Hall Monitor

Gavin's gas-guzzler: Bike to Work Day, May 15, saw thousands of San Franciscans leave their cars at home, including Sups. Matt Gonzalez, Fiona Ma, Aaron Peskin, and Gerardo Sandoval and Mayor Willie Brown – all of whom pedaled to City Hall for a morning rally out front.

But bicyclists who came to celebrate alternatives to the automobile were dismayed when mayoral candidate Sup. Gavin Newsom pulled up to the rally in a Jeep Cherokee. Maybe he mistakenly thought it was Drive Your SUV to Work Day. Newsom campaign spokesperson Eric Jaye didn't know why Newsom didn't bike to work, but he said the jeep was a borrowed vehicle Newsom was driving while his main ride – a Honda EV electric car – was in the shop. (Steven T. Jones)

Private parking: The private nonprofit organization created to raise donations to construct an 800-space parking garage under the Music Concourse in Golden Gate Park is proposing to take ownership of the facility for at least 30 years.

During that time revenues from ticket sales would go toward paying down a $50 million bond the nonprofit, the Music Concourse Community Partnership, would use to pay for the construction of the garage. MCCP officials said donors have pledged about $35 million, which would be used as security for the bond. The MCCP would also choose an outfit to operate the garage.

The plan has alarmed park activists, who say the move amounts to privatization of part of the park, even though the city would retain ownership of the land. The MCCP said the deal would bring the city about $1.9 million annually – from money left over after the bond costs are paid.

Proposition J, the June 1998 measure that allowed for the construction of the garage, stipulated that no public funds be used to build it. Backers of the measure also promised that the garage's construction would result in a "pedestrian oasis" on the surface of the concourse – and that car traffic would be removed. But so far, that's not happening (see "Hellman's Hole," 2/5/03).

In addition, some activists are upset that public funds have been used to pay for engineering studies related to the garage construction. The Golden Gate Concourse Authority – the seven-member public body that is supposed to oversee the construction – has yet to decide on the MCCP's proposal. (Savannah Blackwell)

Secret pee test: Mark another bummer for sunshine and District Attorney Terence Hallinan in the Fajitagate scandal.

Sources in his office told us the blood alcohol test results for the three rookies showed them to be highly intoxicated the night they allegedly clobbered two San Franciscans over a bag of steak fajitas. If it can be proven that they were sauced (as several grand jury witnesses testified), it would better explain why the brass who responded that night were so keen to hold off investigators, prosecutors say (i.e., they were buying time for the rookies to sober up) (see "Punch-Drunk?," 4/2/03). Plus, it would cast doubts on the rookies' recollection of the course of events the night of the alleged assault.