supervisor mirkarimi: i understand the aim of what supervisor supervisor farrell -- what supervisor farrell and elsbernd are doing. i am one of the early sponsors of public financing for the mayoral campaigns. it is a time that we design that legislation, we did so based on a certain level, a trigger level of expenditure in matching donations. if we were to reassess what that level would look like, the 1.475, theoretically adjust the level higher up, what would you suggest as part of that process? is that an automatic disqualification? is that something that doesn't necessarily assist in the arguments that are trying to correct what doesn't need to be corrected? >> it would not have that much effect. the concern that i have is the connection between an outside expenditures and the public finance. if you change those amounts, eliminating the connections, make whatever changes you wish to make. supervisor mirkarimi: the connection being is not relative to any specific number? >> even if you raise that to a higher number, the burden is on the city to prove that you have a compelling interest.

supervisor farrell. supervisor farrell: thank you. first of all, again, thank you to the civil grand jury for their work on this matter, and thank you for those who came before us today. i think, at this point, i would be prepared to accept the finding. i have no reason to doubt that their hard work has kind of really gotten to the bottom of what some people are feeling about commission and city workers right now. however, on the recommendation, i am inclined to disagree here. it would be great to hire more folks, but we at the border faced with the budget for next year. and hundreds of millions of dollars of deficit already. so i would be happy to consider that next year, and we can think about it as a board next year in terms of our overall budget process. but to recommend it right now, when we heard it was not a necessity, you know, we're in austere times in the city and city government. we need to be very careful about that. so i would be prepared to agree with the finding and disagree with the recommendation. supervisor campos: s

supervisor farrell: thank you. supervisor campos: next speaker please. >> good afternoon, supervisors. the mta has changed the policy adopted by the sport 14 years ago prohibiting companies from passing on credit charges to their drivers. this has created a windfall for large companies and has placed a costly and unfair burden on their drivers. the policy allows credit providers to provide it returned driver is exorbitant fees 5%, much more than other merchants pay. this is causing drivers $1,000 to $2,000 a year. it is not just the driver paying these charges. reversal of this policy is in the best interest of the public. many drivers are discouraging the use of credit and some cases refusing to take it. the passenger may have to go to an atm machine at an additional cost of time and money and great inconvenience, and this policy can also lead to nasty disputes. you can see one on you to become if you like. i am not condoning the practice, but it is happening and will continue to happen. it is human nature. as lon

supervisor campos: so that is a motion by supervisor farrell. i do not know if you have any thoughts or comments, president chiu? thank you. i certainly understand the perspective that supervisor farrell has and can supported or suggest in the language that we state that the kit -- the commission should consider the hiring of personnel. but in the context of the budget, i am happy to hear more on that this. president chiu: are we allowed to amend the language? >> yes, you are allowed to amend the language. president chiu: i see the point that supervisor farrell makes. i think that if we can have a language that leaves the option of hiring open, i would be -- that would be my preference. the reason i see that -- say that is that i do not want us to take a position where we disagree with that finding or with a recommendation and later, you know, find out that, for some reason, in fact, this may be needed. i think that to the extent that there is a need, that there is an understanding that we will get the expert advice from the civil service commis

supervisor farrell: aye. supervisor kim: no. supervisor mar: no. supervisor mirkarimi: no. supervisor weiner: aye. supervisor avalos: no. supervisor campos: ho. -- no. president chiu: aye. supervisor chu: aye. president chiu: given that this ordinance would have required eight votes, the ordinance fails. supervisor kim will be introducing her ordinance, which includes many aspects of what supervisor farrell proposed today, as well as other changes to the public financing system that the ethics commission will be reviewing in a few weeks. let us move to the next item, item 12. >> ordinance authorizing settlement of lawsuits involving mitchell engineering, and authorizing bonds and appropriation of funds not to exceed $15.75 million. supervisor cohen: aye. supervisor elsbernd: aye. supervisor farrell: aye. supervisor kim: aye. supervisor mar: aye. supervisor mirkarimi: aye. supervisor weiner: aye. supervisor avalos: aye. supervisor campos: aye. president chiu: aye. supervisor chu: aye. >> there are 11 ayes. president chiu: items 13 through 15. >> resolutions authorizing the g

president chiu: i see the point that supervisor farrell makes. i think that if we can have a language that leaves the option of hiring open, i would be -- that would be my preference. the reason i see that -- say that is that i do not want us to take a position where we disagree with that finding or with a recommendation and later, you know, find out that, for some reason, in fact, this may be needed. i think that to the extent that there is a need, that there is an understanding that we will get the expert advice from the civil service commission, and that they will let us know what is appropriate. and of course, all of that has to happen in the context of the budget. so i and understand the hesitation, but to the extent that this finding is in error, it is important for us to leave some flexibility in how to respond to that. i get the point of what the civil service -- what the civil grand jury is trying to say. president chiu: i have no problem with the language in the middle. i am not comfortable with what is there now. if there's language in

supervisor farrell? commissioner farrell: thank you, everyone, for coming forward. mr. ridgell, i like you are a local. i would also like to consider the others, but in my opinion, if you would like to come back and apply for this another time -- getting to know people before and is a good thing. i love your experience and your willingness to come forward, so we would love to afford you had a different time. i am torn between mr. tham and mr. campana. mr. campana has been here before and has pushedon alonso we are y to support either one. commissioner elsbernd: i think now might be the time. i would like to go with mr. campana at this time. if we continue to report the new blood, all of this could be stifled. not a reflection on mr. tham's service, but i think we should give some chance to somebody who's application is as impressive as his. it speaks as well to mr. ridgell. with that, i would make the motion to put for mr. campana to seat 8. commissioner elsbernd: that will be the order. we have already continued item six. item seven will take a few minutes. i see staff

supervisor chiu: supervisor farrell? supervisor farrell: thank you. a reminder, on its last reading today, this is the legislation that will allow target to come into the old city center district. it is the site of the old toys r us, sears row buck and mervyns. supervisor chiu: without objection this ordinance is passed. ilet 24? >> item 24, ordinance amending the administrative code, decreasing film fees for smaller budget productions pertaining to the film rebate program. supervisor chiu: supervisor farrell? supervisor farrell: thank you. colleagues, this legislation is going to bolster our current film rebate program by including documentaries and reality programs to the program. in the past, reality shows used to be fairly low budget productions. now we are seeing many more of these shows with more substantial budgets to work with,, and we would like to attract them here to have them spend their production dollars here in san francisco and hire local crews. this is going to apply to documentary films as well. since introducing this legislation ove

supervisor farrell: i would like to be added as a co-sponsor. president chiu: unless there is an objection, this item will be continued to october 18. item 24. >> a resolution responding to the judge of the superior court on the findings and recommendations in the civil grand jury report entitled "hiring practices of the city and county of san francisco," urging the acceptance of

supervisor farrell: i appreciate that. that clarity. but are you saying we are going to delay or gamble with taxpayer dollars? that is something i'm fundamentally unwilling to do in the face of the supreme court having decided that our laws are not in line with their decision. i appreciate the banks this has caused. we have a rich history of public financing that has benefited a lot of us on the board. however, it is gambling tax payer money. especially in light of our budget, hundreds of millions of dollars in deficit for the next year's. to me, this is an egregious mistake if we go against this. president chiu: i am going to reluctantly be voting in favor of this legislation. the supreme court has spoken. while i disagree with that decision, it is the law of the land. that is the basis for my vote. that being said, i will and many of my colleagues will join in asking the ethics commission to expeditiously consider, advise, promote other options to help strengthen our public financing system in the wake of this decision. to make sure w

supervisor farrell: ms. contraras, before you hand it over, i have not had an issue with the environmental review at all. but i just got your memo back. i wanted to ask you, you labeled it as process. the notion of, when a project is approved has to do with the state case and what supervisor wiener was alluding to earlier. under your estimation, as people who run ceqa for us, when is a project approved? >> thank you, supervisor farrell. i would prefer to speak to the particulars of this case, which are that the loan was approved in july of 2010 did not commit the city to a definitive course of action. the particulars of the loan for this project required that even in the event of a default, the city would be able to recover its money. the loan itself does not commit the city two particular points of action and supporting the project. supervisor farrell: i understand your point and i read that point. is in the converse true then? it goes both ways, is what i am saying. one person -- you could view it and unde

farrell aye. kim aye. there are 10 ayes, one no. item seven, ordinance amending the administrative code to set a policy of community policing, and urge the police commission and chief of police to review and as necessary many police the promise policies and procedures. on item seven, mar aye. mirkarimi aye. wiener aye. avalos aye. campos aye. chiu chaye. chiu chu aye. cohen aye. elsbernd no. farrell aye. kim aye. item eight, ordinance appropriating $1 million settlement funds to the department of public health for the neighborhood improvement and mitigation in the neighborhood's most impacted by the potrero power plant in fiscal year 2011- 2012. mar aye. mirkarimi aye. wiener aye. avalos aye. campos aye. chiu aye. chu aye. cohen aye. elsbernd aye. farrell aye. kim aye. there are 11 ayes. item nine, a resolution authorizing the director of public works to execute an amendment to the emergency public work contract at the san francisco general hospital and to increase the not to exceed amount to approximately

supervisor farrell: i would like to be added as a co-sponsor. president chiu: unless there is an objection, this item will be continued to october 18. item 24. >> a resolution responding to the judge of the superior court on the findings and recommendations in the civil grand jury report entitled "hiring practices of the city and county of san francisco," urging the acceptance of the findings and recommendations through the department heads. president chiu: any discussion? without objection, same house, same call? this resolution is adopted. >> item 25, responding to the presiding judge of the superior court on the findings and recommendations contained in the report "san francisco's ethics commission -- the sleeping watchdog." supervisor elsbernd: i think i have been informed -- i know i have been informed that there is a mistake in the file in front of us, and the committee disagreed with the recommendation, recommendation four. excuse me. finding four. no? recommendation number four. president chiu: supervisor makes a motion we disagree with