downtown extension from king street to the terminal, operations of caltrain, and operation of that service from the terminal to san jose. needless to say, we cannot support a transfer from high- speed rail to caltrain service of any kind in san jose. we believe high-speed rail service has to reach the terminal and that will be the line of advocacy that we will pursue vigorously with authorities, starting with our meeting on may 5, where we will be speaking about that issue. that concludes my report. i would be happy to answer any questions. supervisor mirkarimi: any questions or comments? commissioner and cohen. supervisor cohen: a question about the grant received for the bayview. to the executive director. i was curious to note, this mobility solutions study, it is this also to include visitation valid? -- valley? >> this is primarily a bayview hunters point area of analysis. >> is there a way to expand it? people in the southernmost part of the district in visitation bally are greatly affected to the -- valley are really affected to the cuts that muni 8 has undergone. is there a way to extend the study? >> i do not know if we can go from the scope of a caltrans grant and modify it to the degree where we could add a significant portion of an era that was not originally included. we have ongoing efforts related to visitation valley and i am drawing a blank right now as to which exact effort we could put this into. i believe we could address your concerns without the need for renegotiating contracts with caltrans. but we are aware of what you are talking about. commissioners, your point about cutbacks in service, in fixed route service, brings up another set of interesting issues related to the long-term future of service in areas of the city where fixed routes, for whatever reason, is only producing marginal results. either because of the topography or because of the routes that are being cut back our community circulators. part of the study of the bayview mobility was to see whether there was another form of community circulator that could be used, like shared vans, whether we could reduce a program by helping neighbor organizations buy vans or somehow insure vehicles. we could get some drivers to provide the service that is often needed by elderly people who no longer drive, young people who cannot drive yet. to keep the communities knitted together for something other than just driving. those services are being studied as a focus point in the new transportation plan that the authority is putting together. that is another place where we can find some analysis. supervisor cohen: so are you telling me that i can look forward to visitation valley being studied? >> we will incorporate it somehow into the analysis. what will be tough, commissioner, is to assure you that there will be operating money for those sorts of services. that is why we are so interested in that phenomenon. we are interested in getting nonprofits, community organizations to participate in the business of providing some service were fixed route does not meet. the cutbacks are because of budget problems. those problems will bleed into all options we are looking at for operations. supervisor cohen: it seems to me if you are going to be studying redding gaps are, you would go to areas where the cats are the greatest. >> of course. prioritizing those. once they are prioritized, we will have to engage in a major advocacy efforts to find money. yes, the idea is to find areas that have the worst gaps, and part-time at the top of the list. supervisor cohen: thank you. supervisor mirkarimi: commissioner cohen, he makes a strong point. i would suggest a meeting be held to discuss those points and tsa staff to see how this can extend to visitation valley. i think there needs to be an ongoing discussion about it. are there any other comments or questions about this? seeing none -- any public comments? seeing none, public comment is closed. thank you. now we move into the committee business decisions. next item. >> item 5. authorize the executive director to exercise a one-year extension to the professional services contract with pendergast & associates in amount not to exceed $275,000, to a total amount not to exceed $875,000, to provide disadvantaged business enterprise/small business enterprise consulting services for the presidio parkway project and authorize the executive director to negotiate contract terms and conditions. this is an action item. supervisor mirkarimi: any discussion on this particular item? seeing none, public comment? public comment is closed. the house has changed. roll-call, please. >> [roll call] the item passes. supervisor mirkarimi: next item please. >> item 6. amend the adopted fiscal year 2010/11 budget to increase revenues by $16,509,843, decrease expenditures by $49,268,862 and decrease other financing sources by $152,787,500 for a total net decrease in fund balance of $87,008,795. this is an action item. supervisor mirkarimi: any discussion please? who can say that faster? [laughter] should we have a competition? any public comment? seeing none, public comment is closed. same house, same call. next item. >> item 7. adopt positions on state and federal legislation. this is an action item. supervisor mirkarimi: any discussion on this item? see none, public comment is closed. same house, same call. so moved. next item. >> item 8. amend resolution 10-75 to revise the scope, schedule and budget; to change the funded phase of work from construction to planning and design for the san francisco municipal transportation agency's jfk drive parking-buffered bikeway project; and to de-obligate $50,900 in prop k funds. this is an action item. supervisor mirkarimi: we're into the work of the plans and programs committee. any discussion? simenon. this discussion is closed. public comment? please. >> good morning chair, commissioners. i am a community planner with the san francisco bicycle coalition. i urge you to approve this amendment. as you know, lots of families in san francisco are biking -- lots of people in 7 cisco or biking. we see the bicycle separations on market driving back and getting everyone where they want to go. we applaud the ta and mta staff work on looking to upgrade our routes, making sure that they are safe for everybody. we have been excited to work with the city family including the recreation and parks department to move the project forward. i encourage you to look for additional funding so that we can plan a route that allows for sunset district family to drop their kids off at school by bike, to allow everyone who wants to ride their bikes to school to be able to do so. thank you. supervisor mirkarimi: thank you. any other comment? please. >> recreation and parks department. sarah ballard. i just wanted to urge you to release these funds. we are excited about the partnership with the mta and bicycle coalition. supervisor mirkarimi: thank you. any other public comment? seeing none, public comment is closed. same house, same call. amendment passes. next item. >> item 9. allocate $15,016,000 in prop k funds, with conditions, to the san francisco municipal transportation agency for three projects and $1,241,000, with conditions, to the bay area rapid transit district for one project, subject to the attached fiscal year cash flow distribution schedules. this is an action item. supervisor mirkarimi: any discussion on this item? simenon, this item is closed. public comment? same house, same call. so moved. >> item 10. commit up to $150 million in additional state regional improvement program funds, with conditions, to the san francisco municipal transportation agency's central subway project to cover potential cost overruns beyond the $1.578 billion baseline project cost. this is an action item. supervisor mirkarimi: terry good. this has been an ongoing discussion. any continue discussion on this item? simenon, discussion is closed. public comments? public comment is closed. same house, same call. very good. so moved. next item. >> introduction of new items. this is an information item. supervisor mirkarimi: any new items? seeing none, any public comment? seeing none, public comment is closed. next item. >> public comment. supervisor mirkarimi: any public comment for those of you who did not have a chance at the previous 11 times? seeing none, public comment is closed. next item. >> adjournment. supervisor mirkarimi: have a great day. deaths >> a good afternoon, and welcome to the rules committee meeting. joining us are supervisors elsbernd and farrel. we would like to acknowledge sfgtv and the transcripts they make available online. >> the items on the agenda go to the board on tuesday unless otherwise indicated. >> item 1, confirming the appointing of jane wu to the -- >> can you please introduce yourself to the committee, and talk about your interest in serving in this commission. >> i know you have a long agenda and i will be as brief as possible. you have a detailed by a. a couple of things i wanted to register with you. i was born in sydney, australia and have lived in japan and hong kong, and went to school for 12 years -- but i have lived in san francisco longer than any other place in my life. this is a gateway to the pacific. i love the natural beauty and also the diversity, for someone like myself who has a by cultural background. my father was a career diplomat in taiwan, and my husband, james, was near port commissioner in the city. as you have seen in my biography i have been active in the community for many years. i bring extensive and relevant experience with citibank and wells fargo. i am excited about the ports commission. i think that this is the right timing for me in terms of my life. i have my experience from the private sector, and i think that this is the right use of my business and finance skills. this is one of the prime assets, and this is unique with seven and a half miles of border front. this is unique in its visibility. it is unique in its uses, with the commercial real-estate and open space. and unique in its different characteristics that reside along the northern waterfront. i am excited about the opportunity to showcase san francisco and the ability to contribute to the city and its reputation. we have that opportunity at hand right now. i understand the complexities and balancing the stakeholders' interested in the waterfront. generating a positive bottom line for the city during these difficult fiscal times, and also, figuring out how to generate more jobs. i look forward to understanding of these projects with a capital plan and how to move this forward in terms of timing and affordability and all the updates since these plans were issued. i want to thank some of the supporters who are here today, and those who also wrote letters on my behalf. thank you. >> we did get several letters of support on your behalf. and are there any questions? >> this is obviously an important partner in the city of san francisco. in the coming year we will be high profile. if you can touch briefly, you have mentioned some of the budget projects. what do you hope to prioritize in terms of the issues you want to work on? >> we had a tight timeline, with what is dedicated to the america's cup. we're trying to make certain that everything is done on time, and there is a tight timetable. and this a big challenge for what i see so far. this is really about understanding how to find the major capital projects in addition to what is coming up. and i know about the project that you have scheduled for the board -- i know that this has been given to a developer. basically, this is on time and on budget for the america's cup, to figure out a long-term financing. i see no other questions. we will open this up for public comments. if there is public comment, please come up. >> members of the rules committee, i am willie brown. she has been a very reliable source of information and guidance, from the time that i served in public service and for all the years i have known her and she has lived in san francisco -- i think that this may be the very first time that i have appeared before any committee on the board of supervisors since departing these grounds with this great city. i usually turn people down, not because of anything having to do with their qualifications, but because i believe public officials should be in a position to objectively make up their respective mines. i care so much about the city and i care about quality candidates. i know how important these commissions really are, and how important that it is to get really quality people to provide the time that it takes, and people can afford to provide that time. we have exactly that unique ability. it is clear based upon the background, her previous experience represents the quality that you would want to have to participate -- she is offering to volunteer to do this by way of the commission's process. rather than just make a telephone call, i told her i would stand publicly and say, if i were still the mayor of the city, i would appoint her to the commission, and i would come before you personally and ask you to support her thank you very much. >> the you for being here. >> i tried to avoid falling him in speaking, i will do my best. i am delighted to be here and offered my support for the city and county of san francisco. i have known her for 32 years, and she is one of the most impressive leaders i have ever met. and as she mentioned, she has lived in san francisco longer than i have. i first had dealings with her when she was a banker, first city bank and wells fargo. and then she had major responsibilities with real estate and lending, and she struck me as someone within the banking establishment who really understood the importance of community banking. she supported affordable housing and was an advocate of small business lending practices in city bank and wells fargo. i think this combination of knowing how important the community relationships are, combined with -- combined with business expertise, financial expertise, the knowledge of small business, the knowledge of marketing, trade and finance, will serve her well and the port of san francisco very well. you can see that she has a host of community relationships and involvement that keeper grounded. she was the commissioner for the entire city of san francisco and the people who need the port of san francisco. she will be a great commissioner and i urge her appointment to be the next ports commissioner. >> thank you. and is there any other public comment on this item? >> i am -- the chief operating officer and i have known her in the past from having worked with her in a couple of different institutions. i have known her for 13 years, with distinct present -- pleasure, eight of those years being part of her leadership team. and i can probably provide some perspective on how her leadership style may fit into a commission. one of the things that she has an excellent mind, for getting not only the big picture, but keeping track of the little details that may get in the way of the big picture. she is able to synthesize information very well. perhaps, most importantly, and i have seen this in action in both areas, she can take people with different opinions and get them to reach a consensus decision that they all feel good about. the decision reflects the best thinking possible at the time. she is highly motivated, and she is a person of integrity, not afraid to speak the truth when she believes that this needs to be done. she cares about the welfare of other people and those around her, even in challenging circumstances. she will still make certain to keep -- to take care of those around her. her skills as a leader are a huge asset, and i support, strongly, that she joined the ports commission, and hopefully this will help you get some perspective on this. >> and is there any other public comment on this item? public comment is closed. the motion to move? i see no objections. i want to congratulate you on your nomination. if so impressed by your background. we heard about fiscal feasibility yesterday, the report with the cruise terminal, and i think your expertise and background will be very useful. and i am impressed by your dedication in this community. this will be an asset as well, if you work with many of the neighborhood association merchants, small businesses and constituents in that area. completing the project -- we want to work in a partnership with many of the people out there. i am excited to support your nomination, and you'll be one of four women on the five-member commission. this is very unusual for any commission in san francisco. it is great to see strong female leadership on the ports commission. we will move this forward with the recommendation to the full board and i see no objections. can you please call item no. 2? >> motion to confirm -- to the transportation administration. could mr. ramos come forward? could you spend a couple of minutes talking about your background and your interest in serving in this commission. >> thank you, members of the board of supervisors. i appreciate the time he gave me to have this opportunity to speak to you. i am happy to have been nominated to serve, and i have an intimate history with san francisco. in so strongly attached to the city. i remember coming down here as a little kid, he said, you have to check out the size, and this was true, it was about as big as my head was back then. and sometimes it would go over to market street, and my father used to enjoy the beer that they would serve on tap. this was a time in the '70s where san francisco was a place for families, and it had tremendous potential. that is the kind of san francisco i would like to see come back to us. worst of the region where families can stay together, and where people of all incomes and education levels will be able to thrive. i see this as being a challenge and i would like to bring a vision to help get us back there, in an environment where small business and families -- working-class families can really flourish in the city. if i am appointed to the board, i will bring the experience i have had since these times. i've had the good fortune of being able to work on transportation and land use planning issues that will make this vision a reality. whatever decision i would make, it would be in the interest of this particular vision. right now, i am someone who is dependent on the transit system and i know what this is like to be left behind on the switch back, that so many of these let light rail systems are going through. i know what this is like, being left out in the cold. i would also -- i also know what it is like to be a pedestrian, having your life laid out before you in these busy intersections that are too busy for many of us. at the same time, this is a phenomenal system. this delivers people on time to where they need to go. but this needs a lot of work and i am committed to making the system successful for everyone. the system is overdue for an overhaul. this is a wonderful system that we have inherited, and i will make certain that we address these shortfalls to achieve a level of service to give us the system that we deserve. i know this will not come in a particular way. this is no silver bullet. this is not a particular a efficiency or parking a share. this is a little bit of everything.