Billionaire tax, affordable housing: See the measures on California’s November ballot
This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. On Nov. 3, Californians will vote on 14 statewide ballot measures on environment, taxation, election, housing and healthcare. For months, interest groups sponsoring ballot initiatives spent heavily on ad blitzes and signature gathering to get on the ballot, but some agreed to withdraw high-profile proposals after striking deals…
New SFMTA program brightens up daylighted spaces with help from community groups
San Francisco curbs at daylit intersections could soon get a spruce-up as part of a two-year pilot program in which murals or planters are placed in those empty spaces. Last…
A personal tribute to David Hockney: The artist who taught us how to see
David Hockney died on June 11, 2026, at his home in London. On the morning of June 12, the news broke, and I began reading obituaries and remembrances of his…
Out and about June 25–July 1, 2026
It’s a busy, busy weekend out there with Pride celebrations and more from music, magic, and yes, more. Thursday, June 25 As of earlier this week, the Gardens of the Golden Gate says Scarlet the Corpse Flower’s bloom is imminent. She’ll only be showy and smelly for two days, so…
California leaders yet to reach deal to keep billionaire tax off the ballot. Time is running out
This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. State leaders are feverishly negotiating with special interests behind a few high-profile measures ahead of a Thursday deadline to withdraw them from the November ballot. Top Democrats have already announced an agreement between Uber and the state’s trial lawyers to pull…
Civil grand jury charges weak oversight of S.F.’s homelessness system
San Francisco’s Civil Grand Jury released a report today saying the city’s Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (HSH) is failing to use the data it collects to hold service providers accountable and protect vulnerable residents. The report calls for significant reform. The report, titled “At Scale, At Risk-Upgrading Data…
Giants pitchers balk at team’s LGBTQ Pride Night uniform
In baseball terminology, relief pitchers are often called “firemen” — called upon to douse the flames of the opposing team’s late-inning rally. This past week,…
Two ways to play the gay card
June, as we all know, is Dairy Month. Or maybe you didn’t know that. But you certainly know it is Gay Pride Month, which never occurs in the Bay Area without numerous commemorations and celebrations,…
Don’t take away our Veterans Affairs Commission
As a veteran and a commissioner of the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Commission, I strongly oppose the proposal to change our name to the San Francisco Veterans Council. This is more than a name change.…
Double your impact and support quality journalism
Help us keep The Voice of San Francisco free. Every dollar you donate will be matched—doubling your impact. Support our growth and contribute to quality journalism. Donate now! Your donation is tax-deductible.
by Nomi Kane | @Nomikane
Monterey Park blares a warning to the AI industry
The tiny Los Angeles suburb of Monterey Park found the AI industry’s pain point in this month’s elections. Voters there took a dramatic step by enacting a permanent moratorium on data centers. AI executives should look south from their San Francisco offices and pay close attention to this warning. They…
How ideology left our kids at the back of the line
On June 10, 2026, roughly 150 determined souls, including myself and our two SFUSD teens, lined the halls for the congressional hearing “Breaking Trust: Attacks on Parental Rights, Inappropriate Content, and Legal Abuses in America’s Schools.” Only about 50 hopefuls secured seats in the committee room. Limited capacity, and an…
IdeaSF: Discussions about San Francisco’s future and who gets to decide
Coinciding with the June primary election, IdeaSF took place at Gap headquarters, a brick postmodern building standing at the lip of the bayfront. The stated goal of the event was to “… explore the kinds of ideas — emanating from the Bay Area and beyond — that move us forward.”…
‘60 Minutes’ and the great news freak-out
Scott Pelley isn’t the only journalist forced out of a job because of changing media dynamics. But his ouster from CBS News and 60 Minutes amid the Bari Weiss-ification of the operation brought to mind my own connection to that storied institution. When my mother graduated from high school in…
Toying around with a durable franchise
The release of Toy Story 5 this past weekend is yet another landmark in the saga of Pixar Animation Studios, the Emeryville, Calif.-based company that…
Budget, housing, public art among issues on table at City Hall this week
With the budget process continuing, City Hall has a packed agenda reaching beyond the usual fiscal fight, including major proposals to expand San Francisco’s Housing…
School board is asked to adopt a ban on student cell phone use without discussion
Next week, facing a July 1 state-imposed deadline, San Francisco Superintendent of Schools Maria Su is asking the school board to adopt a ban on…
Inner Sunset study proposes Muni and street safety improvements
San Francisco transportation planners have released final recommendations as part of a study to improve traffic circulation, Muni service, and bike safety in the bustling…
‘The Tramp’ at CCA Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts
Artists Justin Caguiat and Rafael Delacruz’s The Tramp brings together a new film, installation, painting, and prints, marking the artists’ first institutional exhibition on the…
Frameline50 fearlessly focuses on the LGBTQ+ experience
A welcome rebuke to divisiveness and intolerance wherever it lurks, the Frameline media-arts organization — renowned bastion and supporter of queer cinema — is presenting…
Reclaiming history through beadwork: Demetri Broxton at MoAD
Demetri Broxton’s ornate hand-stitched beaded portraits speak of ancestral stories. His art asks us to think about how we honor those we cannot fully name,…
Delving into the power and glory of music
If anyone understands the glories, pitfalls, and perils of the music industry well enough to make a movie (or five) on the subject, it would…
Listen to the Voice
The Voice of San Francisco produces podcasts covering the people and issues of interest to San Francisco. Monday through Friday, John F. Rothmann hosts his Voice podcast featuring his take on the hot issues in the City by the Bay.
Subscribe to these podcasts wherever you get your favorite podcasts, or listen to them on our podcast player below.