Bored of Supervisors - 3/25/08

Constant Readers,

Today's Board of Supervisors meeting is over and here's what happened:

Everything on the agenda passed without much fanfare. Except one item that placed $760,163 in reserves for fiscal year 2007-2008 "pending information to the Finance Committee on costs and design of disability access to the Board of Supervisor Chambers." The ordinance as originally introduced by Supervisor Daly, would have used $760,163 that had been set aside to make the Chambers accessible to keep open Buster's Place drop-in shelter for the homeless. At the March 19 Budget and Finance Committee meeting the ordinance was amended to keep the money in reserves pending further information about chamber accessibility. At today's meeting, Daly tried to amend the ordinance back to its original state, citing the fact that Buster's will shut down on March 31 without additional funding. An exchange ensued with Daly basically calling the rest of the Board heartless sellouts and the other members of the Board responding, "Meh." Daly's amendment failed and the ordinance passed as amended in committee.

And I am sad to report that Susan Leal was not present to give a speech about the resolution praising her years of service.

ROLL CALL FOR INTRODUCTIONS: While today's meeting was relatively chill, we can look forward to some cost-cutting, shit-kicking fun down the road. See, aside from public comment, my favorite time at the Board is "Roll Call for Introductions." That's when all the members get a chance to tell us what they will be introducing in the future. Here are a few things we have to look forward to:

1. Ammiano (along with co-sponsors Daly and Mirkarimi) will be introducing a resolution supporting public access to information regarding (a) the route of the Olympic torch, and (b) how the route was determined. Thus far, that information has been a secwet.

2. Supervisor Peskin will be introducing an ordinance calling for the termination of all City employees with a base salary of $150k or more (who can legally be fired). Look out "Director of Climate Protection Initiatives"...

3. Peskin will also be introducing an ordinance requiring all downtown businesses to turn off the lights when there is no work being done or janitorial services being performed.  Penalties would not attach until one year after the effective date in order to give businesses time to install lights that automatically switch off. Also, any downtown business that is being built or refurbished will be required to install automatic light switches. I think el Greco's comment says it all.   

4. Finally, Peskin will be introducing a change to the Board rules to designate the "upper dais" a historical fixture and prohibit future Board Presidents from sitting up there.  Doing this would exempt the upper dais from Americans with Disabilities Act access requirements and leave only the lower seat (where Peskin sits) to be made wheelchair accessible. Now why would he do a thing like that??

5. Like two gals showing up to a party in the same dress, Supervisors Mirkarimi and Dufty each claimed to have a proposed resolution to condemn, deride, and otherwise frown-upon the U.S. Department of Agriculture and California Department of Food and Agriculture's plan to spray pesticide to combat the light apple brown moth. Incidentally, four people spoke about this issue at public comment. I think the spray kills people or something. I like trying to say "light brown apple moth" three times fast.

6. Supervisor Elsbernd is asking the City Attorney to look into the legality and savings associated with putting all non-essential City employees on a week-long unpaid furlough between Christmas and New Year's this year.  The definition of "non-essential City employees" does not include police, firefighters or health care workers. It does, however, include Supervisors. (snicker.)

PUBLIC COMMENT: Initially, I was not hopeful. The line was enormous. And aside from the library guy and (the prophet) Eugene Gordon Jr., I didn't see anyone familiar. (Where the hell is Sylvia Johnson these days? Anyone?) So, I worked whilst listening to people hate on China's human rights record with astoundingly gruesome detail. After the first 15 anti-China speakers (25 total), I finally heard that familiar voice. It was Walter, the nicest man on earth. And he was about to make my day once again. He began by showing us all his Aptos Middle School ID card and then launched into a three-song medley consisting of: "You are the Board who will fight for our City" (to "Glory of Love" by Peter Cetera); (my personal favorite) "The Board of Supervisor's and Mayor's Office reunion is only a Motion away" (to "Mother and Child Reunion" by Paul Simon); and finally "Carry on our wayward Board President" (to "Carry On Wayward Son" by Kansas). Marvelous!

QUOTE OF THE MEETING:

"It's not fat, it's not sinews, it's right to the bone."

-- Supervisor McGoldrick describing the painful budget cuts that will have to be made this year. A sinew is a tendon. eeew.

--Melissa

Comments

[Andre Pineda]

I wonder if this is the first time that the terms amendment, ordinance, resolution and "secwet" were all used in the same document. Next we'll see Tweety guesthosting "Meet the Press."

[sfmike]

Great synopsis, though I wish you wouldn't be conjuring up Sylvia Johnson. She makes ME feel schizophrenic whenever I hear her speak. Also enjoyed the bitch fight between Daly and Ammiano over the Buster's Place closing, where Ammiano got up on his moral high horse yet again (for being accused of heartlessness) and his high, nasal voice became even higher and more nasal.

Peskin's two proposed measures, firing all $150,000+ employees (in other words, all of Newsom's aides) and designating the dais as a historical feature, were really quite brilliant.

[Sweet Melissa]

Andre - I think you mean "Meet the Pwess"

sfMike - I LOVE it when Ammiano gets angry. I hope that doesn't make me a bad person. Peskin needs to be a military general - I don't always agree with him, but there is no doubt that he is, as you say, "brilliant". And as for Sylvia, it's not so much that I miss her as much as I hope she's ok.

[el Greco]

I sorta miss the old days when Daly would swear at average citizens in the Board Chamber. I guess he has to rely on his cronies like Da Costa to do his nasty talking for him these days.

[rzu]

Sylvia Johnson sighting at the MTA Board today! She skipped the busy public comment on the fare increases in favor of the less popular 19th ave. speed limit changes.