Episode 4: Swearing In, Directives, Policies

On this episode, Richie Greenberg takes us on a hypothetical journey post November 2024 Election Day,  in a "what if" scenario: what if he was victor in the race for San Francisco's next mayor?

If he was sworn-in next January, he'd announce his execute directives, his declarations of policy and his creation of Blue Ribbon Panels to immediately address out of control spending, and racially-based DEI, Equity programs.

For a synopsis of the Directives and Policy Declarations, download a PDF here:
https://asmayor.com/files/ep4-directives.pdf

Transcript

EPISODE 4 – WWRGDAM April 11, 2024

Swearing in: The immediate directives from day one

Hello and welcome to Episode 4. It’s a wonderful, glorious day!

It's November, election day has come, Voters have spoken! Ranked Choice Voting calculations have concluded and candidate for mayor Richie Greenberg has been declared winner of the race for mayor of San Francisco. 

[cheers]

My policy proposals, along with the realization no other candidate for mayor would tackle city hall head-on, to the degree and the depth which I promised, that became the impetus to voters to elect yours truly to the city’s chief position. 

See, I'd be elected not because of my look or my clothing or my skin color or my orientation, nor my particular voice of where I grew up. It's because I promise to stop the uncontrolled spending spree under London Breed. To not use taxpayers' money in a giveaway in a racially-biased manner. To be colorblind, to reward merit and encourage excellence, to bring San Franciscans together, not segregate. And to cut off irresponsible exploitation by many nonprofits.

Between November’s election day til the swearing in ceremony for mayor the first week of January 2025, there will be a palpable air of shock and dismay, not by residents, not by mom and pop shop owners, they are cheering the pending exit of London Breed, but the dismay would come from the status quo bureaucrats, cruising along with a most favored status, the heads of nonprofits who’ve been receiving piles of cash for their using as they’ve liked, for years. They lament, they are panicking. They sense the party is over, they face the music, that the Breed administration is packing up and exiting city hall.

[pause]

[CHATTER]

So now it's January 2025, fast forward to inauguration day and San Francisco’s city hall is abuzz with preparations to swear in the new mayor. 

I’m there, I'm at city hall, preparing for my inauguration, I’m excited kind of nervous. Friends, family, colleagues, advisors, supporters, my transition team, local media, all gathering for the ceremony soon to start. I have loved ones at my side, and yet, the most important person for the moment.  which is about to begin, is not just me, but my assistant, who’s got in their possession a simple, unremarkable briefcase. What is in that briefcase, you wonder?

And now, the time has come, introductions are made, blessings given, applause, gratitude and prayers abound. A few quick stories and anecdotes told. Smiles, laughs, promises and then, a hand raised, an oath accepted, and cheers. Its done, the 46th mayor of the city of San Francisco is now officially in office.

[CHEERS]

Let's reflect: This podcast, What would Richie Greenberg Do, As Mayor? has outlined my views over the last episodes, and now, the culmination of analysis, policies and promises are coming together. This episode outlines my immediate executive directives and declarations, my policy.

Mayors - have the right, the privilege and the authority to create an executive order, they are directives. And that’s exactly what I’ve promised voters I would do on day one in office, once sworn in as mayor. 

[chatter]

Back to inauguration day. I've taken my oath of office. I’m joined by my assistant with the briefcase. Sitting down at a desk, we open the briefcase together and take out a set of decrees, my executive directives, orders based on the promised I’ve made on the campaign trail, promised to be signed the moment I’ve been sworn in as mayor.

There are numerous pens on hand to sign the stack of orders.

These executive directives are meant to immediately stop further waste and unaccountability and bias and greed by the previous mayor's administration. To shut off the fire hose. To rein in the unconstitutional giveaways and programs. To quit rewarding nonprofit organizations who’ve failed us over and over, without limit or control.

San Franciscans need to move forward, to feel better about ourselves in a city plagued by mismanagement and gaslighting and distractions from within city hall.

A side note: I will make these directives and statement of policy available as a PDF download since they are extensive.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTIVES

There are numerous outdated, problematic, and damaging policies which have been created by or supported by San Francisco Mayor London Breed over the last six years. And there are many which predate Breed as well and must be addressed. We as a city cannot move forward as long as city hall continues to fund and support programs and agencies which all but emboldens status quo corruption and misuse of taxpayers’ funds.

The issues of Public Safety and the unsustainable Budget are my priorities, along with unconstitutional and biased policies and therefore, the following executive directives are to be issued:

1)     I am ordering the reduction and cancellation of funding for:

The Human Rights Commission, 75% reduction initially, and cancel all funding for race-based programs including the Dream Keeper Initiative and Office of Racial Equity.

The Office of Racial Equity to be closed, positions eliminated, office investigated.

Dream Keeper Initiative eliminated, positions eliminated, program investigated.

All city commissions, departments, agencies which employ DEI and a Diversity Officer, 100% funding cut to specific DEI employee/officer positions, positions eliminated.

Department of Public Health, 50% reduction, further cuts pending civil and criminal investigation.

Homelessness and Supportive Housing, 75% reduction, pending civil and criminal investigation.

Safe Injection Sites, all programs and employment positions canceled 100%, state and federal civil and criminal investigation.

Housing First and Harm Reduction, 75% reduction in funding, pending review and possible entire program cut for all organizations, departments and agencies programs.

Competitive bidding on contracts is required, and no bid contracts investigated and canceled.

2)     Policy Declarations:

I declare the Housing First model to be a failure, and we as a city must and will move forward to addiction treatment, counselling, recovery, abstinence, and return homewards. Taxpayers will not fund enablement of addicts to partake in their substance use vices, nor will the city allow funding for individuals to remain on the streets and in tents to continue to take illicit substances.

I declare DEI and Equity a racist, bigoted and segregation failure. All city-wide departments will remove their DEI statements and will be prohibited from adopting race, religion, gender, orientation, national origin as consideration for employment, appointments, promotions, contracts.

I declare Vision Zero a failure, despite years of funding and fruitless efforts. We must create a new vision which encompasses a shared responsibility for safety by vehicles, public transportation, bikes and pedestrians, and traffic engineering. We must include law enforcement and citations as priority.

I declare the obvious, that Merit wins. Excellence matters. Success and achievement must be a goal, and the city moves forward with great minds and best ideas.

As for Housing production: The argument over YIMBY vs NIMBY, it must be a reasonable hybrid. California state’s mandate to build 82,000 is not based on credible, post-pandemic projections and analysis. The City will not abide by state mandates until such time as the reports are revised and housing needs are proven. The stresses and conflicts caused by the mandates are irresponsible and divisive. Build housing where and when necessary, and not under threat by the state.

Unlawfully, unconstitutionally awarded funding will be identified and clawed back from offending organizations and their officers.

Renter protections are important, as are protections to landlords, especially small property owners.

We must race towards a rainfall collection technology program.

The city’s population is aging, yet there seems no urgency to accommodate. The city shall realign priorities to prepare for an aging, physically challenged population including provisions for private transportation. 

3)     I will relieve of their employment a list of department and commission heads:

MTA, Department of Public Health, Homelessness and Supportive Housing, Human Rights Commission Director, several Police Commissioners, more to be identified.

4)     Creation of Blue Ribbon Panels:

-        Tasked with identifying Nonprofit Organizations receiving public funds in Homelessness services and outreach;

-        Tasked with investigating racially biased funding and contract awarding

-        Tasked with identifying all NGO CEO’s and staff in drug treatment, homeless outreach, DEI and racially-biased policy 

-        Tasked with creating a list of all city’s no-bid contracts

-        Tasked with identifying all add-backs

-        Tasked with identifying all NGOs which are grant-making