It's STILL the revenue, Governor
Greetings Neighbors! With the end of the school year upon us, it's a perfect time to reflect on how our kids are performing in school and how we are providing for our schools. These are critical times for our students. While California is ranked 44th in the nation in per-pupil funding, the Governor has broken his promise to repay the $2 billion he borrowed from Proposition 98 K-14 resources last year. I remain committed to getting the dollars in the coming month to ensure our final budget reflects the voter mandated funding so that our children can excel in school.
I would like to share with you two programs which we have initiated, of which I hope students in San Francisco will take full advantage to help prepare them for better educational and career opportunities.
To honor the many high school student leaders who continually demonstrate their dedication to community and civic service, I was pleased to host our 1st Annual "Youth in Action" Recognition Awards on April 22nd. Students were nominated and chosen through a collaboration with the Youth Leadership Institute, San Francisco Unified School District, AACE Upward Bound, Community Youth Center, Beacon Initiative and the San Francisco Youth Commission.
In all, fourteen students were recognized for their outstanding commitment to service. The 2005 "Youth in Action" honorees are: Valerio Flores (International Studies Academy); Matthew Grove (Abraham Lincoln High); Helen Hui Lei (Philip & Sala Burton Academic High); Xiao Mu Lin (Galileo Academy); Nisha Maxwell (Waldorf High); Kiani Mitchell (Burton); Marco Moon (Archbishop Riordan High); Theresa Muehlbauer (School of the Arts); Tanveer Shaikh (Burton); Charlene Siquian (Burton); Griselda Velasquez (Burton); Anne Wong (Lowell High); Jason Wong (School of the Arts); Michelle Wong (Wallenberg Traditional). Additionally, Ms. Muehlbauer, Ms. Siquian, and Mr. Grove were given special honors as the "Most Outstanding Youth in Action," Author of the "Best Essay," and as "Most Inspirational," respectively.
Each day high school students face difficult choices that may impact their lives for years to come. We must arm these students with the self confidence and the education to make the right choices. That is why on May 6th, I hosted our 1st Annual "Tell Me, Show Me, Involve Me" Young Men's Conference focusing on our City's at-risk male youth. The goal of the event was to encourage young men to rise above challenges and demonstrate the many positive opportunities available to them. Seventy-five young men from seven of our area high schools (Balboa, Phillip and Sala Burton Academic, Galileo Academy of Science and Technology, International Studies Academy, Mission, Newcomer, and Ida B. Wells) attended the conference.
The young men participated in interactive workshops on community violence, self esteem, peer pressure, higher education, and career building. They had the opportunity to learn from inspirational speakers, including Public Defender Jeff Adachi, Dwayne Jones from the Mayor's Office of Community Development, noted San Francisco filmmaker Kevin Epps, creator of "Straight Outta Hunters Point," and other leaders in the community. I was proud to share this experience with these incredible men whose courage and wisdom was eagerly received by our young participants.
To help restore some of the vital public services that were cut in the wake of the Governor's repeal of the vehicle license fee, I have authored AB 799. AB 799 will give San Francisco the ability to re-instate a local vehicle license fee, should a majority of the voters approve it. The revenues from this could provide up to $70 million for San Francisco's health, transit, public safety and social services.
You can help by sending the Governor a letter, e-mail or calling his office to let him know how you feel about education and our youth. His address is State Capitol Building, Sacramento, CA 95814, his phone number is (916) 445-2841 and you can send him an e-mail by visiting http://www.govmail.ca.gov/.
Our City's students deserve no less.
To contact Assemblyman Mark Leno's San Francisco District Office call 415-557-3013 or e-mail her directly at Assemblymember.Leno@asm.ca.gov
For those joining in gay marriages today, the road from outlaw status to respectability was paved in the Legislature over three decades.
From decriminalizing sex between same-sex couples, to outlawing job discrimination against homosexuals, to adding gay members to the legislative roster, the government has been taking steps, measure-by-measure, that have led to gay couples joining hands in marriage ceremonies across the state.
