October 16, 2002

Yee sees the light – the green light: Observers of this year's public power campaign may have wondered what happened to Sup. Leland Yee. Last year Yee endorsed public power Propositions F and I (see "Going Public," 9/12/01). But these days, Yee's name is being used as part of PG&E's campaign against public power Proposition D.

Back when the supervisors were putting Prop. D on the ballot (without Yee's support), Yee told us he had a change of heart, having been convinced by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1245 to oppose the measure.

But last week Local 1245, which is PG&E's largest employee union, released its contribution report to the state, revealing that it contributed $750 to Yee's campaign for state assembly. Perhaps the campaign cash had something to do with his change of heart? Yee told us he has no record of receiving a donation from the union. (Rachel Brahinsky)

Breaking the bank: In an attempt to limit the flow of big money into local candidates' campaigns, the San Francisco Ethics Commission pushed for a ballot measure in 2000 known as Proposition O. Among other changes, the successful initiative closed a major loophole by capping donations to committees that are not directly controlled by candidates yet make expenditures to support or oppose them.

But a quick look at this year's campaign donations raises questions about whether or not that part of the code is being enforced.

"No person shall make ... any contribution which will cause the total amount contributed by such person to the committee to exceed $500 per year," states Prop. O.

Sounds pretty clear to us, but not everyone reads that sentence the same way.

Take the District Six Democratic Club, for example. The group behind the "Anybody but Chris Daly" campaign has taken at least two donations of more than $500 dollars. We don't know exactly how that money has been spent, however, because the group has not yet filed its pre-election report, due Oct. 7. Frederick Hobson, its treasurer, told us he has been ill and plans to file by Oct. 17.

The Golden Gate Restaurant Association political action committee is another questionable one. It accepted more than $500 this year from approximately 50 different businesses and is backing several local candidates, including Sups. Gavin Newsom and Sophie Maxwell. Jim Sutton, treasurer for the committee, said that the law doesn't apply to the GGRA because the donations went directly to candidates rather than to independent expenditures. Besides, he said, "courts have ruled that placing those kind of limits on PACs is unconstitutional."

Ginny Vida, executive director of the Ethics Commission, told us the intent of Prop. O "was to limit the undue influence of contributions in candidate elections." With that it mind, it created a public financing system and new limits on donations for runoff elections.

But when it comes to the issue of committee contributions, Prop. O is somewhat vague. "I can't make general pronouncements on how the law should be applied," she said, because "there may be potential complaints out there." We hope she's right. (Cassi Feldman)

Liars with flyers: Campaign mail isn't generally known for its veracity, but two new flyers lower the bar.

The No on Proposition B committee recently sent out a glossy mailer to oppose Prop. B, a $250 million affordable-housing bond. It features a photo of Joe O'Donoghue, head of the Residential Builders Association, along with a quote claiming that proponents of a 1996 $100 million housing bond had wasted the money and shouldn't be entrusted with any more.

Instead of the 3,000 units they promised, he says, they delivered only 336, with 104 still in the pipeline. O'Donoghue fails to mention that when you count all the units renovated or converted by the bond, the total grows to 1,812 units, plus 264 beds in group homes and 255 down-payment loans.

Meanwhile, the No on Prop. L committee, which opposes an increase in the city's real estate transfer tax, is equally misleading. Their signs and flyers read: "Don't double city taxes, No on L." But Proposition L doesn't actually double city taxes – it simply raises the transfer fee on properties worth more than $1 million from 0.75 percent to 1.5 percent, hardly an assault on the average taxpayer.

Nonprofits such as Coleman Advocates for Children and Youth, Senior Action Network, and B joined Sups. Sophie Maxwell and Mark Leno at an Oct. 10 rally to remind the public that key programs – including senior meals, children's health care, and after-school programs – are in danger of being cut. Prop. L would generate an estimated $30 million a year.