4/2 SF Rally To Remove the GG Arboretum Fee-Stop Privatization NOW!

4/2 SF Rally To Remove the GG Arboretum Fee-Stop Privatization NOW!
The Future of Arboretum is at Stake
RALLY TO REMOVE THE FEE !
Saturday April 2nd, 2011
1:00PM - 2:00PM
Arboretum Main Gate
(9th Avenue & Lincoln)
YOUR HELP IS NEEDED NOW
On April 6th, 2011, the Budget Committee of the Board of Supervisors will be making a crucial decision on the future of the fee, either free admissions for all or a permanent non-resident fee.

SUPPORT- Ordinance 110113 sponsored by Supervisors Avalos, Campos, Kim, Mar and Mirkarimi to use Prop N tax revenues as a sustainable solution to support a free public garden.

OPPOSE- Ordinance 110225 sponsored by the Mayor for a permanent fee.

After 7 months the fee has been a failure. Only $54,800 out of a promised $250,000 has been collected. Attendance, based on Rec & Park figures, has declined sharply with non-resident visitors down 70% vs. estimates and resident visitors down 36%. RPD's strategy is to market Strybing Arboretum as the new Japanese Tea Garden.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO STOP THIS HARMFUL FEE:

Attend the Budget Committee Hearing on Wed. April 6 (time TBA)

Call (by far most effective), e-mail and write potential swing-vote Supervisors to eliminate the fee:
David Chiu – 554 -7450 david.chiu(at)sfgov.org
Malia Cohen – 554- 7670 malia.cohen(at)sfgov.org
Scott Weiner – 554- 6968 scott.wiener(at)sfgov.org

Join The Rally To Remove The Fee ! Saturday April 2nd between 1:00PM - 2:00PM at the Arboretum Main Gate

UPDATE February 2011: Supervisors Introduce Ordinance to Remove The Fee
On February 1st, Supervisor John Avalos introduced an Ordinance to transfer $80,000 of tax receipts from the Proposition N measure passed last year to the Rec and Park Department. Should this ordinance be approved and Mayor Lee direct the funds to the RPD, amendments inserted into last year's rule authorizing the fee would rescind it - effective for the last three months of the City Fiscal Year in April, May and June. The new proposed law is sponsored by four other Supervisors: Eric Mar, David Campos, Ross Mirkarimi and Jane Kim. One of the six remaining Supervisors needs to join this group in support to ensure passage when it is deliberated by the Board sometime in March. Mayor Lee also needs to agree to direct the funds to RPD.

Please contact the following uncommitted city supervisors and Mayor Lee’s office to ask them to pass Ordinance # 110113 and direct the funds to the RPD.

Here is a click-through link to use to send e-mail to the Mayor and all the Supervisors:
http://www.keeparboretumfree.org/remove-fee-ordinance-110113-email-bos

Calling is most effective:
Mayor Ed Lee 415 554-6141 mayoredwinlee(at)sfgov.org
David Chiu 415 554-7450 David.chiu(at)sfgov.org
Carmen Chu 415 554-7460 Carmen.chu(at)sfgov.org
Malia Cohen 415 554-7670 Malia.cohen(at)sfgov.org
Sean Elsbernd 415 554-6516 Sean.elsbernd(at)sfgov.org
Mark Farrell 415 554-7752 Mark.farrell(at)sfgov.org
Scott Wiener 415 554-6968 Scott.wiener(at)sfgov.org

Stop Private Development of Public Spaces - Keep Our Public Resources Free
Against the wishes of thousands who signed our petition and hundreds who sent letters to Supervisors, the Recreation and Park Department (RPD) has begun to charge fees to non-residents for admission to the Strybing Arboretum and restrict access to this peaceful and beautiful public garden. Mayor Newsom, RPD and the S.F. Botanical Society were able to push through an ordinance imposing the fees which was formally approved at the Board of Supervisor's June 22nd meeting. Though toll gates are installed to collect the fees and check everyone's IDs, the process to get this reversed is already under way. Amendments inserted to the ordinance by the Board can rescind the fees as soon as new tax revenue reaches the Recreation and Park Department (RPD) and also the fee policy will automatically sunset in one year requiring a review and renewal. With the passage of Prop N in November's elections we are working to ensure that RPD receives the required tax revenue to trigger the clause in the Ordinance which removes the fee program. Long-term, the Arboretum fee has made it clear that the policy framework at the RPD must be changed to respect our parks and community resources and to preserve them for everyone, shifting away from the ‘enterprise' focus of using the parks to generate fees and revenues.

Regarding the long-term direction of the RPD, Supervisor Mirkarimi introduced a Charter Amendment for the Recreation and Park Commission (http://www.takebackourparks.org). This measure would have allowed the Board of Supervisors to appoint half the members on the Commission which are now fully appointed by the Mayor. Though it failed to move forward at the Board of Supervisors' July 20th meeting, it was a serious attempt to enable the Commission to become accountable, transparent and engaged in public interests and policy-making for our Parks, perhaps countering future attempts at introducing resident fees at the Arboretum. We thank Supervisor Mirkarimi and ask our politicians to re-focus on this constructive effort as soon as possible.

Charging fees transforms the garden into a tourist destination
The Arboretum is a city-wide treasure, a wonderful refuge, an educational resource, and like many important local spaces such as community centers, recreation facilities and neighborhood parks, needs to be protected. It is clear the overwhelming public response demands that the Arboretum remain free as it has been for 69 years and be open to all, both residents and non-residents. The Arboretum is on public land supported by public taxes and funding. Permanent gates and fees will transform this cherished historic garden and urban sanctuary into a revenue-generating destination spot marketed for tourists and one-time visitors. This would alter its intimate nature and would be an irreversible loss to San Francisco.

The public interest should be preserved - handle this temporary crisis responsibly
The RPD must deal with this temporary budget crisis without permanently damaging this citizen landmark or by taking away another previously free public resource and reserving it for those who can pay to access it. Our officials need to hear from you about the future of our public resources, please sign our petition by following the link at the top of the page. To sign our petition, please follow the links on this page.

Sincerely,

The Keep Arboretum Free Campaign

Sign the Petition
NEWS: RPD would like to make the non-resident fee permanent
But facts show a failing and harmful fee progam

Read about it here

Rally Flyer Download
PDF file to download here

The non-resident fee is doing poorly
Analysis of Arboretum fee collection through November and a forecast for the year

See the numbers here

Keep the San Francisco Arboretum and Botanical Garden Free!

Recent Documents
Admission Fee Survey Results
Financial Analysis of RPD Fee Proposal
March 1, 2010 Letter to Recreation and Park Commissioners
more