Editor,
I found Ken Werner’s editorial blasting Ken Garcia’s return in the Examiner rather amusing. He labels Ken Garcia for being a “right-wing extremist” because he supported Care Not Cash. Does that mean that the sixty percent of San Francisco voters who backed Care Not Cash are also “right-wing extremists.” I sometime wonder if Mr. Werner and others like him see anybody to the right of Fidel Castro as a “right-wing extremist.”
Along with the namecalling of Supervisor Sean Elsbernd, Mr. Werner shows a real intolerance, very common now among the left, of anyone who dares to have the temerity to express a different opinion. I can only conclude the Mr. Werner if so insecure in the validity and merit of his own beliefs, that he feels that an articulate opposition voice must be ridiculed or silenced. How sad.
E.F. Sullivan
Editor,
Rob Anderson is correct when he refers to “the new garage underneath the Concourse—which will be the city’s when the revenue bond is paid off….” Even Anderson must acknowledge that the garage can not become a “gift” until the bond financing is paid off, if ever, and that the ground lease is for thirty-five years.
Presently the garage is privately owned and operated under the authority of this private ground lease to Warren Hellman, George Hume, T. Robert Burke, Richard Bingham and Dick Young, all principals of the Music Concourse Community Partnership (MCCP), a “private, non-profit, public benefit corporation.”
In 2003, Chamber of Commerce President Lee Blitch first used the term “gift” to describe the private garage:
“Once the loan is paid off, the garage, a financing security deposit and a reserve fund will all be donated to the city. This donation is worth more than $70 million. The total value of the gift to the city is $122 million, plus several million dollars per year in garage revenue after the loan is repaid. San Francisco has no risk, but gets all the reward. ” [ sanfrancisco.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2003/07/21/editorial3.html ]
In a few months, funding for the Golden Gate Park Concourse Authority will run out and the Authority will expire. The public has an interest in learning now what oversight functions currently held by the Concourse Authority will be transferred to the Recreation & Parks Department (RPD), and what parts of their jurisdiction over the Park, if any, have been transferred to the private MCCP.
Contrary to Rob Anderson’s claim, there is nothing being gifted to the City at this time, or at any time for free. Garage patrons are being counted on to provide the “private funding” to the garage operator, and which is used to pay off the bond holders. Until the bonds are paid off, the garage is private property belonging to a private corporation which is providing tax-free investment opportunities to other private parties.
Last week the private MCCP mailed out private invitations to selected community members for an upcoming private event honoring Mr. Hellman and Mr. Hume and acknowledging their great work on behalf of the private garage. The event will be held next Monday morning (December 19) in the New deYoung Parking garage.
Since this MCCP celebration is an RSVP event, it is unclear whether or not the public is welcome or may attend without an invitation. It is also unclear whether independent news reporters and photographers have legal access to this event since it’s being called by a private corporation and being held in their private garage.
For Rob Anderson to describe the garage as a “gift” to the City, thirty-five years in advance of the planned gifting, is disingenuous at best.
Stephen Willis
ndmedia
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