San Francisco Chronicle - May 30, 2005
Rachel Gordon, rgordon@sfchronicle.com.

Symbolic because Newsom wants to showcase his proposal to make a one-time expenditure of more than $20 million in the new fiscal year to renovate and freshen up the city's parks, pools, recreation centers and playgrounds, including the Richmond District's Rossi Playground.

Political because the Richmond District is represented on the Board of Supervisors by Jake McGoldrick, the supervisor considered the swing vote on the board's powerful Budget & Finance Committee, which will hold key hearings on the mayor's budget package.

Newsom's spending and revenue package -- which will be in the $5 billion range -- will move through the board relatively intact, if past budget deliberations at City Hall are repeated.

Still, if tradition holds, the board will fight with the mayor over tens of millions of dollars, in reality a small portion of the budget. Even that small portion, however, represents real services, real jobs and real fee and fare increases, which can lead to community protests and a lot of chest- pounding and arm-twisting among elected officials as the budget is debated over the next two months.

"I'm not saying this is going to be an everybody-loves-everybody process, but we share a lot of common goals," said Supervisor Tom Ammiano, who chairs the Budget & Finance Committee. Those goals, as stated by both supervisors and mayor, are to preserve services for those who need them most. It's the definition of what that means that will be prickly.

"It's always a balancing act," Ammiano said.

The first indication of the potential rancor emerged last week when the Board of Supervisors took an initial vote on the portion of the Municipal Transportation Agency budget proposal that calls for increasing parking meter rates 50 cents an hour and raising parking ticket fines an average of $5.

Some supervisors, led by Chris Daly, wanted even higher increases to offset proposed service cuts and fare hikes at the Municipal Railway, which the transportation agency operates. Daly led a protest that briefly disrupted the board meeting, but in the end a divided board rebuffed his demands.

The board of directors overseeing the Municipal Transportation Agency, whose budget is considered separately from the city's as whole, is scheduled to hold a special meeting at 2 p.m. Tuesday in City Hall to consider reducing service on some bus lines and raising fares. The regular adult cash fare would go up 25 cents, to $1.50. The 35-cent fare for seniors, youth and the disabled would remain the same.

The cost to ride a cable car would increase by $2, to a total of $5. The regular monthly Fast Pass would remain at $45, but the discounted passes for seniors, the disabled and youth would cost $12, a $2 increase.

The mayor has yet to reveal many details of his full budget proposal but made clear last week in a series of announcements that the emphasis will be on what he and administration officials describe as one-time capital improvements and maintenance needs: more money to create housing for the homeless, more money to spruce up recreation facilities, more money to pretty up median strips along busy roadways, more money to implement efficient billing systems, more money to make fire alarm boxes on the streets resistant to tampering to prevent costly repairs.

To craft a balanced budget, which is required under city law, Newsom had to close a projected $59 million deficit -- a more manageable sum than the $100 million-plus deficits officials have had to contend with in recent years.

Helping matters was a surge in tax revenue over the last year -- fueled primarily by robust commercial real estate sales -- that helped create about $50 million in extra revenue for use in the new fiscal year that starts June 1.

Newsom wants to spend that money on one-time expenditures, not ongoing operations. To do otherwise, warned administration officials, could mean even bigger deficits in future years if the extra flow of tax money can't be maintained.

The Board of Supervisors, however, will be under pressure to use at least some of the money on existing operations that face elimination or reductions, and to stave off planned fee and fare increases.

The big debate this budget season will be over use of the extra revenue.

While Newsom previewed what could be construed as good budget news last week, he avoided mentioning the bad: plans to cut services, raise fees and reduce the city workforce. Those matters will be tucked in the budget document that he will officially unveil to the public Tuesday, the same day he will submit the proposal to the Board of Supervisors.

Newsom's budget is expected to include provisions to increase fees to use the public swimming pools, reserve playing fields for team sports and to pull city permits, according to interviews with department administrators. The Health Department has proposed cutting outpatient treatment for people addicted to cocaine, crack and alcohol, while increasing the methadone maintenance program for heroin users.

Support services for people with AIDS and HIV, as well as AIDS-prevention programs, also are on the chopping block, but the cuts aren't as severe as originally discussed. The dialysis unit at San Francisco General Hospital also may be shut down.

Still, said Dr. Mitch Katz, the city's public health chief, "service cuts have been minimized."

050530
SC050518

Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2005. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.

AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.

Copyright ©1980, 2005. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .