After she pointed to millions of dollars in uncollected fees for public services and alleged serious mismanagement problems, the executive director of California’s utility regulator, the California Public Utilities Commission, was fired. Commissioners said Alice Stebbins had misled the public about missing funds and accused her of favoritism in hiring. But an investigation by the Bay City News Foundation and ProPublica looked into the dismissal, and found the director had been right about the missing money.
Category: Open Government
Posted inCity Hall, Government & Politics, Open Government
With Budget Cuts, Can the Ethics Commission Still Counter S.F. Corruption?
Members of the San Francisco Ethics Commission let out a sigh of relief last week when they learned from Mayor London Breed’s budget proposal that their funding would be sliced by 3.3%, far less than the 10% they had been expecting. But they warned that even the smaller-than-expected cuts would still have an impact on the political watchdog group’s effectiveness.
Posted inCity Hall, Coronavirus, Open Government
San Francisco’s Move to Delay Public Records Disclosures Criticized
The city last week warned that public records will likely be delayed amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This is already having an impact on journalists’ ability to access and disseminate public health information.
Posted inGovernment & Politics, Law & Justice, Open Government
Justice Dept. Responds to Public Press Request for Mueller Report on Trump
We filed a Freedom of Information Act request for the complete report by Robert S. Mueller III hours after Attorney General William Barr released a four-page summary of the special counsel’s investigation into President Trump and his 2016 campaign. Here’s the official reply — and the 448-page redacted report, which was released April 18.
Posted inData Privacy, Elections, Fall 2018 Election, Media, News, Open Government, Social Justice, Technology
S.F. Voters Want Tough Data Privacy Rules, But Obstacles Loom
Voter-approved Proposition B mandates that San Francisco create what supporters say would be the toughest data-protection policy of any U.S. city, and would go beyond California’s landmark Consumer Privacy Act. Now comes the hard part: writing the rules that will overcome legal, technical and enforcement challenges.
Posted inEconomy & Business, Environment, Land use, Neighborhoods, Open Government, Sea Level Rise: 2nd in a Series
Emails Show How Flood Study Finally Became Public
Officials offer explanations for 18-month delay in releasing city-funded study that foresees serious climate-related flooding in Mission Bay in the decades ahead. The release followed a public-records request by the Public Press.
Posted in2016 Non-partisan Voter Guide, City Hall, Elections, News, Open Government, Public Safety
$2 Million Fills War Chests of S.F. Candidates as Races Heat Up
With two months until Election Day, more than $2 million has been amassed in the collective war chests for local candidate campaigns, 90 percent of which has been raised for six Board of Supervisors seats.
Posted inCampaign Finance: The Rising Cost of Winning Votes, Data Privacy, Elections, Open Government
What Don’t We Know About Campaign Finance?
The Public Press spent six months digging and sorting, and many hours talking with staff at the Ethics Commission for clarification on the best ways to find and distill the information on the 2015 elections.
Posted inCity Hall, Elections, Housing, Neighborhoods, Open Government
Big Money Already Pouring Into November Campaigns
San Franciscans will not vote for nearly three months, but big money is flowing into the fall election already. Local campaigns have spent $3.15 million, with more than half going to just six of 25 measures on the ballot.
Posted inCity Hall, Elections, News, Open Government
IN THE WEEDS: Will Voters Restrict Lobbyists in Effort to Clean Up Politics?
IN THE WEEDS parses the nitty-gritty of important issues and laws affecting San Francisco. Check back for updates as new information surfaces.