TOURISTS: BOYCOTT SAN FRANCISO

I saw the article talking about Phil Burton putting money into an ad campaign against Prop N., but haven't seen the billboards yet.

No, Johnnie B's ads are white text on blue b/g with no illustrations. They're popping up all over union square...

This was re-worked from a proof of the Hotel Council's $65,000 hate campaign.

good,
it's about time some thing was done about the flocks of bums in down town..

I absolutely agree, as long as the "bums" you're referring to are that Committee on Jobs, the Hotel Council, the Golden Gate Restaurant Association, the Gettys, the Schultzes, etc., etc, ad nauseum

List of members of Golden Gate Restaurant Association from POOR Magazine.

It may not be current, but probably current enough to be useful.

From a September 7, 2002 sf.indymedia.org post.

[POOR Magazine (PNN) is calling for a boycott of the following restaurants which support the anti-poor people legislation; Proposition N "Care Not Cash"

PNN staff writers and editors, concept by Dee
Tuesday, August 13, 2002;

The following is a list of restaurants that are members of the Golden Gate Restaurant Association (GGRA). Please support POOR Magazine in boycotting the following restaurants because they are members of the GGRA, which support Gavin Newsome's Proposition N, which contrary to its claims of "care" will put more poor people on the streets by taking away their rent money, reducing drug treatment services, healthcare and pay folks pennies per hour for their work-fare (the work required by the City to recieve your monthly cash assistance)

POOR contacted GGRA several times to inquire about their reason for supporting Prop N, but they did not respond, so we are asking our subscribers and readers to join us in boycotting these restaurants in opposition to this very harmful legislation.

Absinthe Brasserie and Bar
398 Hayes Street
San Francisco

Alfred's Steakhouse
659 Merchant
San Francisco

Alioto's Restaurant
8 Fisherman's Wharf
San Francisco

All You Knead
1466 Haight Street
San Francisco

Allegro Restaurant
1701 Jones Street
San Francisco

Amante
570 Green Street
San Francisco

Amphora Wine Merchant
384A Hayes Street
San Francisco

Andale Taqueria
2150 Chestnut Street
San Francisco

Anjou
44 Campton Place
San Francisco

Ansonia Hotel
711 Post Street
San Francisco

Aqua
252 California Street
San Francisco

Ar Roi Thai Cuisine
643 Post St.
San Francisco

Arlequin To Go
384B Hayes Street
San Francisco

B44
44 Belden Place
San Francisco

Balboa CafÈ
3199 Fillmore Street (corner of Greenwich)
San Francisco

Baskin Robbins Lakeshore
1539 Sloat Boulevard
San Francisco

Bayside Sports Bar & Grill
1787 Union Street
San Francisco

Betelnut
2030 Union Street
San Francisco

Big Nate's Barbeque
1665 Folsom Street
San Francisco

Bistro 1650
1650 Balboa St.
San Francisco

Bix
56 Gold Street
San Francisco

Bizou
598 Fourth Street
San Francisco

Black Cat
501 Broadway
San Francisco

Blackthorn Tavern
834 Irving St.
San Francisco

Blondies Bar & No Grill
540 Valencia Street (between 16th & 17th)
San Francisco

Blowfish - Sushi To Die For
2170 Bryant Street
San Francisco

Boulevard
One Mission Street
San Francisco

Brazen Head Restaurant
3166 Buchanan St.
San Francisco

Bruno's
2389 Mission Street
San Francisco

Buena Vista CafÈ
2765 Hyde Street
San Francisco

Bus Stop
1901 Union St
San Francisco

Butter
354 11th Street
San Francisco

Butterfly
1710 Mission Street (at Duboce)
San Francisco

Buzz 9
139 - 8th Street
San Francisco

Caesar's Italian Restaurant
2299 Powell Street
San Francisco

CafÈ 44
761 Post Street
San Francisco

CafÈ Arguello
1499 Valencia Street
San Francisco

CafÈ Bastille
22 Belden Place
San Francisco

CafÈ Claude
7 Claude Lane
San Francisco

Cafe de la Presse
352 Grant Ave
San Francisco

Cafe Desiree
160 Spear Street
San Francisco

CafÈ deStijl
One Union St.
San Francisco

CafÈ Dolci
740 Market St.
San Francisco

CafÈ Focaccia
101 Spear Street
San Francisco

CafÈ Lil Bean
754 Post Street
San Francisco

CafÈ Mars
798 Brannan Street
San Francisco

Cafe Mozart
708 Bush St
San Francisco

CafÈ Niebaum-Coppola
916 Kearny St.
San Francisco

CafÈ Pescatore
2455 Mason Street Tuscan Inn
San Francisco

CafÈ Rosso
SFSU 1600 Holloway Drive
San Francisco

Cafe Venue
721 Market Street
San Francisco

Cafe Venue
70 Leidesdorff Street
San Francisco

Cafe Venue
218 Montgomery Street
San Francisco

Caffe Espresso
462 Powell Sreet Sir Francis Drake
San Francisco

Caffe Museo - in the SF MOMA
151 Third Street
San Francisco

Caffe Proust
1801 McAllister Street
San Francisco

Caffe Soma
1601 Howard Street
San Francisco

Calzone's Pizza Cucina
430 Columbus Avenue
San Francisco

Capp's Corner
1600 Powell Street
San Francisco

Carnelian Room
555 California Street, 52nd Floor
San Francisco

Casa Sanchez
2778 24th Street
San Francisco

Cassidy's
1145 Folsom Street
San Francisco

Castagnola's
286 Jefferson Street
San Francisco

Catering With Style
2800 Bryant St
San Francisco

Chancellor Hotel & CafÈ
433 Powell Street
San Francisco


San Francisco

Charles Nob Hill
1250 Jones Street
San Francisco

Chow
215 Church Street
San Francisco

Chowders
Space A3, Pier 39
San Francisco

Cioppino's on the Wharf
496 Jefferson Street
San Francisco

Citizen Cake
399 Grove Street
San Francisco

Cityscape Bar & Restaurant
333 O'Farrell Street Atop the Hilton San Francisco
San Francisco

Cliff House
1090 Point Lobos
San Francisco

Compass Rose
335 Powell St.
San Francisco

Conard 9th Street CafÈ
160 9th Street
San Francisco

Conard Montgomery Street CafÈ
710 Montgomery Street
San Francisco

Cozmo's Corner Grill
2001 Chestnut Street
San Francisco

Crab House at Pier 39
203C, Pier 39
San Francisco

Crustacean San Francisco
1475 Polk Street
San Francisco

Daily Grill
347 Geary Street
San Francisco

Delaney's
2241 Chestnut St.
San Francisco

Dewey's
335 Powell Street
San Francisco

Diamond Corner CafÈ
751 Diamond St
San Francisco

Divas
1081 Post Street
San Francisco

Don Ramon's Mexican Restaurant
225 11th Street
San Francisco

Durty Nelly's Irish Pub
2328 Irving Street
San Francisco

East Coast West Deli
1725 Polk Street
San Francisco

Eastside West
3154 Fillmore Street
San Francisco

Edward II Inn and Suites
3155 Scott Blvd
San Francisco

Enrico's
504 Broadway
San Francisco

Farallon
450 Post Street
San Francisco

Faz CafÈ at Bechtel
50 Beale Street, 2nd Floor
San Francisco

Faz Restaurant
161 Sutter Street
San Francisco

Fiddler's Green
1333 Columbus Ave
San Francisco

Fifth Floor
12 Fourth Street (at Market) Hotel Palomar
San Francisco

Fior d'Italia
601 Union Street
San Francisco

Fishermen's Grotto
No. 9 Fisherman's Wharf
San Francisco

Fleur de Lys
777 Sutter Street
San Francisco

Florio
1915 Fillmore Street
San Francisco

Fog City Diner
1300 Battery Street
San Francisco

Food Court, North Beach Deli, Crab Pot
SF International Airport P.O. Box 251600
San Francisco

Foreign Cinema
2534 Mission Street
San Francisco

Franciscan Restaurant
Pier 43 1/2 Fishermans Wharf
San Francisco

Ghirardelli Chocolate Manufactory
Ghirardelli Square Clock Tower 900 North Point Street
San Francisco

Gino & Carlo
548 Green Street
San Francisco

Globe
290 Pacific Ave
San Francisco

Goat Hill Pizza
300 Connecticut Street
San Francisco

Gold Spike Restaurant
527 Columbus Avenue
San Francisco

Gordon's House of Fine Eats
500 Florida Street
San Francisco

Grand CafÈ
501 Geary Street Hotel Monaco SF
San Francisco

Harrington's Bar & Grill
245 Front Street
San Francisco

Harry Denton's Starlight Room
450 Powell Street Sir Francis Drake
San Francisco

Hemlock Tavern
1131 Polk Street
San Francisco

Holy Cow Nightclub
1535 Folsom Street
San Francisco

House of Prime Rib
1906 Van Ness Avenue
San Francisco

Houston's Restaurant
1800 Montgomery Street
San Francisco

Il Fornaio Cucina Italiana
1265 Battery Street
San Francisco

It's Tops Coffee Shop
1801 Market Street
San Francisco

Jacks Elixir
3200 16th Street
San Francisco

Jardiniere
300 Grove Street
San Francisco

Jelly's A Dance CafÈ
295 Terry Francois Blvd
San Francisco

Jester's
50 Third St
San Francisco

Jianna
1548 Stockton Street
San Francisco

Johnny Foley's Irish House
243 O'Farrell Street
San Francisco

Judi's Place
1414 Market Street
San Francisco

Julius Castle Restaurant
1541 Montgomery Street
San Francisco

Kate O'Brien's
579 Howard St
San Francisco

Kelly's Mission Rock
817 China Basin
San Francisco

Kelly's on Trinity
333 Bush St. #101
San Francisco

Kiku of Tokyo
333 O'Farrell Sreet
San Francisco

Kilowatt
3160 16th Street
San Francisco

Kokkari Estiatorio
200 Jackson Street
San Francisco

Kuleto's Italian Restaurant
221 Powell Street Villa Florence
San Francisco

La Folie
2316 Polk Street
San Francisco

La Mediterranee
2210 Fillmore Street
San Francisco

La Mediterranee
288 Noe St
San Francisco

Lapis Restaurant
Pier 33 The Embarcadero
San Francisco

Lavash Mediterranean Bistro
4 Embarcadero Center
San Francisco

Le Central Bistro
453 Bush Street
San Francisco

Le Colonial
20 Cosmo Place
San Francisco

Le Zinc
4063 - 24th Street
San Francisco

Lefty O'Doul's
333 Geary Street
San Francisco

Liverpool Lil's
2942 Lyon St
San Francisco

Locanda San Pietro
1801 Clement St
San Francisco

L'Olivier Restaurant
465 Davis Court
San Francisco

L'Ottavo Ristorante
692 Sutter Street
San Francisco

Louis Restaurant
902 Point Lobos
San Francisco

MacArthur Park
607 Front Street
San Francisco

Market Street Grill
1231 Market Street
San Francisco

Martin Macks Bar & Restaurant
1568 Haight Street
San Francisco

Masa's
648 Bush Street Hotel Vintage Court
San Francisco

MATRIXFILLMORE
3138 Fillmore Street
San Francisco

Maya
303 Second St
San Francisco

Mel Hollen's Bar & Fine Dining
673 Union Street
San Francisco

Mel's Drive In
1050 Van Ness
San Francisco

Mel's Drive In
3355 Geary Blvd.
San Francisco

Mel's Drive In
801 Mission Street
San Francisco

Mel's Drive In
2165 Lombard Street
San Francisco

Miz Brown's Feed Bag
3401 California Street
San Francisco

Modern Catering
500 Florida Street
San Francisco

MoMo's
760 Second Street
San Francisco

Moose's
1652 Stockton Street
San Francisco

Mozzarella DiBufala Pizzeria I
1529 Fillmore Street
San Francisco

Mozzarella DiBufala Pizzeria II
69 West Portal Ave
San Francisco

'N Touch Bar
1548 Polk Street
San Francisco

Napa Ranch CafÈ
201 Spear Street
San Francisco

Napa Ranch CafÈ
3415 California Street
San Francisco

Napa Ranch CafÈ
465 California Street
San Francisco

Napa Ranch CafÈ
280 Battery Street
San Francisco

New Pisa
550 Green Street
San Francisco

Nick's Lighthouse
2815 Taylor Street
San Francisco

Nob Hill Noshery
1400 Pacific Ave
San Francisco

Noe Valley Bakery & Bread
2277 Shafter Avenue
San Francisco

North Beach Pizza
1499 Grant Avenue
San Francisco

North Beach Restaurant
1512 Stockton Street
San Francisco

One Market Restaurant
1 Market Street
San Francisco

O'Reilly's Irish Pub & Restaurant
622 Green St.
San Francisco

Original Joe's
144 Taylor Street
San Francisco

Original U.S. Restaurant
515 Columbus Avenue
San Francisco

Palio d'Asti
640 Sacramento Street
San Francisco

Palio Paninoteca
500 Parnassus Avenue
San Francisco

Palio Paninoteca
505 Montgomery Street
San Francisco

Palomino
345 Spear Street
San Francisco

PAN-O-RAMA BAKING Company
500 Florida Street
San Francisco

Paragon Restaurant & Bar
701 Second Street
San Francisco

Park Chow
1240 Ninth Street
San Francisco

Parkside CafÈ
1600 17th Street
San Francisco

Pasta Pomodoro
3611 California Street
San Francisco

Pasta Pomodoro
2304 Market Street
San Francisco

Pasta Pomodoro
2027 Chestnut Street
San Francisco

Pasta Pomodoro
655 Union Street
San Francisco

Pasta Pomodoro
1875 Union Street
San Francisco

Pasta Pomodoro
4000 24th Street
San Francisco

Pasta Pomodoro
1865 Post Street
San Francisco

Pasta Pomodoro
816 Irving Street
San Francisco

Pasticci
8 Trinity Street
San Francisco

Pat's CafÈ
2701 Leavenworth St
San Francisco

Pauline's Pizza Pie
260 Valencia Street
San Francisco

Pazzia Caffe & Trattoria
337 Third Street
San Francisco

Perry's
1944 Union St
San Francisco

Perry's Downtown
185 Sutter Street
San Francisco

Pier 23 CafÈ
The Embarcadero
San Francisco

Pizzeria Uno
2 Embarcadero Center
San Francisco

Pizzeria Uno
2200 Lombard Street
San Francisco

PJ's Oyster Bed
737 Irving Street
San Francisco

Plouf
40 Belden Place
San Francisco

PlumpJack CafÈ
3127 Fillmore Street
San Francisco

Pompei's Grotto
340 Jefferson Street
San Francisco

Ponzu
401 Taylor Street Serrano Hotel
San Francisco

Postrio
545 Post Street Prescott Hotel
San Francisco

Prego Ristorante
2000 Union Street
San Francisco

Puccini & Pinetti
129 Ellis Street Monticello Inn
San Francisco

Puerto Alegre Restaurant
546 Valencia Street
San Francisco

Red Herring
155 Steuart St., At the Hotel Griffon
San Francisco

Redwood Park
600 Montgomery Street (near Clay) TransAmerica Pyramid
San Francisco

Restaurant Jeanne D'Arc
715 Bush Street
San Francisco

Rose Pistola
532 Columbus Avenue
San Francisco

Rose's CafÈ
2298 Union Street
San Francisco

Rubicon
558 Sacramento
San Francisco

Ruby Skye
420 Mason Street
San Francisco

Sam's Grill
374 Bush Street
San Francisco

San Francisco Brewing Co.
155 Columbus Ave.
San Francisco

Sanraku
704 Sutter Street
San Francisco

Sanraku
101 4th Street (at the Metreon)
San Francisco

Savoia Ristorante
2355 Chestnut Street
San Francisco

Scala's Bistro
432 Powell Street Sir Francis Drake
San Francisco

Scoma's Restaurant
Pier 47 One Al Scoma Way
San Francisco

Self-Help for the Elderly
407 Sansome Street
San Francisco

Shanghai Kelly's Saloon
2064 Polk St.
San Francisco

Silks at Mandarin Oriental Hotel
222 Sansome Sreet
San Francisco

Simple Pleasures Cafe
3434 Balboa Street
San Francisco

Sitio
1151 Folsom Street
San Francisco

South Park Cafe
108 South Park
San Francisco

Specialty's Cafe & Bakery
505 Sansome Street
San Francisco

Specialty's Cafe & Bakery
185 Berry Street
San Francisco

Specialty's Cafe & Bakery
101 New Montgomery Street
San Francisco

Specialty's Cafe & Bakery
1 Post Street
San Francisco

Specialty's Cafe & Bakery
150 Spear Street
San Francisco

Specialty's Cafe & Bakery
22 Battery Street
San Francisco

Specialty's Cafe & Bakery
312 Kearny Street
San Francisco

Specialty's Cafe & Bakery
369 Pine Street
San Francisco

Spoon
2209 Polk Street
San Francisco

St. Francis CafÈ
335 Powell Street
San Francisco

Stars Bar and Dining
555 Golden Gate Avenue
San Francisco

Station CafÈ
SFSU 1600 Holloway Drive
San Francisco

Subway Sandwiches & Salads
1500 Fillmore St.
San Francisco

Subway Sandwiches & Salads
1 Market Plaza
San Francisco

Subway Sandwiches & Salads
753 Polk Street
San Francisco

Sushi Chardonnay
1785 Union St
San Francisco

Sushi Groove
1916 Hyde Street
San Francisco

Sushi Groove South
1516 Folsom
San Francisco

Swan Oyster Depot
1517 Polk Street
San Francisco

Sweetie's
475 Francisco Street
San Francisco

Tadich Grill
240 California St
San Francisco

Tad's Steak House
120 Powell Street
San Francisco

Taqueria Zapata
4150 18th St
San Francisco

Tarantino's Restaurant
206 Jefferson
San Francisco

Taste Catering
3450 3rd Street, # 4D
San Francisco

Terra Brazilis
602 Hayes Street
San Francisco

Terrace Restaurant
San Francisco International Airport Terminal 3
San Francisco

Thanh Long
4101 Judah Street
San Francisco

The Argent Hotel
50 Third St
San Francisco

The Beach Chalet Brewery & Restaurant
1000 Great Highway
San Francisco

The Blue Light
1979 Union Street
San Francisco

The Cosmopolitan CafÈ
121 Spear Street
San Francisco

The Endup
401 6th Street
San Francisco

The Grove
2016 Fillmore Street
San Francisco

The Grove
2250 Chestnut Street
San Francisco

The Magic Flute Garden Ristorante
3673 Sacramento St
San Francisco

The Mucky Duck
1315 9th Ave
San Francisco

The Occidental Grill
453 Pine Street
San Francisco

The Ramp
855 China Basin
San Francisco

The Slanted Door
100 Brannan Street
San Francisco

The Stinking Rose
325 Columbus Avenue
San Francisco

The Waterfront
Pier 7 on the Embarcadero
San Francisco

Tia Margarita
300 - 19th Ave
San Francisco

Tommy's Joynt
1101 Geary Blvd
San Francisco

Tony Roma's
126 Ellis Street
San Francisco

Toraya
1734 Post Street
San Francisco

Tosca CafÈ
242 Columbus Avenue
San Francisco

Trattoria Contadina
1800 Mason Street
San Francisco

Treasure Island Job Corp
655 H Avenue, Bldg. #442
San Francisco

Upton's Catering
2435 Lombard Street
San Francisco

Village Pizzeria
1243 Van Ness Avenue
San Francisco

Whizwit
1525 Folsom Street
San Francisco

XYZ Restaurant
181 3rd Street
San Francisco

Yank Sing Restaurant
49 Stevenson Street
San Francisco

Yank Sing Restaurant
101 Spear Street (at Rincon Center)
San Francisco

You See Sushi
94 Judah Street
San Francisco

Zao Noodle Bar
3583 - 16th Street
San Francisco

Zao Noodle Bar
2031 Chestnut Street
San Francisco

Zao Noodle Bar
2406 California Street
San Francisco]

maybe this will ruffle a few more feathers...

maybe this will ruffle a few more feathers...?

no..."Whatever kind of point you were going for, you missed."

Too bad the billboard above is a blatant lie. The "guest" who was raped turned out to be a prostitute and the rapist was her trick. Unfortunately, tourists were falsely panicked into thinking some deranged rapist was loose in the hotel.

Now there will 20 of these re-worked on here by everyone writing at 4 am . . . some making sense, some not, some with thngs about zionazis and jew haters, some with worse . . .

yes

if we didn't have this king of low life's infesting this city this wouldn't have happened.

In the current economic climate, sexworkers using rooms at the Hyatt might account for more of that hotel's business than they'd ever care to admit.

Bottom line: sexworker or no, rape IS rape, robbery IS robbery, and violent crime IS something SFPD will never get a handle on while they're busy trying to herd homeless people away from tourists.

sexworker, is that what you are calling your selves today, few if any have ever used at the Hyatt, most just use Willie Brown's french-pay toilets or
United Nations Plaza -actualy that is kind of fitting!



San Francisco.... "Our Perversity is our strength."

I've had enough! How 'bout you? I am interested in starting/joining, an "Anyone But Gavin" voter block/community coalition targeting undecided voters and the lack of care for homeless, and underserved communities.

The intent is to build recognition and support base for a progressive in the field... "Anyone But Gavin!" The end goal would be to bring homeless issues and comprehensive approaches to care to the forefront, and possibly help promote progressive candidates who will better serve SFs diverse populations.

The SF CHRONic and other Newsom proponents would like us to believe that SF voters overwhelmingly supported Porposition N. Yet, it's apparent from the numbers that Prop N did not win by mandate, rather SF voters were alseep when Prop N passed. I think there was something like 27% turnout? Electoral politics may dismay and disgust, but staying away lets creepy, money grubs take control of the decision making process under which we all must live. Like it or not, (electoral politics that is) SF progressives should band together to ensure Newsom-Getty does not win in November. Enough is enough! Let's get a progressive into office? Not excited by the candidate field, well let's not turn away for that reason alone. Help keep Newsom out and all those who support his heartless anti-homeless plans!

I am concerned that Getty money and the JD (jack davis) tactics this affords will drown out or marginalize arguments crucial to Newsoms defeat. It may prove useful to rally undecided voters/prospective voters around a campaign to defeat Newsom, and other elected Prop N proponents, especially now when big money campaigns rule the PR roost months before the vote.

If you have any ideas or have heard of anyone else expressing these views, please post. Thanks.

most of the poor and unfortunates on the streets are the direct results of our dehumanizing, racist, militaristic system that perpetuates the wealth gap. for example, a whole new generation of tramatized young, poor people are waiting to get out of iraq asap. DU and the memories of what they have seen and done will not go away once they get home. many will fail socially and psychologically. our gov't will abandon them, but we will have opportunity to show our compassion on the streets of america for decades. drop a bill in their hand. take them out to dinner, if you can get that far. but avoid the Golden Gate Restaurant Association joints. long live the power of the boycott.

"militaristic -MORON"

I'm sorry but that name is already taken. Okay, so sometimes he goes by Bushladen, but he also has taken the moron surname as well.

yes let's keep the homeless right where they are in the streets, dirty starving and begging. but it is not bush that has kept them there it has been the ultra-liberal ruling class of san francisco who keep the homeless in the street why.... because they can
because they don't care..because king willie wants to spend the money baseball parks and airports and Bart
WILLIE PROMISED TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM BY THE END OF HIS FIRST TERM "REMEMBER"

DaMayor [at] ci.sf.ca.us

Tony_Hall [at] ci.sf.ca.us

tom_ammiano [at] ci.sf.ca.us

Sophie_Maxwell [at] ci.sf.ca.us

Matt_Gonzalez [at] ci.sf.ca.us

Mark_Leno [at] ci.sf.ca.us

Leland_Yee [at] ci.sf.ca.us

Jake_McGoldrick [at] ci.sf.ca.us

Gerardo_Sandoval [at] ci.sf.ca.us

chris_daly [at] ci.sf.ca.us

Aaron_Peskin [at] ci.sf.ca.us

Can we start a write-in Matt Gonzalez for mayor campaign? He is president of the board of Supervisors, and seems just as qualified as Newsom. Except that he's not a money grubbing whore. Ideas?

That's a long list. Are there any cooks who it's okay to trade with now? thanks for any advice.

(By the way, I think every restaurant should be forced to have a special table reserved for those who are oppressed by capitalism, so that they can have a good meal too. If you know of any restaurants which are already taking such a humane approach then please recommend them here, thanks.)

>>> Can we start a write-in Matt Gonzalez for mayor campaign? He is president of the board of Supervisors, and seems just as qualified as Newsom. Except that he's not a money grubbing whore. <<<

I don't know, he just took a raise to well over $100K a year. That puts him up in the capitalist pig territory if you ask me. Newsom donates his supervisors salary to charity. Will Gonzalez do the same? I doubt it.

Newsom has millions being given to him by the Getty's, Matt does not. Newsom is a jerk, Matt is not. Newsom is ugly, Matt is attractive.

Can't decide who you'll support in the upcoming election, if any? Can't stand the thought of Getty-Newsom as mayor? We've had enough! How 'bout you?

Don't turn away, join SFVotes.org and let's have some fun at Newsom's and the Golden Gate Restaurant Association's expense. SFVotes plans include active support and promotion of POOR Magazines GGRA restaurant boycott. Informational pickets, die-ins, and more...

SFVotes.org is starting an "Anyone But Gavin" voter block/community coalition. This is a grassroots, non-partisan, progressive, voter driven campaign working to expose conservatives in sheeps clothing, those claiming to care. There is a good reason for non-affiliation, freedom of speech and tactics.

In these early months before the vote, our group will work to expose Gruesome Newsom as a cold-hearted, conservative, robber-baron-owned candidate in sheeps clothing. Those in office who supported Proposition N, or who are supporting Newsom for Mayor will be included as fair targets for our campaign.

The SF CHRONic and other Newsom proponents would like us to believe that SF voters overwhelmingly supported Porposition N. Yet, it's apparent from the numbers that Prop N did not win by mandate, rather SF voters were alseep when Prop N passed. I think 27% of all registered voters went to the polls? So that's 60% of 27% voted to shaft the poorest of the poor??

Electoral politics may dismay and disgust, but staying away lets creepy, money grubs take control of the decision making process under which we all must live. Like it or not, (electoral politics that is) SF progressives should band together to ensure Newsom-Getty does not win in November. Enough is enough! Let's get a progressive into office? Not excited by the candidate field, well let's not turn away for that reason alone. Help keep Newsom out and all those who support his heartless anti-homeless plans!

SF Votes is concerned that Getty money and the JD (jack davis) tactics this affords will drown out or marginalize arguments crucial to Newsoms defeat. SF Votes was organized to combat the hype, especially now when big money campaigns rule the PR roost months before the vote.

If you have any ideas or have heard of anyone else expressing these views, please post. Thanks.

http://www.sfvotes.org will be up and running by May 23, 2003 and will serve as an event alert bulliten

"Homeless Hurt On Several Fronts
By John Ritter, USA TODAY

SAN FRANCISCO — A sour economy makes it harder for poor Americans to find jobs, yet rents and home prices that usually sag in a recession are rising in many places, throwing more people onto the streets.

On top of that double whammy comes a crackdown on street people. Many cities are passing tough laws against panhandling, loitering and sleeping in public places.

Homeless advocates say assistance has not increased to meet the crisis.

Even in this city known for generosity to the downtrodden, tough love is the new mantra. Voters last month approved slashing cash grants to the homeless from $395 a month to $59 while beefing up mental health, substance abuse and housing programs.

Dubbed "Care Not Cash," the measure is supposed to treat the causes of homelessness not its street symptoms. Supporters say it will erase San Francisco's status as the free lunch capital by eliminating what lures homeless people from across the country.

"No one can find even the cheapest rundown motel in San Francisco for $395," says Gavin Newsom, an elected supervisor who sponsored the measure. "No city in America spends more per capita on the homeless, but it's still not enough to provide a roof over your head."

Attitudes toward the nation's estimated 3 million homeless have hardened, advocates say. Downtown merchants think street people hurt business. Tourists recoil at panhandling. The homeless are blamed for petty crime and create resentment by sleeping in public parks and under freeway overpasses and bridges. In a sample of 49 cities, the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty found a 22% increase in the past three years in prohibitions on loitering and a 14% increase in laws against sleeping in public.

Sidewalk bans proliferating

In Orlando, a tourist destination like San Francisco, homeless people as of September risk $500 fines and 60 days in jail for sitting or lying on downtown sidewalks. The city also requires panhandlers to get licenses and limits begging to special zones. Berkeley, Calif., and Seattle are among a number of cities with new sidewalk bans this year similar to Orlando's.

Santa Monica, Calif., this fall barred the homeless from camping in downtown doorways and limited the free meals they get from charity groups. Palmdale, Calif., last month approved misdemeanor citations for homeless people who camp illegally. New Orleans removed all the benches from historic Jackson Square to keep the homeless from sleeping there.

New York homeless advocates have sued police over a sharp spike in arrests of homeless people for infractions that they say would not normally justify charges. In Los Angeles last month, police swept through downtown's skid row and arrested 130 people just days after business groups complained about the homeless. Police said they were searching for parole violators.

Corpus Christi, Texas, police gave homeless residents of a tent city until the end of January to clear out or be removed. Dallas this year began enforcing health code rules on charities' street feeding of the homeless. Last spring, Las Vegas police forced 175 homeless people out of makeshift homes as part of its mayor's pledge to clean up a garbage-strewn downtown area.

Downtown Baltimore businesses persuaded the city last summer to crack down on minor crimes that homeless advocates say were aimed at street people. Santa Cruz, Calif.; Lakeland, Fla., and Asheville, N.C., are among a growing list of cities to severely restrict panhandling.

El Cajon, Calif., is fighting in court to break up a homeless camp outside an Episcopal church. The church claims a First Amendment right to shelter the indigent. Sacramento twice tried a man for illegal camping — at a cost to taxpayers of up to $10,000 a day — before winning a conviction. The man was sentenced to 30 days on a work detail.

"There's definitely a growing trend toward harsher treatment of the homeless," says Donald Whitehead, executive director of the National Coalition for the Homeless in Washington. "But what's significant is we found that none of the cities doing crackdowns had enough shelter space."

Last week, the U.S. Conference of Mayors' annual 25-city homeless survey found requests for emergency shelter up an average 19% in 18 cities reporting increases, the steepest rise in a decade. Most of the cities reported that the length of time people were homeless had increased.

As homeless numbers swell so do fears that more will become crime victims. Through October, 16 homeless people had died in violent crimes this year compared with 18 in all of last year, the national coalition says.

"The term 'compassion fatigue' is used," Whitehead says. "People have not seen a significant reduction in the number of homeless people. They see dollars being spent for emergency needs but not for systemic solutions."

Housing is the gravest need, but the federal government's housing assistance budget has declined 51% since 1976 while tax breaks for homeowners have risen 312%, the National Low Income Housing Coalition says. Housing advocates say there's a shortage of at least 5 million affordable rental units nationwide.

Suit filed to stop Care Not Cash

In San Francisco, where the homeless issue has festered for years and cost two mayors their jobs, no one's betting the latest fix will end the political turmoil. Homeless advocates have sued to stop Care Not Cash from taking effect in July.

They doubt that the city will live up to the spirit of the measure and provide sufficient housing. The city, like many others operating in the red, faces a $200 million budget deficit.

"The only thing the city could possibly do with the money recouped by deducting it from the poor is massive shelter programs," says Paul Boden, director of the Coalition on Homelessness in San Francisco. "But we think 20 years of opening up more and more shelters is a failed approach."

Supervisor Newsom says Care Not Cash is worded so that funds can't legally be cut. He says the city is ready to take over leases of 1,000 single room occupancy units and make them available to the homeless.

San Francisco's homeless population is estimated at 10,000 to 12,000, but only 2,800 single adults are eligible for monthly cash. Cutting those benefits will free about $12 million a year to implement Care Not Cash.

Nearly everyone expects homeless numbers to fall. When nearby Alameda County cut benefits from $336 to $18 a few years ago, its homeless population shrank from 2,000 to fewer than 200. Many simply moved across the bay to San Francisco, officials say.

Gavin believes the city, by doling out cash, is indirectly contributing to drug addiction, overdose deaths and crimes against the homeless. "Any police officer will tell you there's an increase in crime ... when people are getting their checks," he says.

Voters here seem weary of years of haggling over the homeless. A competing ballot measure last month to water down Care Not Cash failed. The business and tourist sectors have complained for years about aggressive panhandling, public urination and squalid conditions in homeless encampments.

San Francisco police routinely break up them up, and homeless advocates say arrests for blocking sidewalks and sleeping in parks are up. The national coalition rated San Francisco, along with Atlanta and New York, as the USA's meanest cities if you're homeless.

Leslie Edquist, a laborer from Helena, Mont., who has lived on San Francisco's streets for three years, says police rousted him from his tent recently, packed him off to jail and threw away his belongings. Since his release he has scavenged a sleeping bag and a few other belongings from trash cans in affluent neighborhoods. He lives in a crude shelter with a tarp over it in a vacant lot near train tracks on the city's south side. He stays mobile with two grocery carts and a bicycle.

Edquist won't apply for the city's cash benefits because he says he's capable of working. He survives on a few dollars from repairing old bikes. He says he's been clean and sober for 11 years.

"This used to be the city of love," Edquist, 39, says. "Now it's so strict, it's got a big noose around it and the rope is really tight, and they're jerking the heck out of the rope right now."

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2002-12-26-homeless-usat_x.htm

http://www.sfbayview.com/103002/67%25ofsfhomeless103002.shtml

read all about it. Newsoms attack on SFs Poorest includes families and folks chased out of Hunters Point due to Housing Costs and unemployment as well as downturned economy!

For whoever wished Matt Gonzalez to run for SF Mayor. You got your wish, without having to do a thing, on Friday, August 7, 2003. Congratulations to us all!