Last month, San Francisco Officials passed (in assembly and senate) a bill that would create a “toll and reservation plan” for visitors who wished to snake down the world-famous section of Lombard Street. But California Governor Gavin Newsom axed the bill late Saturday night, allowing a drive down the “World’s Crookedest Street” to remain a free affair, for everyone.

Drawing some two million visitors a year, the drive-able Russian Hill landmark has long been lauded for its quirky man-made nature and jaw-dropping views of the cityscape. So, in a perpetually funds-hungry San Francisco, it’s little wonder why the city aimed to tax the weaving section of Lombard between Hyde and Jones, per the AB-1605 bill.

(To spare you from having to sift through copious amounts of legal jargon, the bill, if made into law, would've greenlit a “non-resident” toll and reservation plan for the world-famous attraction, costing tourists as much $10 on weekends and holidays to traverse down.)

Newsom, however — who, earlier in his political career, represented the Marina District on the city’s Board of Supervisors — was having none of it.

“As the former county supervisor representing this neighborhood,” Newsom said in his signing statement, according to SF Gate. “I am well aware of the need to address congestion and safety around Lombard Street.”

But, as he later addresses, not at the cost of creating “social equity issues.”

“The pricing plan proposed in this bill creates social equity issues,” Newsom adds. “Access to this iconic attraction should be allowed to all, regardless of their ability to pay.”

The bill was sponsored by Assemblymember Phil Ting, who represents the 19th Assembly District, citing that the bill would help alleviate “crowds and traffic [that congest] the crooked street.”

To boot, the bill, if enacted into law, would've allowed SF officials to bypass yet another existing law, which prohibits local agencies from implementing taxes or permit fees for the use of any single public street or highway; neither, thankfully, came to fruition.

Supervisor Daly's lengthy editorial today in the Fog City Journal shouldn't be too surprising to those familiar with his m.o. He wonders how, at this late date in our profane culture, his vowing to say "fuck" at every Board of Supervisors' meeting should have earned him so much mainstream press attention — not to mention 100 new Facebook friends — and he makes sure to get in a few hefty digs at his best frenemy, Gavin Newsom:

[Newsom] has taken the lead on delivering the truly profane at City Hall. That’s probably why he was so offended that I would use the word “fuck” at the Board of Supervisors, saying, “What other City would put up with this for so long? This is just one in a serious of acts and actions that doesn’t just appear to be petulant, it is petulant.”

Now, keep in mind, that is the same Gavin Newsom that fucked his appointments secretary. She was his best friends wife at the time, so it’s fair to say the he fucked his best friend too. That’s probably why it’s so difficult to believe the man’s righteous indignation.

Filling the ranks in the Mayor's Office are several young guys who Mayor Newsom calls "superstars" who were part of the inner circle of his gubernatorial campaign -- hires that are likely to cause some controversy during upcoming budget negotiations with the Board of Supervisors. Newsom defends the hires saying that all these campaign staffers are being paid less than their predecessors and are highly qualified, but they are nonetheless all pretty young with no experience in city government.

30-year-old Yashar Hedayat, the son of a wealthy Chicago family who has worked as a lobbyist and donated thousands to various Democratic campaigns, will be coming on as Newsom's deputy chief of staff.

Joaquin Torres, the son of Newsom pal and Democratic Party chairman Art Torres, has been hired as a government affairs assistant.

Mayor Gavin Newsom took his message about mandatory recycling programs to the Op-Ed page of the Sacramento Bee yesterday, aiming in particular at so-called "high temperature disposal technologies" which he calls "just glorified incineration" and not sustainable. Newsom also takes the opportunity to tout the new, large-scale, mandatory composting programs in San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Newsom's op-ed follows on the approval of a draft ordinance by the California Integrated Waste Management Board that would allow local governments to fine businesses who were not in compliance with local recycling laws. Also, the ordinance would require local municipalities across the state to enact compulsory commercial recycling programs by 2013.

Meanwhile in San Francisco, curmudgeonly apartment managers and landlords citywide are still trying to figure out which grocery bags are compostable and where to put their take-out containers. [via NBC Bay Area]

Head of the SF Film Commission Stephanie Coyote -- who makes $132,000 a year to lure film companies to shoot their movies in our fair city -- got wacked fired yesterday. While Gavin may cite the fact that Coyote wasn't doing her job as well as she could, we (and Matier & Ross) suspect there was a little more to the surprise firing. Coyote is the wife of actor Peter Coyote, who came out vocally in support of Jerry Brown for governor, so we kind of feel like this is evidence of Gavin cleaning house and removing the faces of all who remind him of his failed gubernatorial bid.

While everyone and their pet goldfish thinks they're the only ones to have predicted that SF Mayor Gavin Newsom would withdraw his bid for California governor -- in related news, we predict you will have a bowel movement within the next 24 hours! -- this has been ancient watercooler talk for months. Why, just last week, if you recall, Newsom not only denied but chided reporters for having the gall to question him about it.

"You [reporters] have to put to rest the absurdity," Newsom said at an unrelated event [last week], reports the Examiner. "It’s Jerry Brown who is putting those rumors out, and you guys shouldn’t be taking the bait on that."

So, does this mean Newsom will instead run for lieutenant governor on Brown's ticket, the other absurd rumor he denied that turned out to be true? We shall see. He's dying to get out of San Francisco one way or another, so this wouldn't be too far off. Take the bait, Gav.

Newsom's out. Here is the official press release.

It is with great regret I announce today that I am withdrawing from the race for governor of California. With a young family and responsibilities at city hall, I have found it impossible to commit the time required to complete this effort the way it needs to — and should be — done.

This is not an easy decision. But it is one made with the best intentions for my wife, my daughter, the residents of the city and county of San Francisco, and California Democrats.

When I embarked on this campaign in April, my goal was to engage thousands and thousands of Californians dedicated to reforming our broken system and bringing change to Sacramento.

I would like to thank those supporters, volunteers, and donors who have worked so hard on my behalf. I have been humbled by their support and am indebted to their efforts. They represent the spirit of change and determination essential to putting California back on the right track.

I will continue to fight for change and the causes and issues for which I care deeply — universal health care, a cleaner environment, and a green economy for our families, better education for our children, and, of course, equal rights under the law for all citizens.

Looks like Mayor Sam was right.

Also, we think the fact that Jerry Brown was annihilating him in the polls and in fundraising had something with his decision to withdraw from the race, in addition to the new little blessing in his life.

At 5 pm today, SF Mayor Gavin Newsom will take a tour of the charm-free middling area of Marker Street. You know, the area between Sixth and Eights Streets where you were mugged. Twice. Yes, that one.

According to SF Appeal, Newsom will "tour new Market Street improvements and launch a new arts and economic development initiative." At the very least, this will prove for an interesting photo opportunity; at the most, something arty will go down in San Francisco's most, er, exciting neighborhood.

The jaunt starts at 1231 Market Street (at Eighth Street), continuing on to 989 Market Street (at Sixth). Join him, won't you? Appeal has more details.

We don't really think the narration for this new Gav-for-Governor spot is the *strongest* bit of campaign ad copy we've ever heard. And is it wrong to say the whole circular thing ("...that will join the race, that will shake the system, that will change the state Constitution...") reminds us of that late 80s anti-drug ad with the business guy in the toilet going, "So I can work harder, so I can make more money, so I can do more cocaine, so I can work harder..."?

Just as a side note, and given that it's 2009, is it too much to ask that when SFGate publishes a story that is about a YouTube video, they figure out a way to link to said YouTube video?!?! Is this really so hard, kids? God damn... we'll be teaching them the internet until the mid 2010s.

While some are wildly conspiracy theorizing that Mayor Gavin Newsom will bow out of the gubernatorial race, former POTUS Bill Clinton just gave Gav his official seal of approval. That's right, Clinton has backed Newsom's bid for the Democratic nomination for California governor. If you recall, Newsom was one of Hillary Clinton's biggest supporters during her failed presidential campaign. The Clintons, it seems, are returning the favor.

William's endorsement could be the push Newsom desperately needs to get a back in the game. As of now, "Newsom trails his rival, the former governor and California Attorney General Jerry Brown, in fundraising by about a 2-1 margin."

Still hoping to ride his oppressively green platform all the way to Sacramento, SF Mayor Gavin Newsom has had solar panels installed at two housing projects: Hayes Valley North and South, and Plaza East. This makes said housing communities "some of the first" projects in the country to get them. It's all part of the Go Solar SF initiative, a program that offers incentives to SF residents and businesses (which could be anywhere from $2,000 to $4,000 for residents and up to $10,000 for businesses) who install solar power on their properties.

KCBS reports:

According to Mayor Gavin Newsom, on a per-capita basis, San Francisco has more solar panels installed than any other city in the state. He hopes the state will ultimately come up with a loan program as well. "I don't know a city in the country that can make this kind of claim, and we're very close at getting this revolving loan program out and to the public and that will be the ultimate incentive, even though at this point there's no greater incentive than San Francisco's solar incentives."

In an attempt to snare the golden Latino vote, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom took a PG&E-sponsored trip to Mexico today. There, he stopped being polite, and started getting auténtico. Here are some images from his day south of San Diego. Enjoy.

Speaking of Newsom and Mexico, did anyone catch this week's Weeds? Did you see the part where Nancy Botwin, our personal Lord and savior, told her husband, Esteban (drug lord, mayor of Tijuana, and presidential candidate) that he was "sexier than Gavin Newsom" (former drug user, mayor of San Francisco, and gubernatorial candidate)? Spooky.

While Gavin Newsom's daily itinerary is typically (and aggressively) detail-free, today's public schedule is brimming with loads of information, stuff you might find during a showcase showdown on the Price Is Right. Today, according to SFBG, Mayor Newsom is relaxing in high style in Mexico "on a PG&E-sponsored trip that has nothing to do with San Francisco." (Aside: we are so jealous. We haven't had a vacation in eons, especially one that involved us not having to think about the city of San Francisco every other second. Lucky bastard.)

During his south-of-the-border trip, Newsom will go on a bike ride with the country's Secretary for the Environment, take a tour of the "Virtual Center of Climate Change" with someone named Carlos Gay (hee), and meet with El Presidente for body shots and chips/salsa. Fun!

Check out Newsom's envious schedule after the jump.