down to the south east part of the city. all the way up the green way that is proposed to connect the whole shore line, right now there is not a lot of rider ship because there are not that many people there where the shipyard and the development will be, and so coming up through there and dog patch and mission bay, that is an example of the demand as defined by better said of the future demand. and there is a lot more, and if we are going to be able to accommodate all of the trips, we need it to be on the bicycles. >> and so i agree with that as a way to look at latent demand and not to disappoint our chair. to me, there is where there is growth of people, number one and because there will be new people that will need to find options and hopefully, i think that the planners will agree

that when you get people that are making the choices that is the best time to get them before they get set in their ways. and number two it would seem to me that where bikers want to go is where everybody else wants to go. when you talk about the demand for growth and i will walk with you to the office and look at all of the cranes that you can see from my office, there are tens of thousands if not 100,000 people who are going to be moving into the downtown corridor in the next, you know, several years. and so to me, you know, if we

can build the system out with the money that we have, let's make the biking more amenable to it and i trust that we will be sensitive to that and it seems to me that there might be money trade offs and and need to find it or approve it coming from somewhere else. and to me i come to the notion that if we are not focusing on market street and how to improve the bike riding as an option there. then i think that we are missing the demand to me to do that is to remain closed to all but transit and taxis and bikes and pedestrians and i am still find myself in the position of asking when can we see a plan and when can we put that on the table? >> it is a significant chance that requires a lot of input. >> and i feel like several

members of the board and community have been asking for this for a while. and you know, we have yet to see something concrete and i think that this is a great example of where it will come together and allow us to address demand and hopefully turn that if i may, you are right. and everything funnels not just in to the market street but that whole area including south of market and you will notice that we have identified not just the market street but all of south of market whether you are coming up from the south or in from the west or the north. everything funnels that ways and that is why it flows there and why the cyclists flow there.

that is one of the focuses of the second street and the core focuses of the central corridor plan and i think that was an eir draft, and released. and that includes, i believe, looking at fulsom and howard bike lanes, and better market street project is also looking at mission street option. and so, i think that in terms of the planning, for that whole area, that is the catch for all of the cyclists coming in to the downtown in the morning, and leaving in the afternoon, that is where we are the most advanced in terms of at least the planning and when it comes to the near term of market street and getting the vehicles off of market street which will benefit more so than cyclists

will benefit. we have identified a few of those where we are doing analysis in terms of traffic and transit and other impacts. and should in a couple of months have some recommendations, as well as some cost estimates, and one of the challenges is that we don't have places and there is one or two where we can essentially hard wire and design in the turn restrictions but for the most part we can't, because we need to allow transit and taxis and the delivery vehicles to continue through and that means that it is softer on design and heavier on enforcement which is

extraordinary expensive and i think that we spend well over a half a million dollars and it might have been more than a million dollars during the implementation of each of the current term restrictions. and that is the way to establish the compliance and to show that the compliance that it is ten to 80 percent and down to 30 percent on tenth street and so without the sustained enforcement presence, which is really, really difficult, to do, it may be hard to insure that these changes will be effective. but, we have been asked the same question by the board of supervisors, and we are working on coming up with recommendations, and costs, and we did not budget for this. and in the next fiscal year and to the effect that we have a price tag it will come at the expense of something else. >> i understand. >> but we will be bringing that forward and we have identified a few areas.

and i think that we provided a memo to a year or so ago explaining why some of them are complicated right now by the central traffic construction which is creating some of the impacts and smf the things that might be available to us in the future in terms of getting the cars off of market street are difficult to do because of the construction on stockton and fourth. >> and but, we should be bringing back something soon, i can't say right now, i don't know how we will fund any such changes. >> and i understand that, and you know, the city should be planned on what the experts say and not my supposition, but i will tell you that it is my strong supposition that if we close market street altogether to the private vehicles from tenth street all wait to the fery building and we had an actual uniform ban that the need for enforcement would be less than if you are doing it block by block where the people are getting confused by which block is okay and which block

is not okay. i think that will also allow to you realize the transit and bike benefits that we are talking about, two blocks of safety and expedited transit is as good as nothing because we are getting into the next block and you are back in the traffic and the unsafe zones because the people are going to make the choices we don't want them to make. i would favor the whole thing. and or at least exploring it and obviously there are complications. and other decisions are being made, whether we are putting bike lines on mission and howard. and if we put bike lanes on mission and howard, does that restrict the traffic so that we don't have now, an escape valve for the traffic to go if we actually go that route with the market street, it kind of needs to be done together. so that is why i just recognize that there is challenges but to me, on this presentation, and i am sorry for my, sort of singular focus here, that seems to be it, and i know that what that means, that means shut up

daddy. >> if this is going to be closed to private vehicles, it is this board that is going to drop that rule. i think that we need to recognize that and so i continue to ask that we present that in a way to make it happen in the future. >> thank you very much. >> a lot of support here on the board. and the concept of vision for sure. and we look forward to getting out the phases of this in the coming months. we will be bringing this recommendation for the funding

levels, for the bike strategy. and so that will come, initially, and we will probably do a workshop? january, we have the funds that are available but that would be our next step as we collect the feedback on this strategy as it advances. >> and i think that it will be helpful just to remind people so that people don't feel like it is hopeless, that this all depends on funding that we do have a lot of projects that are moving forward in the planning stage that are improved that we do continue to make improvements and we have done oaks and working on the wiggle and the masonic plan is looking for funding and second street is being planned and that is

not to say, that we are continuing to move forward to make this city safer. >> and the transportation, code, division, two sections, 102, 1103, and 16. >> and the requirement that the driver fund contribution and transfer fees be waived or decreased in the event of ref vocation or foreclosure, and distribution of retransfer and proceeds and continued operation of a medallion upon the death of the holder and ref vocation or foreclosure. >> and you do have a member of the public that wishes to address you. >> okay. >> i came here to speak about

the transfer fee that a new medallion has to face after they purchase a permit and so the thought in the decision as we transitions away from the waiting list to now to allow the potential taxi cab drivers to purchase the medallions to get the value for them was that whether you call it sweat equity. in our discussions about reform over the last few years, the thought was well you are going to have to pay a 20 percent fee if you get to surrender this and you got it in this manner, in the old prop k way and we think that it is very appropriate. somehowwise we transfer into the system we have put a fee on

fixed price, i am finding that astounding, there is not any place in the united states or in the world that i can think of that sells a taxi permit or a medallion and then put a 20 percent fee on when you decide to set it. the thought is maybe, we are getting, and it should be 300,000 and we are making you pay on the back end or something like this. but i think that looking at the current situation of the way now that the taxi system is essentially deregulated and the drivers are questioning why do i want to purchase a medallion and i can take my personal and download the appand pick up the people which is happening in the thousands right now, this hurtle of having to pay a 20 percent fee when you decide after purchasing a medallion it is something that should be reconsidered. and i think that a 20 percent fee for someone buying something for $250,000, when they decide to sell it is

outrageous. >> thank you. >> that is the only person that submitted a speaker card. >> mcquire, i can't believe that you are having this discussion at this point. because i don't know how much has been along and i think of 60,000 so long so far, and i think that my question is what is going to happen now if this unregulated competition is not controlled? >> the subcompanies are full of shifts not even on saturday nights and not just weekend days which they are not, but saturday nights so the shifts are going unfilled. why do it when you can take it over to (inaudible), if it is not corrected if nothing is done he said that he is going to (inaudible) the current model and go into the car service business and he too

will play by the deregulated rules and turn this company into a profit making company. >> and the cab companies now a lot of them are not accepting the new medallion and so we are having the discussion about loaning money and you are loaning the money and the people are going to be borrowing money and what are they going to do if the cab companies cannot take them. this is a big question. >> another question that i have is where are all of another can you be companies managers? why are they not weighing in, hello? on this? and the whole thing is, it is really unfortunate because there is demand out there, because these, these cars and they are full and there is business, but we are not getting any of it, and you i know that you are well intentioned and i see it from your faces but you are moving

like turtles and we can't wait two months, we need action now to control the situation. >> and there is going to be foreclosures on these loans, this is d if you don't control the deregulated competition it is moving so fast and it is moving so fast, faster than we are moving. >> so we need to you do something as a city to do something now. thank you. >> anyone else to address the board? >> tom lee? >> thank you. >> good afternoon, sir, i do not want to go to any meeting at all, i promise myself but i broke promise myself to come to your meeting but just like lee i am not going to run my office and blah, blah, blah and finally run it and then my language (inaudible) in. (inaudible). and second, is today is a very big challenge,... (inaudible) nobody, and then that is there

maybe in the future, and a lot of self-taxi operation car on the street and let the people pick it up and drive them anywhere that they want. and they are just like, and they are... and the best day will be coming. the taxi will be going so far is that the people want it, i want to buy one to myself i went to the office already and already connecting to buy my one but this is a big challenge for today. and we have to restructure ourself, taxi business to match up with the situation today. and this is a big challenge. one that they come and nobody can stop it and all of this flooding of the (inaudible) and any electronic cars, or in inon the street because of the (inaudible) and the money there and we so, we saw the money there and so the people want it and (inaudible). and 20 percent is made whoever get it (inaudible) so, 20 percent in every medallion is one going back to the city and

one of it, and transfer to another person. but, after the medallion, maybe he should move down to the transfer and maybe five to ten percent because this is, the people that are already put the money in for the city and you cannot look at it like a business and this is becoming a rich guy and this is just a job and we are buying a job only and we have put in too many hours to make the money back and make you rich and make money. also. we don't get any (inaudible) from you. thank you. >> thank you. >> anyone else? >> seeing none, board? >> >> motion to approve? >> a second? >> second. >> i have one question. >> i gather from this that none of the legislation before us addresses one way or the other the 20 percent transfer fee at the end or you know and certainly does not address the issue of electronic appand that sort of thing.

so as i read it, one of the changes that it would make or one of the clarifications that it would make is that some of the money would go under the driver's fund? and i know that we have established the driver's fund and put the money in there and what is the current thought on what the driver's fund will be used for if we have such a thought? >> good afternoon, thank you. >> first of all, i want to acknowledge that this calendar item is like chloroform in print and so there is a lot of kind of obtuse details trying to make a adjustments to the program and i hope that it was clear that if you have questions i am happy to summarize these changes. >> the driver fund currently has 3.7 million in it and that came from the taxi sales pilot program and it has not accrued any new revenues from the medallion transfers since august 21st, which we adopted, when we ended the pilot

program, and began the transfer program and since there have not been any transfers under the permanent program it is not continued to accrue the funding from that source but it holds at 3 pment 7 million currently and the new sources of revenue to the driver fund currently come from 100 dollars per month, and charged to companies, who hold company permits, and that were issued last year. and there were 200 authorized and there are 150 of those permits issued. and so that is 15,000 dollars per month. and if we issue the additional 5, or 50 permits that will be an additional 50,000, excuse me, $5,000 per month for a total of $240,000 per year of revenue from color scheme permits. that are being operated by companies currently. and there are additional sources of revenue specified. and however, none of those have

yielded into any revenues to date, and more can be considered to be reliable or substantial contributions such as, there will be five percent of the retransfer amount upon ref vocation of a me dell on and there is not a huge volume and so that is not going to be a large or consistent source of revenue from the driver's fund. and there is also, five percent retransfer in the event of foreclosure and we have not yet seen any foreclosures. and i don't think that we are likely to see any for a long time and so that again not going to be a source of substantial revenue going forward and a, 5 percent fee on retransfers, that have been retransfers of medallions that were previously purchased. we have no purchased medallions that were purchased between the pilot program in 2010, and 11 that anybody has wanted to

retransfer, and so generally, speaking those holders are fairly happy with their medallion and we don't have an indication that they want to turn back. 3.7 million, with was the finance group that is being held in interest bearing you know appropriate accounts and not quite a quarter million dollars a year of new revenue coming into that fund. >> and we have a number of ideas about how to use that fund, and to conclude that, if we want to see the fund grow, more than the board is going to have to identify the additional sources of input for that driver fund >> we have thought of and we have tried to (inaudible) for the uses of that fund, and many of them related to the provision of healthcare and we think of that carefully, and there are new, features of the landscape with the national healthcare situation. and new york has done a program

where they want out to bid for somebody that would help the taxi drivers negotiate the insurance exchanges in new york state. and there is potential for a healthcare reimbursement account that is sort of like a medical savings account which are for employees and a healthcare reimbursement account. and there is a possibility for helping to acquire the basic dental insurance. and one of my personal preferences will be to see some amount go to the drivers that have suffered the criminal assaults in order to give the time off to recover. and funeral benefit is another thing that the staff has put on this list and there are other things like that we can do but i think that all of those, of course, depend on how long that driver fund might last and at the rate of, you know, if we take 5,000 active drivers, and

that completes 7 million does not go very far. >> and so, if it is going to be a continuing thing, we need to think through continuing funding sources. that is where it stands today. >> thank you. >> members of the board? >> okay. >> thank you. >> also, a motion the second and the floor to approve the resolution, all in favor, say aye. >> so ordered thank you very much. >> mr. chairman, given that the closed session was canceled that concludes it for today. >> thank you very much.

>> when the new california academy of sciences opened in 2008, it quickly became one of the top tourist magnets in the city. part of the cal academies' astronomical success is the weekly nightlife party. >> i am joined by helen, who is here to school me on all the nocturnal activities that are getting ready to take place

here. tell us a little about what we can expect to see at nightlife. >> we open up the doors every thursday night at the california academy of sciences. there are certain things you can see every week you can go to the museum, visit the planetarium, and we bring in bars and a deejay or band. it is a different feel from during the day, something different every week. tonight , we have beer and music. -- tonight we have great beer and music. it is beer week. we have a dozen local brewers in african hall. we have a deejays to set up throughout the museum and a live performance at 9:00 p.m. tonight. >> what has been your favorite part as a participant or as an observer? >> my favorite part is to walk around the aquarium in to see people with a drink in their hands, getting to know maybe somebody new, may be looking for a day, or chatting with friends.

there jellyfish. i mean, they are beautiful. >> the culmination of the animals. >> it is very impressive. we do not have this at home. >> tell us a little about some of the spider's we see here on display. >> at the california academy of sciences, there is a very large collection of preserved and live specimens, which are the evidence about evolution. we have the assassin spiders, which are spiders that exclusively kill and eat other spiders. they are under the microscope here. research done and the california academy's i rhinology lab suggests that the assassin spiders have been doing this for over 150 million years. this glassed in room is a real

scientific laboratory, and the people in that room are preparing specimens of vertebrate, that is mammals and birds. the way they do this is to remove the skin, sew it together in a relatively lifelike pose, and ensure that it does not decompose. >> i am a really big class actress fan, so i am here to see them, and beer week. >> i wanted to learn something and have fun. >> i always enjoy it. i am not all is well -- always working as i am tonight. sometimes i come to enjoy the music and to dance. ♪ >> culturewire covers the arts in san francisco, and one of my favorite culture artists is here tonight. jason, thank you for being on culturewire.

tell us about some of your posters that we have here today. >> most of the posters here are four specific shows or tours. i am hired by the bands or the venue. >> what is the inspiration behind these posters? >> no, disease of the related to the bay and, of course. music -- it is related to the band, of course the musical content or isn't related to the bed. album covers can come from anywhere. ♪ ♪

>> class actress was great. we have been having so much fun. i did not realize how beautiful the cal academy looks than that. what other events take place here? >> we do corporate events that night on a regular basis. but nightlife is your best bet to come in as a regular person pharmacy the academy at night, and visit with friends. calacademy.org/nightlife. we have details for the next few weeks. you can get tickets online in advance or at the door. >> thank you so much. thank you for watching culturewire on sf gov tv.