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SF Chronicle: S.F.’s DMV Could Become One of the City’s Biggest Affordable Housing Sites

... The Department of General Services and the Department of Motor Vehicles issued a “request for interest” for the busy Fell Street site Friday, seeking a developer that could build both a new DMV — “identical in function” to the current one — as well as an unspecified number of housing units. Previous studies have indicated that the site could handle about 400 housing units, which would make it one of the city’s largest affordable housing developments. ...

Fairness & Equity Goals Lead List of Ting Legislation Taking Effect January 1

California pedestrians and drivers will see big changes in the way some traffic violations are handled under a pair of bills by Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) that are set to become law in 2023. The most significant is how jaywalking will be enforced. AB 2147/The Freedom To Walk Act allows people to safely cross the street outside an intersection when the roadway is clear of moving vehicles. Law enforcement will still be able issue a citation, if the pedestrian causes a hazard.

Sac Bee: Newsom Has Closed 3 Prisons; Now Lawmakers Are Planning To Shut More

The day after California officials announced the state will close its third prison, a top Democratic lawmaker indicated more shutdowns may be in the pipeline. A Budget Blueprint that Assembly Budget Chair Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, released on Wednesday suggested the state should close three more prisons over the next three years, in addition to the two facilities already slated for closure in 2023. Ting’s proposal follows the state’s announcement that it will close Chuckwalla Valley State Prison in Riverside County by 2025.

KCBS: How Should CA Handle The Projected 2023 State Budget Deficit?

After two years of unexpectedly large budget surpluses, California faces a budget deficit next year for the first time since 2020. The shortfall is projected at about $24 billion dollars, but luckily the state has socked away billions in its reserves and rainy day fund. The question now is should California dip into that piggy bank to balance the books next year, or cut spending or delay some programs as recommended by the state’s legislative analyst?

Assembly Blueprint Aims to Make Government Work for All Californians

San Francisco – Over the past ten years, the Assembly has prioritized planning for inevitable revenue shortfalls while ensuring that meaningful progress has been made to serve Californians. In today’s unveiling of his 2023-24 Budget Blueprint, Serving California: Making Government Work, Assembly Budget Chair Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) emphasized protecting the progress made over the last ten years.

“We have spent a decade preparing for revenue shortfalls, and with the robust General Fund reserves and Rainy Day Fund, California is prepared to weather future economic downturns while still prioritizing the gains that we have made in K-12 and early childhood education, our higher education institutions, homelessness support, and health care,” said Ting. “Thanks to this planning and the voters for supporting Proposition 2, there are many solutions available to us to ensure that access to vital services and programs won’t be cut.”

Ting Introduces Legislation to Reduce Gas Price Spikes

Sacramento – Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) yesterday introduced ABX1 1, which intends to address the record-high gasoline price spikes from earlier this year and aims to ensure that preventable price increases don’t occur again due to supply issues.

“Many Californians faced increased prices at the pump, coupled with growing inflation,” said Ting. “It is unacceptable that at one point drivers were paying at least $2.50 per gallon more than the national average. We need to do what we can to ensure that gasoline prices don’t increase due to preventable supply issues.”

ABX1 1 would ensure that more than one oil refinery cannot be undergoing scheduled maintenance at a time. According to the American Automobile Association, at least six of California’s 14 oil refineries were not operating or only partially operating for maintenance in October when the high price spike occurred, greatly reducing the supply of refined gasoline.