The Weekly Digest (September 10, 2023)

Written By Bill Jackson

Hello, Brionies,


Tomorrow marks the 22nd anniversary of 9/11, so we hope you take a moment to commemorate that horrific (and in many ways heroic) day. One way to do so is to attend the San Francisco Fire Department 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony, which will take place at every firehouse and online at 6:45am. 

Here’s what you need to know about San Francisco politics this week and beyond:

City Hall

  • Tuesday, September 12, 2:00pm: Regular meeting of the Board of Supervisors (agenda and call-in instructions here)

    • The mayor will be in attendance at this week’s meeting to discuss various affairs of state.

    • Item 1 – Resolution approving up to $28.4 million to repair Laguna Honda Hospital. This is good news for the hospital, which has been brought back into Medi-Cal’s good graces after correcting problems with safety, hygiene, and contraband. The repairs should enable the hospital to reinstate Medicare/Medicaid (i.e. federal) funds.

    • Item 11 – Resolution exempting from the competitive bidding policy a potential real estate transaction involving port property at Pier 45 with Fisherman’s Wharf Revitalized, LLC. 

    • Item 21 –  Resolution approving a contract extension with homeless service provider Tenderloin Housing Clinic for another 24 months at $109 million.

    • Item 22 – Resolution approving the extension of an agreement with Five Keys Schools and Programs for shelter and services for the homeless. The agreement tacks on another 33 months for $15 million.

Action items

  • Send a message to the Board of Supervisors, letting them know you support Supervisor Matt Dorsey’s inquiry into how much San Francisco spends on free legal defense for supposedly indigent alleged drug dealers.

  • Check outStopCrimeSF’s petition to oppose the Police Commission’s latest attempt to diminish officer initiative and discretion: afour-page document outlining when officers may pursue suspects on foot.

Happenings around town

What we’re listening to (spoiler: a lot of Tamika Hamilton!)

  • Our Briones Society Podcast has another enlightening episode to share: Tamika Hamilton is a decorated veteran of the U.S. Air Force, a two-time congressional candidate, and Republican thought leader. 

  • Shortly after our conversation, Tamika sat down with Bridget Phetasy, where she talked about how Republicans need to appeal to people in the political center.

What we’re reading

  • Our recap of the September 5 meeting of the Board of Supervisors (its first meeting back after the summer break):

    • The Board voted to approve a settlement agreement in which two pharmaceutical companies and a retailer pay San Francisco $267 million over the next 15 years to resolve allegations that the companies were a bit lax in controlling the distribution of opioids. Here’s hoping the money goes toward fixing our current (non-prescription) drug fiasco.

    • Gazing across San Francisco’s immaculate streets, award-winning public schools, and brimming public coffers, our representatives asked themselves: Why not get into the banking business? And so, they voted unanimously in favor of creating the first municipal bank in the nation. We can think of a million at least one reason a public bank is a bad idea: it’ll most likely fail, leaving us taxpayers holding the bag.

    • The supervisors passed a resolution commemorating the 50th anniversary of Bruce Lee’s passing. We’ve not yet confirmed the rumor that a shirtless, headband-sporting Aaron Peskin broke a board with his forehead when the resolution passed. 

  • Our recap of the September 6 Police Commission meeting:

    • “It cannot possibly be the cause of vehicle theft.” At time stamp 1:25 of the four-hour meeting, Commissioner Max Carter-Oberstone denied that the commission’s “no chase” order to SFPD enables vehicle theft in San Francisco. We aren’t so sure about that, but we are glad the commissioners feel the heat of public scrutiny. 

    • “What is our jurisdiction as a commission?” The Police Commission, arguably the most impactful of San Francisco’s 100+ commissions, is confused about what its role even is. Commissioner Debra Walker, an artist by profession, showed a rare moment of humility in posing that very question at 1:26. We have an idea: empower experienced, sworn officers to create police policy, not unelected, inexperienced, non-expert volunteers.

    • Interesting findings in the Crisis Intervention Team’s annual report, included with the Police Commission meeting agenda:

      • In 2022, SFPD responded to 39,926 crisis intervention calls, compared with 19,830 in 2021. 

      • 99.9% of SFPD’s 2022 crisis intervention calls were handled without force. Of the 0.1% in which force was applied, half of the suspects were white and had housing.

    • The commission is working on a revision to the use of force policy, which would be its fourth redo of the policy since January 2022. 

    • The commission is also revising a policy on the rights of onlookers. Among other things, the revised policy would protect the rights of onlookers to record police activity and “make critical comments of [an officer’s] actions.” 

  • Scott Weiner’s gonna be big sad: Pelosi’s running.

  • To paraphrase Elton John, it’s a little bit funny when attorneys on both sides of a ruling claim the W. But that’s what happened when the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals denied San Francisco’s motion to amend the injunction against clearing homeless encampments. The appeals court ruled there is no need to modify the injunction since both sides agree it doesn’t apply to people who decline specific offers of available shelter. The decision should allow the city to move unhoused people who refuse services.

  • In a welcome development, judges are coming under scrutiny for their role in our public safety crisis. District Attorney Brooke Jenkins has called out judges for releasing dangerous fentanyl dealers, and some enterprising scamp is also getting the word out.

  • In late May, SFPD began a program of arresting people for using drugs in public. Enforcing existing laws: a novel approach! Since then, police have arrested 476 people (300 of them alleged dealers) and seized over 220 pounds of drugs. The headline in local media focused on the fact that only two of the 476 people arrested entered treatment, echoing Police Commissioner Carter-Oberstone, who asked, “how long are we going to continue experimenting with this?” “This” being … arresting people for committing crimes. We humbly suggest that SFPD continue arresting drug dealers, even if they don’t enter rehab.

  • Yep, the San Francisco Unified School District is still a mess. Supervisor Connie Chan, head of the budget committee, was spurred into action by her teacher’s union overlords and has announced plans to hold public hearings on the district’s finances (as well as those of City College).

  • SFPD continues to make (modest) improvements in staffing, with 32 recruits in the most recent police academy, the largest class since 2020. It’s a small dent in a city that is (depending on who you ask) 500 officers short, but it’s a step in the right direction. In addition to increasing salaries and bumping up academies from two to four per year, the department has also gotten creative (and far-reaching – howdy, Houston!) with recruitment.

Quick hits

Palate Cleanser

Bill Jackson
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