Subject:

Sean Elsbernd

  • Blogs

    November 7, 2012

    Election 2012: Winners and Losers

    There ain't no devil, there's just God when he's drunk -- Tom WaitsThe striking thing about assessing San Francisco's big winners and losers emerging from last night's election is that they're often the same people. In District 5, tech investor turned political money man Ron Conway's candidate, Lond ... More >>

  • News

    October 3, 2012

    Super Friends: Overworked S.F. Reps Hire Extra Aides

    There ain't no devil, there's just God when he's drunk -- Tom WaitsThe striking thing about assessing San Francisco's big winners and losers emerging from last night's election is that they're often the same people. In District 5, tech investor turned political money man Ron Conway's candidate, Lond ... More >>

  • Blogs

    August 10, 2012

    Retiree Healthcare Costs: It's Even Worse Than You Think

    San Francisco has recently received some dubious press for coming first on an unenviable list. A study by the group California Common Sense placed the City by the Bay atop its unfunded health care liability list. San Francisco's workforce has amassed $4.36 billion in benefits the city is m ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 18, 2012

    Labor Unions Protest City Fat Cats' Raises, Democracy

    At a time when thieves are tearing apart the infrastructure of our city for a few dollars worth of copper, it warrants mentioning that the glistening dome of San Francisco's City Hall is, literally, slathered in gold. Perhaps those who'd like to even the score should aim a little higher. That's the ... More >>

  • Blogs

    January 27, 2012

    List: What's the Best Voting System for San Francisco?

    ​Supervisors Sean Elsbernd and Mark Farrell have proposed measures ending Ranked Choice Voting in San Francisco, while David Campos and John Avalos have proposed allowing even more ranked choices on the ballot. What is the best voting system for San Francisco? Whoever raises the most awareness ... More >>

  • Blogs

    January 11, 2012

    Pension Bomb Explodes -- City Deficit to Soar

    ​Last night, SF Weekly broke the news that the city's pension obligation could balloon based on the outcome of a retirement board meeting this morning. Well, it has. The city's contribution to its pension plan might jump by $60 million in the next year alone, adding to San Francisco's already gapi ... More >>

  • Blogs

    January 10, 2012

    Pension Bomb: San Francisco's Contribution May Explode by $60 Million

    How does this alter the city's financial outlook?​Barring an unlikely reversal at a Wednesday meeting, the city's forthcoming pension contribution may swell by $60 million in the next fiscal year alone -- and the city's union workforce will also be forced to contribute millions more than they'd an ... More >>

  • Blogs

    December 19, 2011

    Embarcadero Center Threatened to Sue City Over Occupy Encampment

    Embarcadero Center: Occupiers holiday ice show = "disastrous."​The Hyatt Regency and Vitale hotels complained of foul camp conditions, "sexual harassment," and an employee getting coffee thrown on him by OccupiersThe 99 percent might wage war with drum circles, slogans, and tent cities, but the 1 ... More >>

  • Blogs

    December 19, 2011

    Warren Hellman "Stunned and Thrilled" City Named Meadow After Him

    Joyce GoldschmidThe namesake for "Hellman Hollow"​The wheels of government tend to turn slowly. So the rapidity with which the notion of renaming Golden Gate Park's Speedway Meadow after Warren Hellman became a reality -- two weeks from conception to Board of Supervisors-approved, effective-immedi ... More >>

  • Blogs

    May 24, 2011

    Pension Reform: Jeff Adachi Says Mayor's Proposal Doesn't Add Up

    The new face of pension reform?​Mayor Ed Lee announced his long-awaited pension reform proposal today, partnering with Supervisor Sean Elsbernd to introduce an amendment to the city charter that aims to defray San Francisco's mounting liabilities for employees' retirement benefits. Lee's goal all ... More >>

  • Blogs

    May 13, 2011

    San Francycle: Did David Chiu Drive on Bike to Work Day?

    ​Wasn't Bike to Work day fabulous this year? We certainly saw a lot more cyclists out than usual, and we hope to see them out again on the remaining 364 days until next year. Let's do a quick roundup of the best of the bikes. According to the Chron, the mayor and "almost every member of the Bo ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 29, 2011

    Board of Supervisors: What Kind of Dog Would They Be?

    This took us literally all afternoon to make.​Earlier this week, city supervisors voted 10 to 1 to oppose the Golden Gate National Recreational Area's proposal to severely restrict dog owners from walking their pups off-leash in certain parts of San Francisco, namely Fort Funston and Ocean Beach. ... More >>

  • News

    April 27, 2011

    List: How the Unions Will Fix the Pension Crisis

    This took us literally all afternoon to make.​Earlier this week, city supervisors voted 10 to 1 to oppose the Golden Gate National Recreational Area's proposal to severely restrict dog owners from walking their pups off-leash in certain parts of San Francisco, namely Fort Funston and Ocean Beach. ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 19, 2011

    Never Mind the City's Budget Crisis: Supervisors, Mayor to Get Pay Raise

    Pay raises won't help close the budget gap​Closing a multimillion-dollar budget deficit is no easy task -- and handing out raises to elected officials will only make it that much harder. The Examiner reports today that in the face of a $300 million budget crisis, the Civil Service Commission has r ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 25, 2011

    Japan Relief Auction Stunts We'd Like to See

    We'd buy that for a dollar...​As reported earlier on this page, our Board of Supervisors raised $11,000 for Japan -- and did so by doing what it would do anyway. David Chiu was going to ride his bike. Now he gets some company, and $250 goes to disaster relief. Eric Mar was going to go to the Acade ... More >>

  • Blogs

    January 8, 2011

    David Chiu Is Board President Again -- No Conspiracy Necessary

    Joe EskenaziThe new supes are sworn in. Everyone cheers. The knives come out for presidential voting. Then everyone makes a poignant speech. And everyone cries. ​You can add another adjective to describe Supervisor David Chiu, the once and future president of the Board of Supervisors: Survivor. Ch ... More >>

  • Blogs

    November 11, 2010

    Congestion Pricing Likely To Be Killed By Prop. 26

    Thanks to Prop. 26, expect this to continue. Also, expect San Francisco to stay broke. ​Today's front-page story in the San Francisco Chronicle highlights a number of hefty "congestion pricing" fees drivers may soon have to shell out for the privilege of driving into the city, or even between cert ... More >>

  • News

    October 20, 2010

    Let It Bleed

    The city is awash in red ink, thanks to billion-dollar benefit giveaways and our politicians' lack of will.

  • News

    October 6, 2010

    List: Why cable-car drivers snubbed contest

    The city is awash in red ink, thanks to billion-dollar benefit giveaways and our politicians' lack of will.

  • Blogs

    September 27, 2010

    Muni Employee Cashes In With 'Fix Muni Now' Commercial

    Lights, camera, action​The "Fix Muni Now" campaign -- whose Proposition G is reviled among Muni employees -- brought in a highly paid hired gun this weekend: A Muni employee, counter-intuitively. The campaign filmed its first TV spot at a bus stop on Church and 20th. Per Muni bylaws, an agency emp ... More >>

  • Blogs

    September 14, 2010

    Supes Pass Alcohol Fee -- By Non-Veto-Proof 7-3 Vote

    Demon rum lives to fight another day...​The Board of Supervisors has just passed the controversial "Charge for Harm" Alcohol fee, which aims to fund the city's detox centers by raising $16-odd million from San Francisco alcohol wholesalers. The proposal stands about as much chance of making it int ... More >>

  • Blogs

    September 1, 2010

    Muni Union Seeks Injunction Against Restoring Service Cuts

    The Muni drivers' union's attempts at PR have been ... a train wreck​An internal Transportation Workers Union document obtained by SF Weekly contributor Greg Dewar reveals that the union will be seeking injunctive relief against Muni's plan to partially undo May's service cuts this Saturday.You ca ... More >>

  • Blogs

    July 15, 2010

    Progressives' Muni Charter Amendment Finalized

    ​If ever a Muni rider -- packed into a sweaty, steaming bus or train in the midst of an interminable delay -- dreamed of taking revenge via the ballot box, oh happy day: Your dreams are coming true. There will be not one but two Muni-related charter amendments on the ballot come November. Sean Els ... More >>

  • News

    June 30, 2010

    No legal authority? No problem!

    ​If ever a Muni rider -- packed into a sweaty, steaming bus or train in the midst of an interminable delay -- dreamed of taking revenge via the ballot box, oh happy day: Your dreams are coming true. There will be not one but two Muni-related charter amendments on the ballot come November. Sean Els ... More >>

  • Blogs

    May 19, 2010

    Is Progressive Supes' Muni Amendment Just a Bargaining Chit?

    Like this old train, many elements of yesterday's sweeping Muni charter amendment were things we've seen before...​The Charter Amendment yesterday introduced by a quartet of progressive supervisors would essentially tear apart the way the Municipal Transportation Agency is run and sew it back toge ... More >>

  • Blogs

    May 11, 2010

    San Francisco to Boycott Arizona

    ​The Board of Supervisors today approved a resolution calling for a boycott of the state of Arizona -- but how sharp the teeth are of said boycott remains to be seen. The resolution that passed today does a lot of "urging." It encourages -- but does not mandate -- cutting ties with Arizona "to the ... More >>

  • Blogs

    May 5, 2010

    Oakland Beats S.F. to the Punch on Arizona Boycott

    They'll be boycotting cacti across the bay in Oakland. But not here in San Francisco. Yet.​San Francisco's proposed boycott of the state of Arizona drew a national spotlight. But the distinction -- be it positive or negative -- of actually enacting a boycott goes to Oakland, which can add that lau ... More >>

  • News

    April 21, 2010

    SF Weekly Letters

    They'll be boycotting cacti across the bay in Oakland. But not here in San Francisco. Yet.​San Francisco's proposed boycott of the state of Arizona drew a national spotlight. But the distinction -- be it positive or negative -- of actually enacting a boycott goes to Oakland, which can add that lau ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 13, 2010

    Supes Spurn Appeal; Muni Service Cuts Coming May 1

    Bryan DemplerTen percent service cuts are the one Muni-related item that's not delayed​A transit activist claiming that Muni and the planning department violated state laws by approving service cuts without an environmental review was given the "nice argument, but you lose" treatment moments ago b ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 2, 2010

    Think Tank's 28 Ideas to Save Muni Millions -- Without Fare Hikes or Service Cuts

    N-Judah Chronicles/Lauren Oliver -- Used with PermissionA plan that can't fail? ​Unlike March Against Muni, San Francisco Planning and Urban Research didn't take the streets or wield any bullhorns. Instead, they offered actual solutions to Muni's myriad problems. On Friday, the moderate think tank ... More >>

  • Blogs

    February 17, 2010

    Controller: Labor-Backed Pension 'Reform' Would Cost City $13.2M Per Year

    Look! "Reform"! ​We've reported a bit on Supervisor Sean Elsbernd's attempts to save the city a modest bundle via pension reform, and the SEIU's attempts to amend the plan via Supervisor Eric Mar. While Mar claimed his amendments wouldn't cost the city any additional money, Elsbernd disagreed -- a ... More >>

  • Blogs

    February 15, 2010

    SF GovInAction: So Long, Farewell, Auf Weidersehen, Adieu

    There's virtually no government happening this week, and the few meetings scheduled are so pointless that you'd be excused for calling them vanity government. David Chiu just likes to call stuff to order -- and can you blame him? But before I cover this week's vanity meetings to reveal once agai ... More >>

  • News

    February 3, 2010

    Surfers think city's exposed sewage tunnel warning is a bunch of crap

    There's virtually no government happening this week, and the few meetings scheduled are so pointless that you'd be excused for calling them vanity government. David Chiu just likes to call stuff to order -- and can you blame him? But before I cover this week's vanity meetings to reveal once agai ... More >>

  • Blogs

    January 5, 2010

    At the Jersey Shore, Everybody Has a Nickname. Even San Francisco Politicians

    Yes, San Francisco's politics suffers from bouts of dysfunction. But let's face it: The exploits of the boys and girls at City Hall can't hold a candle to the high drama on display in MTV's new blockbuster reality series, Jersey Shore. The show features an eight-count of self-styled "guidos" and "gu ... More >>

  • Blogs

    December 15, 2009

    S.F. Voter Pamphlet to Cease Listing Which Candidates Agreed to Spending Limits

    ​If you offer your vote according to which candidate accepted to spend no more than the city's voluntary expenditure ceiling -- there must be some of you -- well, then we've got bad news. You're going to have to do a little more work to figure out who's minding the city's rules and who's potential ... More >>

  • Blogs

    June 1, 2009

    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 ... More >>

  • Blogs

    May 6, 2009

    Supes Condemn Raid on San Francisco Pot Club, Call For DEA to Mellow Out

    Fair enough, it was somewhat lost in the glare of our governor -- once caught on film wearing a shirt emblazoned with the sentence "Arnold Is Numero Uno" while smoking a joint and eating a massive piece of cake -- said he's open to debate on marijuana legalization. But, yesterday, a resolution passe ... More >>

  • Blogs

    January 21, 2009

    Riddle: Can LAFCo Be Saved If It Can't Be Killed?

    San Francisco's Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo) is the appendix of the city's muniEntriescipal body -- an unnecessary entity serving no obvious or useful purpose. Considering the city is looking at a half-billion-dollar deficit, cutting this useless civic appendage and its $1 million budge ... More >>

  • Blogs

    December 11, 2008

    "Speaking of Responsibility, We've Taken It;" "Everything the 49ers Have Asked Us to Do, We've Done," - the Wit and Wisdom of Gavin Newsom on the economy

    By Benjamin Wachs What's that, you say? Didn't Gavin already give a Newsom-isode on the economy? Well, yes, but that was the "Economic Climate." This is the Newsom-isode on "Economic Development." What's the difference? Well, one kind of tells you what Gavin plans to do, and the other kind o ... More >>

  • Blogs

    September 29, 2008

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

    By Benjamin Wachs What's that, you say? Didn't Gavin already give a Newsom-isode on the economy? Well, yes, but that was the "Economic Climate." This is the Newsom-isode on "Economic Development." What's the difference? Well, one kind of tells you what Gavin plans to do, and the other kind o ... More >>

  • News

    May 28, 2008

    Prop. C never defines 'moral turpitude'

    By Benjamin Wachs What's that, you say? Didn't Gavin already give a Newsom-isode on the economy? Well, yes, but that was the "Economic Climate." This is the Newsom-isode on "Economic Development." What's the difference? Well, one kind of tells you what Gavin plans to do, and the other kind o ... More >>

  • Blogs

    November 26, 2007

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

    By Benjamin Wachs What's that, you say? Didn't Gavin already give a Newsom-isode on the economy? Well, yes, but that was the "Economic Climate." This is the Newsom-isode on "Economic Development." What's the difference? Well, one kind of tells you what Gavin plans to do, and the other kind o ... More >>

  • Blogs

    October 15, 2007

    SF Ghettos Re-Zoned for More Booze? It's: SFGovernmentInAction!!!

    By Benjamin Wachs What's that, you say? Didn't Gavin already give a Newsom-isode on the economy? Well, yes, but that was the "Economic Climate." This is the Newsom-isode on "Economic Development." What's the difference? Well, one kind of tells you what Gavin plans to do, and the other kind o ... More >>

  • Blogs

    October 1, 2007

    San Francisco Taxi Rates To Rise Pending Health Care Plan: SFGovernmentInAction

    By Benjamin Wachs What's that, you say? Didn't Gavin already give a Newsom-isode on the economy? Well, yes, but that was the "Economic Climate." This is the Newsom-isode on "Economic Development." What's the difference? Well, one kind of tells you what Gavin plans to do, and the other kind o ... More >>

  • News

    May 9, 2007

    Golf in the Hole

    Will the city turn over our golf courses to the very people who are making them lose money?

  • News

    April 4, 2007

    Coming to Terms

    Pols weigh how to sell voters term-limit extensions. How about adding Gavin to the mix?

  • News

    August 2, 2006

    Useless Resolve

    The Board of Supes likes to tell the world what to do. The world could care less.

  • News

    January 25, 2006

    Pouring Money Down a Hole

    We tried to warn you. A new audit shows how a PGA tournament sucked millions of dollars from city parks.

  • News

    June 1, 2005

    The Daily Lickspittle

    Journalism has a lot of problems, but too many of them are manifestations of a sycophantic attitude toward the big-e Establishment

  • More >>
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