Trees at Lands End

By Robert Ellison. Updated on Saturday, June 7, 2025.

Trees at Lands End

Rain falling through trees at Lands End, San Francisco (Golden Gate National Recreation Area).

Trees at Lands End

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(Published to the Fediverse as: Trees at Lands End #photo #sanfrancisco #landsend #trees Photo of rain falling through trees at Lands End, San Francisco, California (Golden Gate National Recreation Area). )

San Francisco November 2016 Propositions

San Francisco November 2016 Propositions

The voter guide for November 2016 reminds me of The Cat in the Hat Comes Back. You've got propositions A, B and C, D, E and F, G, H and I, J, K and L, M, N and O, P, Q and R, S, T and U, V, W and X. Y is missing and so is the microscopic and invisible little proposition Z. We do get an RR for BART though.

Also missing is the Voom, the magic powder that makes all the mess go away. Really this slate of city propositions is the government failing to do it's job and punting to the voters. I'm tempted to send the Board of Supervisors a week of my work to handle while I struggle through theirs. Maybe the supervisors should be limited to whatever they feel the most important one is?

As much as I hate it I have to do the best job I can. This is shorter than my state guide because after slogging through that I'm losing my will to live. Here goes:

Proposition A: San Francisco Unified School District Bond Issue

Yes. Necessary funds to fix and build schools.

Proposition B: San Francisco Community College

Yes. We need to continue to resuscitate City College.

Proposition C: San Francisco Affordable Housing Bond Issue

Yes. Repurposes unspent seismic upgrade bonds to housing.

Proposition D: San Francisco Vacancy Appointments

No. This one is just weird - someone appointed to a vacant supervisor spot can’t then run for election? Makes no sense.

Proposition E: San Francisco City Responsibility for Street Trees and Sidewalks Amendment

No. Ring fences money for tree maintenance. This was shifted to property owners and should probably stay there. I’m also generally opposed to untouchable money in the city budget.

Proposition F: San Francisco Youth Voting in Local Elections

No. Students shouldn’t be voting for the school board.

Proposition G: San Francisco Police Oversight Amendment

Yes. SFPD clearly needs more supervision.

Proposition H: San Francisco Establishment of a Public Advocate Office Amendment

No. We don’t need to pay for someone to write reports. Seems like a recipe for pointless infighting. If we get fed up with the Mayor we can elect a new one.

Proposition I: San Francisco Funding for Seniors and Adults with Disabilities Amendment

No. Should be funded by the city without needing any special ring fencing. I don’t want to be involved in setting the right level.

Proposition J: San Francisco Homeless Services and Transportation Funds Amendment

Yes. Spends the money from Prop K on transportation and homelessness.

Proposition K: San Francisco Sales Tax Increase

Yes. I don’t love it because it’s regressive but it’s a small increase for a couple of good causes (see K above).

Proposition L: San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Governance Amendment

No. Leave the Mayor in charge of the MUNI board.

Proposition M: San Francisco Housing and Development Commission Establishment Amendment

No. Doesn’t need a new body of politicians.

Proposition N: San Francisco Non-Citizen Voting in School Board Elections

No. Only citizens should get to vote.

Proposition O: San Francisco Office Development in Candlestick Point and Hunters Point

Yes. Allows more office space to be created in a much needed development project.

Proposition P: San Francisco Minimum Three-Proposal Requirement for Affordable Housing Projects on City Property

No. Makes it harder to get projects going. Most projects have multiple bidders already.

Proposition Q: San Francisco Prohibiting Tents on Public Sidewalks

No. Focus on more shelter space instead. Speeding up the process of kicking people into non-existent services isn’t helping anyone.

Proposition R: San Francisco Neighborhood Crime Unit Creation

No. Not that I’m a fan of graffiti or other neighborhood blight but forcing SFPD to allocate offices to it full time means that more serious crime might not get the attention it needs.

Proposition S: San Francisco Allocation of Hotel Tax Funds

No. The money should continue to go to the general fund and not be locked down for a specific purpose.

Proposition T: San Francisco Restricting Gifts and Campaign Contributions from Lobbyists

Yes. More constraints and time in the sunshine for lobbyists.

Proposition U: San Francisco Income Qualifications for Affordable Housing

No. Not enough to go around as it is so it doesn’t make sense to make it easier to apply for.

Proposition V: San Francisco Soda and Sugary Beverages Tax

No. Regressive and of dubious value. And I only just voted on this in 2014.

Proposition W: San Francisco Real Estate Transfer Tax

No. This tax is already higher than other bay area cities and the funds raised would be ring fenced.

Proposition X: San Francisco Replacement Space Requirement for Development Projects

No. Should be part of the regular planning process and not a proposition.

Measure RR: San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District

Yes. BART desperately needs the upgrades.

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(Published to the Fediverse as: San Francisco November 2016 Propositions #politics #propositions #election #sanfrancisco ITHCWY voter guide to the November 2016 San Francisco propositions and a rant about the Board of Supervisors failing to do their job. )

Golden Gate Park from Grand View Park

By Robert Ellison. Updated on Saturday, June 7, 2025.

Golden Gate Park from Grand View Park

Panoramic photo of the full extent of Golden Gate Park as seen from Grand View Park in San Francisco.

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(Published to the Fediverse as: Golden Gate Park from Grand View Park #photo #grandview #goldengatepark #sanfrancisco Photo (Panoramic) of Golden Gate Park from Grand View Park in San Francisco, California. )

Clouds Over The Farallones

By Robert Ellison. Updated on Saturday, June 7, 2025.

Clouds Over The Farallones

Dramatic clouds over the Farallon Islands in the Pacific just off San Francisco.

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(Published to the Fediverse as: Clouds Over The Farallones #photo #farallones #farallon #sanfrancisco Photo of some dramatic clouds over the Farallon Islands in the Pacific Ocean near San Francisco, California. )

Bayview Rise

By Robert Ellison. Updated on Saturday, June 7, 2025.

Bayview Rise

Bayview Rise is a large work of art created by Laura Haddad and Tom Drugan installed at Port Pier 92 in the Bayview district of San Francisco.

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(Published to the Fediverse as: Bayview Rise #photo #sanfrancisco Bayview Rise, an illuminated mural by Laura Haddad and Tom Drugan at Port Pier 92 in San Francisco, California. )

San Francisco from Mount Davidson

By Robert Ellison. Updated on Saturday, June 7, 2025.

San Francisco from Mount Davidson

Photo of San Francisco seen through some rocks on Mount Davidson.

San Francisco from Mount Davidson

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(Published to the Fediverse as: San Francisco from Mount Davidson #photo #mountdavidson #sanfrancisco Photo of San Francisco from Mount Davidson (through some rocks). )

Corona Heights

By Robert Ellison. Updated on Saturday, June 7, 2025.

Corona Heights

Photo of downtown San Francisco seen through a crack in the rocks at Corona Heights Park.

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(Published to the Fediverse as: Corona Heights #photo #sanfrancisco Photo of Sa Francisco from Corona Heights Park in San Francisco, California. )

Sunset sunset 4k

By Robert Ellison. Updated on Saturday, February 19, 2022.

Sunset sunset 4k

An update to my previous sunset sunset timelapse, this time with better colors and in 4K. It's sunset over the Sunset District in San Francisco.

(previously)

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(Published to the Fediverse as: Sunset sunset 4k #timelapse #sunset #sanfrancisco #4k #video Timelapse of sunset over the Sunset District in San Francisco shot in 4K )

Path

By Robert Ellison. Updated on Saturday, June 7, 2025.

Path

Photo of one of the many hiking trails on Mount Davidson in San Francisco.

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(Published to the Fediverse as: Path #photo #sanfrancisco #mountdavidson Photo of a hiking trail on Mount Davidson in San Francisco, California. )

San Francisco 2014 Ballot Measures

By Robert Ellison. Updated on Wednesday, February 22, 2017.

San Francisco 2014 Ballot Measures

My voting guide for the San Francisco 2014 ballot measures:

A: San Francisco Transportation and Road Improvement Bond

Yes: This borrows half a billion dollars to improve bike lanes, transit lanes, pedestrian crossings, etc. I walk, drive and bike around San Francisco as well as taking MUNI. We're killing too many people, especially pedestrians, and need to do a better job.

B: Adjusting Transportation Funding for Population Growth

No: More money to MUNI from population growth instead of tax base growth. These seem like they should be related and if not fix the tax base not the funding formula.

C: Fund; Public Education Enrichment Fund; Children and Families Council; Rainy Day Reserve

Yes: Continues existing universal preschool for 4-year-olds and other kids programs.

D: Retiree Health Benefits for Former Redevelopment Agency and Successor Agency Employees

Yes: This fixes a kink in benefits for a few city employees. Seems fair.

E: Tax on Sugar-Sweetened Beverages

No. I'm somewhat torn on this one. It probably would reduce sugar consumption but is that displaced spending going to broccoli? It's a regressive tax and I'd rather see more effort on education or making healthier alternatives more available and appealing.

F: Pier 70

Yes: Looks like a good development.

G: Additional Transfer Tax on Residential Property Sold Within 5 Years of Purchase

No. Covers way too many sales without many exemptions. Unfair to property owners.

H: Requiring Certain Golden Gate Park Athletic Fields To Be Kept As Grass With No Artificial Lighting

No: H and I are fight over installing artificial turf on the fields by the Beach Chalet. I've played soccer on gopher-ridden grass and it's lethal. I don't want to be responsible for twisted ankles so no on H and yes on I.

I: Renovation of Playgrounds, Walking Trails, and Athletic Fields

Yes. See H.

J: Minimum Wage Increase

Yes: It would be nice if more people who work in San Francisco could afford to live in San Francisco.

K: Affordable Housing

No: Not because it's a bad idea to add more affordable housing but it's a non-binding policy statement and doesn't actually seem to change anything.

L: Policy Regarding Transportation Priorities

No: This seeks to change policy to favor cars over other transit options. Nuts.

(previously)

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(Published to the Fediverse as: San Francisco 2014 Ballot Measures #politics #election #propositions #sanfrancisco Official ITHCWY voter guide to the San Francisco 2014 Ballot Measures. )