The Weekly Digest (January 28, 2024)
Happy Sunday, Brionies!
Here’s what you need to know about San Francisco politics this week and beyond:
City Hall
Tuesday, January 30 at 2pm: Regular meeting of the Board of Supervisors (agenda and call-in instructions here)
Mayor Breed will make her monthly appearance before the Board.
Item 20 – Ordinance authorizing the medical examiner’s office to accept a grant from the California Department of Public Health, Substance and Addiction Prevention Branch, to add three new staff positions: one forensic lab analyst and two toxicologists.
Items 27-30 – Resolutions relating to affordable housing projects, including 1000 Market Street ($12,781,730 loan from the city); 850 Turk Street ($8,091,600 grant for infrastructure improvements, $9,971,048 grant for public transportation improvements, and $22,000,000 loan for construction, all from the California Department of Housing and Community Development).
Thursday, February 1 at 4pm: Joint special meeting of the Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee and Youth Commission Civic Engagement and Education Committee (agenda and call-in instructions here)
Item 1 – Hearing to evaluate SFUSD’s safety procedures. As background, dozens of high school students walked out of class this month to demand better safety procedures, and last year, Marina Middle School teachers threatened a sickout in response to repeated incidents of weapons on campus.
Action items
The Briones Society does more than just bring you the news every Sunday. A group of us are running for Republican County Central Committee, and we could use your help! Sign up here to volunteer for campaign activities, or chip in financially here. Remember: only registered Republicans can vote for RCCC race, so confirm your voter registration here.
Email SFUSD Superintendent Matt Wayne (waynem@sfusd.edu) and ask him to consider bringing back algebra. Full details at the SF Guardians’ blog.
Happenings around town
Mission District, Tuesday, January 30, 5-6pm
Tenderloin District, Tuesday, January 30, 6-7pm
SPUR Urban Center, Thursday, February 1, 4-6pm
Housing Town Hall, Hosted by Sensible D7 and West of Twin Peaks Central Council
Tuesday, February 13, 7pm, Miraloma Park Improvement Club Clubhouse
What we’re reading
In this SF Standard piece, former budget and audit aide Andrew Mullan details the backstory of a reckless decision in 2020 by then-supervisor Sandra Lee Fewer to spend $250 million on raises for public employees. The cost of those raises, compounded with other increases, has now grown to $500 million. That’s two-thirds of San Francisco’s $800 million deficit. This wildly irresponsible vote was a self-inflicted wound to the city’s finances that can’t be blamed on the pandemic, crime, or the work-from-home trend that hollowed out downtown, and it underscores the need for an effective opposition political party in San Francisco.
Speaking of budgets and fiscal responsibility, our podcast interview with Lanhee Chen is out! Lanhee ran for state controller in 2020. He is a fiscal watchdog, public policy expert, and advocate for government transparency. Oh, how we wish that Lanhee was in control of the public purse. Malia Cohen, the Democrat who currently has the position, has urged Californians not to worry about our looming $68 billion budget deficit because we have billions available on the credit card in “borrowable” resources.
Quick hits
SF investigator fired by Chesa Boudin set to win $835K settlement
New housing will add 160 affordable units to SF's Haight — but no parking spots
Race to unseat SF Supervisor Dean Preston heats up with competitor
They’re Black Democrats. And They’re Suing Chicago Over Migrants.
California Ignores Its Own History to Give Illegal Immigrants Medicaid