Constant Readers,
I've been out of town this week for work - so apologies for the paucity of posts.
Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting went on for over five hours, mostly owing to the public comment on Mistermayor’s interim budget. In the end, a majority of Board members voted to reject the budget because they believe it cuts too much from public health while increasing budgets for police and fire departments.
Outside, there were dueling rallies - first a “Fight the Mayor's Budget Cuts” event that started at 12:30 p.m. then a “Public Safety Rally” commencing at 1 p.m.
While a number of police and firefighters were present outside and at the Board meeting, only a handful spoke during public comment. Those who did speak stressed the fact that the police and firefighters work with public health employees all the time - delivering injured people to the emergency room, for example. They were not happy being pitted against public health interests.
Representatives from programs whose fate is uncertain under the Mayor’s proposal talked about the need to keep people in treatment and housed so as to limit the amount of trouble that police and fire have to deal with.
Debra Walker, who will be running for District Six Supervisor in 2010, suggested that, instead of flat-out raises, we give financial incentives to firefighters and police who live in The City.
Among the speakers against the Mayor's budget were at least two people who spoke of having tried to commit suicide in the past - one man claimed to have tried 73 times - but their lives were saved by City resources.
Most of the speakers were perfectly normal, but here are excerpts from one actual exchange:
Speaker: I am calling for a real 911 investigation. I believe the first investigation was full of lies…the planes could not have brought down those buildings.
Chiu: If you could keep your comments related to the bill that's in hearing…public health cuts. Thank you.
Speaker: In regard to the public health cuts, wouldn't we have more money if we didn't spend a whole bunch of money on a bogus 911 investigation? … I believe the C.I.A. did it.
Chiu: Thank you.
Another speaker claimed that the Mayor just hired an accountant who is an embezzler, sexual harasser and is not accredited in California. Even the ever-polite Chiu had to cut that guy off.
These budget fights are ugly, but watching our fellow citizens never ceases to be interesting.
I don't see what the big deal is. All the progressive Supervisors have to do is kick a few butts, which is precisely what they are doing ... woot ... woot.
Posted by: Matt | June 18, 2009 at 18:21
Representatives from programs whose fate is uncertain under the Mayor’s proposal talked about the need to keep people in treatment and housed so as to limit the amount of trouble that police and fire have to deal with.
Posted by: maplestory mesos cheap | July 01, 2009 at 23:58