Drive for Neighborhood Theaters Must Originate with the Community

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Every time we hear the news of another neighborhood movie theater closing down, a collective groan goes up from the city's film lovers.

Now San Francisco voters in the November 2 election will be confronted with a proposition that claims to be in favor of saving neighborhood theaters so they can be used as venues for independent filmmakers. The proposition was placed on the ballot as the result of a petition campaign by a group calling itself Save Our Theaters. Proposition L designates Save Our Theaters as the recipient of 15 percent of the city's Hotel Tax Fund annually (an estimated $8,000,000-$9,000,000) to be used to buy, restore and operate theaters.

Unfortunately, Proposition L is a simplistic scheme that would put millions of taxpayer dollars in the hands of a group that has no staff, no office and no record of operating theaters. Save Our Theaters represents neither the local film community nor the neighborhoods affected by theater closures. Their campaign has already done a disservice by spreading the misinformation that the Castro Theatre and the Balboa Theatre are in imminent danger of closing, which is not true. The passage of Proposition L can only result in an embarassing fiasco.

We should continue to work to create possibilities for independent film exhibition and we should support independent filmmakers, film festivals and film organizations that are struggling with inadequate city, state and federal funding to create, promote and exhibit film art. Proposition L will not further these goals.

We join the San Francisco Neighborhood Theater Foundation, the Coalition for San Francisco Neighborhoods, Mayor Gavin Newsom and the entire Board of Supervisors in urging a No vote on Propostion L.