Sam Spade's San Francisco

One-hundred-seventy-four million dollars ($174,000,000.00)

That's the size of the San Francisco Symphony's endowment. They are well-endowed indeed!

The San Francisco Symphony is also fortunate to have the amazing talent of Michael Tilson Thomas as music director and they perform in the stunning Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall.

The Musicians Union Local 6 says the Symphony management's proposed pay and benefit package is inferior to those of other major U.S. symphony orchestras. The San Francisco Chronicle broke the story and it can be read here.

Symphony management reported a $2.4 million operating deficit last year and that is the stated reason for a scaled-down pay and benefits package. Management at the San Francisco Symphony seems to be missing a basic business premise: To make money, money must first be spent.

By offering musicians a dazzling and impressive pay and benefits package the San Francisco Symphony will continue to attract the world's finest musicians and keep the musicians they have. San Franciscans would not only enjoy one of the world's greatest conductors (MTT) and enjoy one of the world's most beautiful performance halls, San Franciscans would also enjoy the finest and best and brightest musicians in the world.

Let's dip into that $174 million endowment and let's work with Michael Tilson Thomas to create the absolute finest symphony orchestra anywhere. The long-term results will be a financially sound and vibrantly thriving symphony and an absolutely delighted citizenry.

Take a few minutes to send a message of support to the Musicians Union Local 6. Here are the three primary union officers and their email addresses:

President: David Schoenbrun -

Vice President: Steve Meicke -

Secretary -Treasurer: Gretchen Elliott -