Public transit to the rescue

After the accident and explosion on an East Bay highway Sunday morning, Governor Schwarzenegger announced that all transit rides on affected lines would be free on Monday. Californians love their cars, but an accident as devastating as this will snarl travel for weeks or months in the Bay Area. And while cars crawl along the remaining highways, BART, AC transit and the ferries will ply their usual routes carrying far more people per square foot than any car does. The future of transportation in the Bay area should be a concern to all citizens. Can we go on building more and more highways with ever more complicated mazes of interconnections? How do we entice people away from their cars and into less polluting and more economical mass transit? Lawmakers will undoubtedly be coming up with more plans to solve this ever growing problem in the months to come--and the League will be following their every move to help people sort through the pros and cons of each proposal. No one is ever going to make commuting a favorite sport, but we should be able to make it less burdensome than it is now.

Watch that pen

The importance of having watchdog groups to keep an eye on what the government is doing is pointed up today in an article in Statelines about the veto powers in several states. Few of us in California have heard of the "Frankenstein veto" but voters in Wisconsin have noted that the governor of that state has power not just to veto or approve a bill as it is sent to him, but to amend it. By changing a few words, a Wisconsin governor transferred more than $400 million from transportation to education. No matter how important education may be to voters, you have to wonder whether this kind of power is what they wanted to give the governor. We've heard a lot recently about President Bush's signing statements which lay out the extent to which he intends to carry out the laws that he is signing. These statements can limit the way government agencies carry out the intent of Congress in passing the law. Both the governors' powers of veto and the president's power of signing statements shift the power of law-making from the legislatures to the executive. Whether we the citizens approve of this or not, it's something we ought to be thinking about--and something we should be telling all potential voters about. Voter education doesn't just mean telling people how to fill out a ballot. It includes letting people know what their ballot is going to mean and how much power it gives to the people they vote for. "Eternal vigilance" is not just an empty phrase.

A strong woman gone

The California legislature adjourned to honor the memory of Juanita Millender-McDonald, who served in the Assembly before being elected to 7 terms as a Member of Congress. She was a public servant who accomplished many things in her long service. One of her most public appearances was to respond to President Bush's State of the Union and radio addresses. She was the first African-American woman to give this national response for the Democrats. Most of her work in Congress was done quietly. Her colleagues respected her as someone who could work with both Democrats and Republicans to accomplish tasks that needed to be done. It is a pleasure to read some of the tributes paid to this strong, hard-working public legislator. She will be sadly missed by the public as well as her many friends and colleagues.

How do you want your coffee?

Sometimes Earth Day sounds like a nagging voice on TV and radio reminding us of all the things we are doing wrong. Did we remember to buy the biobags for our compostables? Did we leave the TV running after the kids had left for their friend's house? It's nice to read about some things we might be doing right. That Fair Trade coffee we bought at the supermarket is doing some good, as reported in the N.Y. Times today. We can see the face of a farmer in Chiapas, Mexico, who works with the Rainforest Alliance to be sure farmers get a fair price for their coffee. When we hear about a farmer who has been able to pay for his daughters' education, giving two of them a college education, while two others are studying for degrees, that puts an extra spoonful of sugar in our morning latte and makes all our efforts seem worthwhile.

What's on the News?

The dreadful scenes from the tragedy in Blacksburg, Virginia, dominated both network and cable news channels on Wednesday. We know that most people get their news from TV, radio or the Internet, and all three were occupied in pondering questions about what would make a student kill so many people on a quiet college campus. The event led to many questions which are unlikely to ever be answered completely, but our news channels certainly gave the impression that it is important for everyone to ponder them.

Another piece of news almost escaped comment, as the Supreme Court made a decision that marks a dramatic turnaround in the country's abortion practices. Although both the San Francisco Chronicle and the New York Times had editorials on this decision, the news comment was sparse and mostly in print sources. There are no good pictures of women and their doctors trying to maintain the health and safety of patients. This decision is likely to affect thousands of women over the years and may lead to further changes in the law. Whether you are in favor of the decision or opposed to it, this is a time to think about what has happened and what the implications for the future might be.

The League has for many years supported a woman's right to choose, but an even more important right for all of us is the right to hear the news that truly makes a difference in our world. The opportunity to discuss and decide on the crucial issues in today's society is one of the perks of being a League member. Participate and make your voice heard!

EVENT: First round of neighborhood meetings on Better Streets Plan April 16, 18, 19, & 24

WHAT:

Members of the public are invited to attend a first round of neighborhood meetings to help shape a new approach to street and sidewalk design. As part of Mayor Newsom’s Livable City Initiative, the Better Streets Plan recently launched an extensive community process encouraging residents to share their ideas and priorities for improving the design of San Francisco’s streets. Over the next six months, several rounds of neighborhood-focused workshops and other events are planned throughout the City.

WHEN & WHERE:

Meeting scheduled in April include:

April 16, 6 - 8 pm, West Portal Playground Clubhouse, 139 Lenox Way

April 18, 6 - 8 pm, Rochambeau Playground Clubhouse, 250 25th
Avenue

April 19, 6 - 8 pm, Eureka Valley Recreation Center, 100 Collingwood Street

April 24, 6:30 – 8:30 pm, SOMA Eugene Friend Recreation Center, 270 6th Street

WHY:

San Francisco’s streets and sidewalks are important public space, comprising about 25 percent of City land – more than parks and open space. Many of our streets have deteriorated over time, and traffic congestion, lack of greenery, deferred maintenance, and crowding often keep residents and visitors from fully enjoying the City’s neighborhoods and shopping districts. The Better Streets Plan will guide short-term improvements and the way streets are designed and managed over the long-term to make them safer and more accessible, attractive and environmentally sustainable.

BACKGROUND:

The Better Streets Plan is being led by the Mayor’s Office of City Greening in partnership with the Planning Department, Municipal Transportation Agency, Department of Public Works, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, Department of Public Health, Mayor’s Office on Disability, and the San Francisco County Transportation Authority. For more information, the public may visit www.sfbetterstreets.org or call (415) 558-6405.

Destination Unknown

San Franciscans who live their life above the ground may have missed much of the drama going on in the underground Muni system this week as the new T trains started rolling. Unexpected glitches caused crowding on many of the Muni lines and prompted many complaints. As one anonymous rider on a packed N-Judah on Saturday afternoon called out to approving smiles, "Next stop--Hell". Muni officials promise that the inconvenience is temporary, but city politicians have heard the voters. As reported in Sunday's S.F. Chronicle, Aaron Peskin, President of the Board of Supervisors, is launching a ballot measure he hopes will fix the system. This charter amendment, expected on the ballot in November, will move more money from parking meters into the Muni budget and will give Muni management greater control in negotiating salaries for Muni employees. Transit issues are complex and solutions difficult to find. Both the League and SPUR will take a hard look at the proposed ballot measure when it comes before the voters and prepare objective information to help voters make a choice at the ballot box. Perhaps by this time next year the Muni destination will be truly heavenly instead of heading in the other direction.

A winning team

The TV news shows these last few days have given a lot of time to a few cruel and vicious words spoken by radio host Don Imus referring to the Rutgers University Women's Basketball Team. Other media men (and all the ones I saw were all men) responded by discussing whether the words could be forgiven, whether suspension or firing was the appropriate punishment--unbelievably enough there were differences of opinion on that. It wasn't until the team members themselves appeared on the news that we heard a dignified and heartfelt response to the irresponsible attack. The women spoke quietly and told of their feelings--putting to shame all the trivial media chatter. These young women, and others like them, are the future leaders of the country. We in the League try our best to get them involved in the public arena where they will be empowered to create a world where no one listens to silly old men who think causing pain to others can be funny.

Where Can Families Live?

Talk to any young parent in San Francisco for more than ten minutes and the issue of housing is bound to come up. The San Francisco schools lose 800 students a year, many of them because the families move to the suburbs to find less expensive places to live. The Chronicle's Tim Holt in Sunday's Insight section describes several proposals for increasing housing density along transit lines in the city. Neighborhood groups near Octavia and Market have the most far-reaching plan so far. The League and other community groups will be keeping on eye on efforts to make San Francisco more family-friendly. Watch for future developments...

Smalll Things Matter

We all know it's often the little things that determine what we do or don't do. Tom Friedman in today's New York Times gives an example we probably never thought about. When asked what changes would make democracy stronger in Kenya, the response of one of the most active women leaders in the country was--Maxi-Pads. Many teenage girls in Kenya have to drop out of school because their families can't afford sanitary napkins for them. They stay home several days a month and fall too far behind in their lessons. Providing these supplies could raise the level of women's education and allow more of them to participate in government. Small things really do matter!

League to the Rescue

Although there will only be one candidate election in the 2008 February primary, predictions are there will be any number of ballot measures proposed. One measure that’s already causing lots of talk is the proposal to change the term limits regulations. According to a story in the April 3, SF Chronicle, the politicians in Sacramento shouldn’t be surprised if voters are confused about what those changes are. Although the total number of years in Sacramento will be shorter, the length of time a lawmaker can serve in either the Assembly or the House will be longer. If that sounds confusing now, think how much more confusing the TV ads will make it. The League’s clear, objective presentations of each ballot measure will be a lifesaver, helping voters to make up their minds on this one and vote for what they really want.

Early primary problems

Most Californians support moving the presidential primary election to February. An early primary is supposed to offer state voters a better chance to influence who the eventual nominee of each party will be. On April 1, however, the S.F. Chronicle raised doubts. Instead of reinvigorating the primaries, columnist Martin Nolan suggests, the early campaign may leave voters bored with all the candidates. Turnout is often low in primaries, but 2008 may be the lowest yet. This might suit some politicians who hope to slip in some favorite ballot measures while the voters are sitting home. Ballot measures may not be as glamorous as candidate appearances, but a change in term limits, on the ballot for February, could make a big difference in the governance of the state. This is a year when the League's analyses of the pros and cons of each ballot measure will mean a lot. Switch on those computers, there's a lot to discuss.