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tv   [untitled]    March 5, 2012 3:30pm-4:00pm PST

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schools are located. there are other areas, like downtown or union square, where there are essentially no restrictions. this leads to over- concentration in some areas, with a lack of food trucks in other areas. i understand and support the desire to support our school lunch programs encourage kids to eat at school, but i think that 1,500 feet or three blocks is too far. the legislation would reduce the distance to one city block, on average 500 feet. those other pieces of legislation i am introducing regarding food trucks. i am also introducing legislation to address the way that we handle, accept, and expand over $100,000. every week, we vote on these resolutions on acceptance that have not been referred to
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committee, but introduced of the week before. i do not recall their ever being a split vote. they cannot recall a split vote on any of these smaller except and expands. i do not even recall us having a debate on any of them. they are frequently for very small amounts. 500,000, $10,000. they are often, as we see on the agenda, retroactive, meaning that the department has already expended some and it is coming to us after the fact. these often create huge amounts of paperwork headaches for the mayor's office, for our staff, with very little benefit given that they do not get referred to committee or have the same kind of public hearing. the legislation would shift for the acceptance and expanding of
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$100,000 approved by the department hadn't the comptroller would issue rules in terms of how it would be handled so as to be transparent and methodical. last year we had 65 accept and expand under $100,000. the grand total of all of those was $2.5 million over the entire 6.7, $6.5 billion budget, spread across every department. i am submitting several except and expands today, all of which are retroactive, meaning the money has already been accepted but be will nevertheless have to submit agendas and we have submitted a huge amount of paperwork. >> thank you, supervisor wiener.
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supervisor campos? supervisor campos: i have a couple of items. the first is a memorial park dave hobson, a beloved health care advocate who passed away on february 8, 2012. he was the vice president of policy and planning at the clinic consortium, representing a consortium in many strategic forums. with health policy decisions that were made here in san francisco, with respect to health clinics and their patients, i have to say that i first got to know dick when he provided a pretty invaluable assistance in an input to my office as we begin our work on health care security master plan legislation that this board enacted a couple of years ago. at the time, dick served on the master plan task force.
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but that is what he played an important role in. right now the task force created for the legislation as the department of public health finalizes the first draft of the plan. he was a leader with the primary care council of the service network with a healthier san francisco project. his work was truly extraordinary and he will be dearly missed. our condolences to his family and loved ones. the second item that i have is a hearing requests. as we have heard over the last few weeks, a number of amendments have been introduced by supervisors kim, supervisors wiener and myself, regarding the san francisco campaign finance reform ordinance.
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i believe that it is important for us to have a hearing and a discussion about the efficacy of the law, with a discussion of the law for -- and how it is being enforced before the ethics commission. i am asking that the hearing be referred to the rules committee. i think it is important for us, as the board of supervisors, to have a discussion about whether or not the objectives of a lot are being met. -- objectives of the law are being met. when put in place, the intent of the regulations was very clear. one of them was to place a realistic and enforceable limits on the amount that individuals can contribute to political campaigns in order to provide full and fair enforcement of those provisions, to make sure
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that all of those individuals and groups in san francisco have a fair opportunity to participate in a elected and governmental processes. to create an incentive in to limit campaigns. the purpose of that was to reduce the pressure placed on candidates to raise large sums of money. i say this as an incumbent myself, to reduce the in the vantage that incumbents have the -- to reduce the advantage that incumbents have to increase the probability of elected office competition. we need to go back to look at whether or not those objectives are being met. it is appropriate, given that a number of changes have been introduced by a number of us on the board of supervisors. the third item, the last item that i have today is an item that i have with respect to that hearing request.
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but i hope that we have a discussion over the next few weeks at the rules committee. the next item is an item that is co-sponsored by supervisor avalos and olague. it is a hearing on a very important report that just came out on foreclosures in california. a crisis of compliance, commissioned by the office of the assessor. i think that all of us during these tough economic times have heard about all of the issues that many people have had around foreclosures. this report is a very enlightening report, quite by opening, which reviewed 382 residential mortgage loan transactions, a fraction of about 16% of the total loans that we are talking about here in the city and county. this report looked at those 382 mortgages and found a number of
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the very serious concerns. overall, it identified that one or more irregularities, in 99% of loans were reviewed. in other words, except for that very small 1%, there were irregularities in falling applicable state law in terms of protecting the rights of the people impacted by these foreclosures. in 84% of the loans reviewed, this report identified at least one clear violation of the law. what you have here is a grim picture that the protections afforded to bar wars and homeowners, protections afforded by state law in federal law, are not being sought -- not being followed. it is important for us to make sure that we have an in-depth analysis in the findings of this
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report. i know that in my district, we have an organized movement that is looking at what is happening with the foreclosure clark -- crisis. that is just one part of the city. i know that there are districts like six, 11, but the entirety of the city, really, is impacted. that is why it is important for us to have a discussion as a city in as a city government about this crisis. it truly is a crisis. i want to thank the accessory reporter for commissioning this report. my hope is that out of this discussion, we can come up with some strategic ideas for steps that can be taken to address this crisis to make sure that we respond to what is happening to so many residents who have lost their homes or are in the process of losing their homes. again, i want to thank
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supervisor avalos in olague for being co-sponsors of this hearing -- avalos and olague for being co-sponsors of this hearing. i want to call upon other city officials whose offices are also involved in the foreclosure process to see what we as a city collectively can do to address this crisis. whether it is the city attorney's office, which i know has been looking at this issue for quite some time, whether it is the sheriff's office or the district attorney's office. i want to thank supervisor calling for being a code-sponsor of this hearing. it is important for us to have a discussion about this very important issue. >> thank you. to supervisor chu, i apologize for skipping over you earlier. supervisor chu: i just wanted to become one of these items. small-business is our very important to us.
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i think the supervisor wiener spoke to it a little bit when he talked about the food trucks and making sure that it was a balanced approach. one of the things we have been challenged with a in a neighborhood commercial corridors is helping to maintain the store fronts, making sure that these areas are well lit, friendly, and hospitable to residents. but we were submitting legislation in advance of that to encourage small businesses to make improvements in their storefronts. the legislation before you all will be one to waive the fees associated with awning replacements and permits issued for st. pedestrians, street level lighting insulation during the month of may. be want to see whether this approach will help to encourage businesses to make these improvements that will help to encourage the look and feel of many of our commercial neighborhoods and areas. we look forward to speaking more about this as we go through the
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process. we expected to have a small and nominal budget impact. i hope that the supervisors consider it. thank you. >> thank you. president? president chiu: i have a couple of items. a memorial for richard chen, a longtime leader in a businessman in the chinatown committee that passed away on february 5. i want to take a minute to acknowledge and thank his family members who are here in the chamber today. he was born in a humble village in canton province in china. he proved over the course of his career to be a man a significant talent. after burying his wife in 1929, he began a remarkable military career with the chinese national party as a lieutenant colonel, later with the united states army, where he supported the famous flying tigers air force.
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soon after that, richard retired from his well decorated military service. he moved to san francisco with his wife and children. despite a modest start in the food industry, his hard work and dedication allowed him to build several successful grocery and restaurant businesses in chinatown. richard was highly respected in the community as an entrepreneur and business leader. in his story epitomizes the american dream. i want to thank him for his love for his wife, his children, his family, his compassion, and dedication to the chinatown community. colleagues, today i am introducing a drafting request regarding the privately owned public open spaces, otherwise known as popo's. we are always looking for ways to improve the livability of our -- urban spaces. they were required under the 1985 downtown plan.
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one square foot a public space for every 50 square feet of office space. we have 15 of these kinds of spaces. many of them are in the downtown area, in my district. unfortunately, very few people know about it, because it signed its requirements are vague -- because the sign age requirements are very vague. i want to thank the planning department and the san francisco chronicle for reminding us of the need to protect the spaces. thank you to supervisor wiener for root -- for his attention to this issue as well. i would like to co-sponsor the resolution that supervisor wiener has offered regarding the state legislation that would make the food trucked legislation more difficult. the rest of my items, i will submit. >> thank you, mr. president. supervisor olague? supervisor olague: i would like
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to introduce a hearing requests for the public safety committee. it is being co-sponsored by supervisors, posing in calling. -- supervisors campos and cocacohen. the hearing on collaborations between the san francisco police department, sheriff's department, unified school district, and related protocols developed to support low-income school age youth that experience repeated exposure to violence and trauma. a review of current strategy is designed to look at posttraumatic stress in children, as well as a review of research from the childhood trauma research program. also, i would like to mention at
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this time that in collaboration with the supervisor kim's office, i would like to start working over the next week or so on legislation with regards to the gold dust lounge. even though it is something that is specific to supervisor kim's office, and they have been working diligently on the matter, it is an initiative that has city-wide impacts. we have been receiving a lot of calls from constituents in district 5 regarding this. i wanted to remark on a couple of items that i will be working on over the next couple of weeks, in collaboration with the supervisor's office. i am working on legislation to initiate landmark designations of the building, 301 gary, home of the gold dust lounge. a historical touchstone that has
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held tourism in union square, as well as being an important neighborhood resource. it was a former burlesque venue, it was owned by bing crosby, and herb caen was a regular. i will be pursuing that. and also, another issue that i think relates directly to this, i plan to work with the planning department on that, it is a moratorium on converting non- retail uses in the current center downtown conservation district. this district was established in 1985 to protect and preserve established theater, retail restaurants, and other uses in this important section of downtown. over the years, local businesses and entertainment venues have been displaced by national retail chains.
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more are threatened today. the theater district comprises the section of the district that is west, 2 mason st.. it is one of the city's last live entertainment venues, to be replaced by an escalator for yet another non-local retailer with intent to occupy 301 gary. we are losing our downtown and cultural, social heritage. the 18 month moratorium will give us an opportunity for comparative analysis of this district against what we see before us today. intelligent choices can be made to preserve the heritage and tourist economy. those are a couple of issues i will be working on this week. finally, as we are closing out
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african-american history month, i wanted to make it eight. of acknowledging the work of mr. washington in district 5. he is a fixture in city hall and i believe that he deserves to be recognized for chronicling he deserves to be recognized for his dedication to chronicling his community. every event that i attend a bat bites to african-american concerns. i believe that he should be recognized and honored for that. [clapping] >> black. [unintelligible] >> thank you, supervisor olague.
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supervisor wiener, you asked to be re-referred? supervisor campos? supervisor campos: many of the streets are named after european cities, like paris and madrid. munich. one of them is edinburg. i am not quite sure how to pronounce it. seemed like when the language was drafted, it was edinburg, without the age at the end. i am putting in a resolution that would change the street name from edinburg without the age to edinburgh with the h. we will still have the option
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of renting or mispronouncing it correctly. that is one item for introduction. the next is in except and spend item for the clubhouse in the amount of $710,000. i am happy to be ushering this through for a park that is very worthy of recertification. the rest i shall submit. supervisor farrell: today i remain incredibly excited about the america's cup coming to san francisco. i think it will be a great thing for our city and waterfront, and for all the spectators. but i am disappointed today for the port in san francisco, for all san franciscans. i think that we lost a golden opportunity and drove away and
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organization individual yes -- individual -- yes, a billionaire -- someone who wanted to spend $100 million rehabilitating our crumbling piers along our waterfront that we have no financial plans to fix in the next decade. i was the first person to say that san francisco needed to get a good deal out of the bargain. we should not give away the farm. at the same point in time, if we need to get private investment into this city, we have to make it attractive enough for people to invest dollars. we have $2.2 billion of port infrastructure improvements that we have no money to do and are on backlog. in a few weeks we will be considering hundreds and hundreds of building and trades jobs that will be absent from that project. building in trade workers that will have no jobs.
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-- building antitrade workers that will be deprived of jobs. i do not want to be approving crumbling piers on the waterfront. if there is a lesson to be learned, we need to make sure that projects are a good deal for the city, but we also have to be mindful of public assets and taxpayer dollars. making sure that private investors are partners and allies for jobs and economic growth in san francisco. we have to treat them that way. i hope that we remember that direct link between partners in real jobs in san francisco. taking the responsibility not to drive these people away. as far as the port goes, i am asking for a hearing on the port of san francisco possible long- term plans, in light of the fact be just lost $100 million in investment that would have
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rehabilitated those peers. it will focus on long-term plans for waterfront development and opportunities studied over the last few decades, and a vision for the future of support's entire infrastructure. -- future for the port's entire infrastructure. president chiu: let's go to general public comments. >> the opportunity for the public to address the board for leave -- for two minutes. please note that of the comp -- public may not comment on the items that have already been considered. speakers using translation assistance will be allowed twice the amount of time. if you intended to display a document on the overhead projector, please remove the document when the screen should return to live coverage of the meeting. president chiu: let's hear from the first speaker. >> good afternoon for you in
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each one of our supervisors. you know my name, [unintelligible] i do not have good issue to speak about language. something else more than i concede. yesterday i had a chance to have meeting with former supervisor death tufty, . he becoming now the big head of the city for taking care homeless people i am happy for him. i am glad that we have a history about georgia smith. she used to be in that position. but, shamefully, i tell you that he hired two of his brother and his niece to work in good with big money for something that
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they never had any experience of about. supervisor, i have here a lebron supervisor. you do not go far away from this city, from that city hall in the basement. your target, if you have homeless in your district, you have one way to go. go with me or without me to 18. you are going to go to the room always. door open. lot people, i see them. lot people, in the ward, there. today you can see in my hand, newspaper. show you the homeless people all over the city. another newspaper for today, too. the homeless people. i will tell you something else,
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prove that many of them, coming to my city, for two reasons. number one, free hotel, which we have shouldered. then, the big money, that is the way they are coming from. supervisor, i do not mean to be brilliant, one of you, but i am going into all of you -- but in bullion -- but i am boyant , all of you. i have meeting with him yesterday. he except -- he accepted having meeting with me next week to discuss the homeless and how we can resolve that problem. god bless you. come with me next week.
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we wait for your reaction. thank you. [clap] >> good afternoon, supervisors. do not give money to the friends foundation. stop the corporate rate of the public library. ra -- pe of the public -- rape of the public library. the library suddenly realized how bad this look. the current budget report showed $7.6 million added this month. a significant fraction. it will take severalit will tako demonstrate that even this figure is a fraud. the repeating billion of loans would be a scandal in itself. this comes after a budget in the controller's report that found
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the branch program out of budget in the management out of control. it comes after a civil grand jury report in june 2008 which found that "no one was in charge of the store" in the voters had been hoodwinked. it comes after another audit by the comptroller -- controller in 2009 that found deficits in management oversight. 85% of standard's had not been complied with. it is clear by now the lack of accountability is a way of life for these people. the reason, of course, is that broken promises is a way of life, and failing to document their actions comes as second nature, because private- corporate influence depends upon crop -- depends upon fraud. this does not change the fact that the lack of accountability should be an issue by itself.