Subject: Michela Alioto-Pier

• SF Supes Propose Less Coke-Snorting, Higher Rents to Pay for Parks: It's SFGovernmentInAction!

  October 22, 2007

• And On The 8th day, SF Government Rested -- Serious InAction

  November 26, 2007

• Taxi Cabs Hauling Trans-Fats to Budget Hearings; That's Right, the Board of Supervisors Are Back! It's ...

  January 7, 2008

• Trans-Fats, Chain Menus on SF Government's Tongue This Week

  February 4, 2008

• City misplaces prostitutes while Chris Daly sets your fonts for you! It's ...

  February 25, 2008

• SF Gov't InAction: This Week It's All About Troops ... and the Budget

  May 26, 2008

• Sf Government InAction: Is Ross Mirkarimi Captain Ahab? Is Burma a Root Vegetable? And Who is that Masked Supervisor, Anyway?

  July 14, 2008

• SF Gov InAction: Supes find New Ways to Threaten Newsom. Plus: Can You Feel the Ground Shaking? That's this Week's BIG Meeting!

  July 21, 2008

• Sf Government InAction: Sauron up for Public Utilities Commission, Voldemort to select Chief of Police, Gandalf will bring a budget to save us all! Or something like that

  July 28, 2008

• SF Gov InAction: Anti-smoking legislation, African Americans leaving SF, and whistleblower protection. Plus: It's cover-your-ass Thursday at City Hall!

  August 4, 2008

• SF Gov InAction: Supes Divide the City Amongst Themselves, have Big Plans for 19th Avenue, Try to Ban Smoking in Small Steps

  September 29, 2008

• SF Gov InAction: Superheroes, Stereotypes, and all of San Francisco to become One Giant Tourism District!

  October 27, 2008

• Fiona Ma's Right-Hand Man Bill Barnes Quits, Heads Back to S.F.

  Assemblywoman Fiona Ma's chief of staff, Bill Barnes, surprised his fellow San Francisco politicos earlier this month by abruptly handing in his resignation. Barnes didn't give the standard line of wanting to spend more time with his wife and children -- he doesn't have any. Instead, he told SF Weekly "We've got a progressive majority on the Board of Supervisors and I wanted to be back in San Francisco. There's no more to it." We'll give it to Barnes, commuting to Sacramento is a grind. Rumors

  November 18, 2008

• SF Gov InAction: These Are Not the Budget Numbers You're Looking For

  The excitement stops here. I know ... I know ... that today's the day Gubernatorial Candidate Gavin Newsom releases his budget for San Francisco (a California city he occasionally resides in for campaign purposes). And I know that, when he does, we're all going to die a little. I know. But, the action's still not likely to happen this week.The budget will be a big document. People will need time to go through it. Oh, sure, someone's likely to start shouting about it any second now, b

  June 1, 2009

• SF Gov InAction: Who Wants to Play on Moscone Center's New Waterslide?

  By Benjamin Wachs It could just be me, wading through the hell of Gavin Newsom's fevered imagination the way Peary crossed the arctic, but I kind of feel like all of San Francisco is governmented-out this week. The Mayor pummeled us with 7.5 hours worth of speeches last week, not a single minute of which is relevant to the current fiscal crisis we face. So today, I promise SF Gov InAction will go easy on the government. We deserve a break. Hey, who wants to play Jenga? Monday, Dec.

  December 9, 2008

• SF Gov InAction Fire Sale: Supes Sell Their Legacies Off for Pennies on the Dollar

  By Benjamin Wachs Come on down to San Francisco, boys and girls, where the deals are hot, hot, HOT! That's right, I'm Crraaaaaaazy Gavin Newsom, and this week everything must go! We have an ENORMOUS deficit looming up after the holidays and our entire inventory must be cleared out! No deal too big, no savings too small! See the price tag on this vintage substance abuse treatment center? I'm slashing it in HALF! How about this neighborhood policing program? Yesterday it connected troub

  December 15, 2008

• SF Gov InAction: Peskin Settles Score with Alioto-Pier

  By Benjamin Wachs There is one meeting happening this week. On Tuesday, at 10 a.m., the Rules Committee (which, at this point, is Chris Daly and Bevan Dufty) will be getting together to discuss proposed appointments to the Historical Preservation Commission and the Small Business Commission. They'll also discuss a measure to keep the current taxi fares and "gate cap" fee and scrap a scheduled increase in both. I have to admit, I didn't see this coming. It's proposed by Daly and Aaron P

  December 29, 2008

• SF Gov InAction: Supes Stand by Each Other After Little John Avalos Has His Bar Mitzvah

  This is the week the new Board of Supervisors goes from JV to Varsity. I know it felt like they'd hit the big time before, what with hundreds of people crowding the hearing rooms to yell at them about stuff they hadn't done -- but that's just the crowd getting fired up by San Francisco's airheaded cheerleader, Gavin "I'm really a Mayor!" Newsom. I know they thought that holding big hearings on potential budget cuts -- without actually doing anything about them -- was a big deal: But no, it

  February 9, 2009

• The 25 Worst/Least Likely Names For the Newsom Baby

  The French delegation humbly suggests "Marcel" for a boy or "Germaine" for a girlWhat the hell is going on there at City Hall? Sean Elsbernd, Ross Mirkarimi, Michela Alioto-Pier's staff, random statues -- everyone is cranking a kid these days. Can we tie this in to the Sean Penn scenes filmed on location for Milk? In addition to prancing up the stairs, what else did he do? In yet another instance of tabloid journalism calling the tune for all the rest of us, mainstream folks followed a gossip bl

  February 20, 2009

• SF Gov InAction: Supes Huddle in Closed Session to Gossip About Catholic Church and Landmark Trees

  I wish I were a supervisor. Then I could have only three meetings this week. I kid, of course: It's hard work pretending to take this stuff seriously. Monday, Feb. 22 10:30 a.m. -- City Operations & Neighborhood Services Committee If I had to pick one word to describe this meeting, it would be "quirky." As well as accepting various grants (my favorite is a grant for "children's dental disease prevention services"), Ross Mirkarimi has a bill "urging San Francisco's Congressional and

  February 23, 2009

• SF Weekly Contest: Name That Harlequin Object!

  Pablo PicassoPicasso, unlike Michela Alioto-Pier, thinks that a child can indeed be a 'harlequin object' This week Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier made a proposal that San Francisco "adopt the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and supporting its inalienable freedoms for children and youth in San Francisco." The proposal, which includes stirring language about how "Children and youth are unique and invaluable to the human race as the continuum of our existence and livelihood" al

  February 23, 2009

• We Asked 'What the Hell Is a Harlequin Object?' You Answered.

  According to you the readers, a 'harlequin object' would involve placing something on a motorcycle such as thisYou wouldn't think it'd be too difficult to urge the Board of Supervisors to adopt the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child -- producing children seems to be what San Francisco's government does best these days. But, in that extra push to spur legislative  action, Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier's resolution contained a clause noting that a child is not a "harlequin

  February 27, 2009

• Terms of Endearment: Alioto-Pier Says She May File Suit if City Doesn't Reverse Stance That She's Termed Out in 2010

  Is that Alioto-Pier's 'happy' smile or her 'I'm gonna sue you' smile?Earlier this month, Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier sat down for a cup of coffee with City Attorney Dennis Herrera. She was hoping to get him to reconsider a ruling from his office stating Alioto-Pier will be termed out of office next year - and, if he declines to do so, their next meeting may not be over hot coffee but hot lawsuits. "I am not ruling out a lawsuit - absolutely not," she said. To put the City Attorney's Februar

  March 2, 2009

• Ammiano Says There Was No 'Wink-Wink, Nod-Nod' Behind Ruling Giving Him 14 Years as Supe

  Tom Ammiano says neither winking, nodding, nor a combination of both benefitted his political careerEarlier this week, SF Weekly reported on how Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier is prepared to take the city to court if City Attorney Dennis Herrera doesn't reverse a 2008 ruling that deems her termed out next year. One of Alioto-Pier's main bones of contention was a 2004 Herrera ruling generously allowing former Supervisor Tom Ammiano a fourth term -- and 14 years -- on the Board. Alioto-Pier ponder

  March 5, 2009

• SF Gov InAction: Meet the Guardian's Imaginary Friend and Congratulate the Department of Technology on Its Fictitous $750,000 Tech Center

  When your whole government shuts down so that it can go to Washington D.C. and lobby for handouts, you know you've reached a point of no return. Economically it's a sign of total defeat, an acknowledgment that we are a zombie municipality that needs fresh infusions of federal blood just to go through the motions. Culturally it's a sign of egos run rampant over common sense. Or is there somebody in this town, besides David Chiu, who actually thought "Thank God David Chiu's going to Washingto

  March 16, 2009

• SF Gov InAction: Another Battle in the War on Fun, Children, and Food Made with Real Organic Cruelty

  Monday, March 23, 10:30 a.m. - City Operations & Neighborhood Services Committee It's hard to figure out what Sophie Maxwell and Gavin Newsom have in common. Sophie, after all, is a black woman who doesn't like technology but will answer her land line to talk to friends and critics alike, while Gavin is a white man who thinks that everything he texts should be secret because, hey, he did it on his iPhone, and you don't come between a man and his iPhone. That's personal -- way more pers

  March 23, 2009

• Michela Alioto-Pier for Lt. Governor?

  Michela Alioto-PierWe got a tip earlier this week from a usually reliable political insider that Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier is considering a run for lieutenant governor. According to the source, Alioto-Pier has been putting out feelers to test the idea of making a bid for the most useless job in Sacramento. If you believe the city attorney, Alioto-Pier is termed out next year and can't run for the most useless job in San Francisco again. (As the Weekly reported earlier, Alioto-Pier and her

  April 3, 2009

• SF Gov InAction: What Kind of MONSTER Wouldn't Get a Candle Permit? Plus: Save the Budget Analyst!

  Monday, April 6 11 a.m. - Public Safety Committee Who watches the watchers? Why, the Public Safety Committee does. Every other week. Its recent agendas haven't actually involved DOING much -- there's not much legislation coming out of these meetings -- but they've been crammed with hearings looking into things. They've examined police procedures, crime trends, and best practices - to the extent that the Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice has any. Today's agenda continues the committe

  April 6, 2009

• So, What's the Status of that $1.1 Million Ramp Michela Alioto-Pier Was So Fired Up About?

  Heck, for $1.1 million, we'll sell you a ramp and a car to jump off it, tooAfter the shit hits the fan, it's mordantly entertaining to look back at the issues that used to occupy us: Monica Lewinsky, President Bush actually mentioning Brave New World -- which he almost certainly never read -- during his "all-important" stem cell speech, and the supposed $1.1 million ramp to the antique dais in the Board of Supervisors room.With budget shortfalls metaphorically reducing the city into passing on t

  April 14, 2009

• Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier says she's not termed out

  March 4, 2009

• Senior Memories

  Some of the Class of 2000's stranger moments. (A lot of them involve Chris Daly.)

  October 29, 2008

• The Class of 2000

  Eight years after being swept into office, a once-disorganized band of neighborhood leftists tries to create a citywide political machine.

  October 29, 2008

• Plastic bags still in SF stores despite ban

  August 20, 2008

• City Source: Making Supes' Presidential Dais Handicapped Accessible Would Cost a Fortune

  This is how much paperwork it would take to renovate the Board of Supervisors' chamber (and they're not near finished)Yesterday, we checked up on the status of the so-called Million-Dollar Ramp that sparked rancorous debates and threats of lawsuits among our elected officials -- and, inadvertently touched off a testy back-and-forth between Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier and former Board President Aaron Peskin. Seems like old times. In a nutshell, Alioto-Pier -- a wheelchair user -- contends that

  April 15, 2009

• SF Supervisor Aaron Peskin's Message to Newsom: Quit Attacking Me!

  March 5, 2008

• Kid Code

  July 11, 2007

• Up Theirs, Please

  As a favor to a columnizing colleague, Social Grace gives San Francisco's swearing-obsessed politicians some damn good advice on cleaning up their whiny fucking acts

  June 29, 2005

• SF Gov InAction: Toxic Babies Are Not an Option!

  Sometimes ... and I want to make it very clear that this is not drug-induced ... I don't think San Francisco is a real city at all. I think that maybe we're a Lego city, populated by Weebles. It makes as much sense as anything Sophie Maxwell's said lately. Why would I think this? Well, have you ever seen our parades? Gavin weebles and wobbles...In addition, I've noticed that Gavin Newsom weebles and wobbles but won't fall down, and that an earthquake will eventually reduce us to

  April 27, 2009

• SF Gov InAction: Mandatory Composting Gets Some New Sponsors. Which Bin Do We Put 'Futility' In?

  I hope you'll forgive me if I keep this week's Gov InAction curt: I told WAY too many David Chiu jokes over the weekend, and now I'm worn out. I've got to remember to pace myself. However, in case you're wondering, here's how many David Chius it takes to change a light bulb: • None: Aaron Peskin already changed it. • One: and he will change it, assuming no one else can agree on a consensus candidate for the job. • Two: it takes two David Chius to gloat about a major accomplishm

  June 8, 2009

• Follow the Bouncing Bill: Alioto-Pier's New Aide Says Job Was Spur-of-the-Moment Offer

  FacebookNewly minted Alioto-Pier legislative aide Bill Barnes displays decor he no longer needsWhen former Chris Daly legislative aide Bill Barnes quit his post as Assemblywoman Fiona Ma's chief of staff last year, we asked him if the rumors were true -- was he going to work for Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier? Barnes told us no, and that was that. But, for those of you who follow city politics with the rapacity my mother watches shows featuring cops, vampires, or a combination of both already kn

  June 18, 2009

• It's Your Friday Morning News Quiz!

  Can you answer Question No. 1? It's Chris Daly's world and the rest of us are just paying rent (you think we can buy in San Francisco?) It was another fabulous week in the city -- or did you black out and miss it, Muni-style? Let's see if you were paying attention: 1. Supervisor Chris Daly, champion of low-income urban dwellers -- arguably at the expense of the middle class -- announced Wednesday he's bought a home for his family (actually, two homes) in what Bay Area suburb? A. FairfaxB. F

  July 24, 2009

• SF Gov InAction: Big money! Big money! Oh God, Make It Stop!

  What an exciting week! Your Host Gaaaaaaavin Newson! will be giving away big money prizes! And how much would you pay for this PUC headquarters? Find out in our Showcase Showdown! That's not actually a joke. In fact, there is an awful lot of government happening this week, squeezing big money into small meetings. It's been a while since we've seen small meetings this packed with concentrated government goodness -- the kind of meetings that are organic, locally grown, and pesticide free. T

  August 10, 2009

• SF Gov InAction: Your 'Labor Day' Guide to What the F*#@k Happened in the Last Eight Months

  With a federal holiday appears on the calendar, city hall's motto becomes: "Ask not what your country can do for you, but how much time off you can take from your country". In this particular case, The supervisors like to celebrate Labor Day by pretending to have labored, while their staff likes to celebrate Labor Day by pretending to rest. (The one exception to this rule is Michela Alioto-Pier and her staff, who celebrate Labor Day by going into labor). The result for both is a three week "v

  August 24, 2009

• Supervisor Says Her Measure Would *Not* Lead to S.F. Loons Droning On, Endlessly, During Committee Meetings

  Your rantings about the world at large are not welcome during Rules Committee, Mr. Beale...​Earlier this week, we reported on how the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force chided Supervisor Chris Daly for forbidding a man to speak at a Rules Committee meeting. Not long thereafter, Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier, at the behest of the task force, introduced a proposed change to the Board of Supervisors' rules, that would create "general comments" periods during committee meetings, so people like the gen

  September 17, 2009

• Public Comment -- and Ranting -- May Yet Come to City Committee Meetings

  You may yet get your say at a committee meeting, Mr. Beale...​Last month, SF Weekly wrote about a measure we feared would lead to, how shall we put it, "loons droning on, endlessly, during committee meetings." Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier, the measure's author, assured us that wouldn't happen, however.  She may well be right, but no one will find out for quite some time -- if ever. Last week, Alioto-Pier's colleagues on the supes' Rules Committee, Chris Daly and David Campos, voted not

  October 19, 2009

• SF Gov InAction: City Brings Hammer Down on Anti-Prostitution Program, Then Forms a Glee Club to Sing Social Services to Sleep

    I've had a really busy few weeks, and I haven't been able to catch up on any of the new fall shows yet. So I tried to cram a lot of television in this weekend while writing SF Gov InAction. Just so you know. Monday, Oct. 19, 10 a.m. - Public Safety Committee Somebody has to say it: the Public Safety Committee we have in San Francisco isn't nearly as good looking as the one they have in CSI Miami. Can we get them re-cast? I wouldn't mind if the supervisors stay around a

  October 19, 2009

• It's Your Friday Morning News Quiz!

  It's the law...​Cops! Compost! Conspiracies! Killers! The Board of Supervisors has voted, 8-2, that we should have a quiz right now (Michela Alioto-Pier abstained -- but we won't hold it against her). 1. The San Francisco Police Department announced that DNA evidence could tie an unsolved 1984 murder to what infamous killer(s)? A. The Zebra KillersB. The Zodiac KillerC. The Night StalkerD. The Committee of Vigilance 2. True or False: Though the city's mandatory composting law went into effect

  October 23, 2009

• List: City meetings open up to mo' comments

  October 28, 2009

• Breaking: Supes Override Newsom's Veto on Sanctuary Policy

  Lauren SmileySupervisor David Campos meets the press after initial passage of his ordinance in October​As anticipated, the Board of Supervisors this afternoon beat back Mayor Gavin Newsom's veto of Supervisor David Campos' sanctuary policy legislation. With a vote of 8-3 (Carmen Chu, Michela Alioto-Pier, and Sean Elsbernd dissenting), the supes adopted a new policy in which law enforcement would not be required to inform immigration authorities of a juvenile's status until after he or she is c

  November 10, 2009

• SF Gov InAction: A Big Week For Nurses, Lawsuits, and Jokes About Fights on Muni

    Monday, Nov. 16, 2 p.m. - Public Safety CommitteeIt's an exciting time to be on the Public Safety Committee. Swine flu is rampant, there's a new top cop in town, and SOMEBODY needs to decide if Hugues de La Plaza was: (a) the victim of a grisly murder, or; (b) a committed neat freak to the very end. The committee will be touching on several of these issues today, in the form of its regularly scheduled crime-n-stuff hearing, as well as approving grants for things like a swine flu "in

  November 16, 2009