Email Author Benjamin Wachs

Awards

• 2012 - Maggies: The Magazine Awards of Western Publishing

  "The Worst Run Big City in the U.S."

• 2011 - Maggies: The Magazine Awards of Western Publishing, published April 14, 2010

  "The Muni Death Spiral"

• 2011 - Maggies: The Magazine Awards of Western Publishing, published October 20, 2010

  "Let It Bleed"

• 2011 - Peninsula Press Club Awards, published October 20, 2010

  "Let It Bleed"

• 2010 - Maggies: The Magazine Awards of Western Publishing, published December 16, 2009

  "The Worst-Run Big City"

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2009 Stories by Benjamin Wachs

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  COVER STORY

  San Francisco's Annals of Incompetence

  published December 16, 2009

  • Between 2002 and late 2006, the Committee on Information Technology — responsible for coordinating all city departments' hardware... More >>

• The Worst-Run Big City in the U.S.

  published December 16, 2009

  Despite its good intentions, San Francisco is not leading the country in gay marriage. Despite its good intentions, it is not stopping wars.... More >>

• List: Divinity and taxes

  published December 9, 2009

  San Francisco is enmeshed in a $14.4 million legal battle with the Catholic Church over whether the local archdiocese can sell property without... More >>

• List: Bridging the safety gap

  published November 18, 2009

  In light of the recent structural failures on the Bay Bridge — even after repairs — how is Caltrans planning to ensure that the... More >>

• List: Gavin Newsom's next steps

  published November 11, 2009

  Now that San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom has ended his campaign for governor, what are his top priorities for his last two years in... More >>

• List: The Chronicle looks on the bright side

  published November 4, 2009

  Last week, San Francisco Chronicle executives said they were "pleased" after learning that the paper's circulation has dropped 26... More >>

• List: City meetings open up to mo' comments

  published October 28, 2009

  Despite being outvoted in committee, Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier has vowed to open up more city meetings to more public comment. What are... More >>

• List: Saving journalism

  published October 7, 2009

  San Francisco billionaire Warren Hellman announced he will fund a new nonprofit online news organization, created in conjunction with KQED, the... More >>

• San Francisco-led innovations worthy of a Genius Grant

  published September 30, 2009

  Last week, several Bay Area residents received MacArthur "genius" grants. What San Francisco–led innovations were worthy of the... More >>

• Gavin Newsom and Bill Clinton: Birds of a feather

  published September 23, 2009

  Last week, Bill Clinton formally endorsed San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom for governor of California. Why is Clinton offering Newsom this... More >>

• How the Labor Day Bay Bridge closure affects people in the Bay Area

  published September 2, 2009

  The Bay Bridge will be closed for repairs over the Labor Day weekend. How will this affect people in the Bay Area? • It will make... More >>

• Gavin Newsom's benign betrayal

  published August 12, 2009

  Gavin Newsom has recently repeated his claim — first made to The New York Times — that there's more to the story of his... More >>

• Why Supervisor Chris Daly shipped his family off to Fairfield

  published July 29, 2009

  Supervisor Chris Daly announced this week that he has purchased a home in Fairfield, where his family will live. Why has he made this... More >>

• In Praise of Chris Daly's Hypocrisy

  published Jul 27, 2009

  Those of us who don't fancy ourselves to be Che Guevara have had a lot of fun this past week attacking Chris Daly for being a hypocrite. Those of us who believe that someday we will lead the revolutio... More >>

• Possible promises Gavin Newsom made to keep Levi's in S.F.

  published July 22, 2009

  Last week, Mayor Gavin Newsom announced that the corporate headquarters of Levi Strauss & Co. will remain in San Francisco at least through... More >>

• City conditions that may have stalled the Renaissance Faire

  published July 15, 2009

  San Francisco's Renaissance Faire announced that it would not operate in the city this year because of new, overly restrictive conditions set... More >>

• Changes we could see under the city's new Bicycle Plan

  published July 8, 2009

  Last week, the Board of Supervisors approved the long-delayed "Bicycle Plan" to make the city more conducive to bicycling. What changes will... More >>

• All hail the new police chief

  published June 24, 2009

  Mayor Gavin Newsom recently appointed George Gascón as San Francisco's new chief of police. What are the top criteria Newsom set out for... More >>

• Compost, or else, says Newsom

  published June 17, 2009

  Gavin Newsom's proposal requiring all San Francisco residents to recycle and compost their trash is being signed into law. What do you need to... More >>

• How to Sell Marriage Equality

  published June 3, 2009

  Last week, the gay-marriage movement in San Francisco sent volunteers to Fresno to start canvassing for the support of voters in more... More >>

• Trauma storyline predictions

  published May 20, 2009

  Last week NBC announced it is picking up Trauma, a medical drama set in San Francisco. What storylines and plot twists can... More >>

• Tonight's JROTC Vote Pits Education Against the Politics of Educators

  published May 12, 2009

  Tonight the San Francisco school board prepares to make a momentous decision on the final fate of JROTC in city schools -- in effect deciding whether the political agenda of the district will opt stud... More >>

• 'San Francisco's Bill O'Reilly'r If You Say So, Ms. Blue. 'Screen writer'r Definitely Not.

  published Apr 30, 2009

  I'm sorry. I shouldn't do this. I know that paying any attention to Violet Blue's adolescent diatribe du jour ("Hey! You're not publicly affirming my sexuality enough! You're not a good San Franc... More >>

• The most offensive things about Matt Smith's Kink.com column

  published April 29, 2009

  Members of San Francisco's sex-positive communities are outraged over last week's More >>

• The S.F. Botanical Garden's wish list

  published April 15, 2009

  The Recreation and Parks Department has unveiled a plan to charge for admittance to the San Francisco Botanical Garden in order to raise money... More >>