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Lawmakers Clear Another Hurdle for SF's Lombard Street Toll

Publication: NBC Bay Area

California lawmakers on Thursday voted to approve a toll that would require drivers to fork over money in order to drive down San Francisco's famed Lombard Street.

Leaders behind the effort hope the toll charge would reduce congestion at the popular tourist attraction in the Russian Hill neighborhood. The bill will now head to Senate for consideration.

State Assembly Bill 1065 would require motorists reserve a spot and pay a toll before driving down the street, according to the Office of Assemblyman Phil Ting, D-San Francisco.

It would authorize the city to start implementing the pricing and reservation program at the iconic street, which, according to Ting, attracts more than two million visitors annually.

Ting Proposal Allowing Reservation & Pricing System For Lombard Street Approved by State Assembly

Ting Proposal Allowing Reservation & Pricing System For Lombard Street Approved by State AssemblySacramento, CA – A pilot program to test a Reservation and Pricing System at San Francisco’s famous Lombard Street was approved by the Assembly today, by a vote of 51-18. AB 1605 by Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) gives the City and County of San Francisco the authority to charge drivers seeking to experience the unique hairpin turns that attract more than two million visitors a year. The bill is necessary because existing law prohibits a local agency from imposing a tax, permit fee, or other charge for the privilege of using its streets or highways.

“It has become increasingly difficult to manage the crowds and traffic congestion at the Crooked Street,” said Ting, author of AB 1605.  “Neither the presence of parking enforcement officers, nor the closure of the crooked segment has changed the current situation. AB 1605 offers a solution worth trying to improve public safety and the quality of life for residents.”

The San Francisco County Transportation Authority (SFCTA) concluded in its 2017 study that managing access to the popular tourist attraction has become necessary and recommended a Reservation and Pricing System. This strategy would regulate demand and flow at the entrance, while reducing the length of cars in the queue.

“We thank Assemblymember Ting and his colleagues in the Assembly for their support for a reservation system to improve safety and congestion on Lombard Street," said Tilly Chang, Executive Director of SFCTA. "The Transportation Authority looks forward to next steps to enabling San Francisco to pilot this project in the near future.”  

A second SFCTA study is currently underway to review options around the Reservation and Pricing System’s technology, method of enforcement, hours of operation, price level and exemptions. The results are expected this summer. As demonstrated by the system regulating visits to Muir Woods and other parks in California, one of the most efficient ways to manage vehicle congestion is through an electronic system administered without staff, which would also minimize the visual impact on Lombard Street.

Two weeks ago, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors also unanimously backed a resolution by Supervisor Catherine Stefani to support AB 1605. She represents District 2 where the crooked segment of Lombard Street is located.

Ting’s proposal moves to the Senate for consideration. This year’s deadline for all bills to reach the Governor’s desk is September 13.

Private California Colleges Win Changes in Scandal-Related Legislation

Publication: EdSource

California's private, non-profit colleges and universities are succeeding so far in pushing back against the most draconian and controversial state legislation proposed in response to the recent college admissions corruption scandal.

That bill, AB 697, originally would have stripped Cal Grants financial aid from all students attending any college that gave so-called legacy admission preference to children of alumni or donors. It met furious opposition from private colleges, which said the proposal would punish the low-income students who depend on Cal Grant aid to cover a large share of tuition and also would interfere with schools’ traditions of maintaining family ties in relatively small numbers of cases.

Now, with that criticism and disapproval from other legislative leaders, the bill’s sponsor, Assemblyman Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) has overhauled the bill and stripped out the threat of canceling Cal Grants if legacy admissions are granted. Instead, the revised version would withhold Cal Grants only if the schools don’t provide data on the number of legacy admissions and enrollments that do not meet the college’s basic academic standards of entrance.

That less punitive version of the bill was approved last week by the Assembly Committee on Higher Education. However, further softening of the bill, or its complete death, may be at hand at the Appropriations Committee and leadership conferences in coming days.

Assembly Early Education Commission Calls For Expanding Access, Empowering Parent & Worker Voices

Assembly Early Education Commission Calls For Expanding Access, Empowering Parent & Worker VoicesAfter two years of hearings, focus groups and study, the Assembly Blue Ribbon Commission on Early Childhood Education has released its final report. Among the key findings:

  • Focus on expanding access to children and families most in need, while working toward the goal of universal access to early care and education (ECE).
  • Parents should be treated as experts on their children’s care and education. No new program should be implemented without parent input.
  • The ECE workforce should be supported in developing expertise and compensated as their counterparts in the K-12 system are.
  • Establish the Early Childhood Policy Council to be the primary advisory body on ECE for the Legislature, Governor and Superintendent of Public Instruction.

“Early childhood education underpins so much of what we need to accomplish as a society. Early education is how you turn around cycles of poverty, it’s how you give children a strong foundation for education, and it’s how you lift up families. We can’t get started too soon on the ideas we have produced,” said Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood). 

 “California has a lot to gain by investing in early childhood education, including better futures for our kids and a stronger economy for all. The Blue Ribbon Commission report lays out a road map that will help ensure today’s youth get a great start in life, and that we have skilled providers ready to do this important work. I can’t wait to get started, said Commissioner and Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco).

The full report can be found HERE.

Lombard Street Toll Moves a Step Closer to Reality After Sacramento Vote

Publication: San Francisco Gate

A state assembly bill proposing motorists reserve a spot and pay a toll before driving down Lombard Street in San Francisco has passed the Assembly Transportation Committee by an 11-to-3 vote on Monday, according to the Office of Assemblyman Phil Ting, D-San Francisco.

Assembly Bill 1065, the Lombard Street Reservation and Pricing System, is eligible to go to a floor vote on the assembly floor at the State Capitol in Sacramento next week, Ting's spokeswoman Nannette Miranda said, and Ting will try to get it on Thursday, May 2 agenda.

Ting announced the introduction of the legislation on Monday, April 15. It would authorize the city to start implementing the pricing and reservation program at the iconic street, which, according to Ting, attracts more than two million visitors annually.

Small Solutions for Big Problem

Publication: San Francisco Chronicle

The Bay Area faces no challenge more vexing or vast than the need to create hundreds of thousands of new housing units, at all price levels, in ways that don’t undermine the cultural and environmental traits that make this region so desirable.

Paper Receipts Could Become Something of the Past with Proposed Assembly Bill

Publication: Ventura County Star

Those long paper receipts shoppers get at stores could be going away under legislation working its way through the state Assembly, although not everyone supports the plan for reasons ranging from convenience to privacy.

Assembly Bill 161, authored by Assemblyman Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, would require businesses that have more than $1 million in gross receipts to provide electronic receipts unless a customer specifically requests a paper one.

Although the bill’s proponents say it would help conserve the trees and water used to create paper receipts, some Ventura County residents prefer the convenience of a physical receipt.

Camarillo resident Lina Park, 61, who was shopping at a Target recently, said electronic receipts are more of a hassle to keep track of.

“Electronic receipts are a pain. They either get lost in your email or, like when I was shopping at Target,” Park said, cashiers “had a hard time reading the scanning code off of my phone.”

San Francisco Eyes Charge to Drive Its Famed Lombard Street

Publication: Associated Press News

Thousands of tourists could soon have to pay as much as $10 to drive down world-famous Lombard Street in San Francisco.

City and state officials on Monday announced a bill that would give San Francisco the authority to establish a toll and reservation system for the street that winds down a steep hill, in an effort to reduce crowds and traffic congestion.

“We must implement a system that enables both residents and visitors to enjoy the ‘Crookedest Street in the World,’” said Assemblyman Phil Ting, a San Francisco Democrat who authored the legislation.

Residents say the scenic thoroughfare feels more like an overcrowded amusement park than a neighborhood street. They have been calling for years for officials to address the traffic jams, trash and trespassing by visitors.

Ting Announces Legislation to Bring Reservation & Pricing Program to Lombard Street

Ting Announces Legislation to Bring Reservation & Pricing Program to Lombard Street

Supervisor Catherine Stefani urges support for Ting’s proposal

San Francisco, CA – Tourists may soon have to make a reservation and pay a fee in order to drive down the famous crooked segment of San Francisco’s Lombard Street. Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) unveiled a new proposal, AB 1605, that would authorize the City and County of San Francisco to establish a reservation and pricing pilot program for the world famous attraction.

“In recent years, the crowds and traffic congestion have become a safety issue for that neighborhood,” said Ting, author of AB 1605. “We must implement a system that enables both residents and visitors to enjoy the ‘Crookedest Street in the World.’”

With its eight hairpin turns and scenic views, Lombard Street attracts more than two million visitors each year. The San Francisco County Transportation Authority concluded in its 2017 study that managing access to the tourist attraction has become necessary and recommended a reservation and pricing system. This strategy would regulate demand and flow at the entrance, while reducing the length of cars in the queue.

Supervisor Catherine Stefani, who represents District 2 where the crooked segment is located, is author of a resolution backing AB 1605. The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to vote on her resolution on Tuesday, April 16, at its meeting.  “We must try out the Reservation and Pricing system as our next step towards meeting the needs of both tourists and residents. The system will address the blocks of bumper to bumper traffic that build up on the way to the crooked street, improve the experience for tourists, and better the quality of life for the residents,” said Supervisor Stefani.

AB 1605 is necessary because existing law prohibits a local agency from imposing a tax, permit fee, or other charge for the privilege of using its streets or highways. If approved, the City and County of San Francisco will determine how to implement a reservation and pricing program and how much to charge. As demonstrated by the systems regulating visits to Muir Woods and other parks in California, one of the most efficient ways to manage vehicle congestion is through an electronic system administered without staff, minimizing the visual impact on Lombard Street.

Ting’s bill will be considered by the Assembly Transportation Committee on Monday, April 22.