San Francisco Supervisors O K $ 1,000,000 Wheelchair Ramp

S.F.'s Board of Supervisors thinks that $ 1,000,000 is a reasonable and a appropriate price for a ramp to be built in their chambers. The ramp is only 10 feet long and is being constructed to enable disabled supervisors access to the elevated President of Supervisors podium.

Why so much money? What about our Department Of Public Works personnel? Surely these overpaid city employees could construct a ramp. The DPW people could still mostly lean on their tools or set in their trucks while the designated worker for that week could still call "Quitin' time" when lunch was ready. And they would still be cheaper.

As for "enabling disabled supervisors ", don't they have too much "enabling" power already? This ramp is the latest example. This ramp is yet another symbolic gesture against discrimination in public or private life. This slanted ramp is the equalizer. It's a contradiction in terms besides being too expensive.

Discrimination should be fostered. Critical thinking should be encouraged. How else will we ALL learn to live within a budget and capabilities?

San Francisco Politics: Mirijuana Vs. Wheelchairs Vs. Critical Thinking

Here's another classic San Francisco political battle. It's a S.F. classic because the issue has nothing to do with running the city more efficiently or in a cost-effective way. Instead costly Board of Supervisor's time is being used up in a hissing and pissing contest in non critical S.F. matters. Only a city as wealthy as San Francisco could afford such wasteful, expensive arguments.

In one corner we have the Cannabis Buyers Club. They sell mirijuana for medicinal purposes. But their place of business is on the second floor without wheelchair access. So to circumvent city's ordinance, the business and the landlord want a historical designation of the building which trumps a wheelchair access requirement.

Not so fast says Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier who herself is in a wheelchair. She sputters, " If they think the [mirijuana] business should be held in such high esteem, then make it a museum or put up a plaque on the wall, but don't put the rights of one group over the civil rights of another".

Pardon me Ms. Alioto-Pier, but how did you get your appontment to the Board of Supervisors? Was a more qualified persons civil rights trampled because of your political contacts and Civil Rights legislation affirmative action philosophy interceding? Wheelchair users are a protected class. But more importantly critical thinking is more valuable and by definition should also be protected. I don't know how many wheelchair users want medicinal mirijuana on the second floor of a building without an elevator, nor do you, but I would guess the number to be tiny or non-existant. Live and let live. By the way, what about cutting the cost of running San Francisco? How about dealing with personal non-critical issues on your own time?