San Francisco Youth Commission
Minutes of the Meeting of Monday, March 1, 2010
5:30-8:00pm
City Hall, Room 416
There will be public comment on each item.
1. Call to Order
Chair Quesada called the meeting to order at 5:34pm.
Commissioners present: Deng, Marshall-Fricker, Liang, J. Chan, A. Chan, Hirano, Williams, Davidson, Quesada
Commissioners tardy: Jones, Carlson, Quintero, LaCroix
Commissioners Absent: Vasquez (excused), Ellington (excused)
2. Approval of Agenda (Action Item)
Commissioner Liang moved to approve the agenda, seconded by Williams. This motion was passed unanimously by acclamation.
3. Approval of Minutes (Action Item)
Commissioner Hirano moved to approve the minutes of the meeting of February 1, 2010, seconded by Marshall-Fricker. This motion was passed unanimously by acclamation.
4. Public Comment on Items not on Agenda
After soliciting public comment and seeing no one come forward, Chair Quesada closed public comment.
5. Staff Report
Chair Quesada and Commissioner Jones updated their colleagues on the Youth Commission’s successful lobbying of the Municipal Transportation Agency’s Board of Directors. After massive youth (and senior and disabled) turnout to meeting on February 23 and 26, the Board voted against raising the price of the Youth Fast Pass to $30/month. Chair Quesada and Commissioner Jones also reminded the commission that it will be important to lobby the MTA Board in the coming months in order to compel the Board to create and implement a Youth Lifeline Pass along the lines of what was called for in Youth Commission resolution 09-10AL07.
6. New Business
A. Discussion and Possible Action: Presentation on Youth Engagement in Civic Life and City Politics
Presenter: Ace Washington, journalist
Mr. Washington, a journalist, longtime activist in city politics and Western Addition resident, invited the commissioners to get involved in a “youth-driven,” Western Addition-based, civic engagement program that would involve youth in the political and democratic process in local politics.
Commissioners Quesada and Jones asked clarifying questions and thanked Mr. Washington.
B. Discussion and Possible Action: Presentation on the Census 2010 in San Francisco
Presenter: Adrienne Pon, Executive Director, Office of Civic Engagement, City Administrator
Ms. Pon explained the importance of all San Franciscans being counted in the 2010 census. The number of people counted will determine the amount of federal dollars San Franciscans—including young San Franciscans, particularly with respect to college grants and loans—receive over the course of the next decade.
Priscilla Olivas, deputy to Ms. Pon, provided the commissioners with a brief overview of the youth-focused outreach that the City is trying to do.
Chair Quesada encouraged Ms. Pon and Ms. Olivas to contact him and Commissioner Hirano (both of whom are film and video students at School of the Arts) should the Office of Civic Engagement wish to use video as a medium to reach out to young people.
C. Discussion and Possible Action: Legislation Referred from the Board of Supervisors
Proposed ordinance file no. 100103
[Prohibition on Tobacco Sales Within 1,000 Feet of a School]
(Mayor Newsom)
Presenter: Matt Rosen & youth leaders, Tobacco Use Reduction Force, Youth Leadership Institute
Presenter: Jason Elliott, Policy Advisor to Mayor Newsom
Documents A, B, C
Mr. Elliott provided a general overview of the ordinance-in-question, speaking to both the policy the law attempts to enact, as well as genesis of the particular ordinance itself. To wit, Mr. Elliott explained that after close consultation with the Department of Public Health, Mayor Newsom decided that a significant reduction in youth tobacco use could be effected by limiting the existence of cigarette vendors in close proximity (namely, 1,000 feet) to school sites, given that there is much data which demonstrates that many youth smokers purchase tobacco near their schools. As an example of the ease with which minors can currently access tobacco, Mr. Elliott mentioned that in a self-reported survey of San Francisco store owners, 13.2% of respondents admitted to selling tobacco to under-age youth.
Commissioners Carlson, Hirano, Jones and Chair Quesada asked clarifying questions regarding what the proposed ordinance would do with respect to already-existing stores within 1,000 feet of a school site.
Subsequently, Fahad Qurashi, a former staff member at the Youth Leadership Institute (YLI), and members of YLI’s Tobacco Use Reduction Force (TURF), spoke. They commended Mayor Newsom for taking on the issue of youth tobacco use and consumption. However, these speakers made it clear that in their estimation, Mayor Newsom’s proposed ordinance does not go far enough—TURF is against, for example, allowing existing stores to transfer tobacco licenses to family members, an eventuality which the proposed ordinance would permit. In fact, as the Commissioners well know (the Youth Commission voted to endorse TURF’s agenda during the 2008-2009 term), TURF’s policy recommendations concerning youth smoking are different than that of Mayor Newsom: as opposed to limiting tobacco vendors’ proximity to schools, TURF wants to limit the number of tobacco licenses per supervisorial district.
Commissioners Jones, LaCroix, Deng and Chair Quesada asked clarifying questions.
At public comment, Regina Dick-Endrizzi, Director of the Office of Small Business, explained that though her office has yet to take an official position on this proposed ordinance, she is confident that the Mayor’s legislation (as opposed to TURF’s recommendations) are more along the lines of what her office would support. She reminded everyone that corner stores are not owned by evil people; that tobacco retailers have families and they sell a legal (if unhealthy and “despicable”) product.
There is already significant yearly attrition, Ms. Dick-Endrizzi explained with the aid of a memo containing data from the Department of Public Health, in the number of tobacco licenses. Ms. Dick-Endrizzi urged the commission to support the proposed ordinance.
There was discussion between and among commissioners Carlson, Jones, LaCroix and Deng.
Commissioner Marshall-Fricker moved to support the proposed ordinance, seconded by Carlson. The motion passed by the following unanimous roll call vote: Ayes—Deng, Marshall-Fricker, Liang, J. Chan, Jones, Carlson, A. Chan, Hirano, Williams, Quintero, LaCroix, Davidson, Quesada
D. Discussion and Possible Action: Legislation Referred from the Board of Supervisors
Proposed resolution file no. 100053
[Accepting a gift to the Recreation and Park Department of synthetic turf athletic fields valued at approximately $6,000,000 from the City Fields Foundation.]
(Supervisors Mar, Campos, Chu, Chiu, Elsbernd, Alioto-Pier, Dufty)
Document D
Chair Quesada introduced this item by hazarding that the Youth Commission has already weighed in—twice—on the issue of the installation of artificial turf in San Francisco’s parks. He argued that the Commission has effectively belabored this issue and, thus, perhaps shouldn’t take a position on this referred legislation.
After discussion among and between Hirano, Carlson, Marshall-Fricker, Jones, Deng, Quintero and Chair Quesada, commissioner Hirano moved to support the proposed ordinance, seconded by Carlson. This motion failed by the following roll call vote: Ayes—Marshall-Fricker, Liang, Carlson, Williams; No’s—Deng, J. Chan, Jones, A. Chan, Hirano, Quintero, LaCroix, Davidson, Quesada.
Thus, the commission took no stance on this referred legislation.
E. Discussion and Possible Action: Legislation Referred from the Board of Supervisors
Proposed hearing file no. 100158
[Hearing on the Juvenile Probation Department's status regarding the implementation of Ordinance No. 228-09 on the Confidentiality of Juveniles' Immigration Status, which the Board of Supervisors passed on November 10, 2009.]
Documents E, F
Julia Sabory, Youth Commission Director, provided background on this hearing: Supervisor Campos wants to know why the Juvenile Probation Department is not enforcing the law (which the commission supported and wrote a resolution on) prohibiting agents from referring undocumented youth charged with felonies to Immigration and Customs Enforcement until the young person in question is convicted of a felony.
Marshall-Fricker moved to support the hearing, seconded by Hirano. This motion was passed unanimously by acclamation.
F. Discussion and Possible Action: Resolution 09-10AL09
In Support of the March 4 Demonstration for Education Justice
Presenter & Author: Commissioner LaCroix
Document G
Commissioner LaCroix read the resolution into the public record.
Commissioner Marshall-Fricker moved to suspend the Youth Commission’s bylaws to allow the commission to vote on this resolution at its first reading (given that the event which the resolution supports will occur in some four days, before the commission meets again). Commissioner Liang seconded this motion. The motion was approved unanimously by acclamation.
Commissioner Jones moved to support the resolution, seconded by Carlson. The motion was approved unanimously by acclamation.
7. Announcements (This includes Community Events)
8. Adjournment
Chair Quesada adjourned the meeting at 7:24pm.
Supplemental documents for agenda items are available for review at City Hall Room 345. Minutes are also available on the Youth Commission Website at www.sfgov.org/youth_commission
ACCESSIBLE MEETING POLICY
The Youth Commission meeting will be held in City Hall Room 416. The formal address of City Hall is 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco, CA. The closest accessible BART station is the Civic Center Station at the United Nations Plaza and Market Street. Accessible MUNI lines serving this location are: MUNI Metro Lines J-Church, K-Ingleside, L-Taraval, M-Oceanview, N-Judah, and T-Third Street at Van Ness and Civic Center Stations; 9-San Bruno, 19-Polk, 47-VanNess, and 71-Haight Noriega. For information about MUNI accessible services call 923-6142.
The Commission meeting room is wheelchair accessible. Accessible curbside parking spaces have been designated on the corners of McAllister and Polk, and Grove and Polk. There is accessible parking available within the Civic Center Underground Parking Garage at the corner of McAllister and Polk Streets, and within the Performing Arts Parking Garage at Grove and Franklin Streets.
If you require the use of an American sign language interpreter, a sound enhancement system, or a reader during the meeting, calendars and minutes of the meeting in alternative formats; such arrangements can be made by calling Mario Yedidia at (415) 554-6446, at least 72 hours prior to the meeting. Late requests will be honored if possible.
Individuals with severe allergies, environmental illness, multiple chemical sensitivity or related disabilities should call our accessibility hotline at (415) 554-8925 to discuss meeting accessibility. In order to assist the City’s efforts to accommodate such people, attendees at public meetings are reminded that other attendees may be sensitive to various chemical based products. Please help the City to accommodate these individuals.
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS UNDER THE SUNSHINE ORDINANCE
(Chapter 67 of the San Francisco Administrative Code)
Government’s duty is to serve the public, reaching its decision in full public. Commissions, boards, councils and other agencies of the City and County exist to conduct the people’s business. The Ordinance assures that deliberations are conducted before the people and that City Operations are open to the people’s review.
For more information on your rights under the Sunshine Ordinance, or to report a violation of the ordinance, contact by mail: Administrator, Sunshine Ordinance Task Force, City Hall Room 224, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco, CA 94102; by phone at (415) 554-7724; by fax at (415) 554-7854; or by e-mail at sotf@sfgov.org.
Citizens interested in obtaining a free copy of the Sunshine Ordinance can request a copy from the Administrator, Sunshine Ordinance Task Force or by printing Chapter 67 of the San Francisco Administrative Code on the internet, at http://www.sfgov.org/bdsupvrs/sunshine.htm.