November Election 2009...

San Francisco will hold a local election November 3 to elect a City Attorney and Treasurer/Tax Collector. With no real contest for those seats and only five measures on the ballot, the turnout could dip to a historically low level for a general election. The Chamber Board of Directors has recommended the following positions on the ballot measures;

CHARTER AMENDMENT INSTITUTING A TWO YEAR
BUDGET CYCLE:    SUPPORT
An amendment introduced by Mayor Newsom and Supervisor David Chiu, the measure includes many of the reforms recommended by the City’s Controller; two year budgeting, five year financial plan, adoption of binding financial policies to guide budgeting and labor negotiation deadlines.

CHARTER AMENDMENT REMOVING CAP ON NUMBER OF SUPERVISOR’S AIDES:  OPPOSE
The City Charter has historically included a limit on the number of aides to members of the Board of Supervisors. Board members receive services from the Clerk’s Office, City Attorney, Budget Analyst and Legislative Analyst. And, unlike a county like Los Angeles, where each of the five supervisors represents millions of people, San Francisco’s eleven supervisors represent approximately 70,000 residents each. With declining general fund revenue and staff cuts throughout city government, this is not the time to allow the Board the unlimited right to hire more staff.

INITIATIVE ORDINANCE CREATING MID-MARKET
SIGN DISTRICT:  SUPPORT
Placed on the ballot by local property owner funded signature campaign, this measure will amend a 2002 initiative ordinance which banned new general advertising city-wide, by allowing a limited number of theater-type and roof top advertising signs on two blocks of Market Street between 5th and 7th Streets. This is an effort by property owners to revitalize this historic theater district with electronic signs supporting arts and entertainment venues, with a portion of the ad revenue going to neighborhood youth arts programs and funding a ticket booth at Hallidie Plaza.   

 

INITIATIVE ORDINANCE BANNING NEW GENERAL ADVERTISING ON PUBLIC STREETS AND CITY OWNED BUILDINGS:  OPPOSE
Placed on the ballot by signatures of four supervisors, this measure will prohibit the city from entering into any new contracts that include the right to place ads on street furniture or city buildings beyond the amount that existed in January 2008. This will prevent expansion of the transit shelter, news rack and public restroom programs, may conflict with another ballot measure to encourage renewal of the stadium naming/ad program at Candlestick Park and could stop pending projects like the European-style bike rental program.

INITIATIVE ORDINANCE ALLOWING A COMMERCIAL NAME FOR CANDLESTICK PARK:  SUPPORT
Placed on the ballot by the Board of Supervisors, this measure will amend a previous initiative ordinance that limited the city’s right to sell the stadium name. This will allow the Forty Niners to propose a commercial name, subject to Recreation and Park Commission and Board of Supervisors approval, with 50% of the revenue directed towards rehiring of recreation center directors. With the team expected to occupy the stadium for at least the next 5 years, this could result in almost $5 million to the Recreation and Park Department.

For November 2008 Results, click here.