Articles Posted in the Politics Category

  • Civic Center Residence Celebrates Grand Re-Opening

    The Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation’s (TNDC) upgrade to the Civic Center Residence, located at 44 McAllister, included the construction of additional units of low-income housing, a seismic retrofit, plumbing and electrical overhauls, two new elevators, new shower rooms on each of the eight floors, and upgraded common room facilities including three community kitchens.

  • Herrera Moves to Sue CPUC, Feds Over San Bruno Tragedy

    Herrera Moves to Sue CPUC, Feds Over San Bruno Tragedy

    “In the aftermath of the San Bruno tragedy, it has become increasingly obvious that blame must be shared by regulators who were either asleep at the switch or too cozy with the industry they’re supposed to regulate,” said Herrera. “The potential threat to human life and safety demands the strictest enforcement of federal pipeline standards. Yet while PG&E was flouting federal law, regulators did little to hold the company accountable. Congress enacted the Pipeline Safety Act to allow for legal actions like the one I am initiating to protect public safety, and I am confident a federal court order will help accomplish that. The potential risks to San Franciscans and others from further gas pipeline failures can no longer be ignored.”

  • Closing the Loophole in SF Health Care Ordinance

    Closing the Loophole in SF Health Care Ordinance

    The amendment, introduced by Supervisor David Campos, simply re-affirms the layman’s traditional understanding of a “health care expenditure” by allowing employees to carry over funds from health reimbursement accounts from year to year. At present, some employers are taking back unspent HRA balances at the end of the year, denying employees the use of those funds.

  • Libya and US Debt: Another Treasury-Draining War

    Yet, the bill for U.S. participation in the NATO-led Libya mission is projected to reach at least $844 million by September with the U.S. funding about three quarters of the military spending by all NATO countries. This expenditure is on top of $1.2 trillion and counting, we are spending on the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Clearly, we cannot continue these enormous war expenditures ad infinitum, especially with our faltering economy. This money could be better spent elsewhere.

  • Fair Shelter Initiative Hearing On July 14

    Care Not Cash or Proposition N was passed by voters in 2002 and was promoted as a means to increase mental health, substance abuse treatment and housing in exchange for County Assistance Program (CAAP, previously known as GA) benefits. Under current law, the $422 allotted monthly to homeless people enrolled in CAAP is reduced to $59; the rest is redistributed to city-funded shelter services through a fund managed by the Human Services Agency.

  • Mayor Lee Rejects Adachi Overture for Pension Reform Compromise

    This is currently a hot topic

    Mayor Lee Rejects Adachi Overture
    for Pension Reform Compromise

    Both Adachi and the Mayor are sponsoring competing pension reform proposals that are expected to go before voters in November in an effort to correct a structural imbalance between pension costs and city revenues, an imbalance which has forced the city to cut services and layoff city workers year after year to make up for spiraling pension costs.

  • This is currently a hot topic

    Lies, Damn Lies, and “Safe” Nuclear Power

    Many problems AP found could trigger a nuclear disaster, including broken seals and nozzles, rusted pipes, aging facilities past their useful life, and numerous examples of shoddy maintenance and management laxity. Nonetheless, NRC officials rubber stamp license extensions, including 66 facilities over 25 years old re-licensed for another two decades, instead of responsibly shutting them down.