Virtual mud was lobbed around the interwebs yesterday, as City Attorney Dennis Herrera accused fellow mayoral hopeful Mayor Ed Lee of ripping of his jobs plan.
Both the plan of Lee, issued Tuesday, and of Herrera, issued in June, are a Wilsonesque 17-points, but there’s more than that in common.
Sure, every politician in San Francisco wants to reform the business tax, and micro-loans for small businesses aren’t an original idea, either. Though, to be fair, it’s interesting that Ed Lee’s people would shoot for the same amount of points — and even crib Herrera’s slogan.
“By addressing each of my 17 points we can build a City that works,” Ed Lee says in an e-mail blast, using phrasing — to wit, “A City that works” — that’s been on Herrera campaign signs “for over a year,” according to a Herrera worker.
But don’t take our words for it. Take a peek for yourself.
1. Business tax reform
ED LEE
Reform the Payroll Tax
“Mayor Lee knows that San Francisco’s current business tax structure punishes jobs creation when it should reward it… Mayor Lee believes comprehensive payroll tax reform is needed for the entire city. In 2012, Mayor Lee will bring together businesses large and small and from every neighborhood and industry together and work with the Board of Supervisors to develop a fair business tax structure that rewards job creation and creatres sustainable revenue for vital City services.”
HERRERA
Reform Our Business Tax
“Our current business tax structure doesn’t work. Among all California cities, San Francisco is the only city with a payroll tax… . As mayor, I will promptly convene a Tax Summit, with a hard deadline to put a specific measure on the November 2012 ballot that would reform our payroll tax to incentivize job creation and encourage growth.”
2. Local manufacturing
ED LEE
Revive local manufacturing Made in SF
“A rebirth in local, artisan manufacturing is occurring in San Francisco with help from the SFMade initiative. Companies… are creating hundreds of new local and artisan manufacturing jobs for workers of every skill level and reviving pride in high quality, locally-made goods and products.”
HERRERA
Help Businesses Grow in Neighborhoods
“Relax the allowable uses in selected neighborhoods to provide increased opportunity for new industries, especially light industrial uses such as the manufacturing of clothes and shoes. We should particularly focus on increasing uses in neighborhood commercial corridors, while leaning on our anti-chain store laws and other provisions to avoid homogenizing our unique communities.”
3. Microloans for small business
ED LEE
Small Business New Jobs Investment Fund
“Mayor Lee will invest $5 million next year into the Small Business Revolving Loan Fund to help small businesses create jobs and existing small businesses expand.”
HERRERA:
Invest in Local Businesses.
“We should expand the city’s flourishing Small Business Revolving Loan Fund.”
4. Government Oversight
ED LEE
Require a Jobs Impact review for all new legislation
“Mayor Lee believes that any new proposed legislation that the impartial City Economist says would destroy jobs should have a special Jobs Impact Review hearing at the Board of Supervisors to specifically engage affected business owners and employees and evaluate impacts and alternatives.”
HERRERA
Expand Project Review to Analyze Economic Impact (ie number of new jobs)
“Expand environmental impact review to include economic impact reviews that measure job creation/economic impact. In order to properly review a project’s impact on the surrounding community, we must know how many jobs are being created, what type of jobs they are, and who will be employed.”
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