SF bans pet ownership

[Guest guest]

1. San Francisco bans pet 'ownership'

2. Green Party Scores a Win on S.F. Board

 

1. SAN FRANCISCO BANS PET 'OWNERSHIP'

Associated Press

Published Jan. 15, 2003

 

SAN FRANCISCO -- Residents here have redefined their relationship with man's

best friend.

 

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed an ordinance Monday that

changes the city's health code to make pets' owners the animals' guardians.

 

City health officials last November urged the board to change the law so

pets would be considered animals, instead of someone's property.

 

``We're really trying to get to the heart of trying to treat animals more

humanely and promote guardianship,'' said Matt Gonzalez, the board's

president and chief sponsor of the ordinance.

 

Supervisor Gavin Newsom, however, said the proposal could cause confusion

among pet owners and veterinarians. He also noted the words ``owner'' and

``guardian'' have different legal definitions and could open up the city to

frivolous lawsuits.

 

Other localities that have passed similar ordinances are Berkeley, West

Hollywood, Boulder, Colo., and Rhode Island.

 

The ordinance needs the signature of Mayor Willie Brown to become law.

 

 

2. GREEN PARTY SCORES A WIN ON S.F. BOARD:

Gonzalez's election as president shocks Democratic leaders

by Rachel Gordon

 

Published on Thursday, January 9, 2003

by the San Francisco Chronicle

 

San Francisco, long a stronghold of the Democratic Party, got a jolt

Wednesday when Green Party candidate Matt Gonzalez made history by landing

the powerful post of Board of Supervisors president.

 

" This sends a very strong message about the ascension of progressives, and

particularly the Greens, " said Ross Mirkarimi, a San Francisco-based

political consultant who was a founding member of the state's Green Party.

 

" Nationally speaking, Matt Gonzalez will be one of the highest-ranking

(Green Party) officeholders in the United States when you look at the scale

of the populace he represents, " Mirkarimi said. " This is very significant

and very symbolic. "

 

The board president, elected by the supervisors, makes committee

assignments, orchestrates the movement of legislation and, if effective,

builds a majority coalition to pass laws. It's the second most powerful job

in City Hall, after mayor. The job will put the soft-spoken but passionate

Texas native, who at times has gone out of his way to avoid media

attention, into a high-profile role.

 

After a grueling battle, Gonzalez beat out two Democratic colleagues,

Supervisors Aaron Peskin and Sophie Maxwell, for the presidency. The winner

had to secure at least six votes on the board -- the bare majority -- which

Gonzalez finally pulled off on the seventh round of voting once Peskin

dropped out and broke the deadlock.

 

Gonzalez, a brainy former deputy public defender who represents the liberal

Haight-Ashbury and surrounding neighborhoods that make up District 5,

abandoned the Democratic Party two years ago, right before he won a

four-year term on the board.

 

The office of supervisor in San Francisco is nonpartisan.

 

Gonzalez's election as board president was not, obviously, made along party

lines. Nine of the 11 supervisors are Democrats, and some of the Democratic

Party's heavy hitters, most notably state Senate President John Burton,

lobbied against Gonzalez, not wanting to see the elevation of a Green.

Gonzalez, 37, said the race for president wasn't about party affiliation,

but about who could best lead the board. Still, he acknowledged, his Green

Party credentials shouldn't be ignored.

 

" It's significant for the party because it shows that someone elected in

the party can gain a leadership post, " he said.

 

Jane Morrison, chair of the San Francisco Democratic Party, was reluctant

to comment on the Gonzalez victory.

 

DEMOCRATS DISAPPOINTED

 

" You'd think that with nine Democrats on the board, they would have voted

Democratic, " is all she would say.

 

City Treasurer Susan Leal, a Democrat and mayoral hopeful, said that " in

some ways as a Democrat it's disappointing. But on the other hand, it puts

the Green Party on the spot. Now they have to show what they can do with

leadership instead of just being the protest party. "

 

Voters in Maine recently elected a Green to their state Assembly, and

Greens have been elected mayor in smaller cities, including Santa Monica.

 

In San Francisco, two Greens serve on the Board of Education.

 

The Greens showed strength in San Francisco in the November governor's race

when their candidate, Peter Camejo, garnered 15 percent of the vote -- far

short of the 66 percent that went to Democratic Gov. Gray Davis, but for

the first time slightly ahead of the Republican candidate, Bill Simon.

 

Gonzalez said he would focus on issues that improve city services and

government accountability and, without stating specifics, forward a

progressive agenda. Looming over everything, however, is the projected $200

million budget defict the city faces.

 

During his tenure as supervisor, Gonzalez floated the idea of enacting a

local minimum wage in San Francisco and supported efforts to raise the real

estate transfer tax on high-priced properties. He led the charge against

allowing the 49ers to sell the naming rights to Candlestick Park, a

city-owned stadium, and has proposed limiting cars in Golden Gate Park on

Saturdays.

 

VOCAL CRITIC OF MAYOR

 

He has been a vocal critic of Mayor Willie Brown's administration, pushing

plans to reduce Brown's cadre of special assistants and to blunt the

mayor's control over certain city commissions and the Department of

Elections.

To win the job, Gonzalez had support from the left and the right. His

original votes were from himself and Supervisors Tony Hall, Gerardo

Sandoval and Chris Daly.

 

Maxwell had herself and Supervisors Gavin Newsom and Bevan Dufty. Peskin's

camp included himself, outgoing board President Tom Ammiano and Supervisors

Jake McGoldrick and Fiona Ma.

 

After the sixth round of voting, Peskin backed out. Ammiano and Ma switched

to Maxwell; Peskin and McGoldrick voted for Gonzalez, giving him the win.

 

©2003 San Francisco Chronicle

[Guest guest]

Just to clarify: The ordinance actually does not ban the term " owner " or

ownership - it ADDS the term " guardian " to the health codes along with the

term " owner " - so, in the terms are equal and interchangeable.

 

I was really happy with the passing of this ordinance by Matt Gonzales -

he's been doing some great work lately for animals in SF (the guardian

ordinance, taking UCSF's Lisberger experiments to task

http://www.vivisectioninfo.org/ucsf/, and even supporting the prohibition of

wholesale or retail sale of animal fur products in The City, if only he was

in support of off-leash recreation in traditional off-leash areas and the

sale of live animals for food - but I'm still working on it!)

 

He deserves an email of thanks and congratulations for election to Board

President, for sure!

 

Matt Gonzalez - District 5

City Hall

1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 244

San Francisco, CA 94102-4689

(415) 554-7630 - voice

(415) 554-7634 - fax

Matt.Gonzalez

 

Kasie

www.daneduo.com

www.d5dog.org

www.sfdog.org