordinance in supporting character of our neighborhood, the businesses, and how neighborhood serving businesses like pat conor or the pet supply store are businesses that are critical to the health of our neighborhood." i wanted to urge my colleagues to be supportive of this as a key step forward in revitalizing the richmond district neighborhood, so i urge your support. thank you, colleagues. supervisor: with respect to supervisor mar, i think this is a mistake and a step in the wrong direction. this is not about whether you
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like chain stores were small businesses. this is about the process that we have in place, the conditional use process, that was created by proxy with only a few exceptions. chain stores and san francisco have to go through the cu process -- chain stores in san francisco. the planning commission makes a decision, and that can then be appealed to this board. as president of the neighborhood association, i helped lead the charge against particular chain stores coming into the store because they were inappropriate, and we beat both of them at the planning commission. the process does work.
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with the signatures that have been collected, and it looks like they are largely from the richmond, that does not bode well for them thursday night at the planning commission, and i believe we should allow the process to work, and i guarantee you this will not be the last micro chain store that we will see, because we will see on a very ad hoc basis in particular chain store coming into a particular neighborhood, and instead of letting the planning process work itself out, we will see the planning process ban this particular type of chain store in this particular neighborhood with the absolute best of intentions, but i think we will end up with an even more convoluted planning code and a hodgepodge of chain store regulation, so i will be voting against this tonight, and it is not to express an opinion that i think that petco should go into
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geary street, and we all have to remain neutral on that, but in my mind, this is just not the right policy. thank you. president chiu: any additional discussion? roll call both i no. 40. -- roll call vote on item number 40. clerk calvillo: supervisor chu, cohen, mar, elsbernd, mirkarimi, wiener, avalos, president chiu. president chiu: this item is passed on the first reading. item 41. clerk calvillo: item number 41,
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with the transportation code, the parking restrictions. president chiu: roll call. clerk calvillo: [reading roll] there are 11 ayes. president chiu: this ordinance is passed on the first reading. item 42. clerk calvillo: a resolution of the board of supervisors determining in making certain findings. president chiu: colleagues, can we take this same house, same call? next item. clerk calvillo: this is an
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ordinance amending the code and tax regulations code regarding permitting a taxi, and trees -- a tax increase. president chiu: colleagues, can we take this item same house, same call, or do we need a roll- call vote? same house, same call. this is passed on the first reading. why do we now not go to roll call for introductions? clerk calvillo: supervisor chu, kim, wiener? supervisor wiener: today, i am calling for a hearing on what various city departments, including the mayor's office on housing and other departments, are doing to encourage the production of moderate and middle-income housing in san francisco.
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inclusionary housing. how that review will addressed the connection -- that will address the city's ability to would attract and maintain private and non-profit sector jobs. we do a very good job producing market rate housing in san francisco. we do a respectable job producing low and very low- income housing in the city. we are close to meeting our targets. we do a very poor job producing moderate and middle-income housing in san francisco, moving as potentially in the direction of being a city of rich and poor without a large middle class to support the tax base and to provide the stability
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that any city or society needs. we need to be very aggressive in providing that housing, and i am very interested to hear with the various city departments at issue wrote to let us know what they are doing and what strategies they are proposing, and supervisor carmen chu is cosponsoring this , so the thank you, supervisor. clerk calvillo: thank you, supervisor wiener. supervisor cohen/ supervisor cohen: we all know about the shooting that happened in san francisco, and as a result of that, today, i am introducing a hearing request to be countered. the policies and programs that the employment to assure the
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safety of residents and visitors riding on muni and how they enforce farwe -- fare collection. these concerns are about safety on muni. we have heard from residents, not just in my district but citywide. we are aware of needing additional revenue to close the budget gap, so, hopefully, throughout this hearing, we will be able to answer some questions for us. i would like to work with departments to better understand three simple questions. which experience is the highest rates of violence or public safety issues? two, what are the strategies being used to deal with the public safety issues, and 3, 1 lines experience the fares, and what does this cost the mta approved -- what lines
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experience those? much like what was transpiring earlier, that the buses should be shrink wrapped or not to be shrink wrapped. the rest, i submit, mr. president. clerk calvillo: thank you, supervisor cohen. supervisor farrell? supervisor farrell: supporting our post 9/11 veterans. san francisco has always had a very rich history of supporting our veterans, and i will say along with supervisor cohen, the son and daughter of vietnam-era veterans, the sacrifices that they make for us, there is not enough gratitude we can show them. this recognizes the number of organizations that have been deeply involved with the post 9/11 veterans in particular, and
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those that serve in the middle east theater face unique challenges in san francisco as well as across the nation. these organizations play an important role, and they are more than worthy of our full support, recognition, and honor, and i want to thank the supervisors for their support. the rest, i will submit. clerk calvillo: thank you, supervisor farrell. supervisor mirkarimi? supervisor mirkarimi: this legislation would allow them to opt out of secure communities. it urges governor brown and the state attorney to join the governors of illinois, massachusetts, and new york and suspending or terminating agreements with immigration and customs enforcement, known as
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ice, on the police-ice collaboration. approximately 70% of individual support it. they have no criminal record or have committed no low-level crimes, including some people who are domestic violence survivors, whose only contact with the police occurred because they called for help. governors in those states have suggested to terminate or suspend or have refused to sign an agreement with federal ice authorities. law-enforcement officials, including our san francisco sheriff mike hennessey, the yellow county sheriff, and the retired chief police -- chief of police have concern about damage caused by secure communities on community policing. the u.s. congressional spanish secaucas, -- spanish caucus, and others have urged obama to
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suspend secure communities because of the reckless nature in which victims of crime and those witnesses have also been treated. the resolution speaks for itself. the rest i will submit. thank you. clerk calvillo: thank you, supervisor mirkarimi. president chiu? president chiu: today, i have been in more remote region -- i have an in memoriam. she was a cyclist, tragically missed by her friends and family. the rest i will submit. clerk calvillo: thank you. note supervisor campos? supervisor campos: i would like to add my name to the secure
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community program. then there is legislation that introduced previously to provide a more cohesive definition about what we mean by community policing in the city and county of san francisco. i am proud and pleased to report that my office as well as members of different committees have been working with the chief of police, who is working with us to make sure that we pass this legislation in a manner that will make sure that we have meaningful community policing, codified not only in statute but also in the department's general orders of the san francisco police department. i want to thank the chief for his willingness to work with us and with his willingness to work with members of the community, and the rest i submit. clerk calvillo: thank you,
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supervisor campos. supervisor avalos? supervisor avalos: colleagues, in "the bay citizen," there was a story about squeezing residents out of san francisco, and it appears there is a proliferation of illegal conversions of rental units to vacation rentals, and i think it is something that our city needs to get a handle on, what is being done to enforce our rent control laws, to make sure we are preventing the conversion of housing that is often most affordable, rental housing stock. i think we need to get an assessment from the treasurer as well as from the city attorney as to what is being done to ensure that we're following up on the enforcement of our rent control laws and it will also be looking at the planning department and dbi to have input, as well as the board. i also love a resolution making
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august 6 the celebration of -- all across, many san francisco residents that we know that are from el salvador will be taking part in the celebration, so that will be before us next week, and i have, sadly, an im -- in memoriam for miguel, a tenants' rights advocate. i have worked with him over the years and have found him to be quite an incredible person to work with. he died in a snorkeling accident over the weekend in mexico. it was a shock to many of us, and i will read some excerpts. "san francisco tends lost an instrumental advocate, when the founder and executive director
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of the eviction defense collaborative and died tragically while vacationing in in in mexico with his sister. he was 46 years old. miguel brought together one dozen nonprofits and groups to fund what is now known as the defense collaborative. every day, san francisco residents who are served eviction papers get critical assistance from the defense collaborative, which helps them file their answers in court, offers attorney referrals, and largest funds to keep them house. it is an indispensable service that the city simply cannot do without, in his ingenuity and persistence has allowed us to thrive all of these 15 years -- and his ingenuity and persistence has allowed us to thrive. he graduated in 1986 and moved to the city. he got involved in the housing rights movement by volunteering at the tenants union. there was the eviction defense
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office, for them to file documents, so there was the tender line housing clinic, to close it down, the need was apparent -- the tenderloin housing clinic. something had to be done, and that is where miguel came in. he launched the collaborative, and in 1996, they hired the first employee, an attorney. it was his ingenuity that allowed the collaborative to expand from one paid staff to many, many more. miguel was fluent in three languages, english, spanish, and mandarin, having lived in china, and while he was hired full-time to be the executive director of the collaborative, he still volunteered at the san francisco tenants union for years, during counseling.
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he was not a lawyer, but he could talk legal concepts like an attorney, work number is in his head as if by magic, speaking cantonese fluently, and mandarin, i guess, give testimony at hearings with statistics at his fingertips. all in all, he was a wonderful advocate for people facing eviction. after a funeral in new york for his family, his ashes will be brought back to san francisco for a more public memorial service, and he will be greatly missed, and there will be many people in attendance. there are many who will be morning his loss. clerk calvillo: thank you, supervisor avalos. [applause] clerk calvillo: supervisor mar. supervisor mar: i would like to
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add my name to that. i wanted to announce that i am pleased that our local san francisco and santa clara grassroots community efforts to demand healthier happy meals and kids' meals at fast food companies has shaken up the fast-food industry, and i do not know if many of you heard that today mcdonald's announced, or they are claiming that they are going to add apples to their happy meals and reduce the fries, cut in half, so there will be apple's -- apples and fire -- fires, and there will be other changes -- apples and fries. this is major. when mcdonald's, a huge company, makes changes, the rest follows, but even two weeks ago, jack in the box and ihop and other
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restaurants announced major changes, as well. i think our grass-roots efforts and parents, public health advocates really have had -- hopefully it will have a global impact, as well. i think mcdonald's is taking a good step, a positive step, and they have acknowledged their role in the growing obesity epidemic among children in our society, and i think that is the key thing, that they are 8 nongenetic their role in the epidemic. i think mcdonald's and the fast companies need to do much, much more to meet these standards as said by national bodies. they need to cut fat, sugar, salt, and calories much, much more, especially in meals that are targeted to children, in which they use toys to lure them to eat an unhealthy option.
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i'll continue to ask to hold fast food companies accountable for their role in the fast-food epidemic in america. i also wanted to say that 70 years ago, a radio station was founded in san francisco. kalw. i have been a dj at many stations. also at uc-davis, so i am proud when we can be supportive of community and public radio. i think supervisor mirkarimi, -- thank supervisor mirkarimi and others for taking a stand with me. i am urging us to have a resolution for kalw on this anrs
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