Posted on 02/25/2005 7:43:40 AM PST by SmithL
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom looked out at a roomful of city workers newly conscripted in his war against litter and described the act of picking up garbage unceremoniously dumped on the streets by others as an "exhilarating experience.''
It was part of his pitch Thursday to get city employees tuned in and turned on to his "SF Can'' initiative, in which they will have to spend 16 hours a year patrolling the streets tracking down litterbugs and citing them for breaking the law.
"I want you guys to have some fun,'' Newsom said to about 200 city workers summoned to Bill Graham Civic Auditorium across the street from City Hall for a mandatory two-hour training session on how to be a litter deputy.
Police Chief Heather Fong gave a talk on how to stay safe, a deputy city attorney was on hand to outline the legal do's and don'ts, and public works officials went over the details of how to fill out the citations correctly so they don't get tossed out.
As for the mayor, he said after his turn at the podium that one of his chief reasons for being there was to be a cheerleader.
Some of the workers in the room took careful notes, while others spent more time looking at their watches, wondering how on earth two hours could seem more like seven. But whether they secretly hated the program or embraced it, all the employees interviewed afterward put on their best game face, and said they welcomed the chance to make the city better.
As the mayor and other city officials spoke inside the auditorium, a union-orchestrated informational picket walked around outside.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
If he really wanted to clean up SF he could start by rousting the bums off the streets.
I honestly believe that the fines and penalties for wanton littering should be as follows:
First Offense: 10 Years.
Second Offense: 50 Years.
Third Offense: Death Penalty by firing squad of property owners.
There could be some exclusions for losing a napkin in the wind whilst opening a car door, or losing something out of the back of a pickup in gale force winds. But, when you toss it as a willful act... oh lord ... you're gonna go straight to hell and I hope to help you get there asap.
I don't know, I think they should leave issuing citation to police officers who are training and equiped for that type of work. I wonder how long it will be before one of these unarmed pencil pushers gets killed by some of San Francisco's many mentally disturbed homeless or illegal aliens.
I think this is a decent start.
Littering, graffiti, etc. are quality of life crimes. When laws like these aren't enforced, people who live in that area don't care and let everything turn to crap.
Some nice fines against litterbugs is a good start to straightening out a city like San Fran.
Of course, a lot more needs to be done...but again, this is a good start.
If he really wanted to clean up SF he could start by rousting the bums off the streets.I think "bums" has a different meaning in Than Franthithco.
-Eric
AMEN to THAT!!!
AMEN to THAT!!!
This sounds like something Castro would bully his oppressed into doing. Happy workers! Block patrol! Free labor! I am sure the SF perverts employed by the city of SF probably get paid though.
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