Mayor Gavin Newsom unveiled his proposed budget for fiscal year 2009-10 which would take affect July 1st, and in it he proposes eliminating 1,600 city jobs (including 900 currently vacant positions and 685 layoffs, some of which have already occurred) and cutting funding to several social service programs, including $23M in services to the mentally ill, addicted and people with HIV/AIDS.

The budget adds $9.45 million to the city's universal health care program, cuts contributions to the General Fund in half, and reduces hours for 1,200 of the city's social workers, however there are no proposed layoffs to police or fire personnel. Also, Muni fares and parking meter rates go up, a 33-cent tax gets added to cigarettes, and prison nurses and guards get contracted out. "I had to get to zero," the Mayor said, knowing full well that many will have reason to be wildly angry over these cuts. The Board of Supes now gets to chuckle, scream, grand-stand, crunch their own numbers and choose their best battles over Gavin's proposal.