SF Supervisor's Budget Commitee Final Meeting Wednesday, June 30, 5:00 p.m.

Public Golf Alliance Members:

The Supervisors Budget Committee will hold their final public meeting on the 2010-2012 budget on Wednesday, June 30, starting at 5:00 p.m. at the Supervisors' Legislative Chambers, San Francisco City Hall, Second Floor.

The proceedings will be televised live on SF Government TV, Channel 26, on the web at:  http://www.sfgovtv.org/index.aspx?page=69

At that meeting, the Budget Committee will vote on recommendations that it will make to the Full Board of Supervisors for changes to the Mayor's Proposed Budget.  (See link to the Mayor's Proposed Budget:

http://www.sfmayor.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/FINALFY10-11MYRProposedBudget.pdf) 

 After the Budget Committee makes its recommendation, the Full Board of Supervisors will meet twice in the second half of July to vote on establishing the 2010-2012 budget.  The full procedure is described at pages 33-36 of the Mayor's Proposed Budget, linked above.

Although the Budget Committee heard twice from the Rec & Park Department, at public hearings June 17 and 24, there were no questions from the Supervisors, and no comment by Rec & Park Department representatives, about Sharp Park or its finances. At the Budget Committee's June 21 public comment session, Public Golf Alliance members and other Sharp Park Golf Course supporters made a spirited defense of the golf course; on the other hand, golf opponents called for the golf course to be closed because it "loses money".  Golf Alliance member Mike Wallach has prepared an excellent summary of Sharp Park finances and of the pro-and-con Sharp Park public testimony at the June 21 Budget Committee meeting:

http://eatarf242.blogspot.com/2010/06/dispatches-from-sf-golf-war-sharp-park.html

. 

Additionally, Mike has prepared two excellent u-tube videos:

(1) explaining the Sharp Park finances (i.e., that Sharp Park is a net revenue-producer for the city, rather than the so-called "money loser" as mistakenly claimed by golf's opponents): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HddmobFkgw

and

(2) showing an exchange at Supervisor Mirkarimi's December 16, 2009 public hearing between Rec & Park Director Phil Ginsberg and Supervisor Mirkarimi, in which Mr. Ginsberg explained how revenue from Sharp Park subsidizes other Rec & Park programs and functions, and Supervisor Mirkarimi characterized the claims of "operating loss" at Sharp Park as "de minimus" and "small

change":  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zi7AkW-OHBc&feature=related

The Rec & Park Budget appears at pages 369-375 of the Mayor's Proposed Budget (linked above).  It is not detailed, and Sharp Park is not separately described or  mentioned.  There is nothing in the Capital Projects section of the Proposed Budget for sea wall or habitat restoration at Sharp Park.

So the golf opponents' argument that Sharp should be closed in order to save millions of dollars in sea wall and related capital expenditures is just baloney.  There are no such capital costs in the 2010-2012 budget now under consideration by the Supervisors.  If Sharp Park Golf Course were to be closed now, the effect on the 2010-2012 budgets would be (1) reduction in income to the city; (2) no capital cost savings; and (3) closure of a much-beloved, widely-used, and historic People's Golf Course. 

We will continue to keep you posted on developments.  Thanks for your work to Save Sharp Park.

-- Richard Harris

   San Francisco Public Golf Alliance

   392-5431, ext. 203