Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Graffiti Advisory Board topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Rules committee advances Don Beckler to Graffiti Advisory Board after contested discussion
Summary
The Rules Committee voted to forward Don Beckler’s nomination to the full Board of Supervisors with a 2–1 recommendation after debate about enforcement of poster- and graffiti-related rules and competing support for longtime activist Gideon Kramer.
The Rules Committee advanced Don Beckler’s nomination to the full Board of Supervisors with a recommendation following a contested appointment hearing.
Beckler, who said he has been involved in civic affairs for more than 40 years (22 in San Francisco), told the committee he has worked on health-policy campaigns and community outreach and that community groups rely on posters and utility-pole postings to reach residents. “Last year, there were 861 citations for putting up illegal posters,” Beckler said on the record, and he argued that enforcement is applied unevenly: he told the committee legal community posters are often removed without citation while people who post illegally are fined.
Supervisors debated Beckler’s record alongside advocates for Gideon Kramer, a long-time graffiti-abatement activist who has provided technical support and volunteer time on graffiti issues. Supervisor Tom Ammiano, while acknowledging Kramer’s lengthy service and influence, said the committee would benefit from additional voices and indicated support for advancing Beckler’s name. Another supervisor argued Kramer had broader, graffiti-specific experience and should be appointed as a voting member.
Chair Ross Margarimi moved to advance Beckler’s nomination to the full Board with a recommendation and asked for a roll call. The clerk recorded one “No” and two “Aye” responses and reported the motion carried (two ayes, one no). A supervisor asked that Beckler provide additional information before the full Board so the city attorney can determine whether his posting activities meet the public-works code definition of graffiti; the committee requested that the city attorney review qualifications prior to the full-Board consideration.
The committee’s action was procedural: it forwarded the nomination with recommendation rather than making a final appointment at the Rules Committee level. The full Board will consider the nomination and any additional materials provided by the nominee and city attorney.
