For 25 years, Harvey Ross has rooted out the waste and lies of politicians and bureaucrats. But some say he's too lost in the line items to see the big picture
Nan Park ImagesAh, but is it art? In San Francisco, the term "Arts Commission" is misleading. This is not merely a roomful of wealthy dowagers deciding where to place a bust of Adolph Sutro. A small percentage of funds expended on development projects in the city, by law, are sent the commission's way -- and that translates into millions of dollars a year. The city owns nearly 3,300 works of art valued at roughly $86 million. The Arts Commission is a big deal. So it was a commensurate big dea