Protestors performed a die-in outside San Francisco City Hall earlier today
as part of an ongoing series of protests to draw attention
to Mayor Gavin Newsom’s proposed budget cuts.
Photos by Luke Thomas
By Luke Thomas
July 1, 2009
Protests against Mayor Gavin Newsom’s proposed budget cuts continued for a third day today at San Francisco City Hall.
“We’re protesting Mayor Newsom’s inequitable, inhumane, immoral budget that basically balances the City’s budget on the backs of the poor, the backs of the homeless and the backs of the sick,” said Julian Davis, one of several protest organizers.
“It’s just unacceptable,” Davis added.
Julian Davis discusses Newsom’s budget cuts with a KTVU reporter.
Today’s die-in protest followed similar protests Sunday during the annual Pride Parade and on Alioto Plaza, Monday. Davis said the protests would continue, “Until the Mayor gets serious about campaigning for new revenue.”
Newsom’s budget proposal includes over $125 million in cuts to health and human services while other City departments, including public safety, have been largely spared.
Some progress has been made to rectify the imbalance following ongoing negotiations Monday between the controller’s office, the mayor’s office and the Board of Supervisors. Budget Chair John Avalos indicated $20.1 million had been identified for possible restoration to health and human services while signaling that the mayor’s office is supportive of ballot revenue measures that specifically raise revenues for the cuts Newsom has proposed.
Avalos said the City is looking to raise at least $50 million in revenue on the November ballot to help close an unprecedented $576 million budget shortfall.
 
Brother Jonathan Hicks, from the Society of St. Francis Episcopal,
consoles Sarah Benton who fears she will be made homeless
following Newsom’s cuts.
Protestors perform a die-in outside Room 200, the mayor’s office.
And on the rotunda.
Luke Thomas
Luke Thomas is a former software developer and computer consultant who proudly hails from London, England. In 2001, Thomas took a yearlong sabbatical to travel and develop a photographic portfolio. Upon his return to the US, Thomas studied photojournalism to pursue a career in journalism. In 2004, Thomas worked for several neighborhood newspapers in San Francisco before accepting a partnership agreement with the SanFranciscoSentinel.com, a news website formerly covering local, state and national politics. In September 2006, Thomas launched FogCityJournal.com. The BBC, CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox News, New York Times, Der Spiegel, San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Magazine, 7x7, San Francisco Examiner, San Francisco Bay Guardian and the San Francisco Weekly, among other publications and news outlets, have published his work. Thomas is a member of the Freelance Unit of the Pacific Media Workers Guild, TNG-CWA Local 39521 and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.
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The Hunger Site
July 2, 2009 at 1:25 am
How much more do we have to take from devious Gav?? Last year he promised us increases, this year swathing cuts. Remove the knife I say and install a OLBWA.
BTW – does anyone have one of those old 1970s chopper bicycles?? Preferably yellow. I am thinking of cycling from my house to 7-11 in aid of Charity (about 3 miles) in order to raise much needed funds for my micro-brewery project.
AJ