Newsom-Ammiano Health Care Proposals MergedCasey Millsbyline‚ Jul. 06‚ 2006The Board of Supervisors Budget and Finance Committee voted unanimously yesterday to merge two proposals aimed at provided universal health care to San Franciscans. Mayor Gavin Newsom's proposal, which he co-wrote with a panel of experts and some Supervisors, contained the framework for the plan, but according to testimony from both the Budget Analyst and Public Health Director Mitch Katz, it lacked sufficient funding to work. Supervisor Tom Ammiano's proposal solves that problem by requiring businesses with more than 20 employees to cover part of the cost of their employee's health care. All eyes now turn to Newsom, who must choose between passing universal healthcare to win national acclaim or opposing the measure to satisfy the city's business community. |