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Articles from the San Francisco Bay Guardian:

EMERIC KALMAN, 1931-2008  April 2, 2008

SF mourns a tenacious, long-time neighborhood activist.

THE POLITICAL PUPPETEER  February 4, 2004

Campaign attorney Jim Sutton has used his connections, legal knowledge, and aggressive strategies to become the go-to guy guy in San Francisco machine politics. 

THE ZOO'S LOSERS   May 7, 2003

The SF Zoo pours millions into cosmetic changes while the animals wait for much-needed housing improvements.

HELLMAN'S HOLE  February 5, 2003

The wealthy interests behind Golden Gate Park's museums are destroying a popular civic treasure. 

PG&E, CORPORATE CRIMINAL  October 16, 2002

The utility likes to say it's a good corporate citizen -- but the record speaks otherwise. 

HOW PG&E WIRES THE CITY  October 16, 2002

Connections, pressure, and campaign cash -- inside the utility's campaign to keep its monopoly safe in SF

FEELING THE CRUNCH  September 4, 2002

PG&E's whopping bills and rotten service are pushing small business owners to the brink of ruin.

THE $620 MILLION SHAKEDOWN  September 4, 2002

PG&E's high rates are damaging SF's economy -- but public power could turn things around.

POWERING AHEAD August 21, 2002

Two landmark city reports show why SF needs to get rid of PG&E. But the city's plan won't work without [passage of public power measure] Prop D.

PUBLIC POWER MOVES FORWARD  March 20, 2002

Activists plan a new strategy amid debate over the next public power measure.

PUBLIC POWER'S FUTURE (editorial)  March 20, 2002

THE LONG MARCH - December 19, 2001  
SF's progressive reformers helped win the city attorney's race. But the big test will come in the March elections.

MONEY AND POWER  October 10, 2001

The big foundations that helped bring us energy deregulation are still on the wrong side.

BECHTEL'S $45 MILLION SCREW JOB  September 12, 2001

Staffers billing at $157 an hour. Lunches at fancy restaurants. Lots and lots of expensive consulting work that never needed to be done. A case study in the problems of privatization.

SFO COVER-UP  August 1, 2001
Our investigation shows how Mayor Willie Brown squelched a city probe into racism at SFO.

BLOWS AGAINST THE EMPIRE  November 15, 2000 
Grassroots politics deals the Brown machine a major defeat.

THE BATTLE FOR SAN FRANCISCO  October 18, 2000
An investigation shows how big developers, with the help of Mayor Willie Brown, are moving to bulldoze the neighborhoods.

GAY-VOTE GAMES  September 20, 2000
All about the machine's "Lavender Sweep" plan to divide gay and progressive voters

NO CASH, NO CONTRACT  July 5, 2000 
An investigation shows how a Bayview/Hunters Point activist's plan to create jobs for troubled kids collapsed when he did not give in to a demand from an ally of Mayor Willie Brown that he fork over a $60,000 cash payment to secure the deal.

SUTRO SLEAZE  May 31, 2000

An investigation shows how SF's planning director pulled a legally dubious move to legitimize the installation of dangerous and illegally-installed antennae on Sutro Tower.
 

SMALL STEPS TOWARD REFORM  March 15, 2000

Democratic Party rebels win 11 seats on the local central committee.

THE BEST MAYOR MONEY CAN BUY  February 16, 2000 

Untangling the web of big, uncontrolled contributions to Willie Brown

THE PARTY'S OVER  February 2, 2000
Activists who tried to get Board President Tom Ammiano elected mayor have set their sights on taking SF's Democratic Party back from the machine.

UNDER ATTACK   December 8, 1999
Mayor Willie Brown and his moneyed backers are stepping up their smears against Board President Tom Ammiano. Don't believe the hype.

BROWN'S BROKEN PROMISES  November 24, 1999

The mayor has betrayed poor people and progressives again and again.

AMMIANO'S MIRACLE  November 10, 1999
How Tom Ammiano could win the mayor's race -- and what might happen if he does

THE PRESIDIO MENACE and LATE CONVERTS  August 4, 1999
Thanks to the privatization of the Presidio, George Lucas is getting a $60 million tax break.

RUN, TOM, RUN  June 16, 1999
Why the city's outspoken board president should enter the mayor's race ­and how he could even win.

CAR CARRION  April 14, 1999
An investigation shows how City Tow hauls bundles of money out of San Francisco ­while nobody at City Hall is watching.

NOTHING IN WRITING  March 17, 1999
Mayor Willie Brown keeps very few records of anything ­so the public can't find out what he's up to.

THE ZOO BLUES  May 19, 1999

An investigation shows that the animals are mistreated while the executive director is getting rich. Privatization has failed the SF Zoo.

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE  November 11, 1998

SF voters take a stand against privatization, secrecy, and the Brown-Burton machine.

THE REAL TENG  September 16, 1998
Supervisor Mabel Teng is facing off against Supervisor Tom Ammiano for the second-most-powerful office in San Francisco. Teng claims to be a progressive; the facts show the opposite.

PRIVATE PARKING  May 6, 1998
An investigation reveals the stealth plan to privatize San Francisco's parks.

DIM BULBS  March 4, 1998
SF PUC President Victor Makras blocks move to buy power plants and expand public power in the city.

POWER TO THE PEOPLE  March 4, 1998
For all its problems, electricity deregulation offers a historic opportunity for communities and consumers -- if they're willing to take advantage of it.

THE PRIVATE ENERGY ELITE  October 8, 1997
An investigation shows how the Energy Foundation abandoned environmentalists and used big money to greenwash the private utility industry.

YOU LOSE  August 13, 1997
The CA state legislature approves a move to give a $28.5 billion bailout to private utilities ­at ratepayer expense.

TREASURE CHEST  July 23, 1997
State Rep. Carole Migden's bill waives state law and allows Mayor Willie Brown to plunder Treasure Island.

THE EVICTION TAPES  May 14, 1997
An investigation shows how a SoMa landlord worked with the SF cops ­and a former police chief ­to evade tenant-protection laws.

FIRE FRAUD  April 13, 1997
PG&E bilks ratepayers out of $80 million in fire-prevention funds ­while acres and acres burn.

THE PEOPLE v. PG&E  April 13, 1997
Nevada County sues PG&E for millions, ­and the monopoly's high-priced, hired guns fire back to head off justice.

BURNING SECRETS  March 12, 1997
PG&E fights to hide fire-safety records.

MOSCONE MALADIES  March 5, 1997
Workers complain the convention center is a "sick building," ­and their chronic illnesses back them up.

THE SHAME OF SAN FRANCISCO  January 29, 1997
The anatomy of a world-class scandal: how PG&E ­once again ­crushed public power to preserve its illegal monopoly 

THE SACK OF SAN BRUNO  December 12, 1996
San Bruno Mountain development was a national model for decimating the Endangered Species Act. What's next?

THE TROUBLE WITH ETAG  October 16, 1996
The PG&E-friendly firm submitted an inaccurate bid ­and produced an inaccurate study.