San Francisco Politics and Urbanism Daily
Brin’s $500K Check Raises the Stakes in SF’s CEO-Tax Fight
Thursday, May 21, 2026 · 9 min
Sergey Brin put $500,000 into the campaign against San Francisco’s Proposition D CEO-tax expansion, sharpening a June 2 fight over business taxes, inequality and city revenue. Meanwhile, SFPD warns of organized Chinatown pickpockets and the zoo bailout comes with strings.
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Show notes
Sergey Brin put $500,000 into the campaign against San Francisco’s Proposition D CEO-tax expansion, sharpening a June 2 fight over business taxes, inequality and city revenue. Meanwhile, SFPD warns of organized Chinatown pickpockets and the zoo bailout comes with strings.
In this episode
- Google Billionaire Quietly Drops $500K Bomb on SF CEO Tax Fight — Hoodline
Google Billionaire Quietly Drops $500K Bomb on SF CEO Tax Fight Real Estate & Development Science, Tech & Medicine More forecasts: Atlanta 30 day forecast Bay Area/ San Francisco # Google Billionaire Quietly Drops $500K Bomb on SF CEO Tax Fight Published on May 20, 2026 Google co‑founder Sergey Brin quietly dropped $500,000 into a San Francisco political fight, cutting a check to a…
- Step Back — When a billionaire drops half a million dollars into an SF fight over the “CEO tax,” what is that tax actually designed to do — raise meaningful city revenue, punish extreme pay gaps, or both — and what do we know about whether it changes company behavior?
Background sources
- Billionaire Money, Ballot Power and the Fight Over San Francisco’s CEO Tax — Sylvie Sturm
- San Francisco Prop D - Business Tax Increase | SPUR — SPUR
- ‘Fighting back’: Campaign seeks to put Overpaid CEO Act on SF ballot — St. John Barned-Smith
- San Francisco Prop. D: New report intensifies debate over 'CEO tax' measure - ABC7 San Francisco — Abc7news
- City economist raises red flags on SF’s ‘overpaid CEO tax’ — Sfstandard
- Endorsement: Overpaid CEOs won’t pay a cent under SF Prop D. You will — Chronicle Editorial Board
- Surveillance video shows pickpocket crew targeting victims in SF's Chinatown - AOL — AOL
Wed, May 20, 2026 at 1:34 AM UTC 0 Police are warning residents and visitors to stay alert as pickpocketing incidents rise in Chinatown, with officials saying organized groups can steal valuables in seconds. Newly released surveillance video from the San Francisco Police Department shows a trio working together to target unsuspecting victims. In the footage, two people act as lookouts while…
- SF Zoo Receives $8.5 Million Loan, With Majority Awarded After Fulfilling Requirements — SFist
SF Zoo Receives $8.5 Million Loan, With Majority Awarded After Fulfilling Requirements The city is bailing out the SF Zoo with a large loan on the condition it fulfills a list of requirements. The zoo also plans to bring back giant pandas to boost revenue, but advocates say its track record shows it can’t properly care for them. The SF Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to award the San…