The GrowSF Report: SF Public School budget crisis deepens
PLUS: Homelessness nonprofit charged with $100,000 in fraud
What You Need To Know
Here’s what happened around the city for the week of Monday, May 6, 2024:
- SF Public School budget crisis deepens
- Homelessness nonprofit charged with $100,000 in fraud
- Business tax reform we can embrace
- Crime dropped 30% across the city
- Aaron Peskin trails in Mayor’s race fundraising
Recent & upcoming openings:
- Izzy & Wooks works up delicious sandwiches
- Head to Hed 11 for an 11-course menu
SF Public School budget crisis deepens
San Francisco Unified School District, or SFUSD, is on the verge of bankruptcy. The California Department of Education issued a warning to the district, downgraded its fiscal certification to negative, and pressed leaders to identify millions of dollars in budget cuts.
A state watchdog held a special meeting this week following a risk analysis report and audit which determined that SFUSD has a high risk of insolvency and could run out of money in less than a year. And now, according to Han Li at the Standard, the State has given “fiscal appointees veto power over the district’s spending in light of its failure to hire ‘a qualified business official for several years’.”
In response, School Board chair Lainie Motamedi (whom GrowSF endorsed in 2022) has organized a budget subcommittee, which will meet on May 15. The near collapse of our public school district is directly attributed to its leadership, four of whom are up for election this November.
Homelessness nonprofit charged with $100,000 in fraud
The Providence Foundation, which is supposed to provide homeless services, was just charged with stealing over $100,000 in city money by falsifying invoices meant for repairs at homeless shelters. The Providence Foundation is also charged with hiring family members into executive positions, wage theft, and unnecessary reimbursements, among other charges.
City Attorney David Chiu has suspended Providence Foundation, which blocks the organization from receiving any new funds from the city for up to five years. “There’s a difference between having challenges with financial compliance and intentionally defrauding the City and its taxpayers,” said City Attorney David Chiu to Gabe Greschler at the Standard.
The Providence Foundation is the latest in a tangled web of nonprofits being investigated for corruption and nepotism. It’s good to see City Attorney David Chiu holding corrupt and ineffective organizations accountable.
Business tax reform we can embrace
In 2012, voters approved a business tax (called the “gross receipts tax”) that is now causing problems and hurting San Francisco. Currently, the gross receipts tax calculation is based on how many workers a company has in San Francisco: a multinational corporation with just a dozen employees in SF pays a very small tax, while a smaller business with a thousand employees in SF pays *way* more. As you might guess, this is causing companies to reduce their workforce in San Francisco or move out of the city altogether. And that’s exactly the opposite of what we need right now.
According to Kevin Truong and Josh Koehn at the Standard, the proposed changes would base the tax more on a company's sales in San Francisco (75%), and less on where the company's workers are located (25%). Currently, it's a 50/50 split. And it will raise the exemption limit from $2.19 million to $5 million in sales. This could mean a big tax cut for many small businesses in the city.
A coalition of unions, nonprofit organizations, and business leaders are working to qualify this tax measure for the November ballot. Stay tuned for our full analysis of the measure if it qualifies for the ballot.
Crime dropped 30% across the city
In the first four months of 2024, reported crime fell by 30% compared to the same timeframe last year. Larceny, which includes car break-ins, saw the largest drop-off, decreasing citywide by 40%, according to Danielle Echeverria at the Chronicle. Nearly every neighborhood saw a reduction in crime, except for one: Noe Valley, where there was 15% increase in crime, and 23% increase in larceny.
SFPD attributes improvements to fighting crime with bait cars and plainclothes officers, and a crackdown on retail theft which led to dozens of arrests.
Aaron Peskin trails in Mayor’s race fundraising
Supervisor Aaron Peskin has only raised about $150,000 since he launched his campaign in April, according to Gabe Greschler at the Standard. Although Peskin’s campaign has not yet stated what percentage of the donations came from San Francisco residents, he will likely qualify for up to $1 million in public financing.
Mayoral candidates Daniel Lurie and Mark Farrell are outpacing Peskin. Lurie raised $230,000 in under two weeks when he launched, and Farrell raised a whopping $350,000 within the first month of his campaign. Mayor Breed’s campaign will officially kick off on May 18th and is “set to receive hundreds of thousands of dollars in public matching, according to the Ethics Commission,” said the Standard.
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Recent & upcoming openings
A great city is constantly changing and growing, let’s celebrate what’s new!
Izzy & Wooks works up delicious sandwiches
WHERE: 155 Fourth Street
WHEN: 11am-7:30pm Sunday-Thursday; 11am-8:30pm Friday & Saturday
The same team behind Inay Filipino Kitchen just opened a restaurant with Asian-American inspired sandwiches in the Mission. Izzy & Wooks creations include a sweet sausage patty topped with an over-easy egg, and a bbq chicken banh mi with pickled daikon, carrots and jalapeño. It also offers a range of salads and fries, including furikake fries served with a side of kimchi sauce. Delicious!
Head to Hed 11 for an 11-course menu
WHERE: 1800 Sutter Street
WHEN: 5-10pm, Tuesday-Sunday
A new Thai restaurant recently opened in Japantown, boasting an eleven-course menu. Hed 11 was started by Michelin-star chef Piriya “Saint” Boonprasan and owner Naruephon “Billie” Wannajaro. Diners can expect banana chicken curry and cabbage salad with tiny fried shrimp. There are also some surprising sweeter dishes on the menu like coconut caviar sticky rice pancakes and passionfruit Thai custard cheesecake. It all sounds good. The menu is seasonal and almost entirely gluten and dairy-free, according to Paolo Bicchieri at Eater.
Your Action Plan
Now that you know what’s happening, help us shape what happens next:
Mark your calendar for our May 20th Mayoral Debate with TogetherSF
San Francisco votes for mayor this November—who we choose will have a major impact not only on the next four years, but San Francisco’s future for years to come. That’s why we’re putting the mayoral candidates in the hot seat at the TogetherSF x GrowSF Mayoral Debate ‘24. RSVP to watch our first-ever, can’t-miss mayoral debate via livestream on Monday, May 20th at 6pm.
Join us for our next Happy Hour on May 23rd
Join us for the May edition of our monthly happy hour! We look forward to welcoming Supervisors Joel Engardio and Matt Dorsey. We’ll be back at ANINA in Hayes Valley on Thursday, May 23rd and hope to see you there!
Join the San Francisco Civil Grand Jury
This is your chance to make a difference to San Francisco government. But you should act fast — applications are due by May 17.
San Francisco Superior Court is seeking volunteers for the Civil Grand Jury. The Civil Grand Jury is the “watchdog” for the City and County of San Francisco. It investigates the operations of City government, including officials, departments, and agencies.
Each year, the Civil Grand Jury issues reports based on its findings. Those reports are heard before the Board of Supervisors. If selected, you’ll serve for one year, from July 1 through June 30 of the following year.
Eligibility Requirements:
• 18 years of age or older and a United States citizen.
• San Francisco resident for at least the past 12 months.
• Able to commit time consistently throughout the term.
• Desire to work together with other committed San Franciscans.
For more information, please visit https://www.sf.gov/departments/civil-grand-jury
The Spirit of San Francisco
There’s a lot to love about our city and the Bay Area. Here’s what makes it great. Brought to you by The Bold Italic.
What we’re doing this week
Mother’s Day Tea at The Academy
This Mother's Day, gather a group of friends, family, or chosen family for a lovely high tea afternoon, as we celebrate the moms in our lives past and present, and enjoy a fabulous menu of scrumptious bites and gourmet tea, along with an array of bubbles and cocktails.
WHEN: May 12, 2024 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.
WHERE: The Academy SF, 2166 Market St, San Francisco, CA
Mill Valley Music Festival
Music performances spread across two main stages outdoors, and also a large and curated assortment of the region’s best artisans, food vendors, and philanthropic causes, plus family-friendly activities like a roller skating rink, gaming lounge, immersive art installations, local craft beer, hidden speakeasies, and so much more.
WHEN: May 11-12, 2024
WHERE: Mill Valley
What we’re writing about
Where to brunch on Mother’s Day 2024 in San Francisco
San Francisco’s limitless brunch options can reach religious fervor here with long waits for no-reservation spots. Here are 10 restaurants that (mostly) take reservations, across a range of cuisines and price levels. All offer something to please mom, from colorful cocktails to heartwarming dishes.
The muchness of ‘Art Bash’
The San Francisco gala circuit seldom serves anything quite like Art Bash. SF MoMA’s annual soirée blew us away recently with six floors of entertainment, desserts, exhibits, and an open bar — not to mention plunging necklines and costumes that mingled alongside high-end couture and drag.
People stared at the art but we most often looked at them; We love seeing this much self-expression come out and play. Some descriptions said experimental Met Gala but on April 24, The Bold Italic probably saw more high-society Bay to Breakers — and that’s a compliment for a city born to stand out.
‘Your Fat Friend’ shines a light on body positivity
Jeanie Finlay’s new documentary Your Fat Friend — released last year and playing at San Francisco’s Roxie Theater on May 14 — opens with images of its subject, Aubrey Gordon, bathing in a bucolic hot spring in the Pacific Northwest. The camera travels over her ample body, lingering on its curves and rolls.
In a voice-over, Gordon directs the audience to “just say fat. Not curvy or chubby or chunky or fluffy or more to love or big guy or full-figured or big-boned or queen-size or husky or obese or overweight. Just say fat.”
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