money back. the number is probably in the thousands. you place a deposit of $500 for whatever claims they are. they can decide not to pay you and take them to small claims court. i think they should start addressing issues related to the taxi drivers. they don't have to go to court nonstop. the you will know what cab companies are violating these laws because a security deposit is a security deposit. i would like to also bring a of if you look at an increase on the meter, without doing an economic impact on the income of taxi drivers, you're doing a disservice to the city and county of san francisco.

most cabdrivers' a very big fees to cab companies have they get virtually nothing back except a taxi with four wheels, brakes, a radio, and that is is. if you want to increase the meter, you can start a pension fund medical fund and the union for taxi drivers. they will have the same rights that 29,000 other employees in the city have. as of right now, they have no rights of all. i thank you. >> the next speaker? >> it is like christmas for the drivers today. they will be very happy, and you

finally give them something that is a great tax to you. they would be really very happy from the bottom of their hearts. during the town hall meetings, the back seat terminals are so far and there. 150 cabs will be stocked in a determination will be made. it has proven to be false, and the statement of the cab company, they will sue. we're saying to look into this matter. some inspectors want to a lemonade heehaw -- eliminate the

limos from the city. thousands of these days and days out, we're standing there to distribute a violation. city employed people cannot go on and put any such thing as propaganda. these are the flyers for the board members, and they should stop distribution. the last speaker, [unintelligible] >> dan hines. >> members of the board, once

again, i am president of national veterans cabin, and the number of the taxi advisory council. i wanted to take this opportunity to give you my personal assessment of the program. the pilot program has more than met its goals. have a financially viable exit now. opportunities have opened up for drivers on the waiting list. there are more than a thousand that wish to purchase medallions. the city has generated substantial revenues through this program. lived in fortunate enough to have competent and conscientious oversight. the work that both groups have done has been truly outstanding. has the opportunity to sell is currently closed to anyone not

in the pilot, i would ask this board to formally request a specific recommenda way to transition from the pilot program to a continuation of medallion sales on an ongoing basis. this recommendation that is the one that chartered responsibility should be given priority over other items. other items are brought and i think this should be a primary issue. i think the representation, it should be held by someone who has purchased a medallion. chairman nolan: that will conclude public comment. one more? you know how it works? you are supposed to indicate

you want to speak. >> it would be helpful if you turn them at earlier. >> there is a lot to talk about, but i want to focus on a few things. before it purchased the cabinet earlier this year, i was very familiar with the taxi system here in san francisco and wanted to give you a couple observations as to why i think our system is flawed and why we have very bad availability to the public. first, let me give you the facts. right now, we have a cab company with major dispatch services, and have about half of the medallions. we have different color schemes popping up, so we have about 31 different cap companies right now. half of them are at companies that have no dispatch service whatsoever. the burden of servicing the

neighborhood call fallen half of the medallions we normally have. you have to meet service demands and neighborhoods, you have to pick up orders and that is the first thing you can do. you have to make sure that they are servicing the neighborhood, not just half of them. we have a situation where i have hundreds of orders that i can't fulfill, and dozens of drivers waiting to go out. there is no love lost between the other cab companies and myself. the one thing that unifies the other major cab companies is that we will be out of business soon because the standards have applied. the standards in this industry are so low that i have never seen the level of exploitation of i have -- as i have seen now. the giants are operated by

individuals. the proliferated and operated it least 30% of the medallions. one of the things the city must do is create standards and enforcement to make sure that the neighborhoods are matt. 31 cab companies with only half of them actually servicing the neighborhood. that has to change. chairman nolan: anybody welse -- else want to speak, let us know. two speakers. ok. >> be medallion pilot program should be stopped. it should be brought back and issue to the drivers. i will tell you why. you are having the cabdrivers

pay defending on what you choose. $200,000 goes to the [unintelligible] don't think that is fair, the cabdriver's like me that have been driving a cab for 23 years and have been on the waiting list, the medallion that higher earnings and deserve. when i'm driving a cab, my feet get sore. i will be unable to drive a cab. for us, don't you think it's

like changing the rules in the middle of the game? issue medallions under the leading less. if any new medallion is issued, it should go the drivers on the waiting list. use l 6 and in the hands and you get $225,000. under this proposal, you sell one medallion and you get more than $225,000. [chime] chairman nolan: next speaker. >> i am a member of the taxi advisor a council. of like to take issue with the claims a couple of previous speakers that a new

constitution, that anybody is trying to kill the pilot program. i don't know of anybody that has that in mind. there are people on the pilot program who have for it any kind of discussion of fair system to come out of this. there are a lot of us still concerned with people on the list as the last speaker just spoke, they spend their career trying to get their medallion and planning of with all of this stuff. we put up with a lot of stuff. the are a lot of us the lead to discuss a possible future program that would be fair, and presented as a compromise solution. the pilot program was a small number of medallions and we will sell and evaluate the effects of drivers.

there are people on the committee that feel that the purpose of the pilot program is just to transition in the total transfer ability. my understanding is that we're supposed to be of value leading it, finding the problems, and suggesting a fair way to continue like a dual system where of medallions will be issued to drivers have made a career. i don't think that should end. it doesn't mean we are trying to kill the pilot program. i think also of the flyer that as a vindictive fet earhart is not propaganda, is an explanation of the way bi thinke of the money that you guys are spending to disseminate truthful information.

chairman nolan: next item. >> you have concluded regular items. chairman nolan: is there a second? we will go to closed session. thank

>> what i think about the arts in san francisco, i think of an ecosystem that has many different constituents and components. you have many large organizations, mid-sized groups, and smaller organizations looking to prevent their ideas to the public. part of the ecosystem includes a parade of committing. individuals have to partner with the organizations. today, we are speaking with one of the important components of that ecosystem which is the role of the art incubator.

we are fitting with [inaudible] joining me to talk about this is jessica robinson love, the executive director. welcome to culture wire. >> thank you for having me. >> can you tell me about your organization? >> we serve as an incubator for artists who are experimenting, departing from, and developing their performance work. we support this through an artist in residence program, through festivals, and also through a variety of commission programs and shorter showings. >> what prompted us to come and visit with you is that in the month of november, you have brought to life as you have

nurtured for a couple of years. >> performing diaspora came to me for an idea several years ago when i was looking at a the ecosystem and the cultural community of the bay area. artists who are rooted in traditional performance of forms have a certain amount of opportunity to show their work. often, when they want to transform that work, there's not a support system. contemporary presenters are more and more open to additional work but without a lot of context. what i want to do is to create an opportunity for artists, give them a chance to develop new work not just to the festival but through a residency program and decommissioning process so we can fully support the work and it's development.

>> what i want is for the dancers to feel like dancers, not like folklorico dancers. the choreographer, i want to be able to do a much more personal work that speaks about the reality that we live then. not the reality of our parents. even more importantly, not every dance is about happy people and happy places. we need to use the vocabulary i have always known within this context. i've tried to do that again and again. never with the support of an organization behind me. that is the big difference. >> how would you describe the

performance that you demonstrated. >> we have an after-school program. there, we service children from the third grade to the 12th grade. then we have the company that has been dancing from 3 to however many years. what we have been doing is having some institute people tend to we wanted a family feel to it. it is about family and the values of family. >> what will you take from the experience? >> this is a wonderful thing to be able to perform the same program for four years in a row. this is a way to grow the product that i have seldom experienced.

i feel like it is a broadway musical. i am taking this on the road. >> thank you so much for bringing your company to san francisco. >> i got a grant in 2008 and there is a disconnect between african-americans and africans that live on the continent. >> participating in this festival, does this serve as a kind of incentives and processed experience?

>> this is the first opportunity that i have had to express my true feelings about my trip. in african culture, you don't go and talk about your family. even though we had a rough time understanding each other, we understood each other. a understood that i was american. i never had a relationship to my citizenship until that. >> it sounds like these are pretty profound issues and issues. what was the creative process like to bring those issues to the fore? >> when they want us to speak, it might be inconvenient for us. it has been very emotional for

me. dealing with the work in progress, listening to what people had to say about it. >> many people have given you this opportunity to present this to work. has that been useful for you? >> i am so grateful for this experience. like i said, in the bay area, it is very traditional. any opportunity to step in and show that we understand what we have been taught and how we are putting our own voice into this is very pleasing. i get to stand in front of my elders and be me and also be them. improvisation in rhythmic is closely intertwined in the

classical music. >> the musician is the dancer as well. we are dancing and music and the rhythm. we improvise with the musicians. >> your whole body is an instrument. >> our body is the instrument. this house that we produce with our mouth, we produce with our feet and also the instrument produces the same sounds. we can communicate by reciting, dancing, by movement. the body is an instrument. >> how has this helped to move >> we are not only have these residence where we get to go deeply into it all work with other artists, but we get to talk about it. we get to write about it. we have to think about it.

belaruour gurus weesee this and there is feedback. we are revising this. this is relevant to contemporary kind. it has been a real blessing and a wonderful opportunity for me as a solo artist. >> thank you for being in such a great culture. >> thank you. my pleasure. >> it has been extraordinary to have this opportunity to talk with some of the performers who are performing in the diaspora. it really piqued my interest. where can get more information? >> the festival in november has been really well documented and

this is available in our website. performing diaspora is more than just a performance, it is a committee and an ongoing dialogue of interaction. anyone who likes to, they can go on our website to watch interviews with the audience, to watch rehearsals footage, to read journals. each of the artists that you spoke with have written extensively and articulate about what it was like to develop their performance in the program. all of that, the writing, the video, discussion. fitch on the symposium, all of that is available on our website. >> it has been an interesting experience. i am sure that people take advantage of the web site. >> performing diaspora will continue next year with performances by several of the artists. >> thank you for being part of >> thank you for being part of "culture wir