“Thousands of Californian’s tragically die in auto accidents each year. The vast majority of these collisions are due to human error. Through the use of computers, sensors and other systems, an autonomous vehicle can analyze the driving environment more quickly and accurately and can operate the vehicle more safely. Autonomous vehicles have the potential to significantly reduce traffic fatalities and injuries,” said Senator Alex Padilla. “I envision a future that includes self-driving cars. Establishing safety standards for these vehicles is an essential step in that process,” Padilla added.

Over the years, car manufacturers have introduced a variety semi-autonomous technologies including adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning systems, pre-collision braking and even self-parking. Autonomous vehicles are the logical next step. Google, BMW, Audi and Volvo are all developing driverless technology with the goal of greater safety, improved fuel efficiency and increased roadway capacity. Google’s self-driving vehicles alone have been safely test-driven more than 200,000 miles in California.

“Developing and deploying autonomous vehicles will not only save lives, it will create jobs. California is uniquely positioned to be the global leader in this field,” added Senator Padilla.

Specifically, SB 1298 would:
· set up safety and performance standards for the safe operation of autonomous vehicles on California’s roads and highways;
· allow a licensed drive to operate an autonomous vehicle in California;

* require that an autonomous vehicle meet all applicable safety standards and performance requirements in state and federal law;
* allow the Highway Patrol, in consultation with the Department of Motor vehicles, to recommend to the legislature additional requirements for the safe operation of autonomous vehicles on California’s roads and highways.

Last year, similar legislation was signed into law in Nevada. In addition, Arizona, Hawaii, Florida and Oklahoma are all currently considering autonomous vehicles legislation.

Senator Alex Padilla, 39, graduated from MIT with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He currently serves on the Board of MIT. He is Chair of the Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee and represents the more than 900,000 residents of the 20th State Senate District which includes most of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles.

“San Francisco will continue to maintain investments in HIV/AIDS care, treatment and prevention, which reflect our values to care for our most vulnerable populations and prevent the spread of infection,” said Mayor Lee. “Despite continued budget challenges, we remain committed to funding critical care services for those living with HIV/AIDS in San Francisco. Our City will continue to be a model for the rest of the nation, and we will continue to work collaboratively with our local community partners to build greater efficiencies in providing services to protect against future destabilizing Federal cuts.”

“I’m deeply grateful to Mayor Lee for his understanding of the critical need for this funding and for his swift and decisive action restoring the Federal cuts,” said Supervisor Wiener. “I represent many people living with HIV or at risk for it. This funding will save lives and prevent new infections.”

“We are grateful for Mayor Lee’s leadership on funding critical HIV/AIDS programs and services that will save lives, ensure that basic HIV/AIDS services are provided to the most vulnerable and prevent the spread of the disease in our community,” said Supervisor Campos.

“I thank Mayor Lee for working closely with the Board of Supervisors and community advocates to take bold actions against potentially devastating impacts in our community,” said Supervisor Olague. “Every dollar that we restore is going to save lives and prevent another infection.”

“As Director of Health, I am pleased that the Mayor has taken the extraordinary step of bridging the gap in federal funding for HIV AIDS services,” said San Francisco Director of Health Barbara Garcia. “This will allow us to continue to address the health needs for people living with HIV/AIDS and those who are at risk for HIV/AIDS.”

“We are deeply grateful to the Mayor for his bold decision to use City funds to fully replace Federal HIV/AIDS funding cuts that would have destabilized San Francisco’s nationally recognize system of care and prevention. His leadership will help thousands of San Franciscans continue to access HIV/AIDS treatment services and will prevent the further spread of new infections,” said San Francisco HIV/AIDS Provider Network (HAPN) President Mike Smith. “In this time of decreasing state and federal funding, his action today reaffirms our City’s long-standing commitment to people with HIV/AIDS.”

The $6.6 million in funding restoration in the San Francisco budget reflect a total budget impact from a $4.3 million Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act reduction to HIV/AIDS health services and a $2.3 million Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reduction to HIV/AIDS prevention.

The $4.3 million Ryan White Care Act funding restoration will maintain primary care services and critical support services for San Franciscans living with HIV/AIDS, including hospice, treatment adherence, case management and housing. Maintaining these services is critical because San Francisco’s aging population living with HIV/AIDS is creating more complex conditions due to accelerated aging co-morbidity. In addition, over half the people living with HIV/AIDS in San Francisco do not have private health insurance.

The $2.3 million CDC HIV/AIDS prevention funding restoration will maintain local surveillance, research, and prevention and evaluation activities and to build capacity and infrastructure to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic. These activities are critically important because CDC estimates that about 1.1 million Americans are living with HIV, and that 21 percent of these persons do not know they are infected. In addition, the number of people living with AIDS is increasing, as effective new drug therapies keep HIV-infected persons healthy longer and dramatically reduce the death rate.

Allison M. Danner, 41, of Palo Alto, has served as an assistant U.S. Attorney in the Criminal Division for the Northern District of California since 2007. She took a leave to serve as an attorney-adviser at the Office of Legal Counsel for the U.S. Department of Justice from 2009 to 2010. Danner was a visiting professor at Harvard Law School and the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law in 2006, a professor at Vanderbilt Law School from 2001 to 2007 and a lecturer at Stanford Law School in 2000. She served as a law clerk for U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens from 1998 to 1999. Danner earned a Juris Doctorate degree from Stanford Law School and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Williams College. She fills the vacancy created by the appointment of Judge Edward J. Davila to the U.S. District Court. Danner is a Democrat.

Mary J. Greenwood, 55, of Menlo Park, has served as the chief public defender in the Santa Clara County Public Defender’s Office since 2005. She was an assistant public defender and supervising attorney in the Santa Clara County Alternative Public Defender’s Office from 2002 to 2005. Greenwood was an attorney at Coblentz Patch Duffy and Bass LLP in 2001. She served in multiple positions in the Santa Clara County Public Defender’s Office from 1988 to 2001, including deputy public defender and assistant public defender. She was an associate attorney at the Boccardo Law Firm in 1987. From 1982 to 1986, she served as deputy public defender in the Santa Clara County Public Defender’s Office. Greenwood earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Grinnell College. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Alfonso Fernandez. Greenwood is a Democrat.

The compensation for each position is $178,789.

Debra A. Cole, 50, of Long Beach, has served in multiple positions in the Los Angeles County Alternative Public Defender’s Office since 1994, including head deputy, deputy in charge and trial deputy. Cole was a trial deputy in the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office from 1988 to 1994. She earned a Juris Doctorate degree from Loyola Law School Los Angeles and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Los Angeles. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Andrew C. Kauffman. Cole is a Democrat.

Halim Dhanidina, 39, of Los Angeles, has served as a deputy district attorney in the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office since 1998. He earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Pomona College. He fills the vacancy created by the conversion of a court commissioner position. Dhanidina is a Democrat. According to the Muslim Public Affairs Council, Dhanidina will be the first American-Muslim judge ever appointed in California.

Peter A. Hernandez, 42, of Alhambra, has served as an assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California since 1999. He was a litigation associate at Brobeck, Phleger and Harrison LLP from 1998 to 1999. Previously, Hernandez was a trial attorney in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice from 1995 to 1998. He earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Berkeley. He fills the vacancy created by the conversion of a court commissioner position. Hernandez is a Democrat.

Bruce G. Iwasaki, 61, of Los Angeles, has been a partner at Lim Ruger and Kim LLP since 2006. He was executive director of the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles from 1997 to 2006 and was an associate at O’Melveny and Myers LLP from 1988 to 1997. From 1980 to 1988, he served in muliple positions at the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, including senior counsel and staff attorney. He was a staff attorney at San Fernando Valley Neighborhood Legal Services from 1976 to 1980. Iwasaki earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Los Angeles. He fills the vacancy created by the conversion of a court commissioner position. Iwasaki is a Democrat.

H. Clay Jacke II, 53, of Los Angeles, has been a sole criminal defense practitioner since 1983. He earned a Juris Doctorate degree from Southwestern Law School and a Bachelor of Science degree from Drake University. He fills the vacancy created by the conversion of a court commissioner position. Jacke is a Democrat.

Virginia Keeny, 50, of Los Angeles, has been a partner at Hadsell Stormer Keeny Richardson and Renick LLP since 2008. She was a partner at Hadsell and Stormer Inc. from 1993 to 2007 and a senior trial attorney in the Los Angeles District Office of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission from 1991 to 1993. Keeny was a public interest fellow at Litt and Stormer from 1989 to 1991. From 1988 to 1989, she served as a law clerk for Judge William A. Norris in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Keeny earned a Juris Doctorate degree from Stanford Law School and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Harvard University. She fills the vacancy created by the conversion of a court commissioner position. Keeny is a Democrat.

David B. Walgren, 43, of Calabasas, has served as a deputy district attorney in the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office since 1996. He earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of California, Davis School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Los Angeles. He fills the vacancy created by the conversion of a court commissioner position. Walgren is a Democrat.

Jeffrey K. Winikow, 47, of Los Angeles, has been a sole practitioner since 1992. Previously, he was an associate attorney at Mitchell Silberberg and Knupp LLP from 1989 to 1992. Winikow earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Chicago Law School and a Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge William J. Birney Jr. Winikow is a Democrat.

The compensation for each position is $178,789.

“This budget reflects the fact that the nation’s economic recovery is proceeding more slowly than anticipated,” said Governor Brown. “Lower tax revenues, coupled with federal government obstructions that blocked billions in necessary cuts, have created a deeper budget hole. More painful reductions will be necessary as a result, but education and public safety must be protected.”

The revised May budget slashes spending in almost every part of government, but proposes a 16 percent increase in funding for K-12 education, subject to voter approval.

It also continues funding to local governments that are implementing public safety realignment, and proposes legislation to create a permanent funding structure so that local governments will have a reliable funding source into the future.

“We can’t balance the budget with cuts alone; that would just further undermine our public schools,” said Governor Brown. “The budget I am proposing will boost funding for education, protect public safety and prevent an even deeper round of trigger cuts.”

To achieve this goal, Governor Brown has placed an initiative on the November ballot that will increase money for schools and provide constitutional protection for public safety funding. The measure will enact temporary income tax increases on high-income earners. It will raise income taxes by up to three percent on the wealthiest Californians for seven years and will also increase the state sales tax by one quarter of one percent for four years.

Governor Brown’s measure works with the framework of the state budget, so it will increase funding for schools and protect public safety funding while also stemming cuts to other critical safety net programs.

“My proposal is modest, fair and temporary,” said Governor Brown. “It won’t solve all of the state’s problems, but it will help dig us out of a deep hole and protect our schools until the recovery is complete.”

The May Revision proposes cuts far deeper than those in the January budget. It increases cuts by $4.1 billion, bringing total cuts to state employee compensation, welfare, health care, higher education, courts, and other critical government programs to $8.3 billion.

If the Governor’s tax initiative does not pass in November, $6 billion in additional cuts will go into effect on January 1.

“I don’t like making additional cuts, and I recognize the impact they have on Californians. They are difficult – but necessary – in order to get us back on firm fiscal footing until California fully recovers from the global economic recession,” said Governor Brown.

The revised May budget builds on the progress that has been made in tackling the $26.6 billion deficit inherited from the previous administration. Last year, Governor Brown signed an on-time budget that slashed $16 billion from the budget and shifted California’s credit outlook from negative to positive.

The 2011-2012 budget cut funds for state programs, made state government more efficient through consolidation and reorganization and moved government closer to the people through realignment.

Through the budget and executive actions, Governor Brown has already slashed billions from state prison costs and banned costly government perks like cell phones, travel, vehicles and freebies. He also permanently shrank state government through the elimination of 30,000 positions.

Significant details of the revised 2012-2013 budget:

Increases Funding for K-12 Education
Under the Governor’s proposal, funding for K-12 education would receive an increase of 16 percent, subject to voter approval. State funding for K-12 schools would increase from $29.3 billion in last year’s budget to $34.0 billion by the end of 2013.

Keeps Higher Education Affordable for Low-Income Students
The revised budget proposes that the state award Cal Grants using the same methodology that determines eligibility for Federal Pell Grant awards. This would ensure that the neediest applicants – who constitute some 63 percent of Cal Grant recipients – continue to receive the maximum award. Students with higher family incomes will receive reduced assistance.

Protects Public Safety
The revised budget continues to fund local governments that are implementing public safety realignment. It proposes a permanent funding structure so that local governments will have a reliable funding source into the future.

Cuts State Employee Compensation Costs
The revised budget includes a 5 percent cut to state employee compensation costs. This will be achieved through a reduced workweek or a commensurate reduction in work hours and pay.

Provides Funding for Existing Homeowner and Consumer Assistance Programs
Existing assistance programs for homeowners and consumers affected by the mortgage crisis will be funded with proceeds from the National Mortgage Settlement, resulting in $292 million in General Fund savings.

Funding court budgets from alternative sources
This year’s budget restructures trial court funding, reducing General Fund support by $300 million on a one-time basis and requiring each trial court to use their available reserve. It delays court construction for a savings of $240 million and increases retirement contributions for state court employees. Altogether, these will result in $125 million in ongoing savings.

Reduces Corrections Spending
In April 2012, the administration released a comprehensive plan to save billions of dollars, end federal oversight, and improve the prison system. As a result of this plan, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation expects to save $1 billion in 2012-13 and $1.5 billion in 2015-16 while satisfying the U.S. Supreme Court’s order to reduce the prison population.
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The Governor’s news conference will be streamed live this morning at 10:00 a.m. at www.calchannel.com. The budget, in full, will be posted online shortly after the news conference begins at: www.dof.ca.gov.

In total, 791 handguns, 527 rifles, 302 shotguns, and 53 assault weapons were collected this weekend from the six Gun Buyback locations citywide.

An initiative of the Mayor’s Gang Reduction and Youth Development (GRYD) Office, the Gun Buyback rewards the voluntary surrender of firearms while engaging the community towards a common goal of reducing gun violence.

The Gun Buyback includes a grassroots outreach campaign that works with gang prevention and intervention agencies, community and religious leaders, and the Los Angeles Police Department. The comprehensive outreach effort serves not only to encourage participation in neighborhoods suffering from high levels of gun violence, but also to educate communities about the risks and dangers of gun and gang violence.

In exchange for surrendering weapons, participants received a Ralphs or VISA pre-paid card. The LAPD Gun Unit determined the type and classification of the firearm surrendered. The cost per firearm is dependent on its type, up to $200 for assault weapons as specified by the State of California and up to $100 for handguns, rifles, and shotguns.

The Gun Buyback is the beginning of the Summer Violence Reduction strategy which leads into the Summer Night Lights (SNL) program.

She served as the administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9 from 1993 to 2001. Marcus was a commissioner on the City of Los Angeles Board of Public Works from 1989 to 1993 and served as president of the Board from 1991 to 1993. She has been a member of the Delta Stewardship Council since 2010. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $128,109. Marcus is a Democrat.

Steven Moore, 45, of Sausalito, has been appointed to the State Water Resources Control Board. Moore has been a civil and sanitary engineer at Nute Engineering since 2006 and has been a member of the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board since 2008. He served in multiple positions at the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board from 1999 to 2006 and 1992 to 1996, including resources control engingeer. He was a senior engineer at Montgomery Watson Consulting Engineers from 1997 to 1998. Moore was an environmental analyst and biologist for Earth Metrics Inc. from 1989 to 1991. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $128,109. Moore is a Democrat.

Charles Hoppin, of Yuba City, will remain chair of the State Water Resources Control Board. Hoppin was appointed to the Board in 2006 and has served as chair since 2009. He is a partner in a family farm operation in Sutter and Yolo Counties.

Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today also announced the following appointments:

Michael Deangelo Jackson, R.N., 40, of Chula Vista, has been appointed to the Board of Registered Nursing. Jackson has been a clinical nurse II in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of California, San Diego Medical Center since 2000 and served as an extern there from 1999 to 2000. He has been an adjunct clinical faculty member in the registered nursing program at Southwestern Community College and an operations supervisor at Scripps Mercy Medical Center since 2007. Jackson was a mental health worker at Scripps Mercy Medical Center from 1992 to 2000. He served as a lance corporal in the United States Marine Corps Reserve from 1989 to 1993. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Jackson is a Democrat.

Cindy Cipres Klein, R.N., 44, of Canyon Lake, has been appointed to the Board of Registered Nursing. Cipres Klein has been a registered nurse in population care management with Kaiser Permanente Medical Group since 2005. She has served in multiple positions with Kaiser, including as the RN charge nurse in urgent care from 2003 to 2005 and an ambulatory care RN team leader in family medicine, pediatrics, allergy and obstetrics and gynecology from 1998 to 2003. Cipres Klein worked as a RN supervisor for U.S. Family Care West from 1997 to 1998, as a general pediatric floor nurse at Miller’s Children’s Hospital in 1996 and as a RN lead for the Universal Care Medical Group from 1992 to 1995. She was a medical records clerk at St. Jude’s Medical Center from 1991 to 1992. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Cipres Klein is a Democrat.

Raymond Mallel, 75, of Agoura Hills, has been appointed to the Board of Registered Nursing. He has been a private investor since 2001. Mallel was director of marketing and operations at Long Beach Mortgage Company and Ameriquest Bank from 1991 to 2001 and vice president of Loubella Extendables Inc. from 1971 to 1991. He served as vice president of the State Bar of California Board of Governors from 1983 to 1986 and was chair of the Client Security Fund at the State Bar of California from 1986 to 1990. From 1982 to 1994, he served three consecutive terms on the Medical Board of California, including as president and vice president. Mallel is a co-founder and member of the International Executive Board for the Sephardic Educational Center in Jerusalem, Israel. He also serves as president of the Raymond Mallel Foundation. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Mallel is a Democrat.

Trande Phillips, R.N., 62, of Walnut Creek, has been appointed to the Board of Registered Nursing. Phillips has been a registered nurse at Kaiser Permanente Walnut Creek Medical Center in the pediatric-flex unit and the medical, surgical, hospice and oncology unit since 1983. She was a registered nurse at the Merrithew Memorial Hospital in Contra Costa County from 1979 to 1981 and the Wichita General Hospital in Texas from 1971 to 1972. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Phillips is a Democrat.

Dave O’Toole, 40, of Sacramento, has been appointed chief deputy commissioner at the California Department of Corporations. O’Toole has been policy director in the California State Controller’s Office since 2007. He was a consultant for the California State Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review from 2004 to 2007 and a staff finance analyst at the California Department of Finance from 2001 to 2003. O’Toole served as an ordnance and damage control officer in the United States Navy from 1995 to 1999 and worked as a teacher and community organizer at Dolores Mission Alternative School from 1994 to 1995. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $130,008. O’Toole is a Democrat.

Kurt Schuparra, 55, of Sacramento, has been appointed assistant secretary for research and policy development at the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency. Schuparra was an associate at California Strategies LLC from 2007 to 2012. From 2004 to 2006, he served as the principal consultant to Assemblymember Joe Canciamilla. Schuparra served as a senior policy analyst in the Office of Governor Gray Davis from 1999 to 2002 and as deputy director for policy at the California Environmental Protection Agency in 2003. From 1997 to 1999, he was a research coordinator at the California State Employees Association. Schuparra earned a Ph.D. in history from the University of Arizona. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $113,004. Schuparra is a Democrat.

The Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD) estimates this new office can accommodate approximately 550 employees, a five-fold increase over current employment.

“From cloud to mobile to social to gaming, San Francisco is ground zero for innovative companies like Dropbox,” said Mayor Lee. “Dropbox’s decision to locate their headquarters in San Francisco demonstrates what we already know – that San Francisco is the ‘Innovation Capital of the World.’ The tech ecosystem we are nurturing now has the best local talent, is helping us create jobs and reinvigorate our local economy. I am thrilled to officially welcome them to their new home in SoMa.”

“We’re proud to call San Francisco our home; there’s no better place in the world for creative thinkers and builders,” said Dropbox CEO and Co-Founder Drew Houston. “We’d like to thank the Mayor for joining us today and for the City’s support.”

The new Dropbox location in the China Basin Landing Building provides the company with an opportunity to create their own office space, is located next to convenient transit, is adjacent to AT&T Park, and enjoys access to the best talent and creativity of the San Francisco workforce.

About Dropbox: Dropbox simplifies millions of people’s lives by letting them bring their docs, photos, and videos anywhere and share them easily. The service has more than 50 million users in over 175 countries. Dropbox was founded in San Francisco in 2007 by Drew Houston and Arash Ferdowsi. For more information, go to www.dropbox.com/press.

Standing at the historic African-American bookstore Marcus Books, Mayor Lee and Supervisor Olague announced that the City is also partnering with merchants and property owners to improve the storefronts of 23 businesses from McAllister to Post Streets and is initiating a neighborhood marketing and events program aimed at celebrating the Fillmore’s culture and history and driving additional foot traffic to the area.

“With new businesses, storefront improvements, events programming and the leadership of business owners and the community, today there is renewed energy and optimism in the Fillmore, one of our City’s great historic neighborhoods,” said Mayor Lee. “We still have much work to do, but the dramatic drop in commercial vacancies and the progress we are seeing in the Fillmore demonstrates the promise of our Invest in Neighborhoods strategy to transform our neighborhood commercial corridors through targeted City and community resources, assistance and leadership. I want to thank Supervisor Olague for her tireless efforts since taking office to champion the needs of the Fillmore and bring new resources and focused attention to the neighborhood.”

“As we gear up for Small Business Month in May, we have a great opportunity to highlight The Fillmore’s thriving business community,” said Supervisor Olague. “I am thrilled to support the diverse merchants in the Jazz District, many of whom have been here for decades, as well as newcomers who see the limitless potential in this growing corridor.”

Three new businesses – State Bird Provisions, The Social Study café and wine bar, and 1307 Gallery, a multi-media space in the Fillmore Center owned by two local Fillmore residents – opened in late 2011 and early 2012. State Bird Provisions has already made the San Francisco Chronicle’s Top 100 Restaurants. Hapa Ramen and Prime Dip will open in the end of May, and Progress and City Grange restaurants, will open in Fall 2012.

Progress will be the second project of the owners of State Bird and will be located two doors down. City Grange will be a second project of the owners of Phat Angel, also in the Fillmore. Hapa Ramen is a food truck that will make its first permanent home on Fillmore. Prime Dip is expanding from its first location on Larkin Street to the Fillmore. The City has been working with property owners since 2010 to diversity the business mix in the area and fill vacancies, and has provided financial and technical assistance to many of the new entrepreneurs.

The City’s investment in the Fillmore builds on efforts by the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency to restore the area as a cultural center for African Americans and for music and entertainment in the aftermath of Urban Renewal. The Redevelopment Agency’s investments led to new development and anchor businesses such as Yoshi’s, 1300 on Fillmore, Sheba Lounge and Rassela’s. The City’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD) has continued to build on these investments by implementing initiatives aimed at supporting long-time Fillmore businesses; providing resources for area residents who wish to start their own businesses; bringing in new neighborhood-serving businesses; and activating the street with festivals and other events that showcase the culture of the district. OEWD’s Fillmore work started in early 2010 and has shown a decrease from 35 percent vacancy rate to 14 percent, showing a declining change of 21 percent.

Today’s Fillmore merchant walk coincides with the recent kick-off of the Mayor Lee’s new Invest in Neighborhoods initiative, which will coordinate the City’s many programs and neighborhood resources to make targeted improvements in key neighborhood commercial districts.

In each participating commercial district, City services—including business retention and attraction programs, community planning activities, cleaning, greening and beautification services, public safety programs, and neighborhood art projects—will be deployed in a focused, customized manner that responds to the corridor’s unique challenges and opportunities. Invest in Neighborhoods will create infrastructure to leverage programs like the Small Business Revolving Loan Fund, which Mayor Lee recently recapitalized with $1 million with unanimous support from the Board of Supervisors.

The event celebrates the 100th anniversary of the first cherry blossom tree presented to the U.S. and the San Francisco Consulate General of Japan is commemorating the event by donating young cherry blossom trees to be planted throughout San Francisco, including in Union Square, the Japanese Tea Garden and in Golden Gate Park.

“The cherry blossom tree is a symbol of friendship and exchange between the United States and Japan,” said Mayor Lee. “We are honored to plant cherry blossom trees, a gift of friendship from the Consul General of Japan, throughout San Francisco to recognize the strong relationship our City shares with Japan and the Japanese community.”

“I can’t think of a more fitting location, given the more than 150 years of history and exchange that San Francisco and Japan share,” said Consul General of Japan Hiroshi Inomata. “We look forward to sharing this sight with all of you, and know that the cherry trees, as well as the friendship between our peoples, will be still be blooming well into the next centennial.”

“San Francisco Recreation and Park Department looks forward to continuing our partnership with the Japanese communities oversea and in San Francisco,” said General Manager Phil Ginsburg. “With the generous gift of Cherry Blossom Trees from Consul General of Japan, now many are able to reflect and gain a deeper understanding of Japan in our park system.”

Cherry blossom trees, including some of the original from 1912, bloom beautifully every spring at the Tidal Basin along the Potomac River in Washington D.C. Various events are held during the season with the cooperation of individuals and organizations from both countries. More than a million people visit Washington D.C. every year from around the U.S. and around the world to see and cherish the cherry blossoms in full bloom. Over the years, the cherry blossom trees have encouraged exchanges between the two nations as well as contributing to a deeper understanding of Japan.

2012 also marks the 55th anniversary of the founding of the San Francisco-Osaka Sister City relationship and the 45th anniversary of the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival, which is the second largest festival outside of Washington, D.C. to celebrate the blooming of cherry blossoms and held at one of three remaining Japantowns in the U.S.