Here's the final language we decided to send to the supes:
The Transportation Working Group of the San Francisco Green Party encourages you to adopt a resolution of necessity for the City?s proposed acquisition by eminent domain of property at 80 Natoma Street in order for work on the extension of Caltrain to the Transbay Terminal to commence.
The California state government gave land near the Transbay Terminal to the City and County of San Francisco on the condition that the Transbay Terminal and Caltrain extension be built. In addition to the rebuild of the terminal and the extension of Caltrain, 3,400 to 4,700 units of housing (35 percent affordable) are currently slated to be built on this land. If the City does not follow through with these plans, the state might take back the land and with it an opportunity to build desperately needed housing. Additional reasons make it essential that the Board of Supervisors take the necessary steps to see that work can begin on the Transbay project as originally planned. When it is completed, the Transbay Terminal will be a regional hub serving Caltrain and high-speed rail in addition to Muni, BART, Golden Gate and AC Transit. It will also serve as a terminus for eventual bus rapid transit systems established in San Francisco and the region. Moreover, the extended Caltrain will bring people to San Francisco from the peninsula as well as from Bayview, Visitation Valley, Potrero Hill and Dogpatch as there will be stations in those neighborhoods. This expansion of electrified train service will make it possible for more people to travel without cars, thereby improving air quality and lessening congestion. The 3,400 to 4,700 units of housing near the terminal will also reduce the need for personal vehicles. We also encourage the City to return authority over the project to the Transbay Joint Powers Authority. We believe it was a mistake for the City to shift authority from the TJPA to the San Francisco County Transportation Authority in mid-August for several reasons. First, as a part of this shift in authority, the City will have to borrow money so that the SFCTA can study an alternative that includes the construction of a high-rise at 80 Natoma Street. The TJPA has already found this alternative unacceptable. Second, in shifting authority from the TJPA to the TA, the City is violating the will of the voters as expressed through the passage of Proposition K in 2003 and the passage of regional Measure 2 in 2004. Third, the owner of the property at 80 Natoma Street, Jack Myers, is simply attempting to extort more money from the City. Allowing him to game the system and postpone construction on the project as originally planned risks exposing the City to environmental lawsuits and cost overruns.
Sincerely, John-Marc Chandonia Susan Vaughan Transportation Working Group Co-Chairs
on behalf of the SFGP Transportation Working Group
JMC -- John-Marc Chandonia (jmc@sfgreens.org) http://www.dolorespark.org/