Mayor Ed Lee Updates the Council Board on SF Economy

Fresh from his election victory, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee spoke enthusiastically at the Council’s Board of Directors meeting on Thursday about his economic agenda for San Francisco. Lee said he is focused on creating a more favorable climate for businesses in San Francisco and attracting more employers to the City by the Bay. He said the recent deal to bring Twitter to the City’s mid-Market area has spawned renewed interest and investment in the long-dormant area, with inquiries from dozens of companies. Easing the burden of the City’s payroll tax is among the issues Lee said he expects to make progress on in the coming months, along with seeking changes to other tax-related policies that he said currently create a financial disincentive for locating in the City. Lee also talked about the need for greater cooperation among cities regionally to draw new companies and investment to the Bay Area. Many thanks to the California Academy of Sciences for hosting our meeting.