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Quite the conversation currently happening at the Board of Supervisors, on whether the city should approve a contract to advertise in the Marina Times, which Supervisor Hillary Ronen just called a "purely propaganda outfit."
Supervisor Dean Preston, who proposed the amendment and said he and his family have been "threatened" by the Marina Times, and is questioning its legitimacy as a journalistic outfit.
Supervisor Aaron Peskin, who originally said he was supportive of it, reversed course and said "I do not want this board to be the arbiter of what is okay." He said the city should have a much deeper conversation about this, than during a vote on a contract amendment.
Supervisor Walton: "I don't think this is about first amendment speech, and I believe a paper should be able to write what it wants. ..this is a broader conversation that needs to happen. However, I do not believe taxpayer money should go towards gossip and mischaracterization"
Supervisor Stefani, who represents the Marina, said she was appalled by this amendment: "Whether you like it or no ... it's an essential neighborhood publication that has existed for years. It serves thousands of residents in the Marina and beyond.
Stefani: "We must protect local journalism, even when you don't like what they say."
Supervisor Mandelman: "I am concerned based on the conversation that we've had that we are straying dangerously close to not entering into a contract because of the viewpoint of a publication"
Peskin: "I do not want to be 1/11th of a body that is making a decision on what is okay speech ... in a publication that we fund. If we want to go down that road of saying that the behavior of this publication is unacceptable ... that should be done by a third party."
