THIS WEEK AT THE VOICE FOR THURSDAY, DEC. 18, 2025
To view in browser, get past issues, or subscribe, CLICK HERE
by Mike Ege
Editor in Chief, The Voice of San Francisco
District 4 Supervisor Alan Wong faces an uphill election year, as he must stand for election twice: once in June to be elected in his own right after being appointed by Mayor Daniel Lurie, and again in November to be reelected. To that end, he is focusing on an issue his Sunset constituents hold most dear — parking.
“I have requested from SFMTA a comprehensive evaluation of potential opportunities to increase on street parking availability in District 4,” Wong announced during roll call at Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting. “Parking access is one of the most consistent concerns we hear, and it affects neighborhood access, small businesses, and overall safety.”
Wong has asked SFMTA to respond by Jan. 15. The request coincides with potential revenue strategy changes at the agency, including, as Jerold Chinn reports, increases in parking rates.
The Bulwark reports that our local billionaire running for governor, Tom Steyer, has hired Fight Agency, the consulting firm that specializes in progressive campaigns and ran newly elected New York mayor Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral campaign, for his own. Steyer, who has yet to get a bump in any polls, also garnered a recent endorsement from South Bay Congressman Ro Khanna, telling supporters “we need a bold progressive agenda in California” in a recent campaign video.
Meanwhile, another local billionaire, Chris Larsen, was recently covered by Politico for his donation strategy in the governor’s race. The crypto maven recently gave the $39,200 max to Republican Steve Hilton, having also maxed out for Democrat Katie Porter.
Larsen told Politico he wants to see representation from both parties in the runoff after June’s “jungle primary” because otherwise, “you’re missing out on a lot of key debates that millions of people want to have.” He also says both Porter and Hilton are most focused on “back to basics, kitchen table” issues.
It looks like Larsen, who has become something of a City Father in San Francisco, having donated millions to augment public safety and education services in the city, is not a big fan of self-funding progressive candidates for high office. He told us he’s supporting Scott Wiener in the upcoming Congressional race against machine-progressive Connie Chan and progressive self-funder Saikat Chakrabarti.
On a more grim note, the boffins at 911sf.org have found some depressing figures on drug overdose deaths in the city that may well attentuate Mayor Daniel Lurie’s optimism on the issue.
Last month, Lurie posted on X how overdose death numbers for October were at “the lowest number recorded since the city started tracking in 2020” and cheered on efforts to close down open-air drug dealing and more rapid connection to treatment options.
But it looks like overdose deaths spiked back up in November — and that in combination with a bigger spike at the beginning of the year, that may mean that any improvement in lowering overdose deaths under his administration may disappear.
According to 911sf.org, DataSF figures show 635 deaths in 2024 and, with November’s increase, 589 deaths so far in 2025. That means that the number of deaths in December had better not go above 43 for Lurie to claim any improvement in attenuating deaths over his predecessor, London Breed.
As of now, there have been 4,047 overdose deaths in San Francisco since the beginning of 2020.
Check out links to our latest content below, or just bookmark our homepage to see the latest.
Top News
POLITICS
Unfinished business makes for a turbulent 2026 primary
Housing and other issues hold sway over races for Congress and supervisors; part 1 of a multipart series on the coming election season
by Mike Ege
San Francisco heads into a pivotal election year in which recent policy battles will drive high-stakes races and possibly reshape the city’s political establishment. Candidates will be rewarded or punished for their positions on upzoning and fiscal governance as progressives try to reclaim a majority on the Board of Supervisors and push policy and spending measures. At the same time, moderates will run on their records and bureaucracy-reform measures. The tension comes to a head quickly with a contentious June primary. Here’s an overview; subsequent parts of this series will cover the races in more detail.
CRIME
Friday’s ‘995 motion’ is last chance before trial for defense to have felony charges dropped
by Susan Dyer Reynolds
TRANSPORTATION
Muni may change fares, increase meter rates to reduce deficit
Facing a $307 million deficit, the SFMTA is weighing fare changes, ending Clipper discounts, parking hikes, and cost cuts as part of its two-year budget.
by Jerold Chinn
Quote of the week
“Unfortunately, it’s just physics.”
— Dr. Christian Rose, an emergency medicine practitioner at Kaiser Permanente and an assistant professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, outlines the need for a new traffic safety plan in blunt terms, in Lurie takes on traffic safety with renewed plan
Nomi toon
In Case You Missed It
CITY HALL
At final meeting, Lurie offers gratitude to supervisors, optimism in Fentanyl fight
“Challenges are real, but so is the progress,” pledges more collaboration in 2026
by Griffin Lee
EDUCATION
Board of Education rejects Superintendent Su’s budget plan
Parent, student, teacher opposition campaign wins them more chances to be heard.
by John Trasviña
HOT TOPICS
City Hall takes on once-in-a-generation task to overhaul the City Charter
Next year could be the year of the biggest changes in San Francisco’s governance since the 1900s.
by John Trasviña
Like what you see? Support us | Subscribe to this newsletter
EVENTS
Out and about Dec. 18–24, 2025
What to do this weekend and beyond.
By Lynette Majer
Managing Editor, The Voice of San Francisco
Time flies — hard to believe the big day is next week, and if you need some more festive activities to fill your calendar then, keep reading.
Thursday, Dec. 18
Smuin’s Christmas Ballet is a must-see holiday classic that combines classical ballet with contemporary dance, including tap, jazz, swing, and more, paired with carols and pop favorites. 7:30 p.m. (two performances on weekends) at Blue Shield of California Theater. through Dec. 28. Tickets from $25.
Friday, Dec. 19
The Stapleton School of Performing Arts will perform its 37th annual production of The Nutcracker, featuring a cast of over 150 youth and adult performers. 7 p.m. at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre. Three additional performances through Sunday. Tickets from $45.
Have you been to the Fairmont’s charming rooftop park with drop-dead views? Drop by the Holiday Roof Faire, where you can enjoy lights, festive music, local artisans, and those fantastic views. Noon to 5 p.m. through Sunday. Free admission.
Gather friends and family to enjoy an evening of joyous holiday melodies and soul-stirring vocals “guaranteed to fill your heart and lift your spirit” at Lorraine Hansberry Theatre’s Soulful Christmas. Four additional performances through Dec. 21 at Fort Mason Center for Arts and Culture. Tickets from $52.
Enjoy Fa-La-La in the Foyer at the world’s largest hotel atrium for live holiday music by the Homestead High School Choir from Cupertino 11:30 a.m. at the Hyatt Regency. The choir will also perform outside the Ferry Building (1 p.m.) and at Ghirardelli Square (3 p.m. and 4 p.m.). Free admission.
This is the last weekend for The Victorian extravaganza, The Great Dickens Christmas Fair and Victorian Holiday Party featuring hundreds of characters from history and literature, recreations of theaters, pubs, dance halls, and lots more at the Cow Palace. Through Dec. 21 at the Cow Palace. Tickets from $30.
The Winter Wonderland Ice Skating at Chase Center’s Thrive City is on synthetic ice (did you know that even existed?). Through Dec. 30 (excluding the 25th, of course). Free admission (with $5 suggested donation to the Warriors Community Foundation). RSVP at the link above.
Wednesday, Dec. 24
The renowned Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir has performed backup for Linda Ronstadt (on a Grammy-award winning album), the Five Blind Boys of Alabama, the Duke Ellington Orchestra, and others. Their annual Christmas Eve Concert is how I’ve spent this evening for more years than I can remember. If you want to feel good and joyous and forget about the world and hear spectacular voices, go. 7 and 9:30 p.m. at the Great American Music Hall. Tickets from $22.
Enjoy the week with your family and friends, forget your differences, and stay safe.
Got events? Let me know: lynette@thevoicesf.org
Listen to our podcasts
- A new City Charter for San Francisco is front and center
- Thanks to law enforcement, transit costs and more on zoning
- Gus Mattammal, candidate for State Superintendent of Public Instruction with John Rothmann
- The light of Hanukkah shines in Union Square, while we debate zoning and deficits
- Plus more (and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music/Audible or everywhere else you get your favorite podcasts)
Support our newsroom
With the support of readers like you, we provide thoughtful articles and media for a better San Francisco. This is your chance to support credible, community-based, public-service journalism. Please join us!
