The Mayor’s proposed CIP Budget

If you are a city government ‘nerdy’ like myself, you will get a kick out of the proposed budget (DOC)

Funny how the SFPD can’t scrounge up $2,200 to fix windows they damaged but we have all kinds of money for other things.

Here are some highlights;

$100K for Event Center ‘improvements’ (Budgeting for improvements on a building that isn’t even completed yet. Anybody know a good ‘sider’)

$2.76 Million to the Pavilion ($500K for a generator, $320K for escalators, $200K for sculpture garden improvements) I would also like to respond to a commenter that said they believed the Pavilion already brought in good shows. I agree. I think what most people want is MORE shows and diversity. Nobody is asking the Pavilion to stop what they are doing currently (Musicals, Symphony, Plays etc.) they just want to see other stuff there. One of the biggest hurdles is that promoters don’t like dealing with them anymore.

$4.8 million on the River Greenway. Continuing to subsidize developers bulkheads and landscaping along the 15th dirtiest river in the country. We could sure buy a lot of lagoon pumps, honey wagons and manure spreaders for $4.8 million.

$800K for the Sanford Sports Complex Improvements. I thought the SSC was awarded millions in TIFs so they could improve the site. Hornswaggled again by the Sanfords of the world.

$400K towards McKennan Park Band Shell replacement. Was there something wrong with the current one?

$5.6 million for Falls Park improvements. Once again, I ask the question, What is wrong with Falls Park? It it is beautiful and well maintained.

$10 Million for new parking ramp Downtown. Didn’t we just tear one down for $1 and proposing to close the one next to Sushi Masa? Now that’s prudence!

There are many projects for water, sewage and drainage in the CIP. Which I find odd. They keep telling us that they had to raise our water/sewer rates because there are enterprise funds now to help pay for upgrades. Why dip into the CIP?