Compiled by Kim Geiger
Prop. A — Transit
This measure would give more power to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, an unelected governing body created in 1999 to have reform oversight over MUNI. Under Prop. A, the MTA would be given more authority over MUNI, parking, taxis and bike lanes and would have access to $26 million per year to spend improving MUNI.
Supporters say placing all transit under one politically independent group — the MTA doesn’t have to worry about reelections — will make it more efficient for the city to affect emissions reductions to 80 percent of 1990 levels by 2012.
If approved, this measure would nullify another transit-related measure on this year’s ballot, Prop. H, a parking space measure.
Sponsors: Supervisors Peskin, Ammiano, Daly, Dufty, Elsbernd, Maxwell and Mirkarimi.
Contact: (415) 554-5184 or Supervisor Peskin’s office at (415) 554-7450
Prop. B — Commission hold-over limit
The way commission positions are handled today, commissioners are appointed by the mayor to serve a specific term during which they cannot be removed if their actions anger the mayor — the intent being to provide commissioners the political independence to make sound choices. But once their terms have expired, the mayor can keep commissions at their appointments in a “hold-over” status, which means they maintain the position but can be removed any time in favor of a new appointee, making them politically vulnerable and less likely to make decisions that would anger the mayor.
Prop. B would limit to 60 days the amount of time the mayor can keep commissioners in hold-over status without reappointing them or appointing someone to take over the post.
Sponsors: Supervisors McGoldrick, Ammiano, Alioto-Pier, Daly, Dufty, Elsbernd, Maxwell, Mirkarimi, Peskin, Sandoval
Contact: (415) 554-7410 or (415) 554-5144
Prop. C — Public hearings for ballot measure proposals
Rather than allowing city supervisors to simply place a measure on the ballot without holding a public hearing to debate and discuss the merits of the measure, Prop. C would require the supervisors to hold a public hearing at least 45 days before placing a measure on the ballot.
Sponsors: Supervisors Elsbernd, Peskin, McGoldrick, Alioto-Pier, Maxwell
Contact: (415) 554-5184
Prop. D — Library Preservation Fund
The Library Preservation Fund, approved by voters in 1994, guarantees public funding of San Francisco libraries. With the ‘94 measure set to expire next year, Prop. D would extend public funding for another 15 years.
Sponsors: Supervisors Peskin, Maxwell, Elsbernd, Alioto-Pier, Mirkarimi, McGoldrick, Dufty, Ammiano, Sandoval
Contact: (415) 554-5184
Prop. E — Question Time for Mayor
Despite last years passage of a policy statement — a non-binding ballot measure that indicates the city’s desire to do something — that would require the mayor to appear before the Board of Supervisors once a month for what would be similar to the Question Time used by the British Parliament to question and debate the country’s prime minister, Mayor Gavin Newsom’s response to the 2006 initiative was to hold neighborhood meetings where the questions are scripted and chosen in advance by his staff.
Newsom says this year’s measure is not necessary, citing his “open-door policy,” under which he is willing to meet privately with any supervisor on any issue. The mayor opposes a public forum for Question Time, saying the city’s supervisors are too confrontational and the public nature of Question Time will lead to political grandstanding.
But the matter will be left to voters. Prop. E would this time mandate that the mayor appear before the board once a month.
Sponsors: Supervisors Daly, Ammiano, McGoldrick, Mirkarimi, Peskin, Sandoval
Contact: (415) 554-7970
Prop. F — Airport police benefits
Prop. F would impact roughly 60 officers of the San Francisco Police Department whose original contracts as airport police provided them with less benefits than SFPD officers receive. The measure would make these officers’ benefits packages equal to regular SFPD benefits.
Sponsors: Supervisors McGoldrick, Alioto-Pier, Ammiano, Dufty, Elsbernd, Jew, Maxwell, Mirkarimi, Peskin, Sandoval
Contact: (415) 554-7410
Prop. G — Golden Gate Park stables fund
In an effort to renovate the Golden Gate Park horse stables without privatizing the facility, this measure would create a fund for private donations to the renovation efforts, with city matching of $3 for every $1 donated up to $750,000. These funds would be combined with $1.2 million in state funds to renovate the stables.
Sponsors: Supervisors McGoldrick, Daly, Mirkarimi, Sandoval
Contact: (415) 554-7412
Prop. H — Parking
This measure would grant developers an absolute right — the right to create one parking space for each housing unit built in downtown San Francisco. Current law only guarantees developers one spot for every four housing units built downtown.
Support for the measure has been funded by condo developer WebCor
Prop. H would be nullified by the approval of the wider-reaching parking and transit measure, Prop. A.
Sponsor: Jim Maxwell
Contact: (415) 441-0848
Prop. I — One-stop shop for small businesses
An effort to make it easier for small businesses to comply with the many city laws governing them, this measure would provide one year trial funding of $750,000 to open an Office of Small Business under the city’s Small Business Commission to serve as a one-stop shop for the city’s small business owners.
Sponsor: Mayor Gavin Newsom
Contact: (415) 554-6640
Prop. J — Free city-wide wi-fi
This measure would approve the creation of a city-wide free wi-fi service. The service would be provided through a city agreement with a private internet service provider.
Sponsor: Mayor Gavin Newsom
Contact: (415) 554-6640
Prop. K — No more ads on public property
While not a binding mandate, if passed, this measure would declare the city’s intent not to increase the number of advertisements already on city property.
Sponsors: Supervisors McGoldrick, Daly, Mirkarimi, Peskin
Contact: (415) 554-7413
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