I don’t do New Yr’s resolutions; there’s a lot improper 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 laborious and will have an actual impression.
So right here we go, for 2023: What Everybody Else Ought to Do.
For my expensive, expensive, dog-owning pals: There are such a lot of of us now, for the reason that Pandemic Pet grew to become a factor, and I like that, and I like seeing all of you everywhere in the metropolis, and I solely want there have been sufficient of us to undertake the entire post-pando pups that are now crowding the shelters. However of us, you need to choose up the poo on the sidewalk. That shit’s nasty and I’m bored with strolling round it.
For the Division of Parking and Visitors: I simply bought a gaggle e 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 site visitors violations. Why can’t we finish towing for expired tags? Inform me that an individual residing 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 as we speak’s San Francisco: It describes somebody who believes that, amongst different issues, financial inequality is a defining challenge of our lives, and because the urban scholar Susan Fainstein writes, “fairness is by definition redistributive.” Progressives assist 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 clear up 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 enable politicians to get away with ducking the important challenge round housing. The state mandate, the native Housing Aspect, the general rhetoric says that the town wants new housing “in any respect ranges” —however that’s not possible, and the entire thing falls aside except somebody can inform us: where is the $19 billion going to come from? No person ought to have the ability to talk about the town’s Housing Aspect 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 needs to be her fault; each incident of shoplifting needs to be her fault. Any individual stepped on my foot on Muni just a few days in the past; clearly, this form of rampant lawlessness is Brooke Jenkins’ fault.
Then go take a tour of the county jail and take 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 price much less cash, then you must decrease the hire, proper? Minimize costs and perhaps small companies and artists can transfer into your empty house.
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 speak to the information media isn’t look.
For the candidate who decides to run towards Breed: It could actually’t be about You. It must 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 guide filled with concrete coverage concepts; yeah, it was a gimmick, however it was additionally New Concepts v. Outdated Forms. The race wasn’t even shut.
For PUC Basic Supervisor Dennis Herrera: You turned top-of-the-line 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’ve 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 may set our personal insurance policies to succeed in our clear power objectives.
Sure, certainly, and herald lots of of hundreds of thousands a yr in new income. However PG&E’s not going to promote, so there’s just one manner that may occur: Seize the system by eminent area.
The entire parts are already in place. You have already got bonding capability to purchase the system. It simply takes a authorized submitting (and sure, perhaps an extended battle, however there’s no time like the current to get began). You might direct your successor, Metropolis Lawyer David Chiu, to do this tomorrow. It’s 2023, the 110th anniversary of the Raker Act, which mandated public power in San Francisco. A good time to point out us you might be critical, and that abandoning the Metropolis Lawyer’s Workplace was price it.
For Rep. Nancy Pelosi: You might have earned all of the accolades, and the subsequent two years needs 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 need to run for native workplace and get progressive assist: Please learn The Sum of Us by Heather McGhee and A Quick Historical past of Neoliberalism by David Harvey. There will probably be a quiz.
