by Brian Leubitz [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

I do some web work for Mark Leno.

It's not often that the 300 signatures are gathered to actually pull something off of the consent calendar, but it happens. What doesn't happen is getting twice the number of required signatures. A few signatures over 600, in fact.

Tomorrow, Bill Clinton will be speaking to the convention, and Kamala Harris, SF's DA, will be speaking on behalf of Obama. While I have great respect for the 42nd president of the United States, he is not known for being a timely gentleman. What time the platform, the SD-03 race, and the consent calendar will come up are pretty much all dependent upon when President Clinton shows up.

Tomorrow should be an exciting day for the San Francisco folks and the Clinton delegates. Should be fun.

by Brian Leubitz [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

I do some web work for No on 98.

A quick one here. I'm not sure I can add much to this story, especially given the facts of these cases. Basically, LA rents skyrocket, so landlords decide that they don't want Section 8 tenants after all.  So, out they go. Pay up or else!

In a blow to some of the Valley's poorest people, nearly 50 mostly senior and disabled tenants are being forced out of their apartments by landlords seeking to flee city rent control and subsidized housing.

Renters in Reseda, Northridge and North Hollywood who get federal Section 8 subsidies have been told to pay full market rates or get out, tenants, city officials and housing advocates said.

Though there are 45 documented cases, 115 tenants in four complexes could get 90-day notices that demand as much as $900 more a month in rent, or face eviction. (LADN 3/12/08)

Just a taste of what's to come when Prop 98 passes and we tenants protections are reduced or eliminated.  Get used to it.

by Brian Leubitz [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

I do some web work for No on 98.

A while back, I mentioned a lawsuit against AG Jerry Brown regarding the ballot title for prop 98, "EMINENT DOMAIN. LIMITS ON GOVERNMENT AUTHORITY." You see, that really doesn't clearly articulate what Prop 98 does.  But, let's just think about the amount of people this actually impacts. Eminent domain? A few hundred per year. Rent Control? Several hundred thousand.

So which one should be in the ballot title? Hmmm. Nonetheless, the judge ruled that Brown, while perhaps wrong, didn't actually overstep his authority. Under the law, being wrong isn't enough, but rather you must be super-wrong. So wrong that you didn't have authority to be that wrong. So, when you get that June ballot in the mail, for prop 98 it will say "Eminent Domain. Limits on Government Authority." despite the fact that it will impact far more people through its rent control provisions than through eminent domain.  

You know, the thing that I don't get here is why Brown wouldn't include it. After all, it's pretty clear he has designs on reliving the 80's by running for governor again. You'd think he wouldn't try to intentionally mess with the tenants organizations.  But, alas, the enigma that is Jerry Brown continues.