SF ORGANIZATIONS BEG FOR BREAD CRUMBS BEFORE THE BOS (5/10/07)

Every year this time around you have Community Based Organizations (CBOs) come before the Budget Committee and plead, beg, cry, howler, to get bread crumbs. All the while the Budget Committee pretends that they are serving the people and doing the right thing. This is the Legislative Branch doing what they think they do best. On the other side the Executive Branch is busy with Spin and Media making statements and projecting plans that have not been vetted thoroughly, some never ever discussed with the Legislative Branch. This comedy of sorts is repeated each and every year - this time around - the stinky Budget Season. All for a measly $30 million dollars or so - deemed the supplemental budget of sorts - people get on their knees and beg for crumbs. This crap must stop and stop making a mockery of the system. How can essential services be deemed secondary? I have supported Chris Daly for a long time. I support him because this guy knows his unique constituents, does his homework, and has a sense for fair play. Some one put made him Chair to being out the good but in this particular case - those that plead, beg, cajole, and do not know really what they are put up to. This time around the Lesbians, Bisexuals, Gays, Transsexuals, gathered in force to make a plea. Bevan Dufty likes this because normally he takes a lead but this time he must have felt good that Chris Daly was championing for what is right. Bevan Dufty loves to fight for the under dog - learned that from his mentor Willie L. Brown ­ still wheeling the dealing behind the scene. This City is aging and if we do have queer folks living here in San Francisco - I suppose as we do with all aged we have to support the queer aged as best we can. They all pay taxes, they all follow the laws, they all add charm to the City's diversity - so I guess it would be fair that we hear them before BOS, we adhere to them and provide them with services - the best this City can offer. Lick your chops Pat Murphy. It was nice to see my brother Mitch Salazar come to the podium and make a valid statement that he supports the agenda item discussed linked to the Supplemental Budget. Now what was that about Hommie? Roberto Vargas and Rudy Corpuz are always advocating for those that need help most. We do have a $5.7 billion SF City wide budget - so it seems odd that for the real nuts and bolts work at ground zero - warriors have to go before the Budget Committee and beg for bread crumbs. I saw so many beg for bread crumbs. Folks that work long hours to serve the mentally ill. Those that help seniors and others stop being evicted. The laundry list is long and the trials and tribulations extensive. Some cry, some beg, some say stuff with difficulty, and all the time the Budget Committee try to seem interested in this Opera of Woes plaguing this City and County of San Francisco - every time this year around. There is one personality in the Mayor Office that purports to get on to Chris Daly in the press and that does not impress me. If you have balls and are a man - go to Chris and face him like a man - lay down your ammo and be a man and not a coward. If you are a sissy - get on some mode of transportation and head away from San Francisco. So the world including the Mayor heard it all ­ the elderly, the mentally ill, the pleas to help children, the crime and violence in our streets, the few good centers that embrace all and help people socialize. A needle exchange center where women from all walks of life come and find safe haven - those that do drugs, prostitute, victims of domestic violence, and those that fear for their pimps or men on the loose with their one of kind macho brew that taste nasty. I wanted to be there at in Room 250 but decided to stay doing some good work helping an Elder while listening to the long line of speakers - come said their peace and left. All so well behaved and diplomatic though one odd personality used the F word to make a point that went unheard. Larry was there complete with his regalia and well mannered. Of course this City loves our Elderly, the homeless, the youth, those families that need help most. Of course we care for City Employees - imagine for every 28 San Franciscans we have one City Employee. We have folks like Susan Leal making over $300,000 and a host of others at San Francisco Public Utilities Commission making over $175,000 plus perks but why would that affect any San Franciscan. We never raise our Water and Sewer rates - we keep them in line - much as the 900 miles of sewer lines and 1900 plus lines of clean water - leaking and leaching. We spent $700 million on the T-third Light Rail and it is NOT working. We build 3 conduits costing $20 million under the Islais Creek and they are White Elephants. We spent another $30 million building the Illinois Bridge and it is too narrow to use. Our City Employees get the best health care and the retirement package so one has visited these plans by conducting an audit. How many jerks make over $100,000 and live outside our City? How many thousands? And we pay good benefits for folks to jerk around? Our Board of Supervisors used to make around $40,000 now they make over $120,000 with benefits. The talk the talk most of them but only one or two walks the walk. I know Chris Daly is one of them the other I will not divulge. We waste money on litigation and hire too many stupid lawyers that do not fit anywhere else - no one will hire them. Not once in recent history has any Supervisor asked for an account of all the litigation money spent by this City - some on cases that are frivolous. Some one called some one and was given over $170,000 working for the Department of Building Inspection. Even Tom Ammiano who is a joker and clowns a lot - got serious for once and said: "give me a break". Come on now - for all the names Tom is called he should get a couple of millions on a platter made of gold studded with diamonds for keeps. And Tom really does his job and is very air when it comes to appointments. Notice how little he said at the Budge Hearing. Our children are here to be loved we should give them the best. Our Elderly once gave their best only to be rewarded when they grow to a ripe old age. Our mentally ill deserve better and this City has failed them. The best care this segment of the population get - are in jails. Our City has the Precautionary Principle as law and does not follow it. Our City vows that we are a Green City and Clear Cuts trees. 400 mature trees were cut on Parcel A at Hunters Point. Our City brags about Quality of Life issues and has failed to even have Business Plan to address this pertinent issue. The Mayor Office of Economic Development and Workforce has been expanded and some do good work and others do not. When will the Controller decide to do a through audit? How about the City Attorney's office and all the nonsense going on there? Enough is Enough.

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