By Bruce Wolfe, HANC Vice President
At our September 10th meeting, Captain John Sanford, Jr., the new Park Station Commanding Officer, joined us. A calm guy presented his vision of policing for our neighborhood. He explained the recent roadway traps focusing on bicycle riders, that got plenty of press, was to help protect pedestrians and reduce dangerous altercations with motorists. He received a lot of complaints about bikers and since there is law about bike riding on open roadways, specifically, rolling stops at traffic control devices and signage, he felt it prudent to monitor and then act if the issue was credible. It appeared it was.
Membership expressed some concerns about the action and urged compromise and increased coexistence. Capt. Sanford said he is in discussions with all parties and until the law changes will seek an amicable agreement. Currently, the law around bicycle riding on public roadways is being discussed. New legislation through the Board of Supervisors to allow rolling stops for cyclists is now on Mayor Ed Lee’s desk. According to media reports of September 27th, the Mayor is considering vetoing it. Additionally, Governor Jerry Brown recently signed into law a measure allowing traffic ticket diversion programs for cyclists. The politics continue.
Captain Sanford fielded other questions but notable was one about community policing in the form of officers walking the beat. He was confident in his answer of his new plan to place two teams of two officers on the Haight St beat in the early evening through the night. Some HANC members expressed concern that more focus is needed during the day and continued relationship building with merchants and community is necessary.
Next, HANC Treasurer Tes Welborn gave a comprehensive wrap-up of our series on the Sharing Economy and its effects on our city, particularly how it effects our Haight Ashbury neighborhood. It was well received with many accolades and the suggestion that it should be taken “on the road.”
Thanks to HANC Boardmembers Christin Evans, Rupert Clayton, Calvin Welch and Bruce Wolfe, and guests Tim Redmond of http://48hills.org and Dale Carlson of http://ShareBetterSF.org. Video of each session are posted on our website, http://HANC-SF.org
Finally, presentations were given on Propositions C and E, both of which HANC opposes. Special attention was given to Proposition C at the meeting.
Prop C would require non-profits and public employee unions to be classified as “lobbyist”s if they exceed spending $2,500 in a single month to “solicit, request or urge other persons to communicate directly with an officer of the City and County in order to influence local legislative or administrative action”. Prop C is silent on how long one is to be classified as a “lobbyist” if one violates the single month limit.
The language was added as an amendment after community groups and unions were told that no such language was in the legislation. Many non-profits contract with the City to provide health and human services to lower income people. They often mail and advocate for the people they serve. The same is true with public employee unions. How this advocacy will be effected by this vague (…“solicit, request or urge other persons…”) language is unclear since the public was given no ability to comment on it as it was placed on the ballot directly by the Ethics Commission without going through, like all other ballot measures, a public hearing process at the Board of Supervisors. The concern is that such language will “chill” necessary and helpful advocacy on the part of organizations serving some of the lowest income residents in the City. For example in the year-long battle to save our recycling Center there were months where our legal costs and mailing to the public exceeded $2,500. Would HANC have had to register as a lobbyist in order to effectively defend the recycling center if C had been the law then?
The HANC Board has voted to oppose Proposition C.