Budgets Should Not Be Made By Press Rallies

by Paul Hogarth, Beyond Chron (reposted)

Thu, Jun 14, 2007 8:44AM

Thursday, June 14, 2007: In the latest City budget showdown, weve had dueling press conferences planned at the same time, allegations that the Mayor used city resources for campaign purposes, accusations about whos cutting what, and grandstanding about whos fighting for housing. Chris Daly has every right to be upset that Mayor Newsom wont fund the affordable housing package after a veto-proof majority of the Supervisors passed it.

But by re-inserting the $33 million into the Mayors proposed budget by reducing funding for other projects, Daly caused himself a heap of trouble with even some of his own allies. And while Newsom has mobilized all the resources of his re-election campaign to fight for his priorities, we dont see groups who would benefit from the housing money actively confronting the Mayor. Daly says that this will happen next week (when he throws his own press conference), but its too soon to tell. The Family Budget Coalition has asked the Mayor and the Supervisors to work together to find at least $60 million during the add-back process, which would necessarily require cuts to the Mayors budget. Newsom supporters have also urged the sides to work together, which wont happen as long as the budget becomes a proxy fight for the Mayors race.

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