Pay Cut for San Francisco Homeless

Gavin Newsom, Mayor of San Francisco, spearheaded a plan to cut the pay for the homeless. Called "Care not Cash," the plan used the savings from the cut in homeless pay to provide beds in city shelters, counseling and other services. By a comfortable margin, the voters approved the plan, thereby reducing the take-home pay for the homeless from a high of $410 per month to $59 per month.

Subsequently, in response to a complaint by homeless paycheck recipient Linda Pettye and Nora Roman, a nurse who wants the homeless to get large paychecks, San Francisco Superior Court Judge Ronald Quidachay struck down the voter initiative, stating that city legislators, not voters, establish the rules for welfare.

Judge Quidachay's ruling was reviewed and overturned by a California appeals court. In the ruling, Justice Patricia Sepulveda wrote:

"We liberally construe constitutional and charter provisions in favor of the people's right to exercise their reserved power of initiative. Indeed it is our duty to jealously guard this power so as not to improperly annul its exercise."

So, the appeals court specifically stated that the San Francisco court couldn't act contrary to the will of the voters and the San Francisco homeless population can expect a pay cut. It should be noted that the reduction in pay may cause a downsizing in homelessness by outsourcing of individuals to more attractive locations, such as Key West which has recently adopted an alluring program of benefits for vagrants.