initial community meetings when they went out to the neighborhoods got a lot of feedback in terms of non-rail improvements that would be good compliments to the project. that would achieve better principles in line with the better streets plan and policy that has been approved by the board of supervisors. as a result, the project went from rail replacement to our real replacement pedestrian and bike safety and streets improvement project. that was one of the examples noted where the mta has exceeded the budget. the reason in that case, one major reason is because we added the scope, and we were able to find funds to meet safety issues and community needs. that increase scope are among the dollars are identified as

potential savings. there are other examples where we have added scope to projects in response to stakeholder needs or additional condition assessments that are getting work done that is good work to be done, but that is characterized here as cost overruns. i have no doubt with better management we can stretch our dollars further, but some of the percentages or dollar amounts that are implied from this report in terms of savings that we can just take through better management and use somewhere else would in fact pisco productions, so i just want to clarify that -- when in fact be scope reductions, so i just want to clarify that. some of the numbers and here do not clarify. the difference in the one instance is because of wheat

added scope to meet other needs. -- becaseu wause we added scopeo meet other needs. supervisor mirkarimi: thank you. what i would say is i think the numbers in the magnitude of the issue is i think what leads me to believe that based on the findings here that there is a lot of money to be saved. the 29 projects they have looked at, they were on average delayed by 592 days. that is a pretty significant number. even if it is a fraction of that, half of that would be significant. that is pretty significant. while we are talking about capital funding, that could also impact operational funding to the extent you're talking about going over budget. in any event, i want to thank you for being here and think the consultants for the

presentation and my colleagues for their indulgence and look forward to having more and that discussions in committee. any other questions or comments? thank you to mta staff. thank you to consultants who took lead in performance of it and transportation authority staff for their assistance and help facilitate this process and commissioner campos for your leadership here yen greatly appreciate it. this is not an action item, although it is. let's go ahead and take this with public comments first. public comment on this item, please. >> [inaudible]

bob allen. i came from a meeting last week and a tree with fda commissionta commissioner, the f good repair for about an hour and how he encouraged at the kids to take a more active role, so we're really pleased. you did not see the chamber packed, not because people do not want to go through the audit, but it is incumbent upon the advocate committee to discuss issues like the audit and how we put a better system on the streets. we will be working to do that over the coming weeks. i sat on the advisory committee for the transportation sustainability project, which is an effort to save $100 million in operations for the region each year. i want to commend the ta and the director for taking a similar tack to look at the fleet management and construction costs. we have maintained that the analysis on the capital programs

for transit operators are really neglected in the whole piece of watchdog in and make sure we get better service, so we're really appreciative and want to work with you on this effort. to follow up on supervisor campos's point, we also know in this room when we have significant cost overruns there is a tendency to pull from core operations that has an impact on the ability to put service on the street to implement programs that have broad support try to get our youth to have more accessible transit service, to put the additional revenue hours -- all of that isall of does its connected. we look forward to the next committee hearing, to hear from the advocates. we have seen clear guidance from the fta and the administrator.

this is a big area of emphasis. i want to thank you for that. supervisor mirkarimi: thank you. any other public comment? step right up if anybody disasters. all right, public comment is closed. this is an informational item. we will look forward to the continuing conversations in the plans and programs committee. we like what has been started. madam clerk, is there any other additional items? >> item 12, adjournment. supervisor mirkarimi: all right, are we good? happy thanksgiving, everybody. meeting is adjourned.

>> welcome to city hall. more importantly, welcome to our season of giving. i am pleased that i am joined by very important members of our great city family. i wanted to take this opportunity as we're coming closer to our first of many holidays, i wanted to send a message to all of our city and the rest of the bay area that there is easily going to be a lot of bad news in our lives. it may be economics or jobs. in san francisco, we think differently. we believe in ourselves, we

believe in our faiths. we take up the challenge that in times of bad news and economic hurt that we do things differently in our city. we bring our residents and visitors together closer. to declare this season of giving is important for us to send a different message as we're sensitive to messages that may not be about hope. i want to thank our religious leaders. i want to thank our wonderful social service providers, the intra-faith council, st. anthony's, and so many others, a salvation army, the united way of the bay area. all of them are coming together including the food bank.

we will be working hard together. i started this week with our department heads. in the next few months, as we hear about what is going on around us, in san francisco, we will depend a lot more on ourselves and on our own spirit of unity and sacrifice. i am not going anywhere for the holidays. i am staying right here in our city. i want to join with all the wonderful agencies who have come together. they have been here every season to help and asked others to make donations and sacrifices. the season of giving starts now. i would ask that everyone in the city stepped up.

whether you of the job or not, whether you have a family that you care about, or other people's families, this is a good time to step up and make the extra effort. i am going to be there visibly joining them in the message of the season of giving. i want to register that this whole city has been such a wonderful place to be. i am so very fortunate to be the mayor of this city. i also want to make sure that we have a lot of hope to bring to the residents who live here and the people who are suffering. i will have more to say in a minute. i would like to welcome to the podium someone i have had a chance to work with over the years. is someone i believe in and i know has a very strong message of hope for our citizens. that is cicecil williams and

gladys. come on up. [applause] >> do you want to say something first? this is what we do all the time. [laughter] you go now and i will follow. [laughter] i know what to do. if she says to do it, i do it. [laughter] thank you, mayor ed lee, and congratulations to you on winning the mayor of this city. san francisco is not only a beautiful city. it is a city and a community and a territory that serves the needs of the people. there is no doubt about it. people who are here today are ready and able to do the work.

we want to expand and make sure that people in the city and bay area and do what they usually do. that is to make sure that no one has to suffer during the holiday season or in any season. no one should have to suffer. we come together to support you and let you know that this city is ready. take us and lead us, we will follow. no doubt about that. [applause] >> it is always hard to follow the preacher. i want to thank mayor lee for showing the world and continuing to repeat the bottom line at san francisco is a compassionate city. it does care for all the people here, no matter who they are. we appreciate you. we appreciate your love of the diversity of the city.

we appreciate the generosity of this community. thank you for continuing to give. [applause] >> next week, i will have the chance to carve some turkeys. i will be joining st. anthony's and having a wonderful time. anita and i will have a chance to exhibit our love for the city again. st. anthony's has been a wonderful partner. i was here on these steps with st. anthony's a few months ago as they were exhibiting their love for the city. i know they have a tough time with all the lines increasing on a weekly basis. i want to introduce the director of the st. anthony's foundation.

[applause] >> we are honored to be a partner with the city and with all san franciscans. it has been a hard time. we just got our numbers in. last month, we saw a number of -- another 15% increase in the number of guests coming to our dining room. we're seeing an increase in the technology lab. we're able to meet the needs that grow because of the generosity of san francisco. we know the weather turns colder. we know the economy is still slow and many people still suffer. the other thing i see on a daily basis is hope. when san franciscans and people all over the bay area continue to come together, there is a lot of abundance. there's a great generosity. like the mayor and others, we come together. we may be volunteering, donating food or cash.

it really helps. in giving, you and still hope. this the season of giving and hope. we come together and join together with the nonprofits gathered today. we all work together, whether we're buying food together, coordinating other efforts. it is all of us coming together as a family, a big community family here in the san francisco area. we're honored to get to work with you and everyone gathered here. we want to wish everyone a blessed holiday season. thank you. [applause] >> next week, i will have a chance to join our intra-faith council -- inter-faith council. they have been very helpful as we try to figure out things. we do not have the solutions to every question or even the questions being raised by those representing the challenges to the 99%.

we will need help from everyone to figure those things out in the city. i want to register my appreciation for the council and their continuing support for all of us leaders in the city and for their prayers as well. i would to have funds serving one of the great institutions that are no longer just in chinatown. they are all over our city. annie chung, please come on up. >> mayor, thank you for including us in today's press conference. i read the "reader's digest" for december. they went around 16 countries and asked people one question. the question is whether the holidays are joyous or stressful. is where the united states placed? in the bottom two. -- guess where the united states

placed? in the bottom two. at the top was philippines. india was at the bottom with 79%. the united states was close at 82%. thank you for giving out this message of hope today. under your leadership, this is going to change. we're going to make sure that all sentences against a field stressful or sad during the holidays will be able to get something they wanted this year or for their families. there will be enough gifts for them. it is because you are stepping up. you are asking san francisco to join you and give more this season. we serve 35,000 seniors a year. like everyone else, the line is getting longer. our funding is diminishing. in october, seven adult day care

centers were threatened to be closed by the state. mayor, you stepped in. you delivered the message of hope. he found the money to keep 1500 seniors going to these adult day health centers who otherwise would face nursing home and emergency hospitals. on behalf of adult day health care, we thank you for finding the funding to keep us going for another few months. we hope that under your leadership, san franciscans will open their hearts and pocketbooks and continue to support the seniors. we look forward to having your car 30's and serve meals next thursday. we will serve 3000 seniors that day. thank you. [applause] >> in addition to the wonderful services that will be held with our communities and the wonderful meals the will be served, all i want to also join supervisor jikim is negative

shares our strong compassion for neighborhoods. we will find the time during the holidays to open up city hall. when we get our treae lit, messages of hope will be hung on a tree. we will have the snow day for all of the kids. we will also be able to have some pictures taken with the mayor for anyone who wants to come in and donate a can of food to the food bank. that will be another day when we register our joint effort to bring the message of unity to the city. we will need everybody to step up. this season of giving is in my opinion one of the very good

opportunities for everyone in the city -- i do not care whether you are a corporate citizen or resident of whatever economic level, if you can step up to help somebody else, this is where the passion of the city exists. this is where the soul of the city is. i want to thank all the folks here and every institution. i plan to work closely with all of them to make sure that we touch each other as we go together to help all of our citizens in the city. thank you very much on this announcement for our season of giving. thank you, everybody. [applause]