Referenda

Snapshot: Guerilla Postering

San Francisco Voters are Smarter Than They Look

Campaign for California Families' Efforts to Intervene in Prop 8 Litigation Denied

By Ashley Harrell The California Supreme Court's reentry into the Prop 8 war satisfied almost everybody. Yes on 8 and its supporters figure that the three new court cases, which challenge the legality of a same-sex marriage amendment to the state constitution, don't stand a chance. No on 8 and it s ... More >>

Marriage Equality Non-Profit Publishes Stories of Psychological Fallout from Prop 8

  Since Proposition 8 passed, Marriage Equality USA, an Oakland-based non-profit, has been surveying people online and around California about the effects of the initiative's campaign on their lives. Today, MEUSA published a report entitled, "Prop 8 Hurt My Family -- Ask me How," w ... More >>

Dog Bites

  Since Proposition 8 passed, Marriage Equality USA, an Oakland-based non-profit, has been surveying people online and around California about the effects of the initiative's campaign on their lives. Today, MEUSA published a report entitled, "Prop 8 Hurt My Family -- Ask me How," w ... More >>

Jordan vs. Jordan

Candidate Promises, Citizen Mayor Delivers?

How to Lie, Cheat, and Steal Your Way to Influence at City Hall -- Legally

Candidate Promises, Citizen Mayor Delivers?

The Gathering Storm: Lawyers, Loonies, Activists Ready for Prop. 8 Battle

Civic Center Plaza, 6:58 a.m. By 7 a.m., the anti-homosexual zealots were roaring, the police were telling the guy with the Sodomy-Will-Destroy-America message mounted on his Japanese-made truck to move along, and the gay and lesbian chorus with the pink-haired director (quite good!) were warming u ... More >>

Randy Shaw's Power Plays

Sixteen years ago, Randy Shaw started a housing clinic with $50 and a good idea: educating tenants. Now he's got more than $900,000 a year to spend -- and clout to match.

Will black neighborhoods in S.F. support the gay marriage ban — again?

Sixteen years ago, Randy Shaw started a housing clinic with $50 and a good idea: educating tenants. Now he's got more than $900,000 a year to spend -- and clout to match.

November ballot measures promise eco-confusion

Sixteen years ago, Randy Shaw started a housing clinic with $50 and a good idea: educating tenants. Now he's got more than $900,000 a year to spend -- and clout to match.

Profits for Developers Initiative

Take a closer look at this truly awful measure funded by Don Fisher before signing on

Eminent Changes

A questionable proposition may dramatically inhibit the city's attempts to regulate growth

The Bayview Battler

More than ready to take on politicians and redevelopers, Willie Ratcliff is in the most important fight of his life.

Recalling Reagan

In trying to remove Gov. Ronald Reagan from office, liberal activists spawned the Davis recall and a host of other political ills

Recalling a Historical Mistake

Why voters should defeat the move to recall Gov. Davis -- and then work to eliminate the recall and initiative provisions from state law

Rich Conspiracy

Unless there's been a Newsom/Getty/bin Laden/Bush plot of some kind, how could voters support Care Not Cash?

Fear, Loathing, and Non Sequiturs at Chico State

Or, how humanoids, hemp, and Ralph Nader will save us from Propositions I, L, and M

Death and Taxis

Why can't Hattie Neelon get to a funeral? Well, have you ever tried to get a cab in S.F.?

Cothran

Why can't Hattie Neelon get to a funeral? Well, have you ever tried to get a cab in S.F.?

Quota Quandary

As Proposition 209 seeks an end to affirmative action by state institutions, minority groups are conflicted

Hey, Sailor!

The untold story of the selling of the USS Missouri

CA Supreme Court Upholds Prop. 8, But Also 18K Gay Marriages

The Supreme Court voted 6-1 to uphold Prop. 8, the November ballot initiative banning same-sex marriages. That's not exactly a surprise, considering the flavor of the questions from the justices during oral arguments a couple of months ago. It was more unclear what the justices would do about the 18 ... More >>

SF Gov InAction: The Budget's All finished, Except for the Backstabbing

Our story so far: The Supervisors were drinking champagne in City Hall last week after reaching a budget deal that restored an unprecedented amount money to programs that Mayor Gavin "Call me Governor" Newsom cut from San Francisco because he thought it would play well in Fresno. Par-TAY! B ... More >>

Is LAFCo Getting Ready to Sue PG&E?

LAFCo Chairman Ross Mirkarimi may not be smiling for long​Lawsuit, anyone? That could be the case, to judge from what took place at the most recent Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo) meeting on July 31.LAFCo is a sort of energy task force controlled by supervisors who advocate municipalizin ... More >>

Local Dems' Prop. 8 War Chest Hits $245,000, Still Growing. When Will It Be Spent?

These lads may have a nice dowry by 2012​Despite a prominent pro-gay-marriage group's suggestion that activists wait until 2012 to try to repeal Proposition 8, San Francisco's Democratic County Central Committee is moving full steam ahead with fund-raising efforts for the campaign. In fact, the DC ... More >>

Owner of the Warfield pushes billboard ballot measure

These lads may have a nice dowry by 2012​Despite a prominent pro-gay-marriage group's suggestion that activists wait until 2012 to try to repeal Proposition 8, San Francisco's Democratic County Central Committee is moving full steam ahead with fund-raising efforts for the campaign. In fact, the DC ... More >>

A risky proposition: the Prop. 8 debate continues

These lads may have a nice dowry by 2012​Despite a prominent pro-gay-marriage group's suggestion that activists wait until 2012 to try to repeal Proposition 8, San Francisco's Democratic County Central Committee is moving full steam ahead with fund-raising efforts for the campaign. In fact, the DC ... More >>

Explained: The Clusterfuck That Lost the Proposition 8 Campaign

​During testimony, filings, and deliberations in the Proposition 8 trial, an unasked question reverberated through the federal courthouse in San Francisco: Why, exactly, are we here?A step outside into the reality of still separate and unequal California provided an answer: An inept anti-Prop. 8 c ... More >>

The Humane Society and big agriculture slug it out over animal rights

​During testimony, filings, and deliberations in the Proposition 8 trial, an unasked question reverberated through the federal courthouse in San Francisco: Why, exactly, are we here?A step outside into the reality of still separate and unequal California provided an answer: An inept anti-Prop. 8 c ... More >>

Will Tea Partiers Kill Pro-Marijuana Measure?

Fibonacci BlueSo paranoid. So uptight. So stiff. What could cure this? Hmmm...​On today of all days, marijuana is on everyone's mind. But that goes doubly for politicians: Just last week, state Democratic Party chairman John Burton told media that he and fellow Dems (like that Jerry Brown guy) ... More >>

Legalization Measure 'Bad for Patients,' S.F. Cannabis Dealer Says

Cookie, NOOOOOOOOO!​Legalization threat "putting us in the shadows ... making us dirty again," says head of Green Cross Cannabis DeliveryA couple of years ago Kevin Reed, 36, president of Bay Area Green Cross medical marijuana delivery service, had his mother over. She tried a cookie. This was no ... More >>

Election 2010 Results: Demon Sheep, Gavin Newsom, Open Primaries Triumph

Meg Whitman never liked voting, but plenty of Californians voted for her​Results are starting to roll in from today's voting on ballot initiatives and primaries for statewide office. Wanna know the latest, greatest bad decisions California's electorate has chosen to impose upon itself? SF Weekly h ... More >>

Studies: EQCA's plan to repeal Prop 8 will fail

Has a posse​ Patrick J. Egan Ph.D. released a study Wednesday called "Findings from a Decade of Polling on Ballot Measures Regarding the Legal Status of Same-Sex Couples" that shows how a multi-million dollar campaign to repeal Prop 8 at the ballot box is unnecessary and likely to be unsuccessful ... More >>

Prop. 8 Overturned: Gay Marriage On Hold Pending Stay

Oh, happy day...​READ THE ENTIRE RULING HERENO SAME-SEX MARRIAGES TODAY, SAYS SUPERVISOR BEVAN DUFTYFRIDAY HEARING WILL DETERMINE IF STAY ON SAME-SEX MARRIAGE IS LIFTED -- THOUGH DECISION MAY NOT BE MADE AT THAT TIME. SEE COURT PAPERS HERE: Temporary stay.pdfCHECK BACK FOR FREQUENT UPDATESAs many ... More >>

Prop. 8 Ruling: Judge Vaughn Walker's Most Scathing Language

MlinksvaJudge Vaughn Walker's greatest hits...​READ PROP. 8 ANALYSIS HEREA collection of Judge Vaughn Walker's most pointed statements from today's ruling: During closing arguments, proponents again focused on the contention that "responsible procreation is really at the heart of society's interes ... More >>

Prop. 8 Ruling: Literature and Strategy

​UPDATE: APPEAL FILED THIS MORNINGThe multitudes who took to the streets yesterday to either celebrate or denigrate Judge Vaughn Walker's ruling overturning Prop. 8 in many ways resembled the millions of tipplers worldwide who lift a glass on Bloomsday -- but would never dream of reading Ulysses. ... More >>

Supreme Court Rules State Not Required to Appeal Prop. 8 Ruling

​The California Supreme Court yesterday dismissed a right-wing group's suit that would have compelled the state to appeal Judge Vaughn Walker's ruling that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional. Both Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Attorney General Jerry Brown have come down in favor of Walker's ruling ... More >>

Attention, Guardianistas: Here are your endorsements.

​The California Supreme Court yesterday dismissed a right-wing group's suit that would have compelled the state to appeal Judge Vaughn Walker's ruling that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional. Both Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Attorney General Jerry Brown have come down in favor of Walker's ruling ... More >>

Marijuana Roundup: The Year In Pot

​How was your 2010? For the cannabis community, it was a wild flip of the calendar, with dispensaries opening and closing, police raiding, a medical cannabis luminary thrown in jail for meth charges -- and we vaguely remember something about a legalization ballot measure. There's still time y ... More >>

Gay Couples to Stage City Hall Sit-In to Celebrate Valentine's Day

Love hurts​For many San Francisco gay couples, Valentine's Day is just a bitter reminder of what they don't have -- marriage certificates. So expect a huge turnout at San Francisco City Hall for the hallmark holiday today; gay couples across the nation will celebrate their love with a little civil ... More >>

Scott Wiener Wants to Give Supes Power to Repeal Ballot Initiatives

Supervisor Scott Wiener​Supervisor Scott Wiener says he plans to propose a charter amendment at today's Board of Supervisors meeting that would grant the supes power to amend or appeal ballot initiatives approved by voters --  a step he insists will help reduce the number of such measures San ... More >>

Economist Writer Talks about Why California Won't Split Up

​For those who missed our blog post on it last week, we'll say it again: The Economist correspondent Andreas Kluth's special report on dysfunction in California's government is worth a read. Earlier this week, we attended Kluth's talk at the World Affairs Council on Sutter Street, where he offered ... More >>

Amazon.com Goes to War with State of California over Online Sales Tax

​Nobody expected that Amazon.com would take kindly to California legislators' decision to force the mammoth web retailer to collect state sales tax. As part of the recently approved, arduously deliberated state budget, California is now requiring out-of-state companies such as Amazon to slap the t ... More >>

Supervisor John Avalos Invites You to a Very Merry Unbirthday

Best party City Hall has hosted in some time ​Supervisor John Avalos has been taking heat over his controversial ballot measure that would ban the city's Rec and Park Department from leasing out park properties for private parties -- including birthday bashes of all sorts. But to show that he isn' ... More >>

Pot Legalization Measure Has Support of Mendocino Growers

Drug Policy AllianceThat's the idea​Can Protections for Medical Patients Help Succeed Where Proposition 19 Failed?Cannabis advocates promised they'd be back at the California ballot following marijuana legalization measure Proposition 19's historic failure in November 2010 (the measure received mo ... More >>

Law Enforcement to Round Up Homeless Sex Offenders Tonight

Homeless Sex Offenders: smart on crime? ​California Attorney General Kamala Harris announced trick-or-treaters will be safer since cops will keep homeless sex offender parolees indoors tonight in San Francisco. That announcement comes even while Harris' office is defending Jessica's Law -- the bal ... More >>

Adachi Campaign Alleges Lee Door Hangers Violate Campaign Finance Law

Ed Lee​Interim Mayor Ed Lee is facing new allegations of wrongdoing on the eve of the election, capping a slew of ethical complaints that has dogged his campaign this fall.Public Defender and mayoral contender Jeff Adachi says he filed a complaint with the San Francisco Ethics Commission this morn ... More >>

Marijuana Legalization Measure Courts Billionaires for Vital Campaign Cash

Close. But close enough?​Regulate Marijuana Like Wine, a marijuana legalization measure vying to get onto the November ballot, has only $80,000 in cash on hand, according to finance records. But in a poll released this week, it had potential support from 62 percent of likely voters -- and that, ba ... More >>

Prop. 8 Appeals Court Ruling: Inside the Dissenting Opinion

​Same-sex marriage advocates rejoiced today as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upheld U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker's 2010 decision that Proposition 8, the 2008 California ballot initiative banning gay marriage, is unconstitutional.The decision is almost certainly destine ... More >>