Globe-trotting S.F. mayor's security costs hit

46FB5081.JPG Event on 4/28/04 in San Francisco. Phil Matier and Andy Ross for their column logo. Liz Mangelsdorf / The Chronicle 46FB5081.JPG Event on 4/28/04 in San Francisco. Phil Matier and Andy Ross for their column logo. Liz Mangelsdorf / The Chronicle Photo: Liz Mangelsdorf, SFC Photo: Liz Mangelsdorf, SFC Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close Globe-trotting S.F. mayor's security costs hit 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom's global gallivanting isn't sitting too well at home.

"Here we are, facing having to raise taxes, furlough workers and make even more severe cuts to public safety, and he's traveling around with staff and a police escort," said Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, chair of the board's budget committee. "It just doesn't add up."

Mirkarimi was taken aback by our report that Newsom had a police escort during his recent trips to Paris and to President Obama'sinauguration, as well as for his gubernatorial campaign appearances outside the city.

Newsom also had a police escort and his specially modified, high-security Chevy Tahoe sent to his Montana wedding last summer.

But what really got the supervisor's goat was the Police Department's refusal - in the name of security - to disclose the costs of keeping the star mayor safe.

"It's ridiculous," Mirkarimi said.

He plans to call a special meeting - behind closed doors, if necessary - to find out how much the mayor's travels are really costing.

Do Ron Ron: Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums got some good ink by finally naming acting City Administrator Dan Lindheim to the job full-time - but some of his other picks have City Council members scratching their heads.

First up are questions about the qualifications of Dorlista Reed, whom Dellums named as the city's $125,000-a-year public safety coordinator to oversee ex-offenders' re-entry into society, youth violence prevention programs and community policing.

Reed's most recent job was as a senior management analyst for the Berkeley Department of Public Works, where she coordinated the corporation yard cleanup, worked on seismic safety programs and handled transportation for senior citizens and disabled people.

"What has that got to do with public safety?" asked Councilman Ignacio De La Fuente. "Her name just came out of the blue."

Next up, Theo Oliphant, whom Dellums named as his $125,000-a-year director of public-private partnerships.

"I don't know how he's going to pay for him. It's not in the budget," De La Fuente said.

Then there's the appointment of Marianna Marysheva-Martinez as the $216,000-a-year chief administrative assistant, overseeing finance.

According to one City Hall insider who has had cordial relations with Marysheva-Martinez, she will be the hammer behind the throne. However, it remains to be seen whether Lindheim and Marysheva-Martinez - who are known to have a cool relationship - can get along.

Nobody in the mayor's office wanted to comment - other than to emphasize that these were strictly Dellums' hires. Lindheim, in fact, didn't interview any of the new picks who will now be working under his direction, sources told us.

All of which has left Councilman LarryReid befuddled.

"The mayor doesn't talk to us," he said. "We got an e-mail naming them about an hour before they had the press conference."

Get ready to roll: Christmas could come to California before the month is out.

Congress hopes to have an $800 billion-plus federal stimulus plan on Obama's desk by the Presidents Day recess - and, if everything goes according to plan, it will pack an extra $1 billion for transportation spending for the Bay Area this year alone.

That's double what usually gets spent here.

Washington may also dole out hundreds of millions more to the region as part of its so-called discretionary funding of pet projects.

Among the goodies that could start rolling before the year's out:

-- The $1 billion replacement of San Francisco's Doyle Drive, including a submerged roadway through the Presidio.

-- The $4 billion Transbay Terminal, including $500 million for a "rail box" beneath the station to handle train service.

-- BART's on-again, off-again, $500 million light-rail connector from the Coliseum Station to Oakland International Airport.

-- And the long-awaited, $420 million Caldecott Tunnel fourth bore.

Officials also plan to spend big time on major roads around the Bay Area - including improvements to 19th Avenue in San Francisco - and on bus purchases.

As for the possibility that much of that money might land overseas, where Muni and AC Transit have purchased portions of their fleets in the past?

Not to worry, locals tell us - every dime has a "buy American" requirement.

Goal!: It didn't get much play in the local media, but more than 46,000 people paid anywhere from $20 to $75 a head to watch the Mexico-Sweden soccer game at the Oakland Coliseum last week.

That meant A's owner Lew Wolff, the game's promoter, grossed a cool $1.4 million.

"You can mark it up to the genius of Mike Crowley and David Alioto, who negotiated the deal as part of our taking over the Earthquakes," Wolff said, referring to the San Jose soccer team he also owns.

It was the third time Wolff and company had brought the Mexican national team to Oakland - and each time the turnout has been big.

The only downside was the take from the concessions stands.

"They were good," Crowley said, "but we didn't sell anywhere near the beer we do for a Red Sox or Yankee game. In soccer, the fans actually sit and watch."

Junk-it: Paris, Beijing, Rio de Janeiro - for years, former San Francisco SupervisorTomAmmiano watched his buddies up in the Legislature fly off to the world's top tourist spots in the name of gathering information for state programs.

Well, just one month into his first term as an assemblyman, Ammiano got his first junket invite.

To New Jersey ... to visit child care centers.

"Can you believe it?" Ammiano said. "I spend half my life trying to get out of there, and they want to send me back.

"I told them if they want to know about New Jersey child care, they could just call my cousins," Ammiano said. "At least, the ones who aren't yet in the witness protection program."

EXTRA! Catch our new blog at www.sfgate.com/matierandross.