Welcome to the Future —

We’re Going Digital!

by Mitch Bull

Mitch Bull
Mitch Bull, Publisher Emeritus.

As the calendar moved from 2019 to 2020 a new decade arrived, and with that we are making significant changes to the Westside Observer. For starters, we will have a new ownership group, Westside San Francisco Media, which is in the process of purchasing the newspaper, website and trademarks. They are passionate members of our staff that have worked on the Observer for many years and they are taking this news outlet into the future.

The major change that tops the list is the move to a “digital-only” format. It is the plan to publish limited page papers in February and March to announce the changes and get our readers used to thinking about us as the online version of westsideobserver.com. The team is working on a redesign to the website, and platform changes that will enable you to get your Observer information on any device you currently use.

It has not been an easy decision to end 32 years of print … but the cost of print, the environmental impacts of paper and ink, and the availability of electronic media has made this the right time to “throw the switch.”

Pine Tree
We hope to save many trees

It has not been an easy decision to end 32 years of print journalism excellence, but the cost of print, the environmental impacts of paper and ink, and the availability of electronic media has made this the right time to “throw the switch.” See the photo of the tree? Even though we don’t use redwood trees for newsprint, it symbolizes the movement away from paper and the trees and energy that will be saved by not producing 15,000 copies each month. The other “issue” with print is that it has always been a static delivery mechanism, not able to be updated until the next month when a new issue hits the newsstands.

What can you expect? A new, redesigned website and platform, bringing you the same information that you have relied on over the years, and more. Need to see what Quentin (Kopp) thinks? He will be there, as well as John Farrell, George Wooding, Kathy Howard, Patrick Monette-Shaw, Dr. Derek Kerr, Nancy Wuerfel, Tony Hall, and our other great writers and contributors. We’re working to make it more interactive, working towards a day where we can get more of your feedback and ideas in real-time.

It won’t be instantaneous and there will be ways to interact and contribute to this exciting new enterprise. Check us out at westsideobserver.com and embrace the digital age.

Mitch Bull was the Publisher of the Westside Observer for twelve years.

February 2020

Sept. 16 is Deadline to Appeal Property Assessment

The Assessor's Office announced that Monday, September 16, 2013, the filing period for a formal appeal of the 2013/2014 assessed property value will close. The period for appeals opened on Tuesday, July 2, 2013.

The appeals process as an opportunity for property owners to bring additional information to the table. However, the Assessor reports that there has been a decline in the number of appeals for the first time in over four years, with 2012/13 appeals decreasing to 5,500 from 6,399 in 2011/12. As home prices in San Francisco rise, this trend of declining appeals is likely to continue as homeowners see their property regain its base year value.

In order to appeal, property owners must complete the Application for Changed Assessment form (accessible by visiting www.sfgov.org/aab) together with a non-refundable $60 administrative processing fee and submit it no later than 9/16/2013 to the Assessment Appeals Board (AAB) at 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, City Hall, Room 405, San Francisco, 94102.

The Assessment Appeals Board is independently appointed by the Board of Supervisors. The role of the AAB is to equalize the valuation of the taxable property within San Francisco. Info: www.sfassessor.org Email: assessor@sfgov.org

September 2013