>> jim lazarus, chamber of commerce. there is a state report that just came out. riviera and avalon were both over 10%. another in the bay area was at 10% before the robot. the chamber appreciates the efforts of the city on the amendments regarding the roll back issue should the state go forward with the restoration of their tax rate in the future. we are prepared to support this ballot measure with the rollback language that is before you today. we believe it is important that we not get too out of sync with the other bay area communities. we happen to have some state legislative authority that i think has been around for decades, which is why this measure could be before you today. communities do not have the authority to raise the tax rates without implementing state legislation. san francisco has had legislation on the books from sacramento and has allowed us to go up three-quarters of a percent. it has never been presented to the voters until now. i do not know whether other bay area communities have unused authority. but clearly there is a competitive issue

privilege was that i wish to thank the commissioners present, and fall -- past commissioners including jim lazaruspported by that my suggestion to bring back grizzly bears to the san francisco zoo. this resulted in the construction of a world-class exhibit for those animals. i think the commissioners for their support, and as far as the other item, it may want to check the materials that are sent to your retired employees. >> we don't usually respond to public comment, but thank you for your 30 years of service. will be honored to recognize you and we will make certain that this happens at an upcoming commission meeting. this is a partnership with the zoological society and sometimes communication gets cross wired, but we very much of value the people who have dedicated their lives to the betterment of open space and recreation, and we wanted to begin to do more to recognize those who had devoted their career to the department. you will see more of that in the coming years. we will bring back this and other things. and we will recognize you as the future meeting and we are very thankful for your c

. >> jim lazarus, a former member of the recreation and park commission.rge the supervisor and his colleagues -- you have an opportunity in the next few weeks to pull this measure from the ballot. this has unintended consequences we do not even understand at this hearing. the department, when i wa

. >> jim lazarus, a former member of the recreation and park commission.rge the supervisor and his colleagues -- you have an opportunity in the next few weeks to pull this measure from the ballot. this has unintended consequences we do not even understand at this hearing. the department, when i was a kid, you did not pay to go to the tea garden. the zoo was free. times changed. the board of supervisors 50 years ago was willing to fund 90% of the budget out of general fund revenues. but that era is gone. if you look at what we have tried to do as a city through numerous the ministrations and general managers is to fill that gap with generated revenues. think what would not have happened if this ordinance had been passed 50 years ago or 30 years ago, or 10 years ago -- a zoo admission? a coffee shop in union square? outside lands would not have happened if this had been past five years ago. that is a million dollars to the department. this will lock in mediocrity in this department, or it is going to result in an welcome cuts in general fund subsidies for ot

jim lazarus, chamber of commerce. we appreciate the efforts you are making to update the legislation that we all work on with supervisor ammiano in 2006, but i think we need to get this back in meeting with the health department, which held the san francisco, with the office of labor -- with healthy san francisco. the important part of this is job loss in san francisco. i was surprised to hear your experts say that our economy has 600,000 jobs. supervisors, we have not had 600,000 jobs in this city since 2000. has been 11 years. it costs a minimum wage employer hiring entry-level " sanford cisco 40% more to employ folks in the city than it did six years ago. higher minimum wage, health mandate, sick leave mandate. those are good public policies, but you have to understand it has an impact on employment. during the recession in 2002- 2003, we will -- we lost 90,000

gary banks, joe dimartini, jim lazarists. -- lazarus. >> good afternoon, supervisors. my name is off roger aubrey, a supervisor for yuba county, the fourth district. i just had a few comments to make to you prior to making a decision on whether to recommend it to your full board. as a fellow supervisor, i think it is important for you to consider in the recology contract itself, there are a number of unanswered questions. primarily, next year our board of supervisors will be considering a change in host fees charged to residents outside the you but center area, and i would look at it as a completion -- yuba center area, and i would look at it as a completion. it has been mentioned to me that if in fact san francisco does award this contract to recology prior to yuba county doing that, you the county would have a blank check -- yuba county would have a blank check to charge host fees we can justify and make reasonable, anywhere from $10 to the existing $4.40 at a time. up to $20, $30. i would not expect the board to zero look at awarding such a contract without having a