As redevelopment lies choking and dying in the blighted gutters of California streets, the City of Oakland is preparing to cut about 105 full-time positions from its payroll, in order to balance their already strained budget. Mayor Quan, knowing her constiuencies' buzzwords, assured everyone, "There were no cuts to libraries, no cuts to human services, minimal cuts to police and fire." more ›

You'll recall that Governor Jerry Brown decided last year that one thing he could probably pretty easily kill off, and net a few billion dollars in the state budget without the public caring very much, was redevelopment. No one knows what it is! There are 400 redevelopment agencies in cities across the state which for over 60 years have used a complicated methodology of collecting property tax surpluses to help finance development projects in blighted areas, and to build affordable housing. These departments, typically housed within city governments, have a February 1 deadline to dissolve themselves, and in places like Oakland which used redevelopment money to fund various salaries in other departments (and on the City Council), this could mean laying off hundreds of people. more ›

Because it is the holiday season (and also because the city is broke), Mayor Ed Lee and City Treasurer Jose Cisneros have announced Give2SF.org, a site where the city will gladly accept your seasonal donations to help save city programs that are in danger of disappearing due to budget cuts. more ›

Thanks to a huge outcry from the Oakland community, its libraries and many other invaluable public services have been saved for the time being. If you recall, the Oakland City Council was looking at three budget proposals to balance a huge budget deficit, the first of which would have closed 14 out of 18 branches of the Oakland Library and drastically cut the services at the remaining four. more ›

After 17 protesters were arrested earlier this week over UC budget cuts, among other isues, eight demonstrators occupied a fourth-story ledge at UC Berkeley's Wheeler Hall. Riot police were called in to use force on both the building squatters and supporters outside the building. Pepper spray was used against several demonstrators, and some protesters reported being hit with batons. more ›

We know most of you are probably not on the edge of your seats waiting to see how Jerry Brown's threats to kill redevelopment in California shake out, but we thought we'd keep reporting on the issue because we think it's important, and because Jerry's banking on voters not really caring either way because they don't understand it. Redevelopment has become a political pawn, something beloved by mayors and city economic development departments but not often understood by the public, and occasionally misused by cities and occasionally corrupt city officials. more ›

The crucial 77-mile line that hauls an estimated 40,000 passengers during the weekdays could be in danger. Scratch that, it is in danger. A $30 million shortfall will ebb away at almost half the lines. Grim, yes? What's more, it will do away with weekend service altogether, effectively eliminating service to weekend SF Giants games. (If you live in Mission Bay/South Beach, you know that hordes or orange-and-black-bedazzled fans pour out of the station on the weekends. Losing that link to the Peninsula would be disastrous, traffic-wise, attendance-wise, and paying-$25-for-parking-during-a-game-wise.) more ›

Another line item getting nixed in Jerry Brown's proposed budget is the state's Division of Juvenile Justice, potentially saving the state some $242 million but potentially costing some pain at the county level, where the worst offending juvenile inmates will now have to be sent. Some feel counties can and should do a better job rehabilitating juveniles, given that the state system is broken, with just four broken down buildings, and afflicted with an entrenched gang culture. more ›

According to KCBS, "[a] new austerity mandate has come down from Mayor Gavin Newsom." And it's pretty grim. Then again, what isn't in these dastardly economic times? more ›

Following on the heels of Cal students who occupied Wheeler Hall last month to protest fee hikes, students at San Francisco State University have taken over the school's business building. more ›

Facing a nearly $7 billion potential loss this fiscal year, The United States Postal Service selected 677 branches nationwide for either closure or consolidation, including more than a couple dozen in the Bay Area. Threatened post offices in San Francisco are the Civic Center P.O. Box Unit, the Federal Building, and the McLaren branches. Thanks to electronic communication, mail volume decreased by 9.5 billion pieces last year and is expected to fall by 28 billion pieces this year. more ›

They seem rather upset. Why? Because because the city budget is bad for them, and the cuts will hurt them. So, they want to BOS to cut other services. Or something. Anyway, here they (and their supporters) are chanting "let us in" outside today's Board of Supervisors Meeting. For more comprehensive info, Chris Roberts is live blogging the entire thing. more ›

With budget cuts, and long lines, apparently this is the easiest way for disgruntled patrons at the Fell Street DMV to get out their frustrations. The colors are very harmonious though. more ›

As SFist reported back in January, a proposal to prune the California park system's $150 million general fund budget, money that goes to staff salaries and maintenance, might result in the closure of 25 Bay Area state parks. And said cuts could come as soon as July 1. A few parks of note in danger of closing? Candlestick Point State Recreation Area, which is known for "some of the best winter bird-watching on the bay," (our fingers are crossed for you, Walter Kitundu), Mount Tamalpais, Angel Island (!?), Jack London Park, Sonoma Coast, and many more. The governor's possible park pruning would also affect 279 parks throughout California. more ›

Want to see to what certain SF public officials are landing a year? Of course you do. Business Insider came across a handy chart (based on this database) that lists the yearly salaries of public servants. the info is from a couple of years ago -- thus: yes, it's old news -- but since we cannot digest any info that isn't crafted into easy-to-read cells, we assume the same goes for you, readers. more ›

Dozens of students and staff at the University of California at Santa Cruz have gone on a hunger strike "in order to bring attention to $13 million in state funding being cut at the campus." This anti-digesting protest, it seems, was sparked by school wide cuts, which have affected the Latino Studies Department and the very-UCSC Community Studies program. Protest organizer Yvette Tran told KCBS, "“The hunger strikers will continue to not eat possibly for the week or until our demands are met." Said demands? Money. Anyway, those starving students are in for an even bigger shock. UCSC spokesman Jim Burns tells Mercury News, "We appreciate and share the frustration of students and others over continued reductions in state funding to UC. And in the wake of last week's election, we're bracing for even further cuts. In that environment, protecting every program is neither realistic nor possible." UC Santa Cruz, we should point out, is known for having a lily white vibe on campus, which only heightens the tension. more ›

With over 26,000 teachers getting pink slips in the mail, the California Teachers Association has organized Pink Friday, "a day of action to protest mass layoffs and drastic cuts to public education." But I don't teach algebra to ungrateful brats all day long, so how can I help, you ask? Like this: 1) Wear pink on Friday, March 13 to show your support for public schools, students and educators; 2) organize or attend an event at a school near you; and 3) call or e-mail your Legislator and tell them that investing in public education is an investment California's future. In related news, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom released 25 percent (about $24 million) from the city's rainy day fund this week. If approved by the the Board of Supervisor, the cash flow would help save the jobs of over 300 teachers. more ›

In an effort to protest Newsom's recent budget cuts to public health departments and services for low-income San Franciscans, a totally awesome guy used a bicycle chain and handcuffs to attach himself to the giant "Tree of Hope" (sigh) at San Francisco City Hall today. The incident happened around 11 a.m. Aaron Buchbinder, 25, was arrested after the one-man protest. According to reports, Buchbinder "poured glue into the handcuff lock, forcing deputies to cut him free from the bindings before they could detain him." He was stuck up in the tree for about an hour. "The Tree of Hope," the goes on to say, "was not harmed in the incident." We repeat, the tree was unharmed. (Photo: Jim Herd) more ›

Due to budget problems, the Muni Powers That Be have decided on a possible solution, that being raising the Muni Fast Pass from $45 to $60 bucks. Suck on it, Muni riders. more ›