Mayor London Breed: You're Unbelievable.

San Francisco Mayor London Breed just rolled out her proposition for a two-year, $14.6 billion annual budget. It's an absurd amount, especially in light of the city’s $780 million deficit. Where she’s allocated the funds has both weak and strong spots. No matter. The Board of Supervisors will do its thing and who knows how it will end up at this stage. 

Of course, it would be wonderful if such spending would result in a dramatic positive change for San Francisco. 

It won’t. 

The people have had enough. Few believe her. I know this not just from hearing countless citizens and workers kvetch, but the polling results are damning. A recent survey of San Franciscans found just 22 percent of voters said Breed deserved to be reelected. For very, very good reasons. 

But I want to tell you something: Breed and I go way back. 

Nose to Nose in a Pacific Heights Mansion

One evening in the two thousand teens, I met London Breed for the first time at a fundraising event. She was a City supervisor, and had recently announced her mayoral candidacy. It was at a massive home in one of the loveliest, wealthiest areas of San Francisco. I was toying with the idea of running for mayor as well, but that notion was just in my head. 

I remember Breed was nicely dressed, looked fabulous. She was also a compelling speaker. 

Maybe I was drawn in for a moment, but then she started to talk about her commitment to open drug use sites (then called safe injection sites). Her sister was an addict who died of an overdose. So was one of mine, who lived through several overdoses. Clearly we had something tragic in common, though my sibling had gone through rehab (and has been sober for well over a decade), while hers - horrifically - didn't make it. 

Such profound personal experiences shape our perspectives. 

After her talk, Breed and I met in a private corner. It got heated; voices were raised. I wanted the city to concentrate on providing recovery treatment, while she was focused on the drug use sites. 

I left with the impression that London Breed is not afraid to fight hard for what she wants. She will be vocal about it and she will get it done. 

Hold that thought.  

The BS Stops With Breed

In 2018 Breed won a special election to become mayor. I was on the positive side of neutral about it, having some faith that she cared about the city and could do some wonderful things. 

Sadly, that did not come to pass. The city, already troubled, deteriorated. In her now infamous speech, Breed declared she was sick of the bullshit that destroyed San Francisco. 

Was Breed furious about the state of San Francisco? Probably. It's embarrassing. However, as mayor, she is ultimately responsible for the sorry state of affairs. She made a series of terrible decisions that led to where we are now. 

And the lies. Oh, the lies. 

Take the Linkage Center, for example. It was marketed to the public as a way to connect desperate people to services. 

What we got instead was a drug use site, which is what she wanted many years ago. 

In under a year the Center was closed because it was a horror show, but now Breed is eager, with her fat new budget, to take that failed model and turn it into a series of “wellness hubs” that are essentially the same thing. These would also be disasters. The only people championing them are those who will benefit financially. 

As the polling numbers show, almost no one believes Breed anymore. 

Today it is San Franciscans who call bullshit. 

What Breed Could Have Done But Didn’t 

Certainly dealing with some members of the Board of Supervisors must be beyond aggravating. Yet when they blocked sensible decisions, that was Breed’s cue to publicly and vociferously criticize their antics. To not hold back, to not be political but real and raw.

We were all waiting for Breed to pull no punches, to come out swinging. That largely did not happen. Thus, she appeared complicit, whether she was or wasn’t. 

All the missteps of Breed’s administration are too prolific to list, so here are the highlights. She could have but didn’t: 

• Close the deadly open drug scene

• Create sufficient addiction recovery treatment 

• Reduce criminal activity 

• Keep vital retailers in Union Square  

• Ensure vibrant, clean neighborhoods 

• Create a business friendly environment

• Promote back-to-office initiatives  

• Inspire police officers to join the force

• Reject city-wide corruption

• End contracts with useless nonprofits

Remember, Breed battled for drug use sites and could have done the same with the aforementioned. It does not appear that they were worth the same effort. 

Goodbye London, Hello San Francisco 

I’ve met London Breed many times since that night in the Pacific Heights mansion. And, strangely enough, I do think she has love for the city. But it’s time to let her go. 

San Francisco needs a new leader. It won't be me because I would make an absolutely terrible politician. I’m bad with names and don’t care enough about certain key factors involved with the job. 

Instead, we must have someone from the outside who has proven managerial experience in the private sector. That person must desperately, passionately care about the history and future of San Francisco, and have the intelligence and courage to transform the city. It can be done. Who will it be?