Initiative from Chris Bowman

Activists List
1

Dear All,

Former local GOP chairman, Chris Bowman, called me today about an initiative he's working on for the November ballot. He is seeking the LPSF's endorsement and activism. Please visit www.RestoreBalance14.org<http://www.RestoreBalance14.org>. You can read about it there. It is only a policy statement and has no teeth whatsoever. The intent is to give those objecting to current transportation policy something to work with in policy discussions going forward. It was interesting hearing Chris talk about the broad discontent among groups such as the handicapped who no longer can get curb to curb service due to the new configuration of bike lanes and more.

2

Hi Mike,

Thank you for this post. To me, that looks like one more blow against Plan Bay Area, and I am all for it (the first San Francisco blow in my opinion was Prop. B on the June ballot). Although I am not a fan of lots of cars polluting everything, I am not in favor of the City forcing people to abandon driving by arbitrarily widening sidewalks, removing car lanes, removing parking spaces and replacing them with "parklets," peppering parking meters everywhere, etc.

Maybe Aubrey could ask for an activist "vote" on this list.

Marcy

3

Hi All! I'm all for it too. Even if you're not into cars and driving, just the fact that the initiative advocates freezing the rates for meters and parking tickets for 5 years sounds like music to my Libertarian ears. It also advocates for no Sunday or evening metering and advocates for more restrictions on where meters can be installed. City Hall will never go for all this, but it sounds great to me anyway. Please help to weigh in on whether you think the LPSF should endorse this initiative.

Thanks!
Aubrey

4

I’m in…

Mike

5

Hi Mike, Marcy, and All! Since I haven't heard any negative comments about our endorsement of this initiative, I will call Chris tomorrow and let him know that we will endorse it. Good to be FOR something, for a change.

By the way, I took a gander at the Department of Elections ballot status tonight, and it already changed significantly from not even a week ago. The November ballot is going to be a handful, so we will be extremely busy writing ballot arguments in August, and I'm going to push to get started earlier this time or we'll never make it. Maybe even in June, and July for sure. Here's what they have at the moment:

1. The "Restore Balance" to The City's transportation policy as discussed above.
2. The Conflict of Interest Initiative that Marcy wrote an article about for our website a few months ago. Prevents the Supervisors from having outside employment, which guarantees that they will be full-time trouble makers. A good one for us to oppose.
3. Policy Regarding Transportation Priorities. $500 Million Bond for Muni and such. After ignoring infrastructure for years, resorting to bonds to fix things. Another good one to oppose.
4. Minimum Wage 2014. Raises the rates to $13 and $15/hour. Allows smaller businesses more time to comply, but in the end dictates to all business the minimum they can pay. Just "great" for those at the bottom of the ladder who need to gain some practical work experience to move up the ladder. An obvious one to oppose.
5. Illegal Use of Housing for Tourist Accommodation. This is due to the complaints against AirBNB and VRBO for folks renting out their houses or apartments for less than 30 days. I'm sure the hotels are for it. Also The City isn't getting its "fair share" of the hotel tax, so they intend to go after these companies. Severe penalties as high as $10,000 and 180 days in county jail if you don't comply. Another obvious one to oppose.
6. Golden Gate athletic fields--no turf to be allowed, must only be real grass to keep it natural. This is the first time I've ever heard of "light pollution" (bright lights at night for sports games). Probably a "No Recommendation" one for us.
7. Union Iron Works Historic District...a super long title. To me it looks like Plan Bay Area again, but maybe I'm wrong. Another one to redevelop an area that's kind of deserted right now and supposedly it won't cost us a penny. Also back to raising height limits (and Marcy's dander again!). Not sure about this one yet.
8. There's also another one waiting in the wings--increase the vehicle license fee from .65% to 2%. The statists have been aching to bring back this one for a long time. Starchild and I read about this one back at the NDAA hearing over a year ago. Obviously yet another one to oppose.

Good ready for lots of ballot argument writing!

Thanks!
Aubrey

6

OMG! I had a breakdown just reading the list. I have the campaign fundraising form and the campaign website menu ready to go. I talked to Treasurer Leslie and he is happy about the separate menu and form. Also doing research about YouTube and how we could maybe campaign that way also. Anyone has ideas about how to get started with YouTube let us know.

Marcy

7

Hi Marcy! Don't break down yet! The statists have more time to come up with "goodies" for the November election. I believe the last day to turn in initiatives for November is July 7, and the Board of Supervisors have until July 22. This election will be chock full of ways to increase government. The state ballot has some nuggets too. We will start our planning for the November election at the June meeting.

Thanks for your early research and efforts!
Aubrey
  

OMG! I had a breakdown just reading the list. I have the campaign fundraising form and the campaign website menu ready to go. I talked to Treasurer Leslie and he is happy about the separate menu and form. Also doing research about YouTube and how we could maybe campaign that way also. Anyone has ideas about how to get started with YouTube let us know.

Marcy

Hi Mike, Marcy, and All! Since I haven't heard any negative comments about our endorsement of this initiative, I will call Chris tomorrow and let him know that we will endorse it. Good to be FOR something, for a change.

By the way, I took a gander at the Department of Elections ballot status tonight, and it already changed significantly from not even a week ago. The November ballot is going to be a handful, so we will be extremely busy writing ballot arguments in August, and I'm going to push to get started earlier this time or we'll never make it. Maybe even in June, and July for sure. Here's what they have at the moment:

1. The "Restore Balance" to The City's transportation policy as discussed above.
2. The Conflict of Interest Initiative that Marcy wrote an article about for our website a few months ago. Prevents the Supervisors from having outside employment, which guarantees that they will be full-time trouble makers. A good one for us to oppose.
3. Policy Regarding Transportation Priorities. $500 Million Bond for Muni and such. After ignoring infrastructure for years, resorting to bonds to fix things. Another good one to oppose.
4. Minimum Wage 2014. Raises the rates to $13 and $15/hour. Allows smaller businesses more time to comply, but in the end dictates to all business the minimum they can pay. Just "great" for those at the bottom of the ladder who need to gain some practical work experience to move up the ladder. An obvious one to oppose.
5. Illegal Use of Housing for Tourist Accommodation. This is due to the complaints against AirBNB and VRBO for folks renting out their houses or apartments for less than 30 days. I'm sure the hotels are for it. Also The City isn't getting its "fair share" of the hotel tax, so they intend to go after these companies. Severe penalties as high as $10,000 and 180 days in county jail if you don't comply. Another obvious one to oppose.
6. Golden Gate athletic fields--no turf to be allowed, must only be real grass to keep it natural. This is the first time I've ever heard of "light pollution" (bright lights at night for sports games). Probably a "No Recommendation" one for us.
7. Union Iron Works Historic District...a super long title. To me it looks like Plan Bay Area again, but maybe I'm wrong. Another one to redevelop an area that's kind of deserted right now and supposedly it won't cost us a penny. Also back to raising height limits (and Marcy's dander again!). Not sure about this one yet.
8. There's also another one waiting in the wings--increase the vehicle license fee from .65% to 2%. The statists have been aching to bring back this one for a long time. Starchild and I read about this one back at the NDAA hearing over a year ago. Obviously yet another one to oppose.

Good ready for lots of ballot argument writing!

Thanks!
Aubrey

I’m in…

Mike

From:lpsf-activists@yahoogroups.com [mailto:lpsf-activists@yahoogroups.com]
Sent: Tuesday, May 13, 2014 11:16 PM
To: lpsf-activists@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [lpsf-activists] Initiative from Chris Bowman

Hi All! I'm all for it too. Even if you're not into cars and driving, just the fact that the initiative advocates freezing the rates for meters and parking tickets for 5 years sounds like music to my Libertarian ears. It also advocates for no Sunday or evening metering and advocates for more restrictions on where meters can be installed. City Hall will never go for all this, but it sounds great to me anyway. Please help to weigh in on whether you think the LPSF should endorse this initiative.

Thanks!
Aubrey

Hi Mike,

Thank you for this post. To me, that looks like one more blow against Plan Bay Area, and I am all for it (the first San Francisco blow in my opinion was Prop. B on the June ballot). Although I am not a fan of lots of cars polluting everything, I am not in

favor of the City forcing people to abandon driving by arbitrarily widening sidewalks, removing car lanes, removing parking spaces and replacing them with "parklets," peppering parking meters everywhere, etc.