San Francisco Chronicle - Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Wyatt Buchanan, Chronicle Staff Writer, wbuchanan@sfchronicle.com

Daly introduced a proposal to cut funding for several of Mayor Gavin Newsom's pet projects and instead pay for affordable housing, psychiatric beds at San Francisco General Hospital and services for people with AIDS.

Daly, who is the chair of the Board of Supervisors Budget Committee, disputed the mayor's claim that the city does not have the money to pay for an affordable housing initiative proposed by Daly and passed by the board in early May.

Newsom said he would not spend the $33 million approved by the board and instead used it for other parts of the budget.

Now Daly -- the mayor's biggest opponent on the board -- introduced an amendment to the proposed budget that would cut funding for several of the mayor's priorities: one police academy class, the mayor's highly touted community justice center, the 311 call center and street cleaning and repair, among several other proposals that were new to the budget this year.

"You may not believe the question of affordable housing and affordability is more important than redesigning the city's Web site, or perhaps installing cameras in police cars or fixing a pothole, but to say that the money does not exist is a lie," Daly said.

Supervisor Tom Ammiano is a co-sponsor of Daly's proposed amendment, which includes $4 million to make up for the reduction in the amount of federal money San Francisco gets to respond to the AIDS epidemic, and $1 million to keep psychiatric beds at S.F. General.

In total, the proposal would cut $37 million in programs from the mayor's budget and replace it with $37 million in Daly's suggestions.

The mayor, who is in Washington, D.C., meeting with elected officials there, reacted strongly to Daly's action.

"This is one of the most transparent political moves in recent San Francisco history. It is the worst kind of election-year politics and terrible public policy," Newsom said in a statement.

"Chris Daly may want to jump off this cliff. We hope no other members of the Board of Supervisors will follow him."

The Budget Committee will consider the amendment from Daly and Ammiano a week from today. Along with those two supervisors, Supervisors Ross Mirkarimi, Bevan Dufty and Sean Elsbernd are members of the committee.

Elsbernd said he supports restoring money for AIDS services and psychiatric beds at the hospital but called Daly's proposal "stupid" policy and "politically insane."

"Here we are 300 officers short under the charter and he wants to cut a police academy class?" Elsbernd said. "Granted, we might have some disagreements on how, but I would think at a bare minimum we're going to staff our Police Department."

In other developments at City Hall, the board also heard comments from dozens of residents of Bayview-Hunters Point who demanded that the city halt development in the neighborhood. Residents said the dust from excavations is making people sick.

070606
SC070607

Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2007. 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, 2007. 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. .