Here are two actions we should (but won't) take: 1) Increase gas tax by 100%, 200%, 500% or more. 2) make the tax money available for schools and law enforcement as well as transportation. This will accomplish four goals: 1) raise revenue for underfunded state needs, 2) penalize people who are "over-autoed" - that is, a single person who owns/drives a huge SUV or 4WD when they could get by just fine with a small gas efficient car, 3) increase usage of mass transit to reduce need for more highways, 4) encourage/force auto manufacturers to increase efficiency through innovation. It Read This Posty »

Let's take down all of the hanging flower baskets and use the resources to make our neighborhood safe. I've noticed that all of the flowers in the Civic Center and around City Hall look healthy and fresh - but along 3rd Street especially between Folsom & Townsend - they are quickly drying out, many have dead spots and trash in them. Maybe the city has already cut back on maintaining them. The real priority for lower Rincon Hill/Eastern SOMA should be protection. My friend's car was broken into two weeks ago, one of my neighbors was raped and a guy Read This Posty »

The problem is that hard working citizens of San Francisco, when they arrive home after a days work, cannot even park in their own driveway to unload groceries for their children.  The solution is to change the ordinance so that a parking ticket is only issued if the sidewalk is actually blocked so as to prevent pedestrians from passing.  Another solution would be to have fewer meter maids and more SFPD officers, so that some of the actual, serious crimes that face us, like car theft, can be dealt with, rather than spending all of our enforcement efforts on punishing Read This Posty »

Unfortunately, the longer they are in jail, the more friends they make and the more likely they are to stay in SF when released.  If they do the crime, they do the time.  Then they should be sent back where they came from. Gretchen Cotter Read This Posty »

Dear Mayor Newsom, First, let me just say that I think you're great. I've always liked your attitude, and how you handle yourself under pressure. Second, there is a lot of complaining these days about the SFPD budget, and funding more police. Did you know that the SFPD, and 90% of police departments in California, have police officers who are unpaid, who volunteer their time to their city? They are FULLY TRAINED, and have the SAME POWERS, and LOOK THE SAME as the full-time officers. They are citizens, like myself, with good backgrounds and an interest in civic duty. Often they're business Read This Posty »

Write tickets to those who litter.  Fines are already on the law books.  Fund the litter police with part of the fines.  Michael Lamperd Read This Posty »

I spent over 30 years in law enforcement and am sad to see the state of the city and the morale of the SFPD heading south as each day passes. Now for the easy solution to the homeless problem that was never pursued and apparently has no backing from businesses or spineless city officials because of that dumb "let's not offend anyone rule" RECLAIM THE SHOPPING CARTS AND RETURN THEM TO THEIR OWNERS (BUSINESSES) - WITHOUT THE HOMELESS FOLKS' "CONDOS ON WHEELS" THERE WILL BE LESS HOMELESS, LESS CRIME, LESS PUBLIC NUISANCES AND A CLEANER CITY. There was this suggestion on the table awhile Read This Posty »

I think the  solution is to set up more surveillance cameras in the high crime areas and have the police officers view and monitor the surveillance cameras like Chicago PD does.   Investing money in  the GPS machine that detects were gunshots are fired at, I think it would be a waste of money, especially when you can spend that money on important areas that are needed.  Do you think the police officers would be able to respond  to the scene quick enough and catch the suspect on hand.  If so then more power to the device, if not it would be Read This Posty »

The Gun Buy-Back program should be 24 hours, year round and available in all police stations. A person has short temper to shoot may be attracted to a short wait of money, too. Name Withheld Read This Posty »

They are visible, watchful, and able to make friends. They reduce crime by their being on the beat. We need to do this now in San Francisco. It works in New York, Chicago and even in sprawling east Los Angeles Until crime is arrested in san francisco every other thing is way down the list in my opinion. thank you. Gangs are made up of kids are either unloved or not protected in our schools from bullies. They join for strength and protection. Only after joining do they realize the fatal challenges of gang life. It starts in homes where Read This Posty »

I drive Geary Street every day to work and every once in a while, I see a gang of motorcycle cops pulling people over for speeding.   Usually, the motorcycle cops take over Geary street in response to a SF Chronicle report about pedestrian fatalities.  People don't know that the speed limit on Geary is 25. In fact, most people drive it like it's 35 or more.  Solution? Well, first of all, the traffic lights on Geary Street all turn green or red AT THE SAME TIME.  I think that ENCOURAGES people to speed so that they can get through as many Read This Posty »

The following are 2 of the many boxes to check off on the California 540 form: Rare and Endangered Species Preservation Program.. ? 53 CA Sea Otter Fund....................... ? 63 Is there any way the mayor can lobby the Senate, the Assembly  and the governor to add a box for more police and CHP? The governor was forced to loan the city of Oakland CHP officers, and god knows they are needed, Richmond, San Francisco and L.A. No more Newarks.  No more daylight (or night time) assassinations be it Newark, Oakland or Western Addition. Sincerely, Raphael Abrams Read This Posty »

Would like to mention that the Community Justice Center is very effective but only if there are foot patrolmen to assist these unfortunate people go to the center. I realize that the PBA is very much against "beat police" but it is a proven and effective crime deterrent. We very badly need their presence in the Union Square area. Tourists avoid this area...read what Ichiro Suzuki, the great Japanese baseball player says about downtown San Francisco. Doesn't shop here any more. I have personally been told by dozens of visitors that they avoid the Union Square area because of its shoddy appearance Read This Posty »

My solution is that you finally sack up and cash in your high approval ratings. To your credit; yet, regardless of merit... you've been afforded exceptionally high approval ratings. Thereby, you're running virtually unopposed. However, this will not be the case 4-years from now when you run for a bigger, more conservative office. Use today to win tomorrow. Let's clean up our city sidewalks. First, dump Heather Fong. Next, create a centralized jail to house the homeless. Run it like 3 hots and a cot for three months at a time. Use the incarceration to aid education, medication or behavior Read This Posty »

I read the article in the newspaper today regarding the Sgt. that was a veteran in the police department that was arrested in Oakland.  Just a opinion maybe you should establish on doing a background investigation that is done every three to five years after the officer(s) is hire on the job., that way the department could develop more information on the officers if any and also do random urine test too.  Maybe this could prevent less embarrassment to the department in the future. Name Withheld Read This Posty »

Exempt people in certain occupations like teacher and police officer from the rent control ordinance in properties they own, to incentivize local home ownership and local civil service work. Name Withheld Read This Posty »

In response to your letter I would like to submit the following suggestions for improvements to make San Francisco better in the future. First I want to start with the problem the drug addicts and the homeless. According to my knowledge San Francisco have not enough treatment facilities to get people off drugs and for this reason I would suggest that the City of San Francisco and  organizations working with this problem already open up an additional two or three treatment centers for people looking for help.The homeless people who are not addicted to drugs and get welfare money for Read This Posty »

A law aimed at the perpetrator, not the property owner/victim.  Also, the law must have a strong enough sentence to matter, or there's no point bothering to try and enforce it.  An estimate should be created for all costs pertaining to the apprehension including: painting over graffiti, police officers, judges, court reporters, secretaries, prosecuting attorneys pay and costs, etc., all jail costs including food, electricity, janitorial, etc.  They should pay for everything - taxpayers shouldn't have to pick up the tab.  If they're under 18, their parents should be held accountable.  If they own a house or a car, their Read This Posty »

When a police officer hears an especially loud motorcycle pass by, ticket it.  Simple, affordable, and legal.  No new laws, no new staff, just do the job. MUNI filth.  When cutting the budget to MUNI perhaps cut something other than the cleaning staff.  BART is right up there with Muni in cutting the cleaning staff while so how managing staff raises for the top administrators.  I want to see them on the bus.  How about signs on the bus that suggest that the bus is not for carrying on conversations on cell phones.  People want a WiFi city but people don't Read This Posty »

1. From time to time there is a safety problem on Muni buses - rowdy kids; a drunk that won't get off; etc. There should be an alarm that the driver could activate to call police in the vicinity. Maybe the problem passengers would get off before the police arrived. OK. 2. If not already done, there should be anger management classes for the bus drivers - relative to both passengers and to the drivers. Have seen both lose it in the past month. 3. More difficult - should adopt the London concept of a transit pass that scans as Read This Posty »