Subject: Ballot initiative introduced to rename part of Market Street to Harvey Milk Street in San Francisco, CA.
From: gaymecca <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 12 May 1999 00:35:32 -0700

For Immediate

Contact:    Jim Buresch 415.934.8222    email to:  [email-masked]

Queer grassroots movement afoot in San Francisco's Castro District
Ballot initiative introduced to rename part of Market Street to Harvey Milk 
Street

San Francisco, CA - Signature gathering will soot start to place before the 
voters in November an initiative to rename part of Market Street after the 
slain city Supervisor, Harvey Milk.   "On the 22nd, Harvey would have been 
almost 70 years old.  Because he loved this neighborhood so much and helped 
to develop it into the worlds gay Mecca, it only seems befitting that the 
street leading up into the heart of our neighborhood be renamed to Harvey 
Milk Street," said Jim Buresch, sponsor of the initiative.
.
"We've received the official title and summary back from the city 
attorney's office and the elections board yesterday, so we expect to be 
gathering signatures by next week" said Steve Huggins, another of the 
organizers.   The group, Castro Citizens Congress has formed in response to 
the city's upcoming return to district elections in 2000.  "District 8, or 
the Castro, is home to the majority of San Francisco's gay population and 
indeed the unofficial home to homosexuals worldwide.   We want to celebrate 
our home and honor one of it's greatest fathers at the same time" said 
Buresch.

The group's ballot  initiative directs the Board of Supervisors to rename 
Market Street from the Octavia St. intersection and southwesterly to the 
point that Market turns into Portola Drive, to Harvey Milk Street.  The 
initiative also directs the City's Department of Traffic and Parking (and 
other departments) to replace all street signs and update their maps within 
3 months of successful passage of this ordinance.   "With the community 
center going one block up on Gough, this would serve as an entrance into 
the Castro.  The renaming would run the depth of the gay neighborhood", 
Huggins stated.

Buresch said that learning from past mistakes, the group has addressed some 
of the concerns of local business head on.  "Part of the ballot initiative 
allows for businesses along this stretch of Market Street to use their 
current address for the purpose of mailing and deliveries."  They are also 
prepared to start a fund that would help off set the cost of businesses 
that choose to change their stationary, templates and signs.  "We want to 
create a lasting legacy, a statement of pride, not a controversy" stated 
Huggins.

The group has started coalition building not only for endorsements, but for 
volunteers to gather signatures as well.  "This is grassroots organizing at 
its fundamental level.  The citizens of the Castro are enacting legislation 
to do what all previous Supervisors have failed to do, adequately honor 
Harvey and his legacy to progressive politics" said Buresch.   He went on 
to add, "we certainly hope that the supervisors step up to the plate and 
introduce this legislation before we have to take it to the ballot. 
 However; we're prepared to work night and day to get it on the November 
ballot to be approved successfully by the voters."

"This time next year, you will be getting out of your cab at Harvey Milk 
and Noe", stated Huggins.