San Francisco Politics and Urbanism Daily

Brin’s $500K Check Raises the Stakes in SF’s CEO-Tax Fight — May 21, 2026

Sergey Brin put $500,000 into the campaign against San Francisco’s Proposition D CEO-tax expansion, sharpening a June 2 fight over business taxes, inequality and city revenue. Meanwhile, SFPD warns of organized Chinatown pickpockets and the zoo bailout comes with strings. IN THIS EPISODE 1. Google Billionaire Quietly Drops $500K Bomb on SF CEO Tax Fight [https://hoodline.com/2026/05/google-billionaire-quietly-drops-500k-bomb-on-sf-ceo-tax-fight/] — Hoodline Google Billionaire Quietly Drops $500K Bomb on SF CEO Tax Fight Real Estate & Development Science, Tech & Medicine More forecasts: Atlanta 30 day forecast Bay Area/ San Francisco # Google Billionaire Quietly Drops $500K Bomb on SF CEO Tax Fight Published on May 20, 2026 Google co‑founder Sergey Brin quietly dropped $500,000 into a San Francisco political fight, cutting a check to a… 2. Step Back — When a billionaire drops half a million dollars into an SF fight over the “CEO tax,” what is that tax actually designed to do — raise meaningful city revenue, punish extreme pay gaps, or both — and what do we know about whether it changes company behavior? BACKGROUND SOURCES * Billionaire Money, Ballot Power and the Fight Over San Francisco’s CEO Tax [https://www.sfpublicpress.org/billionaire-money-ballot-power-and-the-fight-over-san-franciscos-ceo-tax/] — Sylvie Sturm * San Francisco Prop D - Business Tax Increase | SPUR [https://www.spur.org/voter-guide/2026-06/sf-prop-d-business-tax-increase] — SPUR * ‘Fighting back’: Campaign seeks to put Overpaid CEO Act on SF ballot [https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/overpaid-ceo-act-21224121.php] — St. John Barned-Smith * San Francisco Prop. D: New report intensifies debate over 'CEO tax' measure - ABC7 San Francisco [https://abc7news.com/post/san-francisco-prop-new-report-intensifies-debate-ceo-tax-measure/19000893/] — Abc7news * City economist raises red flags on SF’s ‘overpaid CEO tax’ [https://sfstandard.com/2026/05/14/sf-overpaid-ceo-tax-city-report-economy/] — Sfstandard * Endorsement: Overpaid CEOs won’t pay a cent under SF Prop D. You will [https://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/editorials/article/prop-d-ceo-tax-san-francisco-22259315.php] — Chronicle Editorial Board 3. Surveillance video shows pickpocket crew targeting victims in SF's Chinatown - AOL [https://www.aol.com/news/surveillance-video-shows-pickpocket-crew-013429447.html] — AOL Wed, May 20, 2026 at 1:34 AM UTC 0 Police are warning residents and visitors to stay alert as pickpocketing incidents rise in Chinatown, with officials saying organized groups can steal valuables in seconds. Newly released surveillance video from the San Francisco Police Department shows a trio working together to target unsuspecting victims. In the footage, two people act as lookouts while… 4. SF Zoo Receives $8.5 Million Loan, With Majority Awarded After Fulfilling Requirements [https://sfist.com/2026/05/20/sf-zoo-receives-8-5-million-loan-with-majority-awarded-after-fulfilling-requirements/] — SFist SF Zoo Receives $8.5 Million Loan, With Majority Awarded After Fulfilling Requirements The city is bailing out the SF Zoo with a large loan on the condition it fulfills a list of requirements. The zoo also plans to bring back giant pandas to boost revenue, but advocates say its track record shows it can’t properly care for them. The SF Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to award the San… Daily TopFive for San Francisco Politics and Urbanism Daily. Links above go to the original articles. Follow and rate San Francisco Politics and Urbanism Daily on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-san-francisco-daily-fix/id1895326420] or Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/6uScs5q3MMu7ibci0cDq7M]. Feedback? Email sf-daily-fix@lanternpodcasts.com [sf-daily-fix@lanternpodcasts.com].

City Hall’s Money Moves: Housing Fund, Public Bank, Zoo Bailout — May 20, 2026

San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie and Supervisor Myrna Melgar want to double the Housing Trust Fund, while supervisors advance a public-bank precursor and approve an $8.5 million zoo bailout—putting City Hall’s reform agenda squarely on money, accountability, and housing capacity. IN THIS EPISODE 1. SF city leaders propose charter amendment to double housing trust fund [https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/sf-city-leaders-propose-charter-amendment-to-double-housing-trust-fund/] — KRON4 SF city leaders propose charter amendment to double housing trust fund | KRON4 Mayor Daniel Lurie delivers his inaugural address outside City Hall, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, in San ... Mayor Daniel Lurie delivers his inaugural address outside City Hall, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez) Read More (BCN) — San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie and District 7… 2. Step Back — When San Francisco says it wants to double the Housing Trust Fund, what does that money actually pay for — and is lack of subsidy really the bottleneck for affordable housing, or are land costs, permitting delays, and construction costs still doing most of the damage? BACKGROUND SOURCES * [PDF] 06. Affordable Housing - Office of Resilience and Capital Planning [https://onesanfrancisco.org/sites/default/files/inline-files/Affordable%20Housing%20-%20Capital%20Plan%20FY2026-FY2035.pdf] — Onesanfrancisco * Why aren't these 40,000 affordable housing units getting built? - CalMatters [https://calmatters.org/housing/2026/03/affordable-housing-bottleneck/] — Ben Christopher * SF affordable housing funding dilemma prompts legislation | Urban Development | sfexaminer.com [https://www.sfexaminer.com/news/urban-development/sf-subsidized-housing-funding-dilemma-prompts-legislation/article_0579a94c-62ce-4cf3-8040-09cafeb26da3.html] — Keith Menconi | Examiner staff writer * Source [https://sfgov.legistar.com/View.ashx?GUID=86914701-92EF-40B2-AA24-B0EE9301879B&ID=14872034&M=F] — Legistar 3. San Francisco moves ahead with plan for public bank [https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/public-bank-san-francisco-22264570.php] — San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco moves ahead with plan for public bank San Francisco Chronicle LogoHearst Newspapers Logo Skip to main content Bay Area// San Francisco # San Francisco moves ahead with plan for public bank By Alyce McFadden, Staff WriterMay 19, 2026 Supervisor Chyanne Chen will introduce a charter amendment at the Board of Supervisors meeting that would establish a municipal financial corporation, a… 4. SF: Supervisors Approve $8.5 Million Zoo Bailout [https://www.sfgate.com/news/bayarea/article/sf-supervisors-approve-8-5-million-zoo-bailout-22267997.php] — SFGATE SF: Supervisors Approve $8.5 Million Zoo Bailout SF Gate LogoHearst Newspapers Logo Skip to main content TOP STORY Engineers laid off in the hundreds at LinkedIn in latest slash to workforce News| Bay Area & State # SF: Supervisors Approve $8.5 Million Zoo Bailout By Bay City News ServiceMay 19, 2026 Two of four endangered Mexican gray wolves settle into their new home at the San Francisco Zoo in… 5. Petrelis Files [http://mpetrelis.blogspot.com/2014/03/city-attorney-creates-complaint-process.html] — Petrelis Files Petrelis Files City Attorney Creates Complaint Process Over Charlotte Shultz Charity Here's the latest news with my various complaints against a nonprofit headed by socialite-about-town Charlotte Shultz that receives public dollars that just happen to be spent on activities related to her official duties as the Mayor's Protocol Chief. This is my recent complaint to the General Services Agency… Daily TopFive for San Francisco Politics and Urbanism Daily. Links above go to the original articles. Feedback? Email sf-daily-fix@lanternpodcasts.com [sf-daily-fix@lanternpodcasts.com].

Muni Power Fight Meets Bay Ferry and School Screen Pushes — May 19, 2026

San Francisco’s civic reform debate is back on everyday systems: who controls Muni, how ferries could expand regional mobility, and whether Bay Area schools should rethink screens for the youngest students. IN THIS EPISODE 1. INTERNATIONAL BUS NEWS REPORTS: Transit Advocates Debate the Merits of New Muni Ballot Measure [http://busemergencynewsarchive.blogspot.com/2010/05/transit-advocates-debate-merits-of-new.html] — Bus Emergency News Archive INTERNATIONAL BUS NEWS REPORTS: Transit Advocates Debate the Merits of New Muni Ballot Measure skip to main | skip to sidebar The ink has barely dried on the first public draft of a charter amendment that could bring sweeping changes to the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), but supporters and critics are already digging in for a battle that could once again redefine the… * > “Gonna paste my comment from the removed thread: > “Always be moving” is great advice. > I only really take the bus on rainy days, but I gave up on taking the 33 to directly to work from the first stop on Potrero to Stanyan because it was so unreliable and so incredibly slow once you…” — r/sanfrancisco (56 upvotes) [https://www.reddit.com/r/sanfrancisco/comments/1tcf6r3/ive_been_riding_muni_for_30_years_and_wrote_a/olnm84c/] Our take: This is the lived-experience version of a transit audit: if a 30-year rider has to build a multi-route escape plan just to make Muni usable, the governance fight has to be judged by whether it produces faster, more reliable service — not just by who gets appointment power. 2. Bay Ferry expansion considerations [https://www.reddit.com/r/bayarea/comments/1th5o57/bay_ferry_expansion_considerations/] — r/bayarea (16 pts, 18 comments) Currently the Bay Ferry is working on beginning regular service between the East Bay and Pier 48.5 in Mission Bay, SF. They are also in the early planning stages of a Berkeley Ferry Terminal and a Redwood City Ferry Terminal. They are also looking to build a Foster City Terminal. Aside from these, SF Bay Ferry and the Golden Gate Ferry are looking to modernize their fleets with battery electric… 3. Should Bay Area school districts copy LAUSD and ban screens in TK, K, and 1st? [https://www.reddit.com/r/bayarea/comments/1th0fsa/should_bay_area_school_districts_copy_lausd_and/] — r/bayarea (235 pts, 80 comments) Following up on this conversation: [https://www.reddit.com/r/bayarea/comments/1sunp4w/will\_the\_bay\_area\_follow\_la\_and\_remove\_ipads\_from/](https://www.reddit.com/r/bayarea/comments/1sunp4w/will_the_bay_area_follow_la_and_remove_ipads_from/) We have the chance to influence school board policy at the local level. The more Bay Area districts that take a hard look at screen use in elementary… Daily TopFive for San Francisco Politics and Urbanism Daily. Links above go to the original articles. Feedback? Email sf-daily-fix@lanternpodcasts.com [sf-daily-fix@lanternpodcasts.com].

SF’s Reform Test: FBI Scrutiny, Bail Rules, and Public Turf — May 18, 2026

San Francisco’s reform fights are moving from slogans to enforcement: federal investigators are asking about a former mayor, prosecutors are warning about bail limits, and residents are calling out who controls public goods. IN THIS EPISODE 1. FBI inquires into allegations London Breed traded board seat for Bloomberg job [https://sfstandard.com/2026/05/15/fbi-breed-appointment-supervisor/] — SF Standard ADVERTISEMENT Skip to main content EXCLUSIVE # FBI inquires into allegations London Breed traded board seat for Bloomberg job After two close allies of the former mayor accused her of corruption, federal investigators are asking questions. Former Mayor London Breed has been embroiled in a scandal over accusations that she traded a Board of Supervisors seat in the hope of future employment. |… * > “She’s never been indicted even though the rest of her cronies have been indicted & convicted and sentenced already. We’ll see what happens next.” — r/sanfrancisco (70 upvotes) [https://www.reddit.com/r/sanfrancisco/comments/1tedwxs/fbi_inquires_into_allegations_london_breed_traded/om1r7fg/] Our take: We get the point: Breed has long been surrounded by people who did get charged, while she has not. But an FBI inquiry is not an indictment, and the next thing to watch is whether investigators find evidence beyond insider accusations. * > “Might have been the intent, but much like Ed Lee there'll be the problem where she didn't end up with a Bloomberg job.” — r/sanfrancisco (24 upvotes) [https://www.reddit.com/r/sanfrancisco/comments/1tedwxs/fbi_inquires_into_allegations_london_breed_traded/om25bu2/] Our take: That’s the key complication: if the alleged benefit never arrived, proving a quid pro quo gets harder. It does not make the appointment clean, but it does make the legal theory less like a neat TV corruption plot. * > “On the one hand, it wouldn’t surprise me. > On the other hand, the FBI is led by an alkie” — r/sanfrancisco (58 upvotes) [https://www.reddit.com/r/sanfrancisco/comments/1tedwxs/fbi_inquires_into_allegations_london_breed_traded/om1tddd/] Our take: The cynicism is understandable; the personal jab is doing more work than the analysis. If two former allies made specific corruption claims and federal investigators are asking questions, that deserves a factual read, not just vibes about the FBI. 2. SF DA Brooke Jenkins warns of ‘devastating’ court ruling [https://amedpost.com/sf-da-brooke-jenkins-warns-of-devastating-court-ruling/] — Amed Post SF DA Brooke Jenkins warns of ‘devastating’ court ruling - Amed Post Search Sign in Welcome! Log into your account your username your password Forgot your password? Get help Password recovery Recover your password your email A password will be e-mailed to you. Sunday, May 17, 2026 Sign in / Join Facebook Instagram Twitter Vimeo Youtube Search Home News SF DA Brooke Jenkins warns of ‘devastating’… 3. Board of Ed members who moved Algebra to 9th grade were/are endorsed by groups that opposed the change [https://www.reddit.com/r/sanfrancisco/comments/1tfez0n/board_of_ed_members_who_moved_algebra_to_9th/] — r/sanfrancisco (21 pts, 21 comments) The changes to SFUSD's math sequence were approved in February 2014: [Link](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xYocda-e4GgpYciNICdfITPIMSQEKRwB/view?usp=share_link) (See p.60, marked as p.41) This was the composition of the board that made the change: * Sandra Lee Fewer- President * Emily M. Murase, Ph.D. - Vice President \[Endorsed by GrowSF for BoS\] * Matt Haney \[Endorsed by GrowSF for state… 4. New San Francisco Bay Ferry names reference 'Mrs. Doubtfire,' Willie Mays [https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/sf-bay-ferry-names-22261270.php] — SFGATE New SF ferry names reference 'Mrs. Doubtfire,' Willie Mays SF Gate LogoHearst Newspapers Logo Skip to main content TOP STORY 45m ago Trump administration stacks SF Presidio board with tech elite 45m ago # New San Francisco Bay Ferry names reference 'Mrs. Doubtfire,' Willie Mays By Timothy Karoff, Culture ReporterMay 15, 2026 A rendering of one of the anticipated 150-passenger San Francisco Bay… 5. The Rossi Park Tennis Cabal [https://www.reddit.com/r/sanfrancisco/comments/1tf3v18/the_rossi_park_tennis_cabal/] — r/sanfrancisco (1747 pts, 313 comments) There is a group of local players who have essentially staged a hostile takeover of the public, first-come-first-serve courts. They have been doing this for at least two years. They treat these public parks like their own personal country club. In fact, they have the absolute gall to run a website (rossiracquetclub.com), sell merch, collect "membership fees," and promote themselves—all while… Daily TopFive for San Francisco Politics and Urbanism Daily. Links above go to the original articles. Feedback? Email sf-daily-fix@lanternpodcasts.com [sf-daily-fix@lanternpodcasts.com].

SF Targets Shadow Delays as Reform Meets Hard Numbers — May 15, 2026

San Francisco’s reform agenda is getting more concrete: Mahmood wants to strip shadow appeals from housing fights, the city is touting a 15-year low in unsheltered homelessness, and the controller’s economist warns Prop. D could push more businesses out. IN THIS EPISODE 1. Casting shade on shadows: S.F. supervisor seeks to bar using shadows to block new housing | News Pub [https://newspub.live/west/san-francisco/casting-shade-on-shadows-s-f-supervisor-seeks-to-bar-using-shadows-to-block-new-housing/] — News Pub Casting shade on shadows: S.F. supervisor seeks to bar using shadows to block new housing | News Pub Connect with us Shadows cast by tall and not-so-tall buildings alike have long been used to block housing in San Francisco, and Supervisor Bilal Mahmood wants it to end. The District 5 legislator is announcing a law on Thursday that would eliminate the ability for people to say shadows cast by… 2. Step Back — San Francisco keeps announcing housing reforms, but what actually has to happen between changing a zoning rule and getting new apartments built—and where do projects most often get delayed, downsized, or killed? BACKGROUND SOURCES * S.F. lagged behind other big cities in getting housing permitted [https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/s-f-lagged-behind-in-housing-permitting-time-21958233.php] — J.K. Dineen * S.F. wants to stop housing projects from being blocked over shadows [https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/housing-shadow-san-francisco-22256909.php] — J.K. Dineen * San Francisco stalled megaprojects would bring 20k homes to market [https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/housing-megaprojects-stalled-20812460.php] — Roland Li * One of the Slowest US Cities to Build, San Francisco Is Accelerating ... [https://www.kqed.org/news/12075520/one-of-the-slowest-us-cities-to-build-san-francisco-is-accelerating-housing-permits] — Kqed * This loophole stalled an S.F. affordable housing project for months [https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/affordable-housing-project-san-francisco-21334202.php] — Alyce McFadden 3. SF sees drop in unsheltered homelessness, reports 15-year low from most recent count [https://abc7news.com/post/san-francisco-sees-drop-unsheltered-homelessness-reports-15-year-low-most-recent-point-time-count/19090426/] — ABC7 San Francisco San Francisco sees drop in unsheltered homelessness, reports 15-year low from most recent Point-in-Time count - ABC7 San Francisco # SF sees drop in unsheltered homelessness, reports 15-year low from most recent count Thursday, May 14, 2026 7:27PM SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie said the city is seeing a significant decline in unsheltered homelessness, citing preliminary… 4. SF's economist: Prop. D Overpaid Executive Tax hike ups risk | Politics | sfexaminer.com [https://www.sfexaminer.com/news/politics/sfs-economist-prop-d-overpaid-executive-tax-hike-is-risky/article_fd5c0900-e781-4990-9bf3-09e5af7bdc87.html] — San Francisco Examiner SF's economist: Prop. D Overpaid Executive Tax hike ups risk | Politics | sfexaminer.com You are the owner of this article. Edit Article Add New Article You have permission to edit this article. Share This Report says ballot measure to raise Overpaid Executive Tax is risky when evidence shows businesses have cut their presences in The City"/> San Francisco Chief Economist Ted Egan — seen in… Daily TopFive for San Francisco Politics and Urbanism Daily. Links above go to the original articles. Feedback? Email sf-daily-fix@lanternpodcasts.com [sf-daily-fix@lanternpodcasts.com].