California and San Francisco have really outdone themselves this year. Our latest voter information pamphlet is actually a book about 1/2 inch thick, and that's only for the English version. We've got 12 state ballot initiatives and 22 San Francisco ballot measures. SF school district is electing four new school board commissioners, a bunch of new city board members, college board and more.
The one item that, if successful will give me pleasure almost as great as the election of Obama is Measure R: Renaming the Oceanside Water Treatment Plant.
Shall the City change the name of the Oceanside Water Pollution Control Plant to the George W. Bush Sewage Treatment Plant.
Awesome, isn't it? I'm swelling with civic pride as a long time SF resident, homeowner, and mother of two who raised her children here. This is the kind of leadership that makes San Francisco the envy of the progressive world. I can't WAIT to vote for it.
Details below:
Our most recent voting guide is chock full of information, most related to the election, but some of it is quite wide ranging. For example, one page sports a headline in bold "BE COYOTE AWARE" about the increasing numbers of wild coyotes (are there any other kind?) that live in Golden Gate Park, the Presidio and Bernal Heights. Voting by mail, precinct information, FAQ's and more are contained in its pages. Details about candidates and measures contain histories, pro and con statements, and lists of supporters and opponents.
"R" qualified to be on the ballot when the Department of Elections certified that more than the required 7,168 signatures were submitted on July 17, 2008. In fact, according to the Presidential Memorial Commission a total of 11,999 signatures were gathered. Our City Controller, Ben Rosenfield, has determined that fiscal impact would be minimum.
The Chairman of the PMC, states that in addition to the appropriate recognition for Bush's eight years of service to our country,
"It will also become the world's first presidential sewage plant, a potential tourist attraction, and therefore an opportunity for the dedicated plant workers to educate visitors about the essential and heretofore unknown public works."
I believe the renaming will be an excellent investment for the city's future and throw my full and unqualified support behind it.