Tuesday’s statewide election features a controversial industry-backed proposition that would amend the California Constitution to require a two-thirds vote before a community could change its energy provider. The largest tonnage of paper political ads flooding mailboxes in San Francisco sport a variety of images — some ominous, some silly and sarcastic — but the same message: Proposition 16, the “Taxpayers Right to Vote Act,” protects voters from spendthrift politicians. But the ads, paid for mostly by incumbent power provider Pacific Gas & Electric Co., are misleading in a few important ways.
Category: Utilities
Posted inEnvironment, Food Systems, Utilities
Homeless counseling group first on Health Dept. chopping block
Caduceus Outreach Services could close its doors as early as July 1 due to the crippling budget deficit facing the San Francisco of Department of Public Health.
Caduceus, a 13-year-old SOMA-based nonprofit organization, could lose two-thirds of its budget as a result of the Health Department’s efforts to cope with an unprecedented $163 million deficit. Caduceus, which provides psychiatric counseling to about 100 homeless people, is just one of 104 city-based community program agencies facing the budget ax this summer, as the city tries to deal with a total deficit of $438.1 million.
Posted inEnvironment, Food Systems, Utilities
News Notes: July 1 budget cuts to trim homeless and AIDS support
Mayor Gavin Newsom’s July 1 budget cuts would raise Muni fares and elminate, through layoffs and attrition, about 1,600 city jobs.
One homeless drop-in center will be closed as part of the new budget proposal and services for HIV and AIDS patients, drug addicts and the mentally ill will be reduced.
Posted inEnvironment, Food Systems, Utilities
News Notes: Thousands of Bay Area children to lose health coverage
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s plan to end the Healthy Families Program could leave more than 60,000 Bay Area children without health care coverage by June 30, 2010, according to the California Budget Project.
Posted inEnvironment, Food Systems, LGBTQ+, Utilities
Ideologies continue to divide same-sex marriage issue
As hundreds gathered in front of the Earl Warren Building on Tuesday waiting to hear the California Supreme Court’s ruling that upheld Proposition 8, a war of words erupted and some even turned into screaming battles that reinforced the deeply divided ideologies about same-sex marriage.
The scene of people arguing amidst the flurry of pro and anti-gay marriage banners illustrates the chasm among Californians that has played out since same-sex marriage took center stage in 2000, when voters passed Proposition 22.
Posted inEnvironment, Food Systems, Utilities
News Notes: Budget cuts lead to UCSC hunger strike
In anticipation of Wednesday’s Earth Day celebration, Berkeley Farmers’ Market has stepped up to the “green” plate – by becoming the first market in the nation to eliminate all plastic bags and packaging.
“We’ve been anti-plastic for a long time, but we’re also committed to our farmers and didn’t want to negatively impact them through diminished sales or costs,” said Ben Feldman, program manager of The Ecology Center – an environmental non-profit that has run the markets since 1987.
The market launched its “Zero Waste” campaign March 7, demanding all farmers’ market refuse be recyclable or compostable. The new rule includes materials for bagging produce as well as containers and utensils for prepared foods.
Posted inEnvironment, Food Systems, Utilities
Farmers’ Market says no to all plastics
In anticipation of Wednesday’s Earth Day celebration, Berkeley Farmers’ Market has stepped up to the “green” plate – by becoming the first market in the nation to eliminate all plastic bags and packaging.
“We’ve been anti-plastic for a long time, but we’re also committed to our farmers and didn’t want to negatively impact them through diminished sales or costs,” said Ben Feldman, program manager of The Ecology Center – an environmental non-profit that has run the markets since 1987.
The market launched its “Zero Waste” campaign March 7, demanding all farmers’ market refuse be recyclable or compostable. The new rule includes materials for bagging produce as well as containers and utensils for prepared foods.