Newsom blocks plan for a $1.7 million toilet in San Francisco

Would it be of gold and diamonds? Would it be sculpted in the most exquisite marble by a world-class artist? The fact is that we will never know why San Francisco would pay $1.7 million for a toilet. California Governor Gavin Newsom has threatened to withhold that money if a plan to use it "more efficiently" is not presented.

City representatives were about to toast with champagne to the success for their city when the protests and complaints began. And they came from the Democratic Party itself. Matt Haney, a representative in the State Assembly denounced the bill. "I support not spending the money — the cost is ridiculous, and it will take far too long" he said to the San Francisco Chronicle. Because, in addition to the price, the bathroom would not be ready until 2025, according to the project presented.

Mayor's new project to clean up streets

The project is part of the mayor London Breed's new Public Health and Safety project. "The challenges the cramped conditions, the nasty streets, and when I say nasty – full of feces and urine – that the Department of Public Works is cleaning every single day, but it comes back just a few hours later," Breed told Fox News.

"Noe Valley should have one bathroom, but $1.7 million should pay for seven bathrooms, and it should happen a lot faster.... I fully support and agree with the governor on this, and we're going to work together to get this done cheaper and faster and also send the message that San Francisco needs to repair its broken processes," Haney said.

Recreation and Parks Department justifies the cost

The Governor's Office finally decided to take action and threatened to withhold the funds. As reported by The New York Post, Newsom spokeswoman Erin Mellon issued the warning: "A single, small bathroom should not cost $1.7 million. The state will hold funding until San Francisco delivers a plan to use this public money more efficiently. If they cannot, we will go back to the legislature to revoke this appropriation."

For its part, the city's Recreation and Parks Department justified the cost by "onerous demands and unpredictable costs levied by PG&E. It’s also important to note that public projects and their overall cost estimates don’t just reflect the price of erecting structures. They include the cost of planning, drawing, permits, reviews, public outreach and construction management."