I don’t do New Yr’s resolutions; there’s a lot fallacious with me and so many issues I ought to change that I can’t even get began. I’m 64; too late.
However I like doing resolutions for different folks, significantly ones that aren’t too onerous and will have an actual impression.
So right here we go, for 2023: What Everybody Else Ought to Do.
For my pricey, pricey, dog-owning pals: There are such a lot of of us now, because the Pandemic Pet turned a factor, and I like that, and I like seeing all of you all around the metropolis, and I solely want there have been sufficient of us to undertake all the post-pando pups that are now crowding the shelters. However of us, you must decide up the poo on the sidewalk. That shit’s nasty and I’m bored with strolling round it.
For the Division of Parking and Site visitors: I simply received a bunch electronic mail from somebody who lives in an RV, who’s about to lose their dwelling as a result of the DMV tags are expired and the particular person doesn’t have $300 to pay the renewal and late charges. The Police Fee is speaking about ending pretext stops that focus on Black folks for minor visitors violations. Why can’t we finish towing for expired tags? Inform me that an individual dwelling in a car that wasn’t correctly registered is any menace to anybody.
For my colleagues within the native information media: Allow us to vow to make use of phrases that matter and imply one thing once we write about politics. “Progressive” is a phrase that isn’t that onerous to outline in at present’s San Francisco: It describes somebody who believes that, amongst different issues, financial inequality is a defining subject of our lives, and because the urban scholar Susan Fainstein writes, “fairness is by definition redistributive.” Progressives help excessive taxes on the wealthy and strict rules on large companies. Conservatives typically oppose taxes on the wealthy and rules on large enterprise, and argue that the free market will resolve most issues. There are many politicians in San Francisco who fall into that camp, however we wish to name them “moderates,” which implies nothing in any respect.
Additionally for my media colleagues: Allow us to not permit politicians to get away with ducking the important subject round housing. The state mandate, the native Housing Component, the general rhetoric says that town wants new housing “in any respect ranges” —however that’s unattainable, and the entire thing falls aside until somebody can inform us: where is the $19 billion going to come from? No person ought to be capable of talk about town’s Housing Component or speak about inexpensive housing in any context with out answering that query.
Oh, and all of you who helped gas the crime insanity that led to the Chesa Boudin recall: I’m relying on you to use the very same normal to DA Brooke Jenkins. Each single violent crime that occurs within the metropolis ought to be her fault; each incident of shoplifting ought to be her fault. Any person stepped on my foot on Muni a number of days in the past; clearly, this kind of rampant lawlessness is Brooke Jenkins’ fault.
Then go take a tour of the county jail and have a look at all of the people who find themselves locked up awaiting trial, lengthy after the authorized statute. Perhaps some harmless folks noticed their lives ruined. Perhaps that’s additionally Brooke Jenkins’ fault.
For all of the downtown property house owners who are asking for property tax relief from the city: In case your constructing is value much less cash, then you must decrease the lease, proper? Reduce costs and possibly small companies and artists can transfer into your empty area.
For Mayor London Breed: You’re going to be working for re-election, and let me make a suggestion: The Imperial Mayor who doesn’t discuss to the information media isn’t a very good look.
For the candidate who decides to run in opposition to Breed: It may’t be about You. It needs to be about an agenda for the city disaster we’re all going through. In 1987, Artwork Agnos beat the closely favored John Molinari by writing and distributing a e-book filled with concrete coverage concepts; yeah, it was a gimmick, however it was additionally New Concepts v. Previous Forms. The race wasn’t even shut.
For PUC Normal Supervisor Dennis Herrera: You turned probably the greatest metropolis lawyer’s places of work within the nation over to a political hack, and also you instructed me that will provide you with an opportunity to work on public energy. Now you might have the prospect to do one thing about it. From your recent letter to the Chron:
Lastly, San Francisco would have extra say on rooftop photo voltaic and battery storage if we managed the native electrical grid. That’s why it’s necessary we pursue public energy by buying PG&E’s electrical grid within the metropolis. As a public utility, we might set our personal insurance policies to achieve our clear power targets.
Sure, certainly, and usher in lots of of hundreds of thousands a yr in new income. However PG&E’s not going to promote, so there’s just one method that may occur: Seize the system by eminent area.
The entire components are already in place. You have already got bonding capability to purchase the system. It simply takes a authorized submitting (and sure, possibly a protracted battle, however there’s no time like the current to get began). You might direct your successor, Metropolis Lawyer David Chiu, to try this tomorrow. It’s 2023, the 110th anniversary of the Raker Act, which mandated public power in San Francisco. A good time to indicate us you might be critical, and that abandoning the Metropolis Lawyer’s Workplace was value it.
For Rep. Nancy Pelosi: You’ve got earned all of the accolades, and the subsequent two years ought to be a victory lap. Take it. End the time period you had been elected to, and permit San Francisco an actual election in 2024, not a loopy, unfair particular election that will occur in the event you retire midterm.
For all of the candidates who wish to run for native workplace and get progressive help: Please learn The Sum of Us by Heather McGhee and A Quick Historical past of Neoliberalism by David Harvey. There shall be a quiz.
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